Somehow everything seems to work out for some people. Have you already wondered how you can be so successful? Here’s the good news: When it comes to achieving career goals, knowledge and qualifications are not all-important. A high IQ and a good education are of course useful. The IQ, for example, has more of a supporting function. Often the so-called soft skills decide how far you can get in your job. Soft skills even account for up to 40% of professional success. If you want to make a career, you should acquire the following, particularly career-promoting qualities.
Passion
If you are not passionate about your cause, you give up quickly when faced with difficulties. Passion has a great influence on one’s own motivation. It lets us hold out when things are not going well or when we are confronted with criticism. Passion is more than just short-term enthusiasm. You probably know this feeling. There was this one thing that made you forget about time and that you could have devoted hours of your time to. When you find that feeling in the workplace, reaching your career goals becomes a lot easier. Purely because you are passionate about the cause, even if things don’t go so well.
Optimism
Optimism is a very crucial quality for success. If you believe from the start that you will not succeed, then almost certainly you will not. But if you believe in yourself, (almost) anything is possible. Thinking optimistically is a decision that some of us need to make very consciously. But why shouldn’t we all just be optimistic, no matter what situation we are in or what goals we have? Why optimism influences our life so decisively can be explained by the concept of «self-fulfilling prophecy», which comes from psychology.
Self-confidence
Self-confidence is necessary so that you can act confidently towards people in the professional environment, such as colleagues, the boss, or customers. But also to give up less quickly. If you believe in yourself, don’t be too quick to take criticism personally. Criticism then has less of an impact than if you are already doubting yourself. To all professionals of self-doubt: don’t worry – self-confidence can be learned and until then: “Fake it till you make it”.
Ambition
I advocate thinking big. Set high (but achievable) goals and ask yourself: What would be the best outcome you could achieve? It doesn’t matter how far you seem from it. Do you think the great founders of our time never started small? Dare to dream! If you have now set yourself a big goal, divide it into smaller goals that you can achieve in stages. Achieving every smaller goal increases your motivation.
Endurance
If you want to achieve your goals, you need a lot of perseverance and patience. And a lot. If you have set yourself high goals, success does not come overnight. However, reaching intermediate goals can give you new motivation, which is an important part of perseverance. Developing your own skills and personality also takes time. Patience can also be learned!
Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness is one of the Big Five qualities. Studies have shown that conscientiousness is critical to performance. Conscientious people are good at planning, they are forward-looking and they are doers. They do things. People who are not conscientious only talk, but often do not take action. Conscientiousness is therefore responsible, among other things, for the important, career-promoting “get-things-done attitude”.
Authenticity
Authenticity is the ability to be yourself. I consciously say “ability” because not everyone has mastered this art. However, it is becoming more and more important in today’s world. Anyone who tries to please everyone to give answers only because they are expected is not authentic and is also not perceived as authentic. One problem is that we often try to match another person’s image. In doing so, we are denying our real strengths. The result is that we slow ourselves down with it. Always try to stay with yourself and listen to your inner voice, then stay authentic.
If you are looking for a new job, Vitamin B can open the door for you. Some positions are not even advertised (keyword hidden job market). Companies then fill positions either internally or on the recommendation of employees. Knowing the right people doesn’t just help you find a new job, it also helps you set up a project, achieve a career goal, etc. Believe me when I say how important it is to know the right people!
Openness to new things
Not only openness to new things, but even lateral thinking is an important quality in today’s world. Accept change, even drive it forward. Stand out from the competition, other applicants, or work colleagues. In today’s society, thinking differently is seen as creativity. And in the current rapidly changing and globalized world of work, great importance is attached to this characteristic. Be brave!