How often have you heard a friend gush at someone else’s extraordinary luck?

“Wow! He must be really lucky to get that job!”

Admittedly, the competition for high-paying jobs in big name companies is fierce, there could be 100+ applicants fighting for one vacancy.  So from an outside perspective, it may seem that whoever receives the job offer must be extremely lucky.

Yes, some applicants might be lucky enough to have someone vouching for them; a friend or a family member already working for the company. Or maybe, they happened to be in the right place at the right time.

What are the odds, right?

How Big of a Role Does Luck Play in Your Career?

It depends…

• Are you happy to leave things for the universe to decide?
• Or are you willing to make your own luck?
• Because you’re still reading this, I’m assuming you decided to go for “making your own luck.”

The Odds of Being Lucky

A successful career isn’t the product of a good luck charm, a magic potion or even Feng Shui. We’re not talking about the kind of luck required to win the lottery here. No amount of universe-bestowed luck will get you a job.

 I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. 

– Thomas Jefferson

What I’m referring to is the kind of luck that puts you at the right place, at the right time, in front of the right people. Yes, I’m talking about vigilance and an opportunistic mindset. To me, this is what brings “luck” to successful people.

Finding a great job, involves a bit of chance, but successful and “lucky” job seekers view their life differently. They actively look for opportunities amidst everyday life, problems and company crisis, and then they position themselves to seize the chance.

How Can I Have More Luck in My Career?

Lucky for you, many successful employees shared what made them “lucky,” so you can do exactly what they did:

1. Meet more people – Increase the chances of you knowing someone who knows of a job opening in their company. Don’t limit your exposure to “professional networking events,” because you never know where you might meet a person willing