Career Mistakes Made in Your 20s - The Muse

Career Mistakes Made in Your 20s - The MuseCareer Mistakes Made in Your 20sIn a few months, Ill turn 39. Its an age that Im approaching with mixed emotions. My thirties have been very good to me- personally and professionally. I got married to the love of my life and became a mom. I wrote a novel, experienced a few dream jobs, and cultivated a successful freelance writing career for myself. I approached all of these milestones with appreciation and a healthy dose of caution, and I really tried (and am still trying) to learn from every new opportunity and savor the lessons- even the ones that came when I got knocked down.This is quite different from how I approached things in my twenties. When I moved to New York City, I welches four days out of college- and 21 years old. Simply determined to make it in the cutthroat world of magazines, I thought I knew best and didnt always listen to what my baboes were trying to teach me.Now that I can look back on my experiences with a little more clarity, I see I could have made things a lot easier for myself. Believe me, Im far from perfect and still consider my career and myself a work in progress. But I cringe a little when I think about where I welches more than a decade ago- and the mistakes that I could have avoided. If I could jump into a time machine, here are the seven things I would go back and do differently1. I Never Officially Asked Someone to Be My MentorIve worked with a lot of incredible writers and editors in my career who know I look up to them and who Ive gone to for advice numerous times over the years. But I never sat down any of them and said, I really admire the career path youre on, and its very similar to the plan I envision for myself- will you take me under your wing? You know that old adage, Ask and you shall receive? There really is a switch that flips when you tell someone what you want from them and explain how they can help you.Case in point, when I welches a young entertainment editor at Cosm oGIRL, I welches all set to interview John Mayer for a feature. At the time, he was my favorite singer and I felt like the lyrics from his first album were ripped out of my own diary. But a high school student who had asked our editor-in-chief to be her mentor was a fan, too- and wanted to develop her interview skills- so, my John Mayer interview was given to her.Now, this is an extreme case, and not every mentee is going to get such a major opportunity handed to them from a mentor. But there is a huge lesson to be learned here If you dont ask someone to be your mentor, youll never know what doors it could have opened for you.2. I Didnt Keep in Touch With My InternsIt never ceases to amaze me how many of my former interns have gone on to basically rule the world. Often on their last day, Id simply thank them for all of their hard work and send them out into the world, only to maybe hear from them for a job reference when they graduated.Now that Im a freelance writer who pitches a wi de variety of publications and editors, I very often end up pitching former interns. It makes my heart happy to see them succeeding, but it would have been even better if Id made an effort to keep in touch with them. It would make those Hi, please assign me a story conversations a lot less awkward.And on that note- be nice to your interns. I always did try to treat mine with respect, but things get busy and it can be easy to take out your stress on them. Dont do that- because if theyre going to be in a position of power one day and you were mean to them, they might just take pleasure in rejecting you.3. I Spoke Back to My Superiors SometimesAs a junior editor, there was one senior editor who edited a majority of the features I wrote. Our interaction went something like thisSenior editor Do you think our readers care, like really care, about Britney Spears anymore? Should we change that reference?Me Eye rollSenior editor So- what do you think?Me Long, drawn out sigh You really dont k now anything about entertainment or what I do as an entertainment editor if youre asking me a question like that. Everyone loves Britney Spears.Senior editor Draws in breath and throws copy back to me, effectively ending conversationSo heres what happens when youre blatantly disrespectful- youre essentially hanging a sign around your neck that screams Difficult. The person you disrespected will always remember that when asked by another colleague about you or- and this is a biggie- when your professional