If a job doesn’t engage you, push you to learn and believe in what you’re doing, whatever strategy you have won’t work
“Career Barometer” is a section of our job and internship platform where we will present to you the career experiences of people from various business industries.
“My father used to say, ‘Look at apologizing less,’ which means try not to make mistakes.” And in this line of thought, the word “I’m sorry” is much stronger than the word “excuse me,” says Nadejda Dinisheva, my next guest in the column.
Who is she?
My name is Nadejda Dinisheva and my passion is to help people who want to develop, be successful and realize their better version. I have over 27 years of experience in people management and sales in the IT sector, but my most recent ampli is as a certified business coach with the Noble Manhattan Coaching Group.
At what age did you start working and get your first salary?
My very first job, at the age of 16, was a porter at the Bulgarian Embassy in Ethiopia. It was my encounter with what it is like to welcome and take care of customers, what it means to be conscientious in work and observe work principles. This was a very good first step in my growth as a professional.
Should people have a career development strategy to follow?
Strategy is a very complex word. What I have concluded is that one must love and believe in what one does. If a job doesn’t excite you, pushes you to learn and believe in what you’re doing, whatever strategy you have, it won’t work. For me, the guiding principle has always been “what impact and what benefits does my work deliver”. Money is secondary if one wants to be one’s true self.
What do you think is the impact of our first workplace on shaping our career habits?
Huge. The first job is sort of checking what one thinks one wants to do. No matter if you continue the same path afterwards. The first job is like a sheet of white paper on which you start to draw and define your work principles, work relationships and people. I would encourage young people to try as many things as possible to find out what they enjoy most.
Which events and specific people have made the biggest mark on your career development?
Sports is what taught me responsibility, persistence, and accuracy. As a tennis player and then a track and field athlete, I developed a sense of dedication, diligence, perseverance, how to take criticism and how to build mental and psychological resilience. My parents also had a huge impact on my career development. Throughout all my endeavors they have supported me, guided, and advised me every time I shared how my day went through.
It is clear that one learns from one’s mistakes, but what should our most proper reaction be after making a mistake?
No one likes to make mistakes, let alone have someone point them out. When I make a mistake, I always admit it before someone else tells me about it. Confession somehow alleviates the feeling of wrongdoing and gives you the space to think about what happened, take responsibility and learn from it. As the saying goes, “What’s done is done.” You can’t change things that have happened; it is not to allow the same mistakes again in the future.
Admitting a mistake is not a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it gives you self-confidence, that you can take responsibility, that you want to learn, and that everything is human. There are no perfect people – everyone makes mistakes.
It is most wrong for a person to take a defensive position when he has made a mistake and to start shifting blame and responsibility. Everyone has a choice. Being wrong doesn’t make others guilty. You are the one who decided to act.
What essential qualities do people who experience rapid career development demonstrate?
Thirst for knowledge and skills. If you are not curious and do not push yourself, but stand on the sidelines, you cannot and will not succeed. Another quality is keeping your word. When you take responsibility, the people around you should know that you will get it done in the time you said. And the third quality is the attitude towards other people around you. Young people often portray the behavior of “I know it all”. This is where the feeling of being above everything comes from. Emotional intelligence is important in dealing with people, and if one is not aware of what is going on around, it will be very difficult to progress.
What is the role of the family in our career development? Should we follow our parents’ advice?
There are many cases where we follow the path of our parents and advice. It is important to listen to those who have lived longer than us, but above all we must refract advice and experience through our prism and reality. Family can play (and plays) a very important role in our career development because they support and encourage us. Even when we do things that don’t relate to their expectations and way. For me, family has always been a starting point for sounding out opinions and advice on how to act in situations, but the final decision has always been mine.
And what is the role of our friends in our stages of career development?
As they used to say: “Friends, don’t give me advice. I can make mistakes myself.” True friends, those who are with you in good and bad times – they can be your trusted counselor too. After all, friends are within your generation and should be sharing the same values as you. A lot can be achieved with true friends.
Is there a recipe for finding balance and setting clear boundaries between personal and professional life?
For sure. In the beginning, when you are building a career, you should not be too pretentious about your personal life. You are developing, learning, and building your character. You are gaining experience. Setting clear boundaries between personal and professional life is mainly dependent on the skill and power of saying NO. By saying NO, however, you have to bear the consequences – sometimes good, sometimes not so much. If you can’t resist the tension (because that’s what you feel when one says NO to something), it’s going to be very hard to set those boundaries.
Is horizontal or vertical career development preferable at the age of 20-35?
Definitely vertical. But I would lower the limit to around 30 years of age. The best option is to take different positions within the same company. You get to know the core of a business, tackle other problems within the same field, and gain insight into the bigger picture of the business and industry. Many people clamor for big titles and positions, but what they don’t know is that it’s pretty lonely up there at the top. The position a person holds or the title they hold does not define them as a professional. By the age of 30, you should be aware of what you are stepping into, what makes you passionate and brings you enjoyment.
What is the most valuable career advice you have received that you could share with the rest?
Nothing is impossible. When you want something deep within your heart, sooner or later you will achieve it. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and admit them. My father used to say, “Look at apologizing less,” meaning try not to make mistakes. And in this line of thought, the words “I’m sorry” are quite powerful. Just ensure that you don’t regret not doing something. The fear of failure is big, so what if you fail. You haven’t lived…