Finding an Influential Figure to Drive Your Career

FINDING AN INFLUENTIAL FIGURE TO DRIVE YOUR CAREER

We all have an influential figure, whether that is a family member, a friend, a colleague, a celebrity, or someone you look up to in your career. Some people have more than one and some people have different influential figures for each aspect in their life. You may have seen your family members overcome a situation or a friend get through something they are struggling with. People are inspiring and empowering in various ways and everyone collects influences from somewhere, even if you haven’t acknowledged it yet.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOMEONE TO LOOK UP TO

I find having a person to look up to particularly one in my future career, gives hope and pushes me to work harder for what I want. Everyone has a different journey but seeing someone else’s or reading about their failures and successes can act as a guide to get into the career position you want to be in.

In the future, I am hoping to work in broadcast journalism or public relations. My aspirations have changed since I was younger, therefore, so have my influential figures. However, now that I am set on what I want to do and where I want to be I have found someone in that position to look up to.

MY INFLUENTIAL FIGURE IS LAURA WHITMORE

Whitmore is well known and has had a platform in the journalism industry for many years. She has done radio and television presenting and hosted her own podcast. Presenting is an ambition of mine for the future and something I have done voluntarily and currently do at university. I believe Whitmore is the perfect person to help inspire and drive my career.

Laura’s recent book ‘No One Can Change Your Life Except For You’, has provided tips and tricks for going into the industry, including how to fake it till you make it if you really need to. Whitmore talks about the issues she has faced and the times she felt like she didn’t fit in within the industry. These are potential things I may face in the future and with her guidance it will hopefully give me the ability to tackle them – another reason why it is important to have someone you can look up to within your chosen career.

HEARING OTHER PEOPLE’S STRUGGLES CAN HELP US IN OUR LIVES

One thing about the internet and social media is that we do not always know what people go through in their personal life, particularly when they are on the television or radio. This is something that Laura outlines in her book about personal accomplishments, but she also talks about the loss of her friend Caroline Flack, who was also a well-known presenter. I think it is essential for us to hear about struggles that our influential figures have faced because as we have all learnt, especially over the last year, we do not always know the full story of someone’s life.

FIND YOUR INSPIRATIONAL FIGURE

Finding someone to influence you in your career, is particularly hard if you don’t know what to do but you can also be inspired and driven by the people around you, whether that is your family, your friends, your colleagues, or someone on social media.