Creativity is often misunderstood. Many people imagine creative individuals as spontaneous geniuses who effortlessly produce brilliant ideas. In reality, creativity is far more disciplined, complex, and learnable than most stereotypes suggest. For young professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs, and academics, understanding how creativity actually works can improve problem-solving, innovation, and long-term career growth. Here are five surprising qualities that highly creative people often share. 1. Creative People Work Extremely Hard One of the biggest myths about creativity is that talented people rely…
Category: Professional Life
Teaching Without Being a Schoolteacher: 4 Smart Ways to Share Your Knowledge
When people hear the word teaching, they often picture a traditional classroom and a full-time schoolteacher. But for many young professionals, teaching can take on a very different—and often more flexible—form. You don’t need a formal teaching degree to make an impact. Whether you’re early in your career or already established, there are plenty of ways to integrate teaching into your professional life while building your personal brand and expanding your influence. Here are four practical ways to get started…
Be Suspicious If You Hear These Three Statements From Your Boss
Starting your first job as a fresh graduate is exciting—but also confusing.Without prior work experience, your boss often becomes your main point of reference for what is “normal” in the workplace. Unfortunately, that can make it hard to tell whether certain statements are supportive guidance or subtle red flags. While no workplace is perfect, you should at least be suspicious if you hear one of the following three statements from your boss—especially if they are repeated often. 1. “You won’t…
Does Academic Education Prepare You for Working Life?
Does academic education really prepare you for working life?This is not an easy question to answer. It strongly depends on your field of study, your university, and the profession you are aiming for. But if you are looking for a short and honest answer—especially if you are currently in a jobsearch—it is this: Don’t expect too much. Academic Education Is the Beginning, Not the Destination Any academic qualification or title is usually just the starting point of your professional journey—not…
Four Career Questions I Never Dared to Ask (and Why They Matter for Your Jobsearch)
As a student or young professional, certain encounters can leave you with burning questions. During my early career, many conversations sparked doubts and curiosity—but I rarely spoke up. Sometimes I was too shy. Sometimes I didn’t want to embarrass anyone. And often, I didn’t feel entitled to ask. Looking back, staying silent cost me valuable insights—especially during my jobsearch. So learn from my mistakes. Here are four career questions I wish I had dared to ask earlier, and why they…
Smartphone Apps I wish I used earlier
Some smartphone apps make your life easier. Personally, I wish I had started using them earlier. Read here which are these apps are and why they are helpful at work, in life, or at uni. The LinkedIn App The LinkedIn app stands for the app of the professional network of your choice. It does not have to be LinkedIn. Using the app on your smartphone makes it much easier to be active on the professional network on a regular basis.…
Integrity in working life – dos and don‘ts
Working or interacting with colleagues with impeccable professional integrity, is pure joy. Those individuals are held in high regard and immensely respected. Be like them. However, at times we do not act in accordance with our values and thus compromise our integrity. More often than not, this happens rater out of neglect than out of bad will. Professional integrity should be the norm. But it can’t hurt to recall a few guidelines: Show integrity as a manager As a line…
Do this, not that for your career – 3 replacements to make
Sometimes it is the smallest things that have the biggest effects. A simple swap can do wonders for helping you reach your career goals. Healthy eating enthusiasts know this principle from the suggestions made in Eat This, Not That. Eat This, Not That suggests nutritious swaps for unhealthy food choices. In addition, replacing one habit by another is doable and helps your career. Therefore, here are some suggestions. Do this, not that for your career. Do one sensible thing instead…
Three human instincts to fight in your work life
Biologically speaking, humans are nothing but animals. The baser instincts that are an integral part of us kept us alive for many generations. However, in the modern work environment some of these human instincts do not serve us but hamper our performance. Being aware of those aspects is the first step towards a better workplace. Read about three of them and note whether you, like me, are guilty of following your baser instincts sometimes.Three human instincts to fight in your…
Switching from startup to corporation – four differences you’ll notice straight away
Starting your career as a fresh graduate with a startup company is great, and there are good reasons to do so. Still, changing paths and switching to a large corporation is common for many employees. If you are about to switch from a small startup to a large corporation, this article is for you. The following four aspects will strike you immediately as different in a large corporation when you come from a startup company. Large corporations cannot match a…