What's the Secret to Career Success? Our 11 Herbs and Spices

What’s the secret to Career Success? Wouldn’t it be great if the answer were as simple as a step-by-step recipe?

We all love formulas that are straightforward and easy to follow. Yet, most of us still have that one family member who refuses to divulge the secret ingredient in their namesake meal. No one else can participate in the fun... Where's the fun in that?

Career Success should be attainable to everyone. And we know that it can sometimes feel like a secret code or a special society that only the elite can access.

Those barriers can keep you back from a lifetime of true fulfillment, so it’s time to break them. Today, we’re spilling all our secrets and letting you in on the real formula for landing a job you’ll love.

What is Career Success?

Before you begin working on a recipe, you need to have a basic understanding of what the end result will look like. That way, you can identify any missteps and course-correct before things go awry. Swap salt for sugar, and you’ll have an entirely different kind of cookie than you planned.

The same holds true for Career Success. Before you start putting steps in place to pursue it, it’s important to define what it looks like for you.

A simple but straightforward definition of Career Success is experiencing financial health and work you enjoy while feeling fulfilled in your peer community and life choices.

As you read that what do you visualize? Were you sailing the ocean? Sitting in a high-rise corner office? Typing away at a coffee shop?

There’s no right or wrong answer, but there is a right answer for you. Think about what and who makes you feel the most confident and supported in your career. How can you leverage that support to move beyond stagnation?

Your dream job lies beyond your fear and hesitation. Yet, taking the first step can be tricky. You wouldn’t launch into a complicated recipe without double-checking your ingredients. Why press ahead with abandon on a journey that could alter the entire trajectory of your life?

Lucky for you, we aren't your stingy aunt Sally. We’ll share the core principles you need for a favorable outcome loud and proud!

Uvaro’s 11 internal principles for Career Success

Nervous about getting started? Hands shaking as you tie your veritable apron strings and prepare to begin? Don’t let the process intimidate you! Anyone can take these principles and apply them to their own career. All it takes is an open mind, a formidable spirit, and a willingness to take the first step.

1. Clear and proactive feedback

We get it. Feedback can be hard to take sometimes, especially if it isn’t positive. But, imagine how frozen in place you’d stay if the only voices you heard in your ear were echoes.

You need the insights and opinions of others, at every stage of your career journey. At the same time, you also need to develop the ability to share your own observations with others. Learning how to accept and provide clear, proactive feedback is the key to continuous growth.

2. Skills and network that support broad growth

The secret to Career Success is a personal journey, but that doesn’t mean you should take it alone. Professional relationships are critical and more important than you might think.

When you learn alongside others, you develop networking skills that will serve you in any job. You'll also discover innovative approaches to common issues in your industry. When you surround yourself with a diverse community, you learn new perspectives.

PRO TIP: Find a mentor who can inspire and connect you. Ask questions, share answers, and tap into the power of lifelong learning.

Other ways to continue learning can mean taking an online Course or Workshop with colleagues who are on a career path like yours.

3. Company values that are compatible with personal beliefs

Company culture doesn’t only permeate the conference room or the communal kitchen. It’s woven into the very fiber of an organization, and it affects everything you do. If what you’re encountering daily doesn’t align with your values, it’s impossible to find fulfillment.

You should never be morally conflicted at work. If this is the case, it’s time for a Career Change. Find work where you can grow your abilities without sacrificing your beliefs. Ask yourself questions if you think you're in the wrong job.

4. Role responsibilities are compatible with personal goals

Some jobs pay the bills and some turn into thriving, fulfilling careers. If you’re going through the motions at work, you’re likely in the former.

How can you tell the difference? Take a look at your day-to-day responsibilities. Are they helping you refine your skills and develop new talents? Or, do they feel like little more than rote routines?

There may be some aspects of any job that feel a little mundane. But, for the most part, the position you’re in should be feeding you. It should sharpen your skill set, develop your talents, and set you up for future, long-term growth.

It's tough to feel motivated when your responsibilities don't align with your personal goals. Sometimes, the only resolution is to seek employment elsewhere. Other times, an honest conversation with your supervisor is all that’s needed to get on the right track.

5. Progress is made toward long-term goals

Tangible progress is the best motivator. When you can look back and see where you started and how far you’ve come, the growth is inspiring. Even small wins can hold major potential!

