At times, does it seem like your career is one big struggle? Why does the world appear so chaotic? If you’ve ever felt this way, know that you’re not alone. We’ve all been there too… many times.

It’s why I wrote in my blog about mindset, productivity advice, and getting clients and work … To help you learn from my successes and failures, I want to share the stories of my career with you.

Doing this will help you grow your career more quickly.

Recently, I sought out other career advice experts to see what additional tips they would suggest for furthering one’s career.

I consulted with career advice experts and asked them three burning questions:

1. What is your top advice for succeeding in a career today, whether you’re an employee or a contract worker?
2. What is the most important quality that hiring managers look for in potential employees or contract workers?
3. Do you have any additional career advice for identifying the ideal career, setting goals, achieving growth, or changing careers?

Within only a few days, I received xx responses that were full of thoughtful insight.

How do I Pick the Right Career Path for Me?

Whether you are at the beginning of your career or well into it, you have probably asked yourself at least once, “What career should I choose?”

If I hadn’t changed with the times, my skills would be outdated. For example, the job function I have now barely existed when I was younger. If had focused on other areas and not adapted as my career progressed, then I would’ve missed out on discovering my passion.

While tests can give you some idea of what your strengths and weaknesses are, they can never tell you definitively what you will love doing for a living. It is part of the mystery of life that we are all on a journey of career growth; we never fully arrive at our destination. Because everything is constantly changing, we should enjoy the journey instead of stressing about it. We may have to switch jobs or companies, and we might even end up working in a different field than we originally planned (like contract work, employment, entrepreneurship, etc.).

What is the one factor that determines career success more than any other?

Though it may be tempting to answer “yes” to this, doing so would be equivalent to giving in to temptation.

Depending on our values, many different things can define our success in our careers.

• Money
• Family
• Friends
• Flexibility
• Health
• Time
• Travel
• Etc.

When we compare what we don’t have with others, it’s easy to get stuck in a hole of negativity. We should remember the good moments from our past, even though we may have forgotten them. We often focus on the negatives instead of the positives.

Do you do this? I know I do…

We will never achieve true happiness if we’re constantly comparing ourselves to others and focusing on what we don’t have. Instead, let’s focus on the things that we do have and be grateful for them. Spend a few minutes thinking about all of the things you’re thankful for.

Now, back to the 13 career advice experts…

Career Advice Experts Weigh in with Their Help For Career Success and Growth

Discover the advice from 13 career experts by reading their in-depth responses to my 3 questions.

The responses from experts are listed below in no particular order.

1. What is your top advice for succeeding in a career today, whether you’re an employee or a contract worker?
2. What is the most important quality that hiring managers look for in potential employees or contract workers?
3. Do you have any additional career advice for identifying the ideal career, setting goals, achieving growth, or changing careers?

Contributors

Deepak Shukla

The number one tip for career success today is to enjoy what you do, or at least some aspects of it. It makes a huge difference when you want what you do and the people you work with and understand your “why” (why you do what you do – why is it important to you).

Enthusiasm. It is ideal to have a worker who is enthusiastic, eager to learn, and shares your values.

It is critical to follow one’s heart. Your intuition or inner guidance will direct you to the right career, goals, and opportunities for growth. Choosing your path rather than conforming to society’s expectations requires courage, but it will bring you much more fulfillment, joy, and abundance in all areas.

Deepak Shukla, CEO at Deepak Shukla

Nelly Mihaylova

1. The terms flexibility and adaptability go hand in hand.
The secret to success is finding a way to develop flexible skills that can be applied to various departments or industries (such as marketing and engineering). It is essential to develop transferable skills because technological and social changes are occurring more frequently and upending entire industries and jobs.           

2. Cultural fit

Employees do indeed need a foundational aptitude for the specific job they will perform. However, I would err on the side of hiring someone with good morals who can be taught and who will otherwise fit the workplace culture I’m promoting. I would choose that over a candidate with a perfectly matched skill set, a specific number of years of experience, and a specific job title in the past, any day of the week.     

3. Take ownership of your professional development
Your employer or business is not obligated to provide you with professional or industry-specific education. They have no obligation to assist you in advancing your career or making more money. Colleges don’t have to provide us with all the information we need to succeed in the workplace; the university is just the beginning. We must own the fact that it is ours.                        

