The internet is flooded with articles that provide tips and advice on how to have a successful career. However, very few actually talk about things that have been proven to work, from personal experiences of real life female entrepreneurs.
This article highlights 6 things women have been doing for years that have always shown positive results in their careers.
1. Getting in Touch with the Inner You
Maya Angelou, a woman who needs no introduction, said, “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it”. I honestly believe that she had the right idea. Success only comes when you are at a good place in your life, in all aspects, despite what you have been through.
In order to reach this place there is a long journey of successes and setbacks to endure. But, allowing the bad times to overpower what could potentially be good only results in more setbacks and feelings of negativity.
Maya herself went through her own share of ups and downs. She went from working as prostitute to becoming the co-coordinator for Martin Luther King Jr.’s Christian Leadership Conference to becoming acquaintances with William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Edgar Allen Poe!
So clearly Maya Angelou did something right, because if hers is not considered a successful career I don’t know whose is!
2. Do What You Have To
Oprah Winfrey, an inspiration to thousands of women around the world once said, “Do what you have to until you can do what you want to.”
What you want will (very) rarely fall into your lap. Making a successful career requires a lot of hard work and in the initial stages it requires a lot of compromise. Until you have enough resources (financial and others) to start your own business, take whatever comes your way and spin it to your advantage.
Oprah started out as a co-anchor for the local evening news at age 19, hardly the ideal job. She slowly worked her way up to a third-rated local daytime talk show in Chicago and brought the ratings up to first place, which is when she got her big break and was finally able to launch her own production company.
I mean you don’t get the title “The Queen of All Media” unless you did something right.
3. Ambition Takes You a Long Way
Leah Busque, founder and CEO of TaskRabbit says, “I wake up every morning and think to myself, ‘How far can I push the company forward in the next 24 hours?’”
This is a woman who has already made it big but is still as ambitious as ever. Once you become a successful career woman, you need to stay that way. It is easy to be ambitious and bold when you are trying to make a successful career. But when you reach your goal, what then? Always keep thinking about new ways in which you can better yourself professionally. You can never be done learning and growing for the better.
Take a leaf out of her book and never let that ambitious spark die.
4. Be Open to Criticism—Constructive or Not
Hilary Clinton says: Take criticism seriously, but not personally.
I know, it is easier said than done. But when people criticize you the truth is you are better for it. It can give you insight into some things that you may have accidently over looked. A fresh perspective, especially from someone who doesn’t care much for you, can be an incredibly powerful tool to push you in the right direction.
Taking it personally may put you on the defensive, and defenses often prove counterproductive. Take it in your stride, shake off the momentary attack you may feel, and turn that criticism into some good advice.
5. If Your Time Is Up, Make a Change
Being a successful career woman means being able to recognize when to move on from something that doesn’t seem to be working. If you start to feel like you made the wrong career choice, do not be afraid to move on to something better.
Amy Black, a singer and a song writer began her career in marketing after she graduated from college. It wasn’t until much later that she began turning her love for music into an actual career.
“I’ve changed jobs or careers often and always look at them as new adventures. Whenever I have a fear of making a change, I repeat my personal mantra: ‘Life is Short. Do What You Love.’ This fuels every life adventure, from driving cross country for a year in an old RV to reinventing my business every few years,” says Amy. Having made some bold decisions and choices in her life she still managed to get nominated for the “Country Act of the Year” award by the New England Music Awards in 2012.
Today, you can make that switch to a new career fairly easily thanks to the hundreds of career institutes and vocational schools that have spread across the United States. You can study anything from motorcycle technology and medical transcription to pastry arts and nursing in a few short months and be all set to start your new career. Schools like Career Step, Penn Foster and the U.S. Career Institute even offer courses online in a range of different fields to make the switch that much easier for you.
6. “Me” Time
Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Executive VP & artistic director of OPI nail products says
“My best advice is, don’t forget about ‘me’ time. Schedule a window of time for yourself, like any other appointment, if you have to. In the end, taking personal time will make you more productive at work.” – Womansday
I have to say, as a fellow aspiring career woman, I completely agree. Everyone will experience times during the week where they just want to be left alone. Winding down is extremely necessary for your emotional and mental health.
Find time during the week (maybe 3 or 4 times) for yourself where you have nothing planned. Use that time to relax, watch a movie, go out for coffee, get a massage or even take a nap. Basically, do anything that is not work related preferably by yourself.
There are so many more things that have been tried and tested and that you can do to make your career a success. The only thing to remember is that whatever you are doing, be sure that it makes you happy and keeps you satisfied. Otherwise it is quite pointless.
