Thriving professionals say this is THE BEST CAREER ADVICE they've received

Building and maintaining a successful career can be challenging, given everything you need to consider at various times in your working life, including education/training, job searching, networking, professional development, relationship management, self-management, interviewing, being productive and impactful at work, setting the right goals etc.  

And while there is no shortage of career tips out there, there is some foundational advice that has helped others succeed, and that may help you too! 

I reached out to several successful people in my network who are thriving in their career and asked them what the best career advice is they’ve received (directly or indirectly). Here’s what they told me:

🎯 "If you're interested in something, go for it, regardless of what others think. You'll likely regret it if you don't at least give it a try." – Dawn Graham, PhD, Director of Talent Management at KPMG US and author of the book Switchers.

🎯 "The best career advice I ever received was to commit to continuous and ongoing personal and professional development. I was encouraged to be a constant learner. Taking this keen advice, I've continued to grow and evolve resulting in new and unexpected opportunities throughout my career." – Kristopher Jones, Cofounder & CEO of LSEO.com, MerchBooth.com, and The Accelerator

🎯 “Sheryl Sandberg says in best in Lean In, that women need to shift from thinking "I'm not ready to do that" to thinking "I want to do that - and I'll learn by doing it.” I saw her Ted Talk in 2010 and read her book when it came out in 2013. That concept was transformational for me.” – Maria Montoro Edwards, PhD, President and CEO at Maternal And Family Health Services, Inc.

🎯 “A very well-established photographer based in New York City once told me to shoot what you love and the right clients will come to you. You should choose a career that brings you positive energy and feedback. Don’t be afraid to narrow your scope in order to protect your own state of mind.” – Michael Straub, Owner and Photographer at Michael Straub Photography

🎯 “Make yourself invaluable to your manager. Figure out what kinds of things they're working on that you can take off their plate. Bonus points if you offer to handle a task or responsibility that you know they really don't like or something that's sucking too much of their valuable time. Even if it's out of your comfort zone, ask your manager if you can help at least get it started or shadow them while they work on said task.” – Jenny Hetro, Owner of Jennifer Lee Hetro

🎯 “The best career advice I ever received was to give way more than you expect to receive in all things. You will work your way up from there and become a better person for it.” – Candy Frye, Business Development Executive at L.R. Costanzo Co.

🎯 “The best career advice I've received is the encouragement to define leadership on my own terms. Early in my career I wasn't interested in leadership roles because I didn't see myself in the leaders around me. They seemed to have motivations, behaviors and interests that were very different from mine. It wasn't until I realized I could lead from my own strengths and do it in a way that was meaningful and authentic to me that leadership felt accessible to me and in alignment with my values.” – LaTida Smith, President at The Winston-Salem Foundation

🎯 “Never burn any bridges. You may come across a team/manager that rubs you the wrong way, but find a way to work alongside that individual because it will teach you discipline.” – Jose J Gonzalez, Assistant Director of Risk Management at Seminole Hard Rock Support Services

🎯 “I was looking to change career paths and was nervous about it. My grandfather looked me in the eyes and asked me, "Do you know how to work?" I replied, "Yes." He said, "Then you can do any job or career you want to pursue, because knowing how to work and learn continuously is all you really need." I apply that to everything I do and pursue, and it has helped me to move into new career paths a few times and excel in anything I choose to do." – Dr. Constance Bahn PhD Curriculum Instruction Assessment, Science Teacher at MEF International Schools

🎯 “Know your “why” before changing jobs. Are you seeking professional experience, compensation, or job satisfaction/balance? It’s easy to get distracted with the thrill of something new. ALWAYS be open to a conversation - you never know where, when or how it will come back around.” – Laura Jeffrey, SHRM-SCP, Regional HR Director at Core-Mark International

🎯 “If you do what you love for a living, you'll never work a day in your life.” – Travis Prince, Artist

🎯 "The best career advice I ever got came from a book by Cal Newport titled So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love. Most literature talks about being "passionate" about your work. Although that is part of a successful life and career, what I learned from this book is that you need to become very skilled at what you do - strive to be the best in your endeavors. When you become excellent, you will then be passionate about this work or journey you are on every day." – Marty Wolff, Partner at Contractor Succession

🎯 “Take the leap. If you are unsure if you should make a move, make it. No one ever achieves greatness by staying in a comfort zone. It's the uncomfortableness that challenges us.” – Donna Maria Groysman, Owner of Queen of Tarts Desserts

🎯 “Early in my career, I was invited to participate in a board meeting. When I arrived, all the seats lining the conference table were spoken for. I eagerly found a seat in the corner of the room and started to settle in. My mentor and dear friend, Don Webster, came to greet me. In his greeting, he smiled and said ‘You wouldn’t be invited to the room if you didn’t belong at the table. Join us.’ Before I could sit down or debate, he moved my chair to join the others. That small moment had a significant impact. Now, if imposter syndrome ever starts to show its fangs, I reflect on this moment. I belong at the table.” – Michelle Conway, Director of Student and Client Services at Alvernia University

🎯 “Leave people better than you found them.” – Ryan Leckey, Founder and President of Ryan Leckey Media

🎯 “You should quit your job and start your own company.  It may seem like a big risk but you have the experience, knowledge, and work ethic that's needed.” - Sara Hailstone, Principal of Hailstone Economic

The career advice above isn’t a panacea for everyone’s unique needs, challenges, questions, and opportunities. Some of this advice may work for you, some may not. The purpose of this advice is to highlight what has worked for others so that you can integrate it with your own experience, knowledge, and insight – as well as that of your Career Advisory Board – to figure out what will work for your unique circumstances.

🗝 When it comes to your career, you don’t have to come up with all the answers on your own. Reach out to thriving people in your network – and consider the advice offered in this article – to discover the most useful, relevant, and practical advice on what it takes to be successful in your career. If the advice helped them thrive, it’s probably worth considering!

[This article was originally published on LinkedIn on 3/15/23: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/thriving-professionals-say-best-career-advice-theyve-leonard-mhrm%3FtrackingId=AAQ8xGOaT1qq6xnFz8mV9w%253D%253D/?trackingId=AAQ8xGOaT1qq6xnFz8mV9w%3D%3D]