8 years in and looking back

1. Never feel like you owe your company/boss 💼

I stayed at my first job for far too long because of toxic mindsets that were perpetuated, e.g. that I should be grateful I was offered a job with them in a difficult economy and I should repay that by committing to stay long term. It was hard to shake the people pleaser in me and do what was right for myself. I eventually learned that there was a difference between gratitude for opportunities and translating that into perpetual indebtedness to someone or a company for that opportunity. At the end of the day, the relationship between you and your company remains mostly transactional - it needs to serve both parties.

2. Never be afraid of the salary/promotion talk 💰

I was underpaid for most of my career because I started out in a smaller company and didn't dare to ask for too big a jump whenever increment season came around or when I was interviewing for a new job. It's hard to know your own worth at work sometimes with imposter syndrome as well. I've only started to push myself to have these conversations with my boss last year and I realised the scariest thing that could happen is just that the answer would be "No". But whatever the outcome it still helps to make clear to your boss where you stand on these things, and could actually translate into an actual push for the company to up your salary or give you that promotion.

3. There is no harm in talking to recruiters or going for that interview, even if you are not looking 👀

Continuing the thread of knowing your worth - I always try to have conversations with recruiters, or at least respond to say let's connect for future opportunities, even if I'm not actively looking. Once in a while it's also good to attend an interview to make sure your interview skills are not rusty. It helps to ensure you are in touch with the job market and get a good gauge of where to benchmark yourself in your career progression.

4. If you have to make a choice between a serious personal issue and work, always choose yourself ❤️‍🩹

I had some health issues to deal with in the past two years and had to juggle that with work. At first I still worked even when I was on medical leave, which didn't help obv. Then I realised at the end of the day I was just one employee out of thousands and the firm only looks at the hard numbers at the end of the day. No one is going to thank you for the sacrifices you've made for the company. Of course the assumption is that we remain professional at all times. But always prioritise your own wellbeing - no job or any amount of money is worth giving that up.

#RealTalk #careeradvice #corporatelife #MyLemon8Diary