The internet is an enormous space filled with information for the job seeker, but sometimes you don’t want to rely solely on anonymous tips with little to no background for support. As I begin my journey, I am glad to have found one such expert on career paths.
Alexandra Levit
Alexandra Levit is an author and career consultant who started her own business in 2008, after years of honing her skills and working off-hours on her goals. She has had much experience as an entrepreneur and has spoken of – and written – many important tips she’s learned thus far.
Some info that I’ve found increasingly useful are as follows:
Define your passion
In her 2011 blog post, How to Start Thinking About Passion, Levit points to key ways one should analyze their passions and dreams career-wise before making a major decision, such as:
- What makes you unique
- What you do really well
- What you have the world needs
- What moments in your past have proven the most memorable to you
She emphasizes the need to define your passion in a concrete way if you want to pursue it as a job.
Don’t be your own slave-driver
As an entrepreneur, Levit is aware of how easily one can get wrapped up in their craft and spend over 50+ hours on their career. This is especially true for freelancers starting out. Levit has listed this in her post, 8 Things I Wish I Knew about Business and Careers When I Was 22. Don’t burn yourself out trying to do everything all at once, and learn how to let other people help you.
Don’t expect overnight success
One of the hardest virtues to learn at times is patience. You must have that, especially when you decide to start a business or switch career paths. Levit remarks on her own journey from employee to businesswoman in an interview for Escape from Cubicle Nation. Levit began her consulting as a side hustle and it was four years before she stopped her day job. Be patient and look for every opportunity to grow – both on your own time and within the company you work for – before taking the leap. Once you do take that leap, expect progress to be slow and have lulls, but do not be disillusioned by it.
Alexandra Levit’s depth of understanding of the business world and her own experiences provide a ton of information for a fledgling freelancer. I’m learning so much from her articles and I hope others can find a solid foundation and wisdom as well.
~ What do you think are important lessons one should remember before starting a new career?
- Sources:
http://www.alexandralevit.com/media
http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/2011/10/20/side-hustle-and-flow-interview-series-alexandra-levit/
http://quickbase.intuit.com/blog/2014/02/20/8-things-i-wish-i-knew-about-business-and-careers-when-i-was-22/
http://blog.alexandralevit.com/wcw/2011/12/how-to-start-thinking-about-passion.html - Check out her books on Amazon
Transitions - No Time to be Timid 
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