Yet, this motivation can be hard to come by if you don’t set long-term goals in the first place. Without those dreams in place and nothing to work toward, you can’t help but spin your wheels. Over time, it becomes difficult to gauge what the secret to Career Success even means to you, or what it looks like.

As you embark on your career journey, remember to set both immediate and future ambitions. This way, you can measure your movement against actual metrics, and see the momentum you’ve gained.

6. Work responsibilities remain interesting over time

In a recent survey of more than 2,000 employees, researchers found that 2/3 of them are bored at work daily. This includes about 70% of employees in the tech field!

No matter what industry you’re in, you deserve to feel challenged, inspired and engaged at work. Otherwise, it won’t be long before you turn into the whiz kid at the back of the class, spinning your pencil while the rest of the students study.

If your work responsibilities start to become dull, it’s difficult to avoid burnout. You’ll feel overexerted and underappreciated for the work that you do.

Success cannot grow alongside resentment. You need work that keeps you on your toes and keeps life interesting! Look for tasks or projects you can work on that interest you or scratch your itch for a challenge. Ask for them if they aren’t readily accessible.

7. Leadership is helpful and worthy of trust

When you have access to trustworthy leaders, you can build strong professional connections. It also helps you understand the value of working with others, and how to ask for help when you need it.

Dishonest leaders do nothing to support your Career Success. In fact, they turn the workplace into a toxic environment that no one wants to be in. Especially someone who’s earnestly seeking opportunities for growth.

As you evaluate potential teams to join, pay close attention to who’s at the helm of each one. Most people spend more time at the office than they do at home. Make sure you’re surrounding yourself with people who will support you on a daily basis.

8. Professional development and growth is supported

This one goes hand-in-hand with great leadership. Yet, your supervisors aren’t the only ones who should play a role in your professional growth. A healthy workplace is one in which everyone encourages one another. Work together to build each other up. Working with a team that supports your drive for professional development is critical.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, even among tight-knit groups. It’s common for co-workers to perceive ambitious employees as competition. To keep the peace, you may feel tempted to downplay or even abandon your pursuits altogether. A supportive workforce is an incredible asset, so don’t settle until you secure it.

9. Sufficient tools and resources to achieve goals are made available

Ever felt thiiiiiiis close to taking the next step in your career, but didn’t have the right resources to get there?

One secret to Career Success is finding a company that’s equipped with the resources you need to do your job well. When you have access to these solutions, it’s easier to meet your goals and reach your potential.

It also sends a clear message that you’re working hand-in-hand with your employer. They’re invested in your long-term success. Are they willing to provide you with everything you need to get there?

10. Flexibility in career direction is supported

You may be incredible at your job, but the right employer won’t make you stay there. When you have the freedom to take your career in any direction you choose, that can lead to fulfillment. If you express a desire for change, your organization should help you achieve it.

It can be difficult to unlock the secret to Career Success when you don’t have any support on this front. When your employer becomes an active participant in your journey, new doors can open. Your potential feels limitless.

11. Balanced living is encouraged and modeled

Does it sometimes feel as though your employer wants you to do as they say, not as they do? The concept of work-life balance is an easy one to promote, but it can be a little harder to put into practice.

If your supervisors are staying late, coming in early, and working through lunch, they’re unlikely to encourage you to act differently. Striking a good work-life balance is crucial for Career Success.

You can’t do your best work when you’re mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. Your team should encourage you to take breaks, and balance your workload. It’s much easier to keep burnout at bay. It allows you to focus on what matters to you.

Cook up your own Career Success

There you have it: the secret to Career Success. Well, these 11 principles shouldn’t be a secret. They aren’t meant to be hidden away.

You also don’t have to twist our arm for them at Thanksgiving. Instead, we encourage you to seek them out at every workplace you enter or interview you attend.

On their own, these essentials are powerful. Combined, they can create unstoppable momentum that helps you secure continued Career Success. As you pursue them, we’re here to help.

Thousands of members have joined Uvaro to connect with others and land the job of their dreams. From Courses and Workshops to Career Coaching services, you’ll find it all. Download our Career Success Catalog to learn more about what we offer. Start your own journey today!