Seja Egoísta com sua Carreira - Luciano Santos

How did you choose which career to pursue? Did you choose your current job or was the opportunity that came your way? What do you prioritize when making decisions related to your career?

According to Luciano Santos, the vast majority of people allow themselves to be influenced by friends, bosses, family members and, mainly, by the fear of change when making choices that impact their professional lives.

This lack of career management can affect both the professional future and personal life, as it can generate dissatisfaction and unhappiness.

With this in mind and based on his vast experience, the author decided to write this book, seeking to explain the importance of taking charge of your own career.

So, are you ready to learn how to be more selfish with your professional goals?

About the book “Seja Egoísta com sua Carreira”

Launched in 2021 in Brazil by Editora Gente, the English translation of the book’s title is “Be selfish with your career: discover how to put yourself first in your professional journey and achieve your personal goals”.

With 208 pages and divided into 11 chapters, the work has a light and easy-to-understand writing, as well as several examples known by the author throughout his journey, used to facilitate the understanding of Luciano's views.

About the author Luciano Santos

Bachelor of Arts, Luciano did a little bit of everything: he worked helping at his father's store, was a sales assistant and was part of the technical support team at UOL (digital content company). In this phase, he had great professional growth and reached the editorial sector of the company.

Then came the opportunity to work at Google. He spent 11 years at the tech giant, rising to the role of junior account manager. In 2016, Luciano took on another challenge: he accepted a proposal from rival Facebook.

Since then, he has grown in the company and holds the position of sales director. In addition, the author also lectures and shares daily posts on LinkedIn, where he addresses career and leadership topics.

To whom is this book indicated?

Reading this book is essential for people who want to learn how to manage their own professional life, regardless of their field of work.

The teachings exposed are valuable for different audiences, from a university student about to graduate to an established professional looking to take a turn in his career.

Main ideas of the book “Seja Egoísta com sua Carreira”

• Most people in management positions have not received any type of leadership training;
• Most people associate the workplace with a place of suffering;
• Career management education can take work from being a place of suffering;
• Communication is one of the essential skills for good people management, as failures in this sense can lead to waste and dissatisfaction;
• Considering the main issues related to well-being at work, most companies do not meet expectations;
• You have to take responsibility for your own career to have a happy working life.

In the following summary, we will present the main tips that the author provides to analyze your career and, from there, develop skills to have a good management of your professional occupation.

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Happy work

In a poll carried out on his LinkedIn page, Luciano found that 60% of the people who responded said they were not happy at work. These were the five most cited reasons:

1. The boss;
2. Lack of growth opportunities;
3. Lack of recognition;
4. Low salaries;
5. The role played.

Such data reinforce the issue regarding leadership, one of the main premises considered by the author in the book.

On the other hand, taking into account the responses of those who feel happy at work, the author came to the following conclusion:

“Happiness at work happens when you are in a positive environment where people can grow, feel challenged and are recognized by well-prepared leaders.”

The writer points out that, contrary to what many people think, salary is not an important factor for happiness at work. In addition, he mentions that it's very difficult to find your purpose, so it's important to focus on having a career that makes us get out of bed with energy and disposition.

Finally, Luciano reminds that, in order to find job satisfaction, it is essential to work in the area you like, as this allows you to be the right person in the right place.

Should I plan my career or not?

Have you made a career plan? If you haven't, no problem. Luciano explains that it is not mandatory and, much less, a guarantee of success.

Most people don't make a career plan, and those who do, most of them fail to follow through on what was planned.

He says that he never made detailed plans during his trajectory, but that he also met professionals who planned each step of the journey and in the end reached the goal that was established.

However, he points out that even though you don't need to plan your entire career, it's essential to have plans (more than one, even), because stability is an illusion.

As an example, the book presents the story of Marcos, an excellent professional who worked for fifteen years in the same company, delivering great results year after year.

During this period, Marcos did not do any activities other than what he needed to deliver a good job in the company he was working for. He didn't bother to take an English course, he always put off the desired postgraduate course, let alone keep his curriculum up to date.

However, after the company was sold to a foreign group, there was a cut of professionals with higher salaries. That's when reality knocked on the door: Marcos was extremely behind and, when he told his story to Luciano, he had been looking for a job for two years.

It is clear how important it is to think about the future and have plans to protect yourself from unexpected events and be independent regarding your career. For this, Luciano provides the following tips:

• Invest in your education;
• Cultivate a hobby as it can become a business;
• Develop personal projects;
• Strengthen your network;
• Have a financial reserve.

Learn from the most experienced

In the previous chapter, the author already mentioned the importance of networking, but here he goes further and explains how it is essential to take advantage of the contact network to learn from people who have already had different types of experiences.

