Trust me, as part of L&D, I know it’s hard to know where to turn for career advice that’s actually going to be really helpful. Emphasis on “actually helpful.” After all, almost everyone (and literally their mom) is willing to give you

advice. But, finding words of wisdom that are going to actually get you closer to your career goal always feels harder than it should.

Even though I’ve coached employees as part of my role, and am now that turn-to-person for many people, I’m no

different than you. I’ve asked for help with my career plenty of times—from friends, family, coaches, colleagues, you name it I’ve done it! Frustratingly most of what I got in return was a combination of clichés or unhelpful tid-bits that showed people cared but still only really new as much as I did. However it wasn’t all a wash. Over time, I’ve learned

that if you want to get awesome advice, you need to use these five simple techniques!

Skip Your Best Friend—and Ask Your Most Successful Connection Instead

For most going to your best friend for advice is a typical default when you’re trying to get honest feedback. Not only is it easy, but you trust him or her to be completely

honest with you. Also, sending a text sure is more convenient than figuring out how to word an email to

someone you have on seen across the shop floor or in a lift one time!

However, when it comes to your career, honesty’s not

always enough. Instead, you want to go to the friend/acquaintance who has the career you want. This doesn’t mean that they are a step ahead of you on the ladder in your field—but rather that you both define success similarly, and they are well on their way to

getting there.

Bill Sullivan, an American Recruiter, lays out why this is a better move: “This [person] generally shows an ability to

look deeper into challenges and come up with viable solutions based on experience and opinion.” An example

could be ‘if I want a job in Personal Shopping but I’ve never had experience I would be best in asking a

Personal Shopper about the Job and their experiences in that role!

Emphasis on experience—sometimes you have to be on

the same road to know which way to go.

Find a Mentor

Instead of turning to someone close to you personally or professionally, it might be best to turn to a mentor who is someone unbiased that wants to

see you succeed and is in a position to provide strategic advice to that end. An example could be, a

Creative Team Leader in Topshop being mentored by a Creative Manager from Topman/Head Office…

A mentor-mentee relationships generally low-risk because this person has nothing to personally gain besides a sense of satisfaction when you become successful. That’s exactly why mentors go out of

their way to help you. Even better, this relationship can begin to feel more like a friendship as you know each other longer. Don’t underestimate the benefits of getting close to someone older, wiser, and more

experienced than you.

Ask the (Old) Boss

While it sometimes makes sense to ask your current manager for advice it could be more proactive not go to

him or her until you’ve looked for advice elsewhere.

If it’s work-related, I’ve learned not to go to my boss until I have a few options on what to do; after all bosses need to have confidence in employees’ abilities to solve

problems.

So, who better to turn to in order to get those options than your former boss. After all, this person doesn’t

have a vested interest in how you’re performing in your current job. At the same time, if you had a great

relationship with him or her, he or she’ll want to help you continue to do well. Most importantly, he or she know what makes you tick (and what ticks you off).

By taking this step first, you’re not jeopardizing your credibility when you do ask your current manager for help; rather you’re showing that you’ve done all the legwork possible. Now you’re coming to him or her with potential solutions, rather than just a host of

problems.

Take Your Parents with a Grain of Salt

If you’re looking for general life advice, your parents probably have some that’s timeless.

However if you’re seeking out help with a Topshop Topman-specific problem, it’s best to steer clear. They might have your best interests in mind, but

they unfortunately probably don’t completely get what you do, nor the options available to you.

Also, keep in mind that parents subconsciously

might be reliving their glory days (or lack thereof) through your career. As Aaron Hurst, an economist and entrepreneur, says: “Projecting of one’s self is

most pronounced in relationships between parents and their children.”

So, just something to keep in mind when you’re

deciding what parental tid-bits to follow and what

to just smile politely about.

Be Open to Tough Love (Get a Coach) There are lots of different kinds of advice you can get—but often times, the best kind is the honest, tough love that opens up your eyes to the big picture (or, in some cases, the realistic picture). One way to get this? Find someone in your field of work who doesn’t owe you

anything but honesty. This is who will be your strongest coach!

Feedback from a coach looking at our ability, Image &

Impact, and passion but who isn’t invested in our success can be unfiltered, raw, and unafraid to offend. They can help you see the real you and help spur on a career-course-correction through objective unbiased

thinking.

Like many, I’ve worked with a coach, too. Throughout the sessions, he was able to identify my biases and patterns, call me out on them, and then help me

develop solutions for breaking through them. Sure, the truth hurt on occasion. But it can also set you free.

At the End of the Day, You Need to Make the Call

One mistake I’ve made and have seen others make is to grab hold of the most recent piece

of advice, and then run with it. A better approach is to wait until you’ve gathered input from all sources, let things sit for a day or two,

and then evaluate everything again. You’ll almost certainly make a better decision, and

you won’t overweigh the feedback that’s most fresh in your mind.

Steve Kaplan, a business development

executive, sums it up beautifully:

“I believe that, in general, the more feedback the better. But at the end of the day, we are responsible for whatever action we take, not

our advisers.

Choose wisely!