Career Quotes

My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense with artificial stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for mental exaltation. That is why I have chosen my own particular profession, or rather created it, for I am the only one in the world.

~ Arthur Conan Doyle

When one door closes another opens but all too often there is a long hallway in between.

~ Rick Jarow

Out of the current confusion of ideals and and confounding of career hopes, a calm recognition may yet emerge that productive labor is the foundation of all prosperity.

~ Matthew B. Crawford

what secular avocation on earth was there for a young man (whose friends could not get him an ‘appointment’) which was at once gentlemanly, lucrative, and to be followed without special knowledge?

~ George Eliot

The first test of ability and intelligence is to find a field of endeavor in which profits are large and risks small.

~ James Gould Cozzens

Action is the spark that ignites potential.

~ John Long

For success in corporate world, it is essential to identify and seek what you want.

~ Abhishek Ratna

Expertise in a subfield was the key to a successful career as an engineer, and expertise was becoming a necessity for the mathematicians and computers as well.

~ Margot Lee Shetterly

His name was Ed. His nickname was Scrambled Ed. On leaving school he had taken a year out to decide what he wanted to study at University. The year passed and he still hadn't decided but went to University anyway. 'Academic' is defined as 'of, or relating to, institutionalized education and scholarship'. The same word, at the same time, also means 'having little practical use or value, as by being overly detailed, unengaging or theoretical'. The latter definition seemed the most appropriate for Ed's university career which was a mash up of drinking, diving, surfing, kayaking and having his heart-broken. All washed down with a few pints. After three years of that he was awarded a second class joint honours degree which he put in the recycling bin and went in search of something that would make him feel better.

~ Matt Padwick

Make a life while making a living.

~ Frank Sonnenberg

A nagging focus on time management makes us want to increase the speed of our lives. Maintaining a focus on priority management helps us recognize the need to slow down. When our use of time is built around well-defined priorities, life is less a question of how much we can get done and more a question of whether something is worth doing at all.

~ Joe Jordan

I’d tell men and women in their midtwenties not to settle for a job or a profession or even a career. Seek a calling. Even if you don’t know what that means, seek it. If you’re following your calling, the fatigue will be easier to bear, the disappointments will be fuel, the highs will be like nothing you’ve ever felt.

~ Phil Knight

It is a common enough mid-career urge: having taken care of life's immediate needs, some of us yearn to chase villains, right wrongs, fight on the side of the angels.

~ Tim Wu

Take it from me, an authority on expertise: You can't trust experts.

~ Jeff Schmidt

When employers designate certain jobs professional and insist that employees have professional training – not just the technical skills that seem sufficient to do the work – they must have more in mind than efficiency. Hierarchical organizations need professionals, because through professionals those at the top control the political content of what is produced, and because professionals contribute to the bosses' control of the workforce itself.

~ Jeff Schmidt

What exactly are you looking for in a job? Like, what’s your best-case scenario for a new career?”“I haven’t really thought that far. The best-case scenario is just that I look back on this entire era of my life and laugh and say, ‘What a weird time that was. I can’t believe I did that.

~ Drew Nellins Smith

They want you to be the solution. Whoever is waiting in there for you—interviewer, examiner, casting agent—is hoping you are the answer to their search. Our fear or self-doubt can persuade us that those waiting in the room want us to fail, but that means you carry that closed or victim energy in. People get into the negative habit of preempting the worst-case scenario as a misplaced way of protecting themselves. Try to walk in instead with an ‘I can be the solution to your problem’ attitude. Not arrogant, just open. The rest is out of your hands, but the positivity in itself is empowering.

~ Kate White

Everyone you meet should go into a people file (organized by categories) that you keep on your computer or phone. Include a few details about the person. Selected names should be placed on your “big-mouth” e-mail list. It should consist of former bosses, former coworkers whom you want to stay in touch with, anyone who has mentored you, people you’ve met who seem interested in your career. People on your big-mouth list then get sent an e-mail notification when you have important career news—for instance, you’ve switched jobs, been promoted, or started your own business.

~ Kate White

When someone does a professional favor for you, send a handwritten note. You must send a written note to a mentor or sponsor when she helps you. Perhaps even a gift. And here’s a great tip from Archambeau: When you take someone’s advice, let her know it and how it worked out. So few people ever do that.

~ Kate White

There are four stages to a person’s career:In Stage 1 you are enthusiastic about your work, but inexperienced (start of your career).In Stage 2 you are both enthusiastic about your work and have gained experience (top of your career).In Stage 3 you’re tired of your work, but you are also still competent/experienced (maintenance stage).In Stage 4 you are sick of your work, and because you haven’t been motivated to keep up with your profession, you are now, once again, inexperienced relative to the state-of-the-art in your field (end of career).

