Career Chat: My Most Important Career Decision
Jarus
One of my followers and readers of this website recently slid into my inbox on LinkedIn to ask me some questions on career. I think the exchange is an interesting one that other young readers may find beneficial.
Good morning, your posts are always very inspiring 🙏. Please, if you don’t mind, could I ask you for some career advice?
Let’s see if it’s something I can answer
Okay. What’s the best career decision you’ve made ? And what do you think is the most important thing in getting to where you want to?
Interesting.
Best career decision: Seeing a newspaper advert for the role of Tax Accountant at an unnamed company in October 2011 and applying for the role. That changed my career. That happened, or more correctly, evolved to be my current company. And I got relatively fast promotion and learnt a lot from the company, especially from my boss, a great leader. The company being a British company also exposed me to working across borders. It’s a great experience for me.
The second question, not sure I got it. Is it in general or my own experience?
Yes your own experience. O really ? I’m sure when you applied you didn’t know what to expect. I would have probably passed on that vacancy because the company was unnamed.
Exactly. I was just reading newspaper at work that day when I saw it. I showed it to my friend and colleague in my then workplace and he encouraged me to apply. The rest is history, I got the job.
Interestingly, two years later, after I had gotten into that company, there was an opening for a role that friend and former colleague qualified for. I submitted his CV. He was invited for interview which he passed. Today, we are both in same company.
Wow. That’s so nice, you must really like the company for you to remain there for that long though. What do you think about a nice company, good benefits and great management but I’m not really learning “ a lot”
Hmmmmnn. Tight one. I think personal preference will determine. One with good benefits and management will be chosen by me.
Hmm okay. Thank you!
You’re welcome.
PS: Somehow, the conversation did not lead to me answering the second part of the question, but I answered similar question from another LinkedIn follower a week or two after. Here is it.
The young man who had been following me from afar asked me what I did right to have a successful career. Told him I wont call myself a career success (still a long way to go to qualify for that) but four things have helped.
1. LUCK: Difficult to admit, but I don’t feel shy to say I have been lucky. Trust me, there are better people out there who have not had such decent career.
2. GOOD BOSSES: I have been fortunate to have good bosses all my career. I have learned a lot from them. I try not to disappoint them. I go extra mile to get the job done, not to let them down.
3. HARDWORK: No two ways about it. You have to be hardworking. I don’t think I am lazy.
4. VERSATILITY & VISIBILITY: Knowing more than your job. Being visible. You just need to be visible. Be visible to key decision makers. On versatility, actively try to add value beyond your JD. Even my social media savviness and personal clout have been deployed for my employer in the past. Part of being versatile is also knowing something about other people’s jobs. Know a little of operations, business development, macroeconomics, industry trends and news etc. All these things have helped despite being an accountant by role.
Hope other people beyond these two young followers find these helpful.
This is a great piece of work.