"Always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody says distract you from your goals." - Michelle Obama
Are you prepared to handle the many distractions that will inevitably come as you navigate your career journey?
If there's one thing I know for certain, it's that you have to have a spirit of determination to achieve your career goals. Stuff will happen! The naysayers will naysay! You will lose your balance and sometimes trip over a few roadblocks. How will you keep going?
Here are a few things to consider:
1. Know your why. If you were to ask me why I work in HR, I could absolutely tell you why. It is that commitment to making a difference that keeps me going when the road gets rough because of shifting business priorities, culture changes due to mergers and acquisitions, layoffs, and the list goes on and on.
Prior to this, though, I wanted to be a social worker. Why? I wanted to help people. Noticing a trend? Guess what wouldn't work for me...a role that isn't aligned with who I am at my core.
Know who you are. Know what you want. Know why you want it. Stuff will happen around you, but if you are pursuing a career goal that aligns with your true purpose/passion/core, then you'll be golden.
2. Be mindful of the company you keep. You all have likely heard at least some variation of the saying your network determines your net worth. I've talked at great lengths about the importance of building a solid professional network, but let's focus on your personal network for a minute.
Who do you text at least once a week? Who’s on your Tiktok distribution list? Who gets the funny memes you screenshot from Instagram? Who do you Netflix and Chill with?
Now that I’ve painted the picture for you, it’s time to ask yourself if that core group you surround yourself with on a regular basis includes encouragers, connectors, or mentors. Do you have a cheerleader in your squad who can amp you up when the going gets tough? Is anyone else working towards their own career goals who you can trade notes with? Things that make you go hmmmm….
3. Put your goals in writing. What gets written gets done. Please don’t think you’re going to be positioned to clear the hurdles along your career journey if you limit goal-setting to a New Year’s resolution. Keep them front and center and review them often.
Do you have a planner? Maybe a notepad from the dollar spot at Target? Grab something you can easily pop in your bag and reference from time to time. You might need it after that difficult exam or that interview that didn’t go so well. Maybe those grades aren’t looking so hot or your 1:1 almost went left. Pop open those goals and take a deep breath.
We’ll dive deeper into goal-setting in a future blog post and/or podcast episode. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this…
You can absolutely achieve your goals with the right amount of focus and effort. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise.
If you haven't already done so, be sure you check out the podcast and like, share, and subscribe.
About The Keys to the Office
The mission of The Keys to the Office, LLC is to empower Black and Latinx students by teaching them everything we know as professionals to help them gain valuable work experience, build a solid resume, and chart their individual career paths. In doing so, we impact generational wealth by giving our students the tools to success and supporting them every step of the way.
In addition to our new and exciting podcast featuring guests from multiple industries, we offer individual and group coaching, networking opportunities, and assistance with all aspects of their job search including resume writing, LinkedIn profile creation, and interview role plays as needed.
Let’s Stay Connected!
Website
https://thekeystotheoffice.com
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/keystotheoffice
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/keystotheoffice/
Want to be a guest on the show?
https://www.thekeystotheofficepodcast.com/guests/intake/
CONTACT
For all business inquiries, please email: thekeystotheoffice@gmail.com
Phone Number: (804) 766-5768