paths cross again. And trust me, they always do. Its very tough to redeem yourself (even if your excuse really was being an insolent 20-something who didnt know better).4. I Didnt NegotiateI was at my first job for five years before I finally decided it was time to move on. I was apprehensive about breaking out of my comfort zone and going somewhere new, but I was recruited for a job that seemed like the perfect next step in my career. The executive editor who interviewed me was ver y persuasive. That was great- but the job paid less money than I wanted, came with a title that was technically a step down, required that I sit in a cubicle instead of an arbeitszimmer (I was coming from an oversized private space) and didnt include any of the new responsibilities I wanted, such as managing a team or top-editing junior writers.It had been so long since Id interviewed for a job- and gotten an offer- that I was afraid to accept anything other than what was offered to me. So I got the offer and took it, no questions asked. I didnt even try to get more money or find out if an office would be possible down the line. I left everything on the table and showed up for my first day of work with a massive pit in my stomach. I only stayed at that job for nine months, and every single day I wondered what would have been if I even tried to negotiate a little bit.Heres the thing- the very worst that can happen during negotiations is youre told No. And if youre told No to the thin gs that you consider deal breakers, then you have the power to decline and wait for a better opportunity to present itself.5. I Should Have Asked for Feedback Before My ReviewsAfter a few years at my first job, some changes took place and I had a brand-new boss. I thought I was doing great before she came on board and that I was on track for a promotion. And then, it was time for our annual reviews, and she told me how very presumptuous I was for thinking I was ready for more responsibility- that I had very specific things to work on before she would even consider it. Yes, my boss should have sat down with me before the review if she was that concerned about my performance- but I should have been checking in with her, too.Let me empower you Its OK to check in with your boss every six weeks or so. It doesnt even have to be a formal meeting. Just find a free minute to ask if you can review your latest projects or get feedback on how youve interacted with recent clients. Find out what your boss was impressed by and where you need to improve. Be bold enough to ask where she sees you in the next year and how she suggests you get there.6. I Was Terrible About Managing My ContactsGet in the habit of creating a Google spreadsheet with the contact info of everyone you meet. Update it with every business card you receive or contact information in the signature of every schmelzglas. Store it in your Google drive, email it to yourself as a backup, and be diligent about updating it when someones information changes.Please just trust me on this one- theres nothing worse than having to dig for the contact information of someone you met five years ago. It may take five years until you need to reach out to people on that list again. Thats OK- it will save you a lot of time and energy if you can quickly pull it up on your computer rather than racking your brain trying to remember where you met that contact or how you think their last name might be spelled as you desperately sea rch your email.7. I Didnt Always Speak Up After I Made a MistakeMany times in the early part of my career, I made mistakes and I did not speak up. Luckily, I was never fired and none of my mistakes were so detrimental that they couldnt be fixed. But there were a lot of close calls that created more work and unnecessary late nights for my colleagues and myself.We are human. We all make mistakes. And if you have a boss who makes you feel like mistakes arent tolerated, then perhaps you need to find someone else to work for. However, what is unacceptable is not taking responsibility for your mistakes. Hiding from mistakes, lying about mistakes or throwing others under the bus because of your mistakes will catch up with you- and it wont be pretty. Admitting something went wrong as soon as it goes wrong will suck, but the mess will be a lot easier to clean up and your reputation should come out unscathed.More From Motto4 Ways to Stop Doubting YourselfYou Should Say Yes to Every New Opport unity3 Quick Tips to De-Stress in a Frustrating Situation

