Career growth tips have been living rent-free in my head since I turned 32 and realised I’m not “young talent” anymore—I’m just… talent. Maybe medium talent. I’m writing this from my couch in [somewhere in the US, doesn’t matter], it’s like 11 pm, the neighbor’s dog won’t stop barking, my left AirPod is at 4% and I’m eating cold lo mein straight from the carton because “self-care” apparently means not washing dishes tonight.
Anyway.
Most “Career Growth Tips” Feel Like They Were Written for Someone Else’s Life
You know those Pinterest-perfect posts? “Wake up at 5 am, journal your goals, network over matcha lattes”? Yeah I tried that for exactly 9 days in January and hated every second. I’m not saying they’re wrong, I’m saying they don’t fit someone who’s already crying in the parking lot before 9 a.m. meetings.
I spent way too long thinking career advancement meant becoming a different person. Spoiler: it doesn’t. You just become the same person who’s slightly better at saying no and slightly worse at pretending you’re fine.
The Time I Almost Ruined My Own Promotion (True Story)
Last year I volunteered for literally every high-visibility project because “ exposure = success” or whatever LinkedIn told me. Ended up owning three major deliverables, mentoring two interns who asked me Zoom questions at 10:30 pm, and still saying “no problem!” when my manager added “quick side ask” on a Friday at 4:58.
Got the shiny new title… and then spent the next four months quietly falling apart. Couldn’t sleep, forgot what weekends were, snapped at my mom on the phone over nothing. My doctor literally wrote “burnout, moderate” on the chart like it was a weather report.
So yeah. Career growth tips #1 from someone who learned it the stupid way: more ≠ better.
Stuff That Actually Helped Me Move Up (Without Completely Losing It)
Here’s what’s kinda-sorta working right now in my very imperfect American life:
- Learn to say “Can I think about it?”
Sounds small. Huge. I used to auto-yes everything. Now I buy myself 24 hours and 9 times out of 10 I realise I should’ve said no. Saves my sanity. - Keep a brag document (seriously, do it)
Mine’s literally called “proof I exist” in Google Docs. Every time I finish something hard I dump a sentence in there. Review season comes and I’m not staring at a blank page panicking. Highly recommend. - Find your Karen
Not a mean Karen. A ride-or-die senior person who will vouch for you when you’re not in the room. Mine once told our VP “She’s carrying half this team—pay her what she’s worth or I’m gonna start looking elsewhere too.” I got the raise. Still send her memes every couple months. - Negotiate and then immediately leave the room
Asked for 20% more last cycle. They countered at 12%. I said “I need to think it over”… walked out… got an email 40 minutes later bumping it to 17%. Almost passed out in the elevator but worth it. - Log off at a human hour sometimes
I still slip up. But when I actually close the laptop at 6:30 instead of 9, my brain works better the next day. Crazy how that works.
Real Talk: I Still Mess Up Constantly
Last month I said “sorry I’m rambling” in a meeting after talking for 90 seconds because a guy had just monologued for seven minutes uninterrupted. Why do we do that?? I still refresh my email like it’s going to love me back. I still wonder if I’m “too much” or “not enough” at least twice a week.
Career growth for ambitious women isn’t about fixing yourself until you’re flawless. It’s about collecting enough evidence that you belong here while still being a person who sometimes eats chips for breakfast and cries during insurance commercials.
Okay I’m Gonna Stop Rambling Now
If you’re reading this at 2 a.m. feeling behind or fraudulent or just tired, hi, same. The career growth tips that actually stick are usually the ones you trip over yourself, not the ones some coach sells for $997.
So what about you—what’s one tiny messy thing you’re doing right now to push your career forward? Even if it’s just “I updated my resume last week and hated every second of it.” Drop it below (or don’t, no pressure).
