Tips to get a competitive edge in your career

dubai - Remember to embrace every situation with a positive mindset

Starting right and starting early in life always gives one a significant edge in one's career journey. Choosing precise subjects in school and the apt programmes in university and having the right educational qualifications sets the tone for one's career path. Today, with career counselling and various psychometric tests, students can understand themselves better and choose a profession according to their aptitude and interests.

Intern with various firms
Internships are another great way of exploring while studying. Co-relating theory with practical experience gives a better overview and perspective on the subject and my first piece of advice is to ensure you intern while studying with a variety of business organisations to better comprehend what exactly your strengths are.

Pursue your passion
The ideal case scenario is to convert your passion into profession, which is very possible given you understand yourself, recognise your likes and dislikes and areas where you excel. For example, if you enjoy baking, it's best to enroll in a culinary school that teaches and enables you to acquire a formal degree, while you are pursuing your passion. A lot of life's success depends on how aligned one is mentally and emotionally to what you are doing and how passionate you are about their profession. And so, the second and the most important of advice is to follow and nurture your passion, which is the starting point of all your dreams coming true.

Set a vision, goals
When you speak to any successful entrepreneur and ask what motivates them, rarely do you get an answer saying: "Money is my inspiration". Yes, money is important but can never be a motivator for a long time. Loving what you do and doing what you love is the key to success. Successful entrepreneurs have daily rituals they follow with discipline. They have a vision, with outlined long-term and short-term goals. They are constantly learning and upgrading their skills and experimenting with new technologies and ideas. My third piece of advice would be to work on a vision that excites you and set 'Smart' goals - specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based.

Choose your company wisely
Surround yourself with optimistic and successful people who always inspire and uplift you. Being with achievers will inculcate an achieving mindset. It really doesn't matter at what stage of life you are in. If you change your mindset, you can change your life. One of the key aspects is to ensure you remain positive in spite of all circumstances. A positive mind will always look for opportunities even at the time of crisis. And so, the fourth piece of advice is, choose the company you keep wisely and beware of your thoughts and be mindful of the words you speak. Do remember, words have a magical power, they can either bring the greatest happiness or the deepest despair.

Build your personal brand
One of the greatest mistakes most women make is that they believe their good work will speak for itself. Yes, it's true, when you work hard, people do speak about your work, but in today's day and age, speaking about yourself and your achievements is of paramount importance. It's important to know how to build upon your personal brand. If you are an expert in your field, ensure you put your views and ideas out there to inspire others and be recognised as well. Participating in panel discussions, speaking opportunities, lectures in universities, personal social media, personal PR and having a blog, all work towards strategically building upon your personal brand. And so, the fifth piece of advice would be to consciously and strategically work on building "brand U".

Stay connected
Everyone you meet in your life knows something you don't. And so listening is key to understanding. As the Dalai Lama says, if you talk, you repeat things you already know, but if you listen, you may learn something new. Meeting successful people is a great way of learning, learning that is not offered in text books and academics, but learning that is based on practical life experiences. If you're in business, having the right connections would definitely catapult you to a higher league. And so, the sixth piece of advice is, saying a simple "hello" could lead to a million new things, so keep in touch, stay connected and build meaningful relationships.

Positive mindset
Finally, progress is the biggest factor of success and personal happiness. Making progress towards your goals, small or big, is what keeps you going. Life is like a rollercoaster, full of ups and downs, thrills and adventures. Remember to embrace every situation with a positive mindset. Happiness is the key to success; no matter what you do, always remember enjoying the journey is much more important than the destination itself.

The writer is managing director, Yardstick Marketing Management. Views expressed are her own and do not reflect the newspaper's policy.