Developing your career in a difficult market can be lonely. There is a reluctance to share with your peers for fear of giving them a competitive advantage over you. The people you are competing with for a job might not be the best to share everything with... so what is the alternative?
My feeling is that it is important to have a buddy of some kind. This is different from a mentor that you go to for advice, but instead it should be a friend that you can talk to about your general concerns, someone to help keep you motivated and someone to offer a helping hand, shoulder to cry on and a second opinion.
Ideally it should be someone you are (1) not in direct competition with and (2) someone who is also looking to develop their career so you can both help and motivate each other and share ideas. You should be able to talk freely with this person without fear of sounding silly or stupid.
I know it is a tall order - but you should not want anything less.
This is an extract from Putting Pen to Paper's upcoming Career Development Workbook.
Discuss in the comments?
Do you have someone that you can talk to about your career development (or even simply your job) without holding back?
If you are participating in the A to Z Challenge - do you have a blogging buddy? Someone you talk about blogging with (honestly - without holding back)?
Always great advice you are giving.
ReplyDeleteInteresting advice.
ReplyDeleteI had a career buddy who was outside my organization. It meant I could completely unload, and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteAs to blogging, I have a number of buddies. I mentor most. My inner sanctum is who bears the brunt of the trial by fire until I discover the solution, and pass it to my downline. We share everything because is strengthens our abilities. The one with the solution may not be one you would ask directly, or first, or in some cases at all.
Very very true. I treasure my bouncing buddies. Some of them are writers of different genres and some just enthusiastic readers. I can't even function without bouncing ideas off someone.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a blogging buddy, but I do have writing buddies. We talk about anything and everything to do with writing, publishing, the writing life, life. You're right, it helps to have trusted buds.
ReplyDelete