Manager at Light Finance

Tafu Maful

People who are looking for a quick answer to this question, however, will be let down because achieving success in a job or career requires a variety of factors, and focusing only on one of them won’t make you successful. Because the demands of each job, the workplace culture, and the personalities of those involved are never the same, every job is unique. Being clear about your job expectations and, if at all possible, trying to go above and beyond them are two essential keys. 

If they are qualified, the hiring manager will check to see if the candidate’s skill set and experience match those of the position. The use of applicant tracking systems by hiring managers to screen resumes for a match between the job description’s keywords and the applicant’s skill set text is on the rise. Make sure your resume is formatted for the ATS system and include concrete behavioral examples of times you used the necessary job-related skills in your behavioral responses.       

People should think about coaching so they can explore all of their options using different career testing tools and be able to develop a short- and long-term career plan. Personality assessments are part of this process, as are investigations into their areas of interests, challenges, and fulfillment as well as their ideal standard of living and any skill sets or experiences they may need to advance in their careers. A career coach also enables individuals to create a timeline that can inspire them and give them a sense of progress. There are far too many people who choose a job or career without giving it any thought. Sometimes they turn to a coach years down the road because they feel stuck or like they set their sights too low and are wasting time that could be spent advancing their careers and earning more money.         

CEO at Søppelbilen AS

Leila  

“Look for opportunities where the result will be success or failure.

No middle ground. You won’t succeed if you just quietly do your job. You will succeed if the result of your work goes beyond. Real experience can only come from successful companies or from companies that do everything wrong. In both cases, one year of work in them will be worth five years in the average company.”       

The personal liking of a recruiter is the most important factor in hiring. It affects the assessment in 90% of cases, the authors write in the book Resume in a Million. However, the more experienced the recruiter, the lower the personality liking factor. If the candidate is dressed inappropriately, they may not continue the conversation with him. Professional skills are equally important, but there have been cases when the candidate’s desire to develop and learn has become an advantage.       

Leila, Marketing Manager at VPN Reddit           

Nikhil Chandani

Believe in yourself. You’ve been hired to bring your skills, knowledge, and abilities to the table. Bring them, and don’t undervalue yourself because your contribution is important.

Being solution-oriented. Someone who understands the big picture and their role in it, as well as a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done, is priceless.

Accept the unexpected. You don’t have to have a set career plan and spend your life working it like a dog! Get to know yourself, stop taking everything so seriously, take regular breaks to reflect and recalibrate, and say yes more than no because the doors yes will take you further than you realize.

Nikhil Chandani / SEO Executive at Softwaresuggest      

Udit Shanty 

Work to your strengths and natural aptitudes/talents to be successful in your career today. Work feels a lot less like work when you do this.

The ability to work independently and without close supervision while being a team player is the most important characteristic of an employee/contract worker.

The most difficult challenge for any job seeker or career changer is deciding what to do next. Most people know what they DON’T want to do anymore, but they rarely know what they want to do in their next career immediately. They simply want a change. Doing the internal work that helps you understand what you were meant to do is the first step toward success. Examine yourself and your abilities. Then look for jobs that cater to those interests.

Udit Shanty, Marketing Manager at Recurpost

Karolina Kijowska 

Take responsibility for your career path. Most people are promoted not thanks to their job-related talents but their career management skills. Most successful employees know who they are, their strengths, and how to get assistance in the business world. They know their horizons, meaning possible perspectives and goals they want to achieve. As a result, they prioritise actions that match their personality and will advance their careers. Your career also will be thriving if you follow this strategy.

All recruiters look for proactive employees. People with this personality trait bring into the company not only their hard work and ideas but also their energy and engagement. They make the most significant impact on a business because their words translate into actual actions. Thus, employees who can take the initiative are always highly valued by employers.           

When deciding on your career path, always consider if it’s your personal decision. Sometimes we follow other people’s advice and fall under pressure. As a result, we don’t choose what is best for us; instead, we meet others’ expectations. So, if you want to find a genuinely fulfilling and beneficial career, ensure you make decisions by yourself.

Karolina Kijowska / Head of People at US Visa Photo      

Falls Shu     

To be successful in a modern career today, you must keep learning and be willing to try new things. After graduation, people may become lazy, and over-loading could make them even lazier. It is imperative to keep learning for as long as possible.     

[EnergeticI think. He has to be passionate about life. It makes an employee strong and full of ideas.         Nobody’s advice is 100% right for you. You should always be open to the outside world, and never close yourself off to the current state of uncertainty. Unhappy things happen more often than happy ones. Be prepared for that while never losing hope and believing in your existence.         

