Who here wants a fruitful career??? Well I come with advice...that you should not listen to.
Organizational psychologist Adam Grant recently asked the Twittersphere to share the worst career advice they've ever received.
What’s the worst career advice you’ve ever received? Mine: (1) Don’t waste your time helping others (2) Drop 90% of your projects, because you can only do one at a time (3) Don’t write a book
Here were the best responses:
1.
@AdamMGrant The worst career advice I ever received was “your coworkers are not your friends”. What a waste. What a colossal waste I would have suffered if I had listened to that.
2.
@AdamMGrant This is going to sound counterintuitive, but it would be “do what you love.” If what you love becomes your job, what you love is ruined by your job. Do what you like. Protect what you love.
3.
@AdamMGrant 1) don't go backpacking after your Master's (I am so happy I did!) 2) don't spend too much time on your PhD (I should NOT have rushed and spent that extra year on my PhD instead)
4.
@AdamMGrant "John, science is hard and your'e not smart enough to be a marine biologist" - Mr Williams, Jupiter High School Career Councilor
5.
@AdamMGrant Mine: You are too ambitious. Lower your expectations.
6.
@AdamMGrant Stay at a job for a decade and work your way up. You need that stability to be a success. Instead I’ve chased passion and taken incredible risk to do what I love. I’ve advanced further than I ever could at that job. Years later old coworkers are still in the same role
7.
@AdamMGrant “Don’t leave a job without another one lined up.” My breaks and open searches have led me to great opportunities and afforded me rare recovery time with my family, and were ‘career risks’ I’ll never regret.
8.
@AdamMGrant I wanted to be a private investigator when I was young but was told girls can’t be PI’s bc we can’t pee in bottles 🙃
9.
@AdamMGrant Don’t quit your tech job for music, it’s too risky This cello music doesn’t have any potential, consider adding vocals You have to stop touring when you become a mother Now that your husband is dead maybe you should change careers to something more reliable
10.
@AdamMGrant "Don't get a history degree, there are no jobs." My history degree gave me the ability to read, write, critically think, & evaluate information, all skills essential to the job I love - fundraising for nurses and creatively showing donors their life-changing impact.
11.
@AdamMGrant If you work very hard, your boss will recognize your efforts and worth.
12.
@AdamMGrant “You want to be a CFO? You’ll need cut your hair short or you’ll never get there” - ex boyfriend’s mother who was a tenured CFO - advice given to my 23 year old self. I’m now a CFO. With very long hair. #badcareeradvice
13.
@AdamMGrant At age 26 a headhunter told me, “you’re too old for a career change.” Now at 42 I’ve had a number of career transitions and own my own business.
14.
@AdamMGrant "If you try to get into #neurosurgery twice and you don't get it, you're probably not right for the speciality" (Failed selection twice then ranked 5th nationally on third attempt. Now a 5th year trainee.) #perseverance
15.
@AdamMGrant Mine: you have to choose between your career and your family. And your family is not the right choice.
16.
@AdamMGrant If you want the all male 60+ engineering team you're joining to like you, bake cookies and bring them in to work on your first day.
17.
@AdamMGrant “If you don’t work past 5pm, you’re not a team player.” Over the years, I’ve learned that longer hours don’t necessarily produce better work. And that no company is worth risking your health & well-being over. Seek work/life balance. Find meaning outside of work. 😊
And...
18.
@AdamMGrant an internship at the white house will be amazing on your resume. 😳