How to Sweeten the Deal: Chocolatey Career Advice

Easter is coming to an end, but we still have some sweet, chocolatey advice to help you make the most of your work life – from first impressions and self-care, to lasting work relationships and personal growth.

So pull out the Easter egg your nan bought you, crack off a piece and let’s get stuck in!

Confidence

Whether you’ve got it or not, confidence is key to making a great first impression. If it’s something you struggle with, look to those who you admire for their confidence and see what they do to draw people in. Do they approach new people with a smile? Ask questions and seem genuinely interested in what others have to say? Are open and honest?

Whatever it is you feel draws people to them, try to emulate it in your own approach. After all, confidence is one of the few times where the ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ mantra actually works.

Help out

Everyone needs a little help sometimes. From volunteering or offering assistance around the office, to paying attention to when those nearest and dearest to you need you, if you’re in a position to do so, take a step back from your own stresses and see who could use your help.

Besides, studies have shown that helping others can actually be a great mood boost and motivator for you as well!

Only one you

Sometimes you’ll be scrolling through social media, or have caught up with a friend from high school, and get struck with the awful feeling that you’re somehow failing while everyone else is pushing forward and doing amazing things with their lives.

In times like these, it’s important to remember that there’s only one you and what other people are doing has literally no bearing on your worth. You’re on your own path and it’s no better or worse than anyone else’s. Just go at your own pace, remember your worth, and you’ll be fine.

Constructive Criticism

Constructive criticism can feel like a kick in the guts, but it’s your friend. The only way to grow (particularly in your career) is to be self-reflective, listen to those around you when they tell you how you can improve, and strive to be the best version of yourself.

Anyway, just think about it this way: whoever is giving you the criticism has just saved you so much time in getting to the root of what you can improve for next time.

Olive branch

It’s time to let go of past grievances, extend an olive branch, and take this as a signal that it’s time to move on. Life’s too short, and your work life is too long to hold petty grudges in the workplace.

And if it isn’t a petty grievance, and the other person has actually done something awful? Maybe it’s time to speak up to your manager or HR, because no one should have to work in a toxic environment.

Listen

Listen and pay attention to those around you. Making an effort to really understand what people are telling you and where they’re coming from is a crucial aspect of forming any long-term, deep, and meaningful connection. Plus, it can help you build your professional reputation as someone who is genuine and cares about getting to the root of a problem.

Alone time

Spending some time participating in self-care, being by yourself, and just relaxing is really important if you want to be successful. Work and study can be overwhelming and make it hard to want to switch off, but for your mental health and productivity you really have to. Working 24/7 isn’t sustainable, so take some time out and give back to your number one: you.

Talk

If you’re feeling low, stressed, or tackling a big issue, talk to your support network. Reach out if you need help, and never feel that you have to tackle things alone. Because if you wouldn’t want your friends, colleagues, or loved ones suffering alone then you can surely believe they would feel exactly the same way about you.

Emotional intelligence

It can be a tricky one, but emotional intelligence is key in almost every job you may be going for after graduation. Google defines emotional intelligence as:

‘The capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.’ (x)

Being empathetic, putting yourself in other people’s shoes, communicating effectively, being self-aware – all important aspects of emotional intelligence, and are key skills that employers look for.

(P.S. Notice the first letter of each heading? See – I told you we had some chocolatey advice for you!)

Featured image courtesy of Adobe Stock