Sally Maier-Yip ( 2005, Bachelor of Social Science)
Founder and Managing Director, 11K Consulting – a UK’s leading China PR and Comms Agency based in London (https://11kconsulting.com)
I am honoured to be invited as a mentor of five talented postgraduate corporate communications students at the JLM this year. We had our first mentoring session and all of them asked me a common question:
“What do I need to do to advance my career in this ever fast-changing world?”
Here are my four top tips based on my past 16-year PR experience working in different PR agencies in Hong Kong, Singapore and London, as well as being a founder and managing director of my current China PR and communications agency, 11K Consulting, in London, over the past six years.
- Attitude
As an employer, attitude still matters me the most when hiring a new employee, regardless of the seniority of the position. Skills can be taught but attitude is hard to be taught. Having the right attitudes at workplace means having the willingness, desire and drive to contribute, take full responsibility, be part of a bigger team, be helpful, and constantly strive to learn and do better. Having the right attitudes is foremost and absolutely key to long-term success in any career in any industry in any location. If you have great skills but do not have the right attitudes and work ethnics, you wouldn’t succeed in a long term despite the short-term glory. If you are not sure about how to foster right attitudes, surround yourself with positive people and show up and be on time in every meeting.
- Adapt
The world is changing faster than ever, including how we communicate, especially during and in the aftermath of COVID-19. We need to adapt ourselves, our expectations and our resilience to the constantly changing situation. Those who survive and thrive in tough times are those who adapt fast enough, see disruptions as opportunities, and take setbacks as part of the ongoing growth process. Be creative, think of ways to achieve the same goals, through different paths, whether it is for yourself, your team, or for your clients. An adaptive mindset will help you survive and thrive in the increasingly competitive world. If you are made redundant because of COVID-19, use this time to learn new skills, to explore new job opportunities in other sectors, and to expand your networks. Here is a real case study: a Spanish man has changed his career from being a pilot to an Amazon delivery man and most recently to a construction worker, after being made redundant because of the pandemic.
- Foundation
There is never shortcut to success. A good foundation is absolutely vital to a long-term success in whatever industry or position you are at. Do not mind doing jobs which seem trivial. It is all a learning process. All experiences count. Invest in time to build a strong foundation, to acquire the skills you need to excel in your job, like as if you are building a house, so the house will last strong and still against all odds over the time. Do the hard work. Before we can work smarter, we have to work harder, so we know what doesn’t work and what work, and then we can work smarter. This applies to myself, as an entrepreneur. I had no experience of building a business six years ago and had to go through all the hardships and failures in order to taste some fruits of success after six years.
- Confidence
In truth, we are constantly selling ourselves in every situation. Don’t be afraid to be bold and market yourself as a product to your future employer. Think about why they should hire you instead of other people. What are your unique selling points? It does not mean you need to lie or pretend to be someone else when you are not. It simply means to be confident in yourself, to show your true self, so that you will attract the right company, the right boss, and the right people in your life. Invest in time to build your confidence and hone your true identity. One quick tip is to join a Toastmasters (public speaking) club in your local area. Personally, I have hugely benefitted from the Toastmasters experience over the years. It has helped me become a better speaker, be more confident, and be a better business owner and self.
My final thought on building your dream career:
Life is a journey, and your work is only part of it. So let’s enjoy the process, enjoy the ride, despite the current tough times which won’t last forever.
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