~ Clifford Cohen

If you’ve just had a brief conversation at an event, ask, “Is it all right if I drop you a note?” You can follow up with a question in writing. Also, periodically send your potential mentor or sponsor information that she will find insightful. When you have an accomplishment under your belt, let her know about it.

~ Kate White

During your job search, you must also be networking as much as possible, attending events, talks, lectures, and conferences where you’ll meet people you can add to your contact list.

~ Kate White

You can’t get caught up in worrying about whether everyone you work with likes you. Ultimately you want the respect of your coworkers, but you don’t need them to be your buddies.

~ Kate White

If you haven’t found your calling yet, the best thing to do is get your butt off your chair, fill your life with a wide array of unusual experiences, and allow yourself to bump into what will exhilarate you.

~ Kate White

Rather than relying on a notebook, you should work with two spreadsheets on your computer; you use one to list all the companies you’re aware of in the field or fields you’re interested in and the other to list every single contact you have.

~ Kate White

If you’ve already worked in some capacity or done any internships, your contacts are everybody you’ve met in your work plus all your personal contacts. If you haven’t been employed yet, you still have plenty of contacts. “Take out your college yearbook,” says Wein. “Who sat next to you in class? Who do you know that’s gone into the field you’re interested in? You don’t have to know them well to put them on the list.” You’d also include any contacts your parents have, friends of your parents, people you met on family vacations, even kids you knew in summer camp.

~ Kate White

Every day you should also be checking job boards to track positions as they open up. In addition to the job boards on company websites, use public job boards such as Monster, Indeed, LinkedIn, and any specialty sites. There’s also your alumni website, etc.

~ Kate White

Who knows, you may be that close. You could be uncovering a blind spot or two away to take your career to the next height...

~ Assegid Habtewold

Start with a two-line summary of your background, and then say what you’re looking for, being as specific as possible. It could go something like this: “I just graduated with a degree in economics, and I worked at a hospital for my past two summers. I’d love a job at a health-related website. I know you once worked for WebMD, and I’d really welcome a personal introduction.

~ Kate White

Do not cross your legs, she advises. Keeping both feet on the ground signals that you, well, have both feet on the ground. … If you feel the urge to move out of nervousness, do some toe crunches since the interviewer won’t notice those.

~ Kate White

Good questions are those that show that you not only want the job, you are prepared to knock the ball out of the park once you have it. So ask, “What would a successful year in the job look like?” or “What did you most value in the person who left?” You’ve done a Google search of the field and the company, of course, and one of your questions could be about emerging trends. Interviewers love it when questions relate to them and their accomplishments (“I’ve heard you made some exciting changes recently. What has the outcome been?”).

~ Kate White

Come right out and say you want it: “It’s been great hearing you talk about the position. I’d love to work here, and I think I could do a terrific job for you.

~ Kate White

Smile, look invested, and when you hand in certain projects, say you enjoyed working on them.

~ Kate White

When your boss assigns you a project, take good notes and ask questions regarding anything you’re not sure about. … The key question to ask: “What are the results you’re looking for?” Be clear, too, about deadlines and who needs to be looped in on the project.

~ Kate White

Lawrence’s suggestion for a starter wardrobe: a black dress, a fitted black jacket, black pants, a black skirt, a camel-colored skirt, a white blouse, a trendy-looking cardigan in a color (red could be good, for instance), several cool, inexpensive blouses (from places such as H&M or Zara) that pick up or work with the color of the cardigan and will go with your pants and skirts. For shoes, go for black heels and a pair of colored ones (they will make one of your all-black outfits look totally fab). Then build from there.

~ Kate White

Once you’ve identified people who can be both mentors and sponsors, you need to make contact. Don’t hesitate to introduce yourself to a potential ally at an event or in the elevator and say you admire her work. If the person is spearheading a committee or drive, volunteer to be on it. You can also request an informational interview. You could say something such as “I’ve heard so much about your work [or latest venture] and would love to know more about it.

~ Kate White

If a job opens up that she could “sell” you for, tell her, “You’ve been such a valuable resource for me. I would really appreciate having your help on something. There’s a terrific position open at Company A, and I’m hoping you would be able to advocate on my behalf.” Don’t be shy about also asking a sponsor, “Do you know anyone I could talk to?

~ Kate White

When you create a résumé, for instance, it’s not about listing every single role and responsibility you’ve had. Instead it’s about highlighting accomplishments that all ladder up to your overall positioning, expressing a clear point of view. You’re taking control of the impressions you make by doing the work for them.

~ Kate White

You should also have a bio that plays up your brand—this will be used for any kind of press or speaking engagement. Make it jazzy and exciting, and don’t be afraid of language that really touts you.

~ Kate White

Success means we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and our abilities were used in a way that served people.  We're compensated by grateful looks in other people's eyes, whatever material abundance supports us in performing joyfully and at high energy, and the magnificent feeling that we did our bit today to help save the world.

~ Marianne Williamson