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What is one thing you wish you knew before starting your career?

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Subject: Career question for you

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Heather’s Answer

The importance of connections and building and maintaining your network throughout your career. This starts from the beginning and I think the more you get to know and put yourself in front of a diverse group of people and experiences from the beginning, the better off you are in the long run.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Heather for the advice. Samuel
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Alwyn’s Answer

Having insight into how humans interact with computational devices and what triggers them to action. In effect, I would have wanted to study behavioral psychology and human factors - each with skills that would have enhanced my expertise.
Thank you comment icon Loved reading this, thanks! Samuel
Thank you comment icon Thank you for sharing! Mireia
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Dr. Ray’s Answer

Dear Mirela,


Your question really made me stop and think. I had very little idea of what it meant to work as a psychologist on a day to day basis. I originally wanted to teach at a university level but couln't get a job there. However, in retrospect I am glad i didn't go this route. Academic positions as a rule don't pay well and the politics and infighting among faculty members can be really vicious. After working in several mental health centers I went into private practice, which was immensely rewarding. However I wish I had known more about running a business. In addition to working with my clients I had to think about marketing, billing, paying taxes, etc., none of which was ever addressed in my training.


One of my professors told me "a degree is as good as your first job." Even if you are well prepared in a given field there will be many things you never thought of and have to learn once you start working, but this can be fun and needn't be unpleasant.

Thank you comment icon I am really grateful you took the time to answer this question. Samuel
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much for sharing! Mireia
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Douglas’s Answer

Interesting question. I do not have an answer to what I wished I knew. But, the one thing I did know is that I did not ever want to quit. If I chose to do something, I would carry it to completion. I did not always do "great", but I always finished.
Thank you comment icon I'm excited to put your great advice to good use! Samuel
Thank you comment icon Thank you for sharing your perspective. Naomi
Thank you comment icon Thank you for your insight! Mireia
Thank you comment icon I wish I knew not to take things I couldn’t control personal. That includes customer situations that caused our customers to be upset. I wish I knew just to smile show empathy and do all I could to fix it. 20 years ago I would take the frustration personal causing myself more issues on the back end Billie Page Walker
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Leanne’s Answer

I wish I knew that it is ok to say no. When I started working, I thought saying no to a project or helping with a particular task would indicate that I was incapable of doing my job. This is NOT true! It may be uncomfortable to say no at first, but being aware of what is on your plate and how much more you can handle is critical so you don't burn yourself out. If you do happen to take on more than you think you can handle, talk with your supervisor or someone else you trust that has more experience. They can help you determine what tasks are most important and redistribute your work accordingly. Don't go at it alone!
Thank you comment icon I will use this advice as I prepare for my career. Samuel
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Kim’s Answer

Hi again Mireia!

I love your questions!

I work helping people to find jobs. What I wish I knew is how focused the social services are on "measurements."
1. How many customers did you help today?
2. How many job referrals did you give?
etc etc etc

Unfortunately, it is more important to give out a bunch of job referrals than it is to make sure the client has a good resume or is able to hold their own in an interview. That is because whoever funds us desires "accountability" so everything has to be measured. It's not possible to measure the effect of talking with someone for 20 minutes and boosting their self-esteem, or helping them develop a resume that will get them to the next step. I love what I do, and get a lot of positive feedback from my customers. I could do without the statistics!

Kim
Thank you comment icon Thanks for the help. Samuel
Thank you comment icon Thank you for your insight and I'm sorry to hear about that. Just remember that in the eyes of those you are helping you are not just a statistic and thanks to you, they don't feel like one either. Mireia
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Jasanpreet Kaur’s Answer

To know which career to opt for. The one in which you can thrive, be successful combine with sense of satisfaction and happiness.

career careerplanning
Thank you comment icon You rock! This advice is very helpful. Samuel
Thank you comment icon Not helpful, no careers will bring me happiness or satisfaction and I certainly won't thrive either Felix
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Kimberly’s Answer

One thing I wish was knew before starting my career was learning how to set appropriate boundaries for myself. There would be times when I was constantly working and never took a break. I would skip lunch just to finish a project when that was not a healthy habit to get use to. As I got older, I realized I needed to set those boundaries as to when is it time to work and when I should take appropriate breaks. There are times when I have to shorten my lunch break to finish a task but I made sure to take the time to make a meal that will reenergize me to complete the task. Even from reading all the comments previous to mine, they are all giving some great advice and for me, I am finding them helpful for someone still young in their career. Good luck with your journey and hope this helps!
Thank you comment icon Your advice was so helpful! Samuel
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John’s Answer

Good question, and a hard one because this will be different for everyone.

I wish I had taken more time in Highschool to better understand student loans, schooling options and career paths. I went to college based on a dream of playing college football and less of a vision around what I wanted to do for the next 40 years of my life. I tried finance, then international business before selecting Architecture as my major. When I came out of school I went into Sales and Entrepreneurship before landing with a corporate company where I found my passion is really in people leadership and development.

Looking back, I would have liked to taken some time to pull back, job shadow careers and then make a more educated decision on what I needed to enter that career field based on degree of choice and school. That would have saved me time and money and ultimately, lead me to my passion sooner. Hope this helps!
Thank you comment icon Thanks, can't wait to put this advice into action! Samuel
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Jason’s Answer

I wish I had known how to find mentorship sooner. Getting help with my career path opened new doors and helped me plan my progression.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for giving me advice. Samuel
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Jon’s Answer

I wish I knew how to ask the right questions when interviewing for a company. Make sure to ask all the questions you want to know while interviewing. Be very curious and if something doesn't sound right, follow your gut. Make sure everything you say in an interview is positioning yourself in a positive light.

Thank you comment icon I will use this advice as I prepare for my career. Samuel
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Gaurav’s Answer

Very interesting question. What I feel If I know what is long term path for the field I m choosing , what kind of efforts I need to put in to learn new things to grow in career also how to handle the office politics.
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much, Gaurav! Samuel
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Swathika’s Answer

Hello Mireia,

What a brilliant question you've asked! I truly admire the way you think. To be honest, there isn't just one thing I wish I had known before embarking on my professional journey. Instead, there's a handful of valuable insights I wish I had grasped earlier. Here they are:
1. The art of being street-smart.
2. The knack for managing people effectively.
3. The skill of blending in with colleagues.
4. The courage to say "no" when it's necessary.
5. The confidence to express myself and stand my ground.

Thank you for such an insightful question. I hope my response sheds some light on your query.
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Ronald’s Answer

That's a very good question!
Narrowing it down to one thing I wish I knew would be hard. I would want to be told that communication skills are one the most important skills beyond the technical knowledge needed for the career you choose. Effectively communicating what you want and comprehending what the other people are trying to communicate to you, will better your quality of life. Understanding vocal tones and the body language of the people you are conversing with, will help you avoid misunderstandings and problems.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for taking the time to help. Samuel
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