Message #78861

[raindance]

I have received three pieces of career advice in my (now long) career:

To leave my first admin job, which I did after six months.  It was a very nice job, but not a good fit for me;
To take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself.  This encouraged me to think about myself as "Raindance plc";
What a person does outside work is at least as important as what that person does at work.  All work and no play makes a Raindance incredibly dull and introspective.  I don't have a huge amount of time for extra-curricular activities, but singing in a choir, doing some voluntary work, and a few social and cultural things makes life a little more balanced and pleasant.

The first piece of advice gave me the spur to seek work I really found satisfying and rewarding.  The second two pieces came from a manager I had more than ten years ago.  She was a great believer in that advice, and has remained a great friend over the years. 

My career, so far, has lasted over 25 years, and it's interesting to reflect on the things that stick with you.