The Career Value of Becoming Better at Difficult Conversations Some of the conversations that matter most in your career are the ones you would rather avoid. Telling a coworker that their work is creating problems. Telling your manager that a deadline isn’t realistic. Asking someone to change their behavior. Disagreeing with an idea you think […]
What to Do When Your Best Work Is Happening Outside Your Job Description Your job description tells you what you’re supposed to do. It doesn’t always describe everything you’re actually capable of doing. Maybe you’re officially responsible for customer support, but you’ve become the person who notices recurring customer problems and helps improve the process […]
Why Your Ability to Adapt May Matter More Than Your Years of Experience Years of experience are easy to count. You can put a number next to them on a resume. Five years. Ten years. Fifteen years. Adaptability is harder to measure. You can’t simply say, “I have eight years of adaptability.” Yet in a […]
The Career Advantage of Knowing Which Problems Are Worth Solving Some people become known at work because they are always willing to help. A problem appears, and they jump in. A coworker needs something, they handle it. A process breaks, they fix it. A manager asks for help, they say yes. At first, this looks […]
How to Tell If Your Current Job Is Preparing You for Something Better Not every good career move starts with a new job. Sometimes, the job you’re already in is quietly preparing you for something much bigger. You may not have the title you eventually want. You may not be earning what you hope to […]
Why Your Reputation at Work Can Matter More Than You Realize You probably have a reputation at work already. Even if you’ve never thought about it. People may know you as the person who always gets things done. Or the person who stays calm when something goes wrong. Maybe you’re the one everyone asks when […]
The Career Value of Learning How to Make Better Trade-Offs Early in your career, you can often think about work in fairly simple terms. Finish the task. Meet the deadline. Fix the problem. Follow the process. Keep everyone happy. As your responsibilities grow, work becomes less simple. You discover that two important things can conflict […]
What to Do When You’re Good at Your Job but Bad at Promoting Yourself Being good at your job and being good at talking about your work are two completely different skills. You might be reliable, capable, and consistently trusted with important work. You might solve problems without creating drama. You might be the person […]
Why Your Career Can Change When You Start Thinking Like an Owner There is a point in many careers when doing your job well stops being enough. You can finish your work on time. You can follow the process. You can be dependable. You can even be the person your manager trusts when something needs […]
Before You Learn Another Skill, Ask Whether It Will Actually Change Your Career Options Learning a new skill feels productive. You finish a course. Add something to your resume. Watch a few tutorials. Maybe earn a certificate. And for a while, it feels like you’re moving forward. But there’s a question worth asking before you […]