How to Succeed in Your Career

Here are some tips from Kiplinger's that are designed to help you make the most of your career. Their suggestions:

1. Work long and smart.
2. Don't be a risk-taker
3. Be inspirational
4. Hire only A players
5. Get feedback from A players
6. Be a master communicator
7. Be a master criticizer
8. Get your spouse to support your commitment

Here's my take on these:

1. I agree that working long is a key part of getting your career established (the first few years), but after that it's better to "work smart." Who wants to spend 60 hours a week at work for 40 years? You can be successful without killing yourself time-wise.

2. I think you need to take calculated risks. Don't be foolhardy, but are they really serious that you should never take risks?

3. Easier said than done. people who are inspirational can rise to the top quickly, but I don't think it's a skill that's learned easily.

4. Yes. Hire the best people you can get. They'll take you far. Some my surpass you even, but if you're known as someone who can find and develop star players, you'll do very well.

5. Of course. Get advice from top-notch peers, supervisors, and subordinates.

6. Again, easier said than done.

7. "Master" in the sense that you can give constructive feedback without tearing down the person. Difficult to do.

8. Yes, you have to have buy-in from your spouse. In most of the cases I've seen, the spouse is more interested in a balance between home/work than having a spouse that's a success but rarely home.

What are your thoughts on these?

Comments

[David]

#2 is some of the worst advice I've ever heard. Most really successful people get that way by taking risks.

I agree with you, FMF, that working long hours your entire career is not the greatest practice. How, then, do you enjoy the fruits of your labor?

[FMF]

David --

The way I did it is to work long hours early on, then pull back and eventually get to a more reasonable "normal"/acceptable level.

[Billy]

I read the linked article and I agree with points 3-7. The points about working with A-level players definitely resonates with me. Far too much of my time is spent in explaining, leading and then dealing with the aftermath of 'simple' tasks given to B-level players. Some of my most productive ideas have come from 10-15 minute conversations with A-level co-workers.

But I also disagree with quite a bit of it...

Skip meals with your family to work 60 hours a week, let your spouse deal with the 'extraneous crises' of getting your kids to do homework, etc. This sounds like a good way to get yourself divorced, bitter and with only your job left.

Don't take risks? How do you get noticed if you simply do what you are told? You must take risks to be noticed.

[Danny Gamache]

This list is a sham. The only thing following this list will get you is 40 years working 60 hours a week to find out you don't have enough to retire on.

Let's develop a better list. Here is a start.

1. Find a job that you LOVE! If you don't, find a new job, or start replacing your income through a side business.

2. Learn to be get more work (value) done than anyone else does and in less time.

3. Continually learn more, and stay on top of what is happening in your career.

any others..