How to Succeed in Any Job
Whether you are looking for your first job or you’ve been in the workforce for a while, here are my tips for succeeding in any job!
This post contains affiliate links.
Shop This Look
Read my Summer Work Wear Roundup
Listen
In all honesty, being able to listen is THE MOST important skill for any job. It doesn’t matter how high your GPA or how great your portfolio if you are not a good listener. Listening is important for taking direction from your higher-ups, but also for your day-to-day work alongside your coworkers. If you are in a customer-facing role, the person you best be listening to above all is the customer. The most important part of listening is genuinely hearing what the other person has to say, regardless of your own thoughts on the matter. We have all experienced what it’s like to be in a conversation with someone who refuses to acknowledge our point of view. In short, it sucks. To avoid that scenario in your workplace, make sure to actively listen by nodding your head or giving verbal affirmations while the other person is speaking. After they say their piece, I normally try to summarize what I took away from it in a sentence – for example, I said this on a call with a brand last week: “Even though the deliverables aren’t due until next Friday, it seems like you would like the team to have more time to make edits, so I will try my best to get them to you by Wednesday!” That way, the person sees you were listening to them, and more importantly, they get the chance to correct any misunderstandings to ensure efficiency and future headaches.
Master Time Management
I was told in college to work smarter, not harder. I have embodied that ever since and strongly believe that time management has been a big part of why my business has been a success. I make weekly and daily goals, then write out what I need to do in order to accomplish each. I then prioritize those tasks, usually doing the harder ones that take more time first. After that, it’s planning ahead for meetings, calls, etc. and eliminating distractions, before finally grinding out the work! Having a planner helps with this greatly btw. Everyone has a slightly different formula for success, but if you are going crazy with your workload, that’s where I would start 🙂
Ask For Help
This seems so basic, but it’s funny how many people think asking for help is a sign of weakness. I think this is especially hard for women, because historically men have found flaws with women’s work performance to keep them from working and staying at home instead (have you seen Mad Men? Prime example). Sure, times have vastly changed, but it still can be hard to find your voice at work, let alone using it to admit you need help. A good boss or coworker won’t think you’re incompetent if you need assistance – the opposite, rather. They’ll probably be happy that it’s getting done right the first time around.
Find a Friend
I am not saying that your work friend needs to be your best friend. I am not saying that your work friend has to be someone you’d hang out with outside of work. I am just saying that you need a friend at work. Having emotional support is crucial for any job, and once you find your work wife, the hard times get easier and the good times get better. You’ll have someone to complain with, someone to eat lunch with, someone to suffer through meetings with, and most certainly someone to ask for help 😉 It’s honestly as easy as just introducing yourself to someone that’s eating alone in the kitchen that you recognize from your floor. As much as you may try to explain workplace dilemmas and drama, your SO, your friends and your family just won’t get it like your work friends will.
Know When to Leave
Maybe your company is going through a merger, or your department is getting consolidated, or your boss is leaving and you can’t stand the replacement. Maybe it’s an upcoming birthday or engagement that’s making you rethink your work situation, or perhaps you simply have outgrown your current position. it’s extremely important to know when to move on for a new challenge. Or, if you hate what you’re doing / if the work environment is toxic, you can’t possibly be doing good work, either – which is you may want to consider redoing your resume and looking elsewhere where you can fulfill your potential.
Keep killing it in the workplace babes!!
Now…it’s time for a fabulous giveaway!
I’ve teamed up with an amazing group of bloggers
to give YOU a chance to win:
a $1,000 Nordstrom Gift Card, just in time to shop the Anniversary Sale!
Simply enter below by completing the rafflecopter.
You’ll receive one entry per completion.
This giveaway is open to the U.S. and Canada only and runs until 7/9.
Winner will be announced here. Good Luck!
Void where prohibited.
By entering the giveaway you acknowledge that you are agreeing to complete each task,
which involves following, liking and subscribing to newsletter’s.
All the blazers I’m loving right now:
