Success comes from working hard and being in the right place at the right time. Of course, you also need the right credentials and experience rather than a career plan.
Dara Khosrowshahi is the CEO of Expedia. In his recent LinkedIn article, “Why You Should Dump Your 5-Year Career Plan,” he offers two key pieces of advice for young adults embarking on new careers.
Don’t Plan Your Career
Dara explains that long term career planning has quickly become a thing of the past. These days, people cannot truly predict where they will be in 5 or 10 years. Instead, Dara suggests that you focus on the next two years instead. “Look for the right opportunities, stay flexible, have some idea of what direction you are headed in.” Don’t lock in one long-term career direction because changes are very likely to happen down the road.
Work for the Right Person
Dara recommends finding and surrounding yourself with the smartest and most competent person you know, and do whatever it takes to work for them. Once you find that person, work as hard as you can to learn from them and build your resume. Good, smart people are one of the few constants in an ever-changing world. Learning and promotions are the two, best benefits that can come from working with and for intelligent people. Also, it’s more likely you will follow in their footsteps when defining your career path.
Making the right career choices now will hopefully land you in the right place at the right time in the future, with the help of dedication and hard work.
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