When it comes to our careers, hindsight is 20/20. Most of us have instances in our professional lives that we could’ve handled better, and working in the recruitment sector, we come across many candidates who regret some of their career decisions. With our experience dealing with literally thousands of employers and candidates, we have a keen insight into what’s important to most people when it comes to having a happy and fulfilled professional life. Here’s a few bits of advice from the team at Maxwell Stephens…
"A high level of ambition, combined with the courage to chase those ambitions, can be a significant advantage in your career (especially when trying to reach the senior end of the professional spectrum). Many people choose to take the “safe route” through their career. They choose opportunities that allow them to stay within their comfort zone and maintain the status quo. In my experience, a common characteristic of the most successful people I’ve known is bravery – whether that’s having the guts to go for a job completely out of their comfort zone, or following an opportunity which may not be the “safest” option."
- Peter Forshaw, Managing Director
"For most of us, our career takes up a huge chunk of our waking life, and life is too short to spend this time miserable. Throughout my time with Maxwell Stephens, I have worked with numerous candidates who are unhappy in their professional life, and the impact that this can have on the rest of your life cannot be understated. You need to take the time to fully assess what you like/dislike in your work and adjust your career plans accordingly. This may require some tough decisions initially, and may even result in a change of career, but trust me when I say that it’s worth it in the long run!"
- Robyn Powner, Senior FM Recruiter, Customer Experience and Talent Specialist
"Communication can be tricky for some people in a professional setting, especially when it comes to things like asking for help, discussing an issue with a superior, or speaking up in meetings and sharing ideas. In my experience, professional success goes hand-in-hand with communication skills. Some people are lucky enough to have the natural “gift of the gab”, but for the majority of us out there it's a case of practice makes perfect - volunteer to lead on presentations, speak up more in meetings, network with other departments in the organisation – whatever the opportunity is to develop your communication skills, you need to take it."
- Rebecca Simmons, Recruitment Consultant
"As the sporting adage goes, ‘You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take’. Throughout your career you should always be open to new opportunities. ‘Yes’ can be a powerful word. It can provide you with new skills and professional experience; it can help you establish relationships with a wider range of stakeholders; it can vastly improve how you are perceived in the eyes of your employers, and in my experience it can definitely open up career paths that may have otherwise been closed to you. I’m not saying you should blindly say yes to absolutely everything and risk being taken advantage of, but having the yes mindset will considerably expand your career possibilities."
- Claudia Titton, Recruitment Resourcer
"To some people, being polite and respectful is second nature, however for others it takes a bit more work. Other than simply being the correct way to behave, proper manners and politeness can provide you with a distinct professional advantage. The more considerate and conscientious you are of your colleagues, the more they will enjoy being around you, and in a professional setting this equates to more opportunities (getting involved in more varied projects, being considered for promotions etc). Conversely, being rude and inconsiderate can be hugely detrimental to your career - people won’t want to work with you; colleagues will be less inclined to help you; perceptions of you within the industry will be tarnished, the list goes on. When you consider the potential cost of bad manners, it’s clear that it pays to be polite!"
- Annabel Jones, Recruitment Resourcer