Why affluent professionals are hiring life coaches instead of therapists

Why affluent professionals are hiring life coaches instead of therapistsWhy affluent professionals are hiring life coaches instead of therapistsCan you guess whatOprah,Serena Williams, Leonardo DiCaprio, Hugh Jackman, and Bill Gates all have in common? Aside from being some of the most successful names the world over, unterstellung celebrities have all worked with and exalted the services of a life coach.The data is even more compelling.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreStudies conducted by the International Coaching Federation on the effectiveness of life coaching showed 99% of the people they interviewed saw their experience working with a life coach as rewarding, while 96% stated they would do it again. Moreover, 65% said working with a coach helped them improve theirperformance at work, and 80% said it helped improve theirself-confidence.Why Hire a Life Coach?Even at a whoppin g $200 $1000 per month for a handful of sessions, it appears we may be more comfortable telling friends and family were seeing a life coach over a therapist.Todays culture shuns talk of mental illness. We feel indulgent talking about things like depression,anxiety,andself-care.But without the right tools to manage these treatable issues, they show up in our partal lives, in our our work lives, and can put a lot of strain on ourrelationships.Searching for amentorwho will help us conquer our fears, relationship problems,career setbacks,and provide us with a sense of fulfillment, weve turned away from therapists and have started seeing life coaches en masse.For that reason, life coaching has grown at lightning speed into a multi-billion-dollar industry over the past few years as thousands of people are hiring coaches for support in their partal and professional lives. Are you ready to hire a coach of your own? Heres what you need to knowDo I Need a Life Coach or a Therapist?Although t he decision to see a therapist or a life coach is a deeply personal one, figuring out which one is best for your unique situation is easy.When looking to answer the question Why? a therapist may be the person you want to talk to. For questions like What now? or How do I change? a life coach is exactly what you need.If you are overweight and want to understand Why do I overeat? What fears are preventing me from exercising? What painful emotions am I smothering with food? go to a therapist, says DC based Life CoachSara Oliveri.If you are overweight and want to know How do I change? How do I develop a plan for losing weight and getting healthy? How do I prevent backsliding? go to a coach.A Life Coach is Hyper-Focused On GrowthBut what exactly is it that has made life coaching so popular? Coaching is different from therapy because it is hyper-focused on who you are now and who future you can be.Therapists reflect on past habits that may be destructive to their clients lives and focus on their clients building a greater awareness of the self. Life coaching is more action centered. Coaches focus on getting their clients to make changes in order to achieve what they want in their personal and professional lives.A Life Coach Will Partner in Your SuccessThe best aspect of good coaching is that instead of acting as a counselor to their clients, they act as a partner and motivator. They see through the excuses that you make and they hold you accountable. They see how you limit yourself to only doing the bare minimum and they challenge you to do more. Their motivation is what helps you grow and become the person you want to be.So why book a life coach instead of a therapist? Heres what a life coach can do for you that a life coach cant.What Does A Life Coach Do? A Life Coach Will Dwell on Your Future, Not Your PastSara Oliveri voted Best Life Coach by the Washington City Paper says an important thing to notice about life coaches is that they dont dwell on the past.Oliveri states, Although I do spend a limited amount of time looking back and helping clients understand why their fears, values, beliefs, and personality existmy goal is not to process the clients past. My goal is to help the client become the best version of themselves.Instead of diving into every nook and cranny of our past, coaches are more focused on a clients future potential, development, and figuring out how to make the changes the client wants to see.What Todays Biggest Names Are SayingOprahI remember the very first time we had a life coach on the show. She shared with our audience a list and, literally, in the audience women booed her when she said put yourself at the top of that list. What she meant was put yourself at the top of the list and nurture yourself, honor yourself, stop the crazy mind chatter in your head that tells you all the time that youre not good enough.Serena WilliamsLife is so much bigger than tennis. Its the basic things in the little steps of life that we ov erlook. You should be the happiest person alive, because thats a gift in itself and Tony (life coach) helped me realize that.Bill ClintonHe (life coach) has not only the gift to inspire, but he teaches the most important lesson that every individual has to learn about living day to day, which is that you have choices in every circumstance. And you have to make up your mind on how you will respond to whatever it is that happens, as well as how you will make new things happen.Bill GatesEveryone needs a coach. We all need people to give us feedback. Thats how we improve.Feature photo by Sylvie TittlelThis article first appeared on Capitol Standard.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong peopl e

Finance Leaders Business Process Improvement Plans

Finance Leaders Business Process Improvement PlansFinance Leaders Business Process Improvement PlansFINANCE LEADERS BUSINESS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PLANSWhere finance leaders have business process improvement initiatives planned for the next two yearsAccounting operations 46%Financial reporting 43%Business systems 34%Business intelligence and data analytics 28%Risk and compliance 23%Internal audit 22%How companies will staff these initiatives*Internal staff only 46%A cocktail of internal and external resources 39%External resources only 15%Top reasons companies will work with external resources**Access to specialized skills and expertiseImproved efficienciesHelp with training full-time staffFull-time team cant take on additional workProject management supportSource Management Resources survey of more than 2,000 finance leaders in the United States*Based on responses of finance leaders planning BPI initiatives**Based on responses of finance leaders who said they plan to work with externa l resources or a mix of internal and external resources top reasons shown in order