Despite more people working remotely or as freelancers than ever, it still feels like most career advice out there is geared toward those with fairly traditional day jobs. So much is about office politics, proving yourself to a tough manager, and rising the ranks. I’m sure I would have learned a lot of great skills if I’d had a more traditional career these past six years, but I don’t feel like I’m missing out by having built most of it as a work from home freelancer. Actually, the four career lessons I’m sharing below are ones I learned while out on my own, even though they seem like something you’d gain experience in from the office. No matter where or how you work, I think these career lessons are so important to your growth, which is why I decided to write this post!
^My “office” in the spring! :)
I did work for a bit in agency setting (at one that had just gotten acquired, too, making life extra unpredictable), at a startup, and remotely full-time as well. My first job out of college was in an office at a different school, which was about as traditional as it’s ever gotten for me. Yet none of these settings taught me this:
4 Career Lessons I Didn’t Learn from a Day Job
1. Always be considerate. Whether it’s follow-ups, courtesy emails to colleagues and clients, or giving credit where credit is due, none of the jobs above outwardly promoted the value of being considerate. I understand that this is something you’d hope your employees know, but truth is, being considerate is something you have to practice in all of your actions in order for it to be a real characteristic you embrace in your work. It can be as simple as please and thank you or it could mean going out of your way to support a co-worker. As much as being extra thoughtful takes more time (spent replying to emails I could ignore, tracking down information rather than taking the easy way out and making assumptions)–it strengthens relationships and builds trust. What goes around comes around!
2. How to write creatively. Being able to write creatively is important in any job, and I’m not just saying that because I love writing personally. Writing creatively in a professional setting is something I learned while seeking my own voice as a freelancer, and not something that is given a lot of attention in day jobs, even the modern ones. Being creative with your language improves communication, allows you to interject personality into emails, makes pitches more convincing (whether externally or just sharing ideas across teams at work), and so much more. I think finding and practicing your voice ultimately helps you gain confidence as a professional, too.
3. You must actively work to have an inclusive message/brand. This seems to be something that’s becoming more of the norm as of the last couple years, thankfully, but I don’t remember anyone making this a priority in a past work place of mine, and I haven’t heard it from many friends either. We talk a lot about the importance of finding your niche and focusing on brand voice in blogging circles, but it’s just as important to make sure you’re creating space for more than just people in your immediate frame of reference. It’s something that’s an ever evolving process and takes a lot of listening, reading, learning, making mistakes, trying again, and so on. I can’t even imagine if companies had started off being more welcoming places to begin with!
4. How to plan for the future. A day job might help you start a savings or retirement plan, but let’s be honest, they’re not in the business of making sure you’re growing + ultimately reaching your goals. They’re all about making sure you “put in the time” and “prove yourself” before getting to a place that feels really secure, and even then, stuff happens. I always hear about friends who end up waiting months or even years after they’re told they have a future in the company, only to find out they need to cut ties and move on. Day jobs don’t often tell you what to do in that case, because they run the risk of losing a valuable employee. Better learn the lesson on your own so you can make the right decision for you, if the time does come.
We’d love to hear what career lessons you’ve learned on your own, that have contributed to your own growth in the workforce. Comment below and we’ll share with our community on Instagram!