So, love was in the air at esPResso HQ yesterday, it being Valentines and all (and if most of the love was directed at the particulary fine new blend of coffee in the espresso machine, what of it?). Which got us thinking, do you love your job? If not, here’s our top tips on how to fall head over heels with your career again.
Spread the love. Remember when you were a graduate desperate to get into PR and no one would give you that first break? In an era of massive youth unemployment there are plenty of grads looking for a leg up the PR career ladder and you could be the answer to their prayers. Acting as a mentor could give you the opportunity to pass on your years of wisdom and experience and to make sure the industry is getting the talent it deserves. It’ll also give you a nice warm feeling inside.
Set a goal. Feeling aimless is one of the top reasons people start looking for a new job. If your firm isn’t great at setting you targets, then start setting them for yourself. Learn a new skill, sit an exam, write a book, start a blog. The options are endless.
Play more. Being in the office 24/7 may feel like you’re showing your boss how devoted you are to your job, but it can lead to you resenting your role and your colleagues. Try taking a little more time out and doing something non-work related out of office hours. Having different interests is what make a good team work well together. Who wants to hire a bunch of clones?
Remember why you work there. When you’re first offered a new job it may seem that it’s opened up the door to all sorts of new possibilities for your career. Unfortunately, once you’ve been in the role a while you can start to feel a bit jaded and unappreciated. Try to remember why you work there – is it the great people, the range of clients, the interesting campaigns, the variety of tasks. Going back to the reasons you joined a firm can give you an insight into what is really missing from your work life and how you might be able to address it.
Be thankful. When you were a kid your mum was always banging on about how it’s better to give than to receive, right? Well mums know best and being thankful can be very rewarding. Make sure you thank all those people who go above and beyond to help you at work, including the receptionist who takes the millioneth Amazon parcel you’ve had delivered this week, and the Account Executive
who stayed three hours late to send out the invitations to your press event. Being nice pays. People will be nice back and that can only go to make work a more pleasant place to be.
Do something outside of your remit. Repetition makes for a dull job. Ask your colleagues if you can be involved in some new projects and volunteer to help out at events. Variety is the spice of life.
Make new friends. Being well connected can make your job much easier. Whether that’s building great relationships with journalists, or being mates with others in the industry. It’s amazing how your networks can come in useful and a bit of banter between professionals can make a boring day a little brighter. Pick a couple of industry events to attend and say hello to a few people you’ve not
met before. Ignite run regular (free!) networking events and the PR Prom is taking place next week so give one of those a bash.
Tags: Valentines Day
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