10 Career Tips for Women at Work

William Golding once said, “I think women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men; they are far superior and always have been.” I believe that any woman could reach the peak of her career if she would just be able to utilize all her resources right.

A working woman who is both a mother and a wife is facing more challenges with her career than men or single women do. But balance is everything, master the craft of “work-life balance” and you already half-way to success. Of course, there is no job that is going to give you an assurance that you can always be there during the important events in your family. All you have to do is be organized, know what you want, and figure out which is more important in every particular moment. Trust your instinct, every successful woman does. Even if most women are qualified to get a higher position in companies don’t get it because they are not organized.

If you are just a starter or someone who wants to make a change of career or maybe you want to be successful in your chosen career. Here is the secret recipe for a better and more successful career:

1. Determine your career goals and do everything to achieve it.
First and foremost, you must be able to determine what you want and to own it; you will have to have enough courage to get it.

Ask yourself, what you want to achieve and set a timeframe. Picture how you want to be in 5 or 10 years. It is important that you know what you are working for and always keep that in mind even when you are facing the biggest hurdle in your career.

Sure, there will be some bumps along the way, but you must remain focused. If you have a good work plan, you will be able to allow changes without losing focus on your ultimate goal.

2. Make education your ultimate weapon.
Education is actually women’s ultimate weapon. Acquire the highest degree possible; don’t even let your current financial status discourage you.

If you can’t afford formal education, attend conferences to earn more knowledge and when you look for a job, choose a company that provides training and educational opportunities.

Make sure to develop skills that are essential to the advancement of your career. Take on more challenging responsibilities where you could learn more.

3. Listen to what others have to say.
According to Bernard Baruch, “Most of the successful people I’ve known are the ones who do more listening than talking.”

Listening to constructive criticism is as important as setting your goals. You must develop a good listening skill to get more ideas from others so you could weigh which is better.

Associate yourself with people who are smarter than you. If you can get a wide range of ideas, you will be able to come up with a much polished and concrete idea.

Listening is essential for having a successful relationship, both in your personal life and career.

4. Be always curious to new ideas.
“Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.” – Marie Curie

In this ever-innovative world, one must always be curious about new things and ideas. Do not confine yourself of what you already know. My instructor in college used to remind us to never be afraid to ask a question. If your logic tells you something, let your common sense lead the way.

If the cavemen never let their curiosity drive them to explore the outside world, we’d still be living in caves today.

5. Find a mentor to help you achieve your goal.
A mentor is a person who can be your personal career guide. Who would be a perfect mentor for you? Ones you’ve determined who you wanted to be in the future, it would be easy to look for a mentor. Because your mentor is someone who has the position you want to be in. You somewhat imprint the moment you meet that person. He or she is someone you instantly have good chemistry with.

To check if he/she is the mentor you are looking for, try to ask for an advice. They usually want to mentor someone they see as the younger version of them. He/she will help you hone your skills and mold you to be what you want to become.

Just like any relationship, it should be a give and take. Because the mentor is the one who gives most of the time, you must always show your appreciation.

6. Delegate some load to others.
Just like in your own home, try to delegate some of the tasks to other members of the division in the office. This way, you can show them that you trust them.

Don’t do everything yourself. If you are going to be a control freak, you will not let others learn and grow. Select some of the tasks which will not hamper the whole project in case something goes wrong. Better yet, check on them from time to time. This way you do not only give that employee a chance to show his or her capability. You are also building a good relationship with your workmate.

Teamwork is always promoted in most companies because through this, each member can contribute to the success of their venture. They can all take pride with what they have achieved because they feel like they are a part of it.

7. Learn the art of confidence and flaunt it.
Most women are not confident in places like school and workplace because they are afraid to make a mistake. Actually, not having confidence is their biggest mistake. You would sound more convincing if you talk with confidence. No one will believe you if you don’t sound sure with what you are saying.

There are many ways to build confidence, train yourself to socialize because it is essential to your career’s success. Attend seminars where you would be encouraged to open yourself without anyone judging you. Overcome your fear with crowd; don’t let agoraphobia stop you from achieving your dreams. Think of it as a challenge you need to overcome.

8. Bad things happen, don’t worry too much.
Worrying is a drag. Worrying too much about what is not yet happening is just a waste of time and energy. There is a big chance that what you are worrying about will never happen. Instead of worrying focus on the task at hand so that you would be confident that everything will turn out right. Always prepare Plan B so you won’t have to panic in case worse gets worst and Plan A won’t work.

Believe in the power of positive thinking, according Norman Vincent Peale, “Change your thoughts and you change your world.”

9. They learn from setbacks.
Believe that God has a plan for everything that is happening. A thing that seems to be a misfortune today could actually be a blessing in disguise for tomorrow.

Do not let yourself be defeated by setbacks. Always use your energy to stand up after every fall and keep in mind what caused that problem and make sure not to make the same mistake.

10. Start your day in a healthy way.
Most successful people are early risers. Make it your habit too. But don’t just wake up early, start your day with a good exercise.

Based on a study conducted by researchers of the University of Bristol, employees who exercise before going to work are less stressed and far more productive compared to those who do not exercise. We know how stressful a workplace can get but simply by exercising, you can lessen the risk of depression and other diseases caused by stress.

If you are passionate about a certain profession, you should do what it takes to accomplish it. Do it because of the love for that career, any other reason would be wrong.