Falls Shu, Marketing Manager at TMKEFFC                   

Eliza Nimmich

Take opportunities and network at each stage

Everybody starts somewhere– you’re probably not going to land your dream job immediately. Wherever you are, make the most of that opportunity. Do your best in that position. Network within your team and with the people with whom you associate every day at work. Many people are natural networkers, so always be direct in your intentions and goals. Someone may keep you in their brain and reach out to you when an opportunity arises. Equally, set goals for what you want to achieve. A dream is just air until you start to create an action plan. Set goals for growth and what your ideal position looks like. List out the steps that will be needed to help you get there.https://learnt.io/blog (anything there)

Eliza Nimmich, COO, Learnt

Ola Hansen          

Keep pushing yourself to reach new heights in your work. Stay curious and always seek out new ways of honing your skills. Make it a goal to venture outside of what you know– explore cultures and life experiences that open up unique opportunities for personal growth. Challenge yourself to try something that changes the way you think. Dive into philosophical questions and broader ideas scales beyond your existing knowledge base. Regard any form of constructive learning or understanding as an opportunity to grow personally and reinvent yourself in the best way possible.  

Persistence is an important attribute required for success. It showcases your dedication to see projects and goals through to the end, even when confronted with challenges such as time constraints or limited resources. Responsibility also plays a pivotal role in propelling us toward our goals. Remain focused on targeting success even when uncertainty lingers and understanding that failure can sometimes take a bit of getting used to.       

It is essential that when it comes to career choices, you deeply evaluate who you are and what drives you. Take the time to consider your motives, values, and morals – whatever values most highly in your day to day life. As difficult as it may seem, align your idea of yourself and the purpose you wish to achieve through work with a career path that speaks volumes. With the right direction and dedication there is nothing holding you back!

Ola Hansen, Marketing executive at Søppeltaxi og transport

Raj Kittur

Career Advice for Better FutureAnyone’s career totally depends on the skills and knowledge they have. I hope some of these tips will really help make your career:

– Never stop learning (even though you are working)

– Work on goals (degree is not everything)

– Be a team player (you alone can not achieve everything)

– Speak up (express your idea clearly)

– Welcome feedback (constructive criticism might help you)

– Leave your comfort zone into a corner (never let your comfort consume you)

– Ask questions (asking might help you in giving precise answers)

– Don’t be afraid of the outcome (just work don’t get scared of the outcome or pressure)

Raj Kittur/SEO Executive at Upmetrics

Monthy Pedersen

It is critical to determine what success means to you personally. Then you can devise a strategy for getting there. Remember that you are ultimately in control of your career and must select a career path that suits you.

This is usually related to soft skills, which the organization cannot teach you, such as leadership abilities, the ability to work effectively with a team, time management and follow through, and persistence. Hiring managers want to ensure that the employee will fit into the company culture.

It’s critical to understand what makes you happy. This will enable you to make better career decisions and set more meaningful goals.

Monthy Pedersen, CEO at Spa Huset     

Carl Wilhelm Alderin

If you adore what you do you will be more productive, motivated, and a better team player – that is, if you enjoy your job.

Skills are unavoidable; they either have them or can learn them. What you need to look for is enthusiasm. “Ignorance on fire is preferable to knowledge on ice.” – Dr. Ivan Misner, Business Networking International founder.

Work with a career coach to determine what you enjoy doing to save decades of your life on something you don’t want to do.

Carl Wilhelm Alderin, CEO at Flottegulv

Aabhas Vijay

Understand why you are in that profession. Is it because of the money, because of the company, or because it’s your passion? Once you understand why you will understand what to do and how to grow.

Flexibility is more important than skills and experience. The worker’s ability to recognize when something does not work and to stop, adjust, and try again.

Many of us are motivated by the financial gain we receive from working 8 to who knows how many hours per day, but it is up to you to determine whether your work is motivated by leaving a legacy, helping people, or pursuing your passion. If you know why you come to work (or not) every day, it’s just a matter of focusing on what needs to be done to find the right career, goals, change, and growth for you.

Aabhas Vijay, Founder at Bicycleer

 With my career, where should I go from here?

I’m truly grateful to everyone who contributed to the roundup. If you found it helpful, please share it with others! Also, if you’re still seeking advice on furthering your career, feel free to peruse some of my other blog posts that are focused on careers.