Yewande Jinadu: 4 Career Tips for Young Millennials

Feeling that life, or the government, or even our organisation owes us, can hinder us from achieving a lot of things. Sometimes, your feelings may be true. However, sticking to that as an excuse for your life not going the way you want, or not going the way you have planned it out is a big mistake for a lot of young people.

Improve yourself… continuously
For those who have their career going on well for them, that’s nice; but it can change if there is no proper direction. Disengagement could arise or even dissatisfaction. Try not to get lost in the daily activities, but rather seek to continually improve yourself. Strive for greater heights by ensuring you add to your worth as an individual, I won’t over-emphasize the need to continually read and re-train. You may not be able to afford an expensive training but there are a lot of free information online that will improve your thinking and performance on the job.

Learn from your mistakes
For those who have made decisions that they regret during their career journey, pick up lessons from it and convert that regret to something positive by not allowing yourself to be discouraged because that attitude of regret won’t get things changed.

Have a mentor
For someone who may just be starting out with their career journey and may be confused, having a mentor to guide you will help. A mentor can be close or distant. Add people of interest on LinkedIn, study their profile, and connect with them by adding a convincing note and then you can follow them from a distance. I used to feel that it was the mentors responsibility to check up on the mentee, although that is true but the mentee has a lot to lose while waiting continuously. Ensure you engage your mentor frequently, ask meaningful question and get as much as you can.

Acquire skills & rebrand yourself
If you’re unhappy with your current job or career, remember that not no one is 100% happy with theirs either, but their attitude towards it matters. Pick up your life and make the change you want to see in your career. Acquire the skills you need, re-brand yourself and your CV and take that leap of faith.

For a mid-level person who may feel he hasn’t achieved as much as his peers who he started with, it’s a good feeling because it shows your desire to improve. First is to start with out-of-box ideas that you can do in your own little way in your organization. This will form achievements that you can present to market yourself in the level you hope to get to. Invest in yourself mentally by reading and attending trainings.

I wish you the best in your career journey!

Photo Credit: Mary981 | Dreamstime