5 ways to set up your career in 2024

Let's build a career you love! Here's 5 ways to set things up for a cracker year at work.

It’s time to craft a career you love! Make 2024 the year where you make it happen. Here’s 5 tips and some podcast episodes on my millennial career that can help you achieve your version of career success because *spoiler alert* - success doesn’t always mean going “up”, and no two people's careers should look the same.

If you love a good read then we’ve got something just for you! Shell Johnson from my millennial career and Glen James from my millennial money have written a book to equip you to build a career you love - Sort Your Career Out & Make More Money!

Dream jobs don’t just come along: you need to make them happen. From creating the ultimate career strategy to getting paid what you’re really worth, this book covers the essentials you need to make your career your own. (Hint: It’s not just about changing the font on your resume!). You’ll learn how to change jobs, secure a promotion, ask for a pay rise and much, much more.

Here’s 5 tips to get your career in gear in 2024:

1. Take ownership

Your career is on you! Don’t blame anyone else. Don’t wait for anyone else. Don’t sit back and take zero action then wonder why you aren’t happy with where your career sits. This is your career - not your manager’s, not your families, not your colleagues - YOURS. So own it - work effectively, be smart, grow, ask a mentor for advice, learn from (inevitable) mistakes, contribute to your workplace - be a strong team player, use your strengths, and continue to grow in your role. When you stuff up, own it and work out processes or systems that prevent mistakes in the future. Make the best decisions to achieve your version of career success. Doing something like crafting your personal brand can be a great way to gain clarity about who you are in a working context, and ensure you end up in roles that suit your vibe - check out this episode about how to think of your career like a marketer:

2. Start a conversation today

It’s AH-mazing how many work unhappiness situations could have been solved with a simple, open conversation with a manager. Your manager or boss cannot read your mind about what you want in your career, so you need to clearly articulate your needs and wants at work. It also shouldn’t just be one conversation - have regular check-ins with your manager to have a healthy, ongoing discussion around your role, your values, strengths and how everything is aligning at work. You may not need to quit for things to get better - you might be able to work things out exactly where you are. So have a casual catch up with your manager about how you’re going in your role and express what you are hoping to try or achieve moving forward! Your manager may have an opportunity in the background that you wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

3. Set healthy boundaries

Boundaries make work sustainable. Boundaries come in all shapes and sizes - they can be boundaries in place around your time, focus, strengths, balance with other parts of your life - boundaries look different for every person. Remember that each person has their own version of success, so set the boundaries that are right for you! Be clear within yourself around where your boundaries are and practice communicating them clearly to your employer, manager and colleagues. Listen to this episode on my millennial career about how to set healthy boundaries:

4. Don’t just focus on the money

Getting paid more won’t necessarily make you love work more. Money is a part of working life, yes, but there are other flexibilities that workplaces are considering these days like working from home, early starts/finishes to pick up the kids, health and wellness programs, staff discount programs - think beyond your salary! What else would you like to help create your version of career success? 

Also remember that moving “up” to more senior roles doesn’t guarantee you’ll be happy. You might make more money, sure, but you’ll also have more responsibilities which might suck up more of your time (which can be thought of as money too, right?). The world of work has changed so much in recent years and now it’s more about how work blends with the rest of your life - this might mean that a sideways move could make more sense for what you want to achieve in your life overall. Don’t just move to more senior roles because you think that’s what everyone does.

If it is time for a pay rise though, have a listen to these episodes on my millennial career about pay and performance reviews:

5. Leave when the time is right

If you’ve tried to have a conversation with your manager about your role, tried to work through the issues you’re facing and nothing is changing - then making a move is probably best. If you’re in a toxic workplace - hands down get out of there. It can be difficult choosing when to leave, but sometimes it’s just the right time to go. Have a listen to the episodes below to figure out if it really is time to find the exit, and how you can do it well: