Career advice isn’t exactly hard to come by. Jump on LinkedIn or TikTok and you’ll find swathes of willing career coaches (or well-intended advice-givers) happy to share their tips, tricks and hacks. But not all of it is for everyone. If you’ve landed on this article, you might be aiming high, or looking to land yourself a career that’s not just a job—but something you love. If so, you’re in the right place. We at ELLE know we have some of the best jobs in the world. There’s a reason ‘magazine journalist’ is the prototype rom-com job for noughties women, right? So, I asked some of my colleagues what career advice they’ve received that has stuck with them—and led them here.
5 Women On Their Best Career Advice
“Be tough on the work but kind to the people”
I was taught early on to be tough on the work but kind to the people. It’s how I choose to work every day. I want to create the best possible results but it’s always very important to me to treat everyone with respect, empathy and kindness. — Sally Hunwick, Beauty Director
“A job is not a favour””
The best career advice I ever received is that when someone hires you, that’s not them doing you a favour. You can be grateful to work somewhere, of course, but it doesn’t mean you owe them anything other than what’s in your job description and you don’t need to feel guilty if you have to say no to a request outside of that. It’s easier said than done! — Alexandra English, Features Editor
“Be kind and respectful to everyone””
The best career advice I have received is to be kind and respectful to everyone, no matter how junior or how tangential your work relationship may be with a colleague. Obviously, it’s not only because it’s just a nice thing to do—but also because in a small and competitive industry like media, you never know where your colleagues, a boss or even the intern may end up working in the future. I really took that to heart when starting out, and have always tried to help those I work with, work for and manage. Those strong relationships have benefitted me in countless ways professionally years, and even decades(!), later. — Alison Izzo, Head Of Digital
“Careers don’t move in steps anymore. Eventually, you’ll have to leap””
When I was worried about quitting a previous job, my therapist reminded me that careers don’t move in steps anymore. They often move in leaps. While the path forward, or up, used to be clear—that’s just not the case any more. And people don’t understand the reality of this for young people who have to deal with that uncertainty and lack of security. We often move in leaps now, not in steps. It’s hard to avoid the risks—you might just have to take a chance and leap. — Rebecca Mitchell, Writer
“Don’t ask, don’t get””
The best career advice I’ve received has been “don’t ask, don’t get,” which came from a retail manager I worked with ten years ago! It’s not something that comes naturally to me, but whether it’s negotiating salary and rates, pitching editors from dream titles, or putting yourself forward for opportunities, I’ve been constantly surprised by the frequency with which people are eager to hear what you have to say or willing to help you get what you want. — Ruby Feneley, Writer