When Rich DeMatteo -- the creator of the job search, recruiting and HR blog Corn On The Job -- approached me months ago to write a few hundred words for him and Penelope Trunk at the Brazen Careerist about career advice and "what I knew about getting a job" I thought: Right on.
What I submitted ended up being unconventional anecdotal advice, but for someone who grew up channeling the middle-of-the-road spirit of Richie Cunningham, sometimes I like to surprise, be giddy and cut to the left.
My advice became associated with 17 other smarter folk than me in an eBook titled: What I Know About Getting A Job - Advice from the Top Bloggers in Human Resources. It's free to download, so please, be my guest.
It's a great read full of multifaceted gems. Here are a few:
- The best thing you can do for your career after your education is to get a strong set of mentors.
- Know your destination and pursue it with complete abandon.
- There’s a really old saying “you’re network is your net worth.” It’s true.
- Do people respect you? Listen to you? Do your actions matter in this world? A job is what you do with your down time. Answering those questions will set you free.
- So when you choose your career path, above all choose one that will make you happy. Don’t settle for anything less.
- Be different and be distinct. Leave the gimmicks behind. It all comes down to you.
- It is possible to love your job, respect your employer, feel valued, and do work you care about. Promise.
- If your career provides the income and flexibility to pursue your real passions, then you’re in brilliant shape.
No, I didn't quote myself (wink).
A brief note on the first one, which was Penelope Trunk's advice: It's critical to have a strong set of mentors.
They can come in the form of a formal mentorship program at school or work, or they can be informal mentors, those guides and muses in your life you've grown close to and whose "life" advice is invaluable, a few of which for me are included in this eBook.
True, work can and should hold meaning for you, but it can also be callous and transitory.
Your mentors are a special lot; keep them close to your heart and let them know how much they mean to you.
And become one someday.
"A spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission." ~Neil Peart
Post by Kevin W. Grossman (join me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn - and now join HRmarketer on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn!)
Labels: career advice, HR bloggers, human resources, job seekers
When Rich DeMatteo -- the creator of the job search, recruiting and HR blog Corn On The Job -- approached me months ago to write a few hundred words for him and Penelope Trunk at the Brazen Careerist about career advice and "what I knew about getting a job" I thought: Right on.