With that in mind, Luciano made one more query to his followers with the following question: “what advice would you give yourself at the beginning of your career?”

From the answers, he formulated some advice:

• Never stop studying;
• Work with what you love;
• Think about you;
• Don't stop learning from others;
• Don't compare yourself to other people;
• Overcome your fears;
• Make mistakes;
• Accept and create change;
• Experience a lot;
• Have focus;
• Don't be your own “no”.

Be selfish about your career

The selfish career gene is not easy to find, since, according to the author, few people have the “feeling of ownership” of their own professional life.

Luciano points out that the work is a partnership, not subordination, and demystifies impact phrases that make no sense for the modern world, such as “work while they sleep”.

By looking at the work process in a practical way, as an exchange between you and the company, it is possible to focus on you, on your development and, consequently, this will be good for the company too, which will have a more qualified professional adding value to what she produces.

In addition, it reinforces: don't be your company, your position or your badge. These are all temporary, borrowed things. What always stays with you is your career, and that's what you should focus on.

One way to do this is to test your employability: take part in selection processes, even if you are employed. People who don't put their career as a priority see this as a "betrayal" with the employer, which makes no sense.

This practice provides valuable information about your resume, how the market views your qualifications and skills, your performance in interviews and, in some cases, you can even get feedback on your behavior.

Finally, he explains that being selfish with your career can help you get out of bad situations, as there is greater balance in the relationship with the company and you are not forced to continue in that place that can even harm your health.

The three pillars of employability

Luciano Santos believes that there are three factors that greatly influence employability: curriculum, narrative and networking.

Nowadays, the curriculum is not just a sheet with your academic background and professional experiences. Note: this continues to be important, so it is essential to always keep it updated, providing information in a clear and objective manner.

However, that alone isn't enough to get attention. It is essential to use your LinkedIn profile. There, in addition to the information present in your traditional resume, there is still the possibility of creating content that is relevant to your industry.

Human beings get involved with stories, so narrative is a fundamental element for the job market. Knowing how to tell your story in a captivating way can be the differential in a job interview.

It's important to reflect on all the events that took a lot of time and energy on your journey and analyze what you learned from each experience. From that, create a story, explaining why you did it and how each experience helped you to be who you are.

Finally, the writer points out once again the importance of networking, as it gives you access to job opportunities, learning, experiences and contact with amazing people.

He also reminds you that this is a long-term process, so the sooner you start, the better. And also, never stop strengthening your network of contacts, as this can transform your professional life.

Be a plural person

Everything is an experience. Luciano says that, in many mentoring sessions he carried out, the person said that was afraid to put an experience in a different area of expertise on the CV.

In these cases, he always advises that it is important to value the different experiences, as this brings plurality, which can help in creativity, innovation and problem solving, for example.

In an ever-changing world, focusing all your efforts and developing on just one skill is risky. We don't know for sure what the profession of tomorrow will be and which will be extinct.

That is why we must focus on what is under our control: be the best at what you do, always seek to develop yourself, acquiring new knowledge and varied experiences. Thus, we expand our range of possibilities.

Manage your manager

Helping your leader manage can do a lot of good, both for your career and for the company. It can happen, for example, that your manager asks you to do one thing, you understand another and, thus, generate frustration, waste for the company and wear on the relationship.

Therefore, the author points out that it is essential to always align with the leader exactly what is expected of you, writing down and reviewing all the points presented, so that there is no confusion.

Also, whenever possible, offer help. You are likely to be able to provide different ideas and solutions, and it is also a way to strengthen the relationship between the two of you.

What do other authors say about it?

Doctor of Computer Science Cal Newport emphasizes, in his book “So Good They Can’t Ignore You”, the importance of having control over your career, and making difficult decisions prioritizing what is most valuable to you.

In “The Start-up of You”, Reid Hoffman, who served as executive president of LinkedIn, talks about the importance of investing in your own career, treating it as if it were a startup.

With the book “Business Model You”, by author Tim Clark, you can learn how to use Canvas to reinvent your personal and professional life, identifying your purpose and reinventing your business model.

Okay, but how can I apply this to my life?

• Make yourself your priority;
• Be the solution to your problems;
• Don't lie on your CV, in an interview or in the workplace;
• Learn to give and take feedback;
• Always leave doors open wherever you pass;
• Have the courage to change and make difficult decisions;
• Don't be afraid to get fired;
• Always state your intent;
• Be selfish with your career!

Did you like this summary of the book “Seja Egoísta com sua Carreira”?

So, are you ready to take the reins of your career? What do you think of the author's tips?

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