Let’s take a look at some invaluable pieces of career advice that women wish they knew in their 20s.
Career success may be difficult to balance, especially as a woman. Restrictive perceptions of being ‘bossy’ or ‘cutthroat’ can sometimes discourage women from asserting themselves and advancing in their respective careers. This becomes an issue especially if you are a fresher, but you will have to ignore the noise to make progress. We spoke to five women who shared invaluable career advice that they wish they knew in their 20s.
Be Fearless
“Live; experience the world beyond studies because experiences shape you in a way that academics never can. It’s okay if you haven’t figured out everything yet, most of us are still trying to figure it out. Fearlessly explore whatever interests you. That’s the only way to be certain that you find the right thing for yourself.”
Take Risks
“I would tell my 20-year-old self to take risks because even if you lose you still gain experience. If the risk pays off, then you grow exponentially. Also, invest from the very start, you can begin by making small investments.”
Constantly Upgrade Your Skills
“I should have known that there is always an opportunity to switch streams. Secondly, one ought to keep up with the times. One ought to keep upgrading oneself with newer skills and technology. Most important advice is that one should always have two different sources of income because we never know what can become obsolete especially in this ever-changing economy. It is important to identify early on where your interests lie, so that one can change his or her stream.”
Ask For What You Deserve
“Know your self-worth. As women, we tend to wallow in self-doubt more often than not. It’s important that we feel confident about ourselves and our work, and aren’t afraid to ask for what we deserve.”
Don’t Fall For Social Media’s Sanitised Definition Of Success
“You work for your dignity, to enrich your own existence, to cultivate your mind and to eke out a patch of green in this world of Co2 emission. Bad workdays don’t make you a useless person, it just makes you a human. Never let anybody, any superior, any disapproving boss, any cynic hardened by corporate toil tell you that your ideas aren’t worth anything.
Your ideas need apt nourishment, sunlight and daily watering, not indifferent strike of blow. Take space, speak up, and don’t be afraid to look into the eyes of a spectre that can’t see the light in you.
Don’t feel too bad about the menial stop-over before the big flight takes off. Don’t buy into this trap of taking meticulously designed, heavily sanitised social media feeds of someone’s life as the totem of their success. If your success means selling cakes to the community, living in a house in the mountains and sleeping peacefully at night, never apologise for it.”
