Effective Ways to Build a Successful Career

You have already started building your career long before you get your first job. Over the years you have mounded your belief system, core values, and interests. You are what you have done until now and you are more likely to continue to do what you feel is comfortable for you.  Here are the things that you can do to develop your career.

1. Know yourself: The thing that you usually do to occupy your time is what you are interested in, such as drawing or looking inside a CPU. Find out how you can expand your particular interest and develop it into a meaningful and challenging career.

2. Career decision-making: Before you embark on the long journey of a working career. You need to acquire knowledge and education. It should be in line with your aspiration, interests, and core values. The other thing is to make sure that there is a demand for the expertise that you are going to equip yourself with.

3. Career path: The objective of your career is to seek progress and growth which brings you satisfaction and happiness in life. It is not necessary or warranted that you stick with one establishment for many years. You need to change to widen your horizon and adopt new skills to deal with changing situations. 

4. Build energy: Along the career pathway, you need to build and sustain energy for the long haul. Taking care of your health and fitness is one effective way to stay alert and energetic. Be highly charged to cope with stress at the workplace.   

5. Build your brand: Your brand is what others perceive you. The most important thing is to build your reputation and the trust of others in you. Your brand is more than your job title, it is about how you get things done and also the way you carry yourself and interact with others,

6. Networking: Building a circle of influence is essential for your career growth and success.  It is good to learn from others and share what you know for mutual benefit.   These are the people that you can depend on when the need arises like looking for a new job.

7. Get noticed: Promote yourself and be opened to opportunities. Start a blog and broadcast your area of expertise and be noted by others. It is the best way to get connected with the right people.

8. Lifelong learning: An attitude of open-mindedness is the right way to sustain your career. Learning new knowledge and acquiring new skills is the way to be more productive at work. 

9. Family: Do not pursue your career goals at the expense of your family, the key is a balanced life. When you are at work, work hard and work smart. When it is time to be with your family, do not bring work home. You will vibrate your harmony and happiness at home to your workplace as well.

To find a career to which you are adapted by nature, and then to work hard at it, is about as near to a formula for success and happiness as the world provides. One of the fortunate aspects of this formula is that granted the right career has been found, the hard work takes care of itself. Then hard work is not hard work at all.  ~  Mark Sullivan