Do your homework! Three words that you likely never wanted to hear again. This time these words serve as a reminder. We spend our early years going to school and attending courses like English and Math year after year. We did this to hone our skills with the goal of mastery. To attain that mastery, we did the work during the school day and the homework after school. We also completed projects that required us to research and report on a point of view that allowed us to expand our knowledge. Little did we realize that we were being primed for our future. Beyond the apparent objective of learning the skills to attain a career, we were also building the habits for a lifetime of learning.
It is your responsibility to do more than show up for your job. If you want a career, you have to grow into it. Getting the job is simply a place to start. Practicing the valuable habits learned through years of education will grow a job into a career. Consider the similarities:
- Our workdays are the classroom and the labs we were required to attend. Every day you will learn new skills, see different perspectives, and have the opportunity in real-time to put these into practice.
- Associations and chapters are equivalent to high school’s extracurricular activities. Belonging to groups and actively participating will expand your network and expertise beyond your employer’s walls.
- Subscribing to articles and sites provides the homework we must do to stay relevant in our careers. Search keywords that appeal to any interest, and pages of articles will appear. Sign-up for those publications that appeal to you, and you will find your “required reading” in your inbox daily.
Every career is a developing discipline. Even the oldest professions have changed with the evolution of technology and the reach of the internet. To stay relevant, it is imperative that you do the work beyond what is “required.” Take advantage of the many training opportunities available through your employer and the web.
The bottom line is that “no one will care about your career as much as you do.” It, after all, is YOUR career. You are hired based on what you have done in that career. How you continue to grow that career is a personal decision based on the work you are willing to do and the sacrifices you are ready to make. Do Your Homework!
Next up, “Work/Life Balance — Don’t get it Twisted” — Lori
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.