What's Wrong (And Right) with Common Career Advice
How to evaluate (and give) career advice
Throughout my life, I’ve searched for, analyzed, reflected on and given lots of advice around career growth and career development. Every book, every podcast every website or blog you can think of and I’ve probably come across it, read it and listened to it. I wish I could tell you that as a result of those activities that I have everything figured out, and while I’m sad to report that I don’t, one observation I have come to from all of my research can be best summed up by the English statistician George E.P Box.
“All models are wrong, but some are useful”. George E. P. Box
Box gave this quote as a means to help other students and scholars of data understand that even in the field of scientific inquiry, data, and research, every model (quantified by science) still has limitations. I think this is the best way to also describe the majority of career advice that exists out there. There’s a lot of career advice, and in the right context, career advice can be really useful and helpful. That said but without context or in the wrong context, it doesn’t make sense, or apply to us. Hence the quote, all models are wrong, but some are useful.”
I thought about this quote when reading through this recent research paper done by scholars from the University of Iowa and University of Missouri. In this paper, the researchers conducted a meta-analysis on studying four commonly accepted pieces of career advice, and evaluated them for their efficacy. Turns out, when held to research standards and science, some of these are not as useful as they were intended to be, and in some cases detrimental. (Disclaimer: I have said or encouraged all of these multiple times, at various points in my career!)
So does this mean that all career advice is not worth listening to? Absolutely not! And we certainly shouldn’t stop striving to look for guidance and insight into how we can best live our lives and careers. What I think it does mean is that we need simultaneously hold space for two competing ideas that we can develop and grow by learning from others and ideas while acknowledging that the best way to learn is through our own actions and decisions we take in our own unique lives.
So how do we fix this? Here are two thoughts:
When receiving or reading advice – consider the context and vantage point from what the advice giver is coming from. Ask yourself, “what would it take for this to be true for me?” Note: this can even be done when you hear advice that you disagree with.
When giving advice – be mindful for how you provide context and background to someone you are giving advice to. And recognize more than anything, the limitations of the advice you can give. We are all different people, have different vantage points and experiences and our lives work in different in complex ways. It would be unreasonable to think that we could expect to come up with general blanket strategies that work for every single person, but if we are in the position to provide advice, we can do our best to meet the audience where they are.
What I Read
Tech Republic: People Feel Stuck: Personally and Professionally
New research from Oracle and Workplace Intelligence, an HR Research firm suggests that during COVID-19 workers’ concerns about their short and long term career growth continue to rise.
Fast Company: 9 Hidden Ways To Build Relationships at Work
Gorick Ng, Author of the WSJ Bestseller Unwritten rules wrote a piece about the hidden ways you can strengthen your relationships at work. While you’re at it make sure to check out my interview with Gorick, where we talked all about workplace and career advice
NY Times: In a Workers, Economy, Who Really Holds The Cards?
For the first time in a long time, it feels like employees have some leverage. So what does that mean, for employers and employees? This article takes a look at some of the changes and modifications some employers have made to provide more employee-driven workplaces. Whether that’s a big box retailer like Target, or a top New York City Law Firm. To be sure, many employees are at-will workers, which mean that employers control and can fire employees at any time (as the article notes) but as a result of the hiring market, it appears that some employers are making concessions to create better workplaces. Whether or not this is enough and for how long that it lasts, TBD.
WSJ: How a Side Hustle Can Boost Your Performance at Work
I’ve had numerous side businesses and hustles over the years dating back to my time as a high schooler. While some of them made money, most of them allowed me to pursue individual interests and ideas, and to build things that were interesting. Turns out, this can actually help boost your performance in a day job.
Have a great week!
Al