Nine Tips for Muslim ProfessionalsManaging Your Career and Excelling In It.

Junaid Mirza

1. KNOW YOURSELF Honestly complete your own SWOT

(strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis vis-à-vis your job and organization Find strengths to exploit, weaknesses to

work on, weaknesses to hide, opportunities to go after and threats to manage

Understand how each of these may impact your career

2. FOCUS ON YOUR SUCCESS Find role models a level or two above

you and emulate their good traits Set your personal performance goals

based on standards for the next level Understand your value to the

organization and increase it Always be well-prepared and never be

caught off-guard in a meeting

3. FOCUS ON THE SOLUTIONS Never take just a problem or an issue to your

team or supervisor – always suggest one or more possible (and plausible) solutions as well

If you cannot think of any solutions to your problems, ask your peers before you ask your supervisor

If you still cannot come up with a solution, explain to the supervisor the effort undertaken to find a solution

4. KNOW THE OPINION LEADERS Never have high opinion of your own

work – it does not mean much and it inhibits continuous improvement

Ensure that your team appreciates your true value and commitment to the work If you are not being recognized, either

your work is not up to par, or it is perceived as such – and both are equally bad

5. FIND AND ENGAGE MENTORS Have multiple mentors, both at your

workplace and outside Have frank discussions with mentors on

your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

Have your mentors at work watch out for your best interests (e.g., in performance review meetings or promotion decisions)

6. HAVE A SUPPORT NETWORK Find a diverse group of team members that

like you and/or think highly of your work Ensure that they watch out for your best

interests by watching out for their best interests

Help them whenever they need it so they can help you when you need it

Use your network to be in the know Never be the last one to find out important

information affecting your career

7. LOSE NEITHER THE FOREST NOR THE TREES Be detail-oriented in your work and

never make small mistakes (e.g., spelling, grammar, calculation)

Be objective-oriented in your outlook (i.e., know the value of your work and what it needs to accomplish)

8. NEVER COMPROMISE ON VALUES Ensure that those you work with know

your value system and/or religious obligations Make it non-negotiable but at the same

time a non-issue (i.e., assure the team that your religious obligations wont compromise quality of your work)

Find halal alternatives for teaming instead of ignoring it

9. EYES ON THE PRIZE – ALWAYS As Muslims, the goal is the Hereafter, so

understand – and be motivated by – how your work helps you achieve that A good Dunya-Aakhirah Balance™ means never

compromising on the Aakhirah (and not that you do some good deeds to balance the scales)

Seek out ways to do da’wah through your personal excellence and through making yourself available to discussions

Know that when a Muslim screws up, it is Islam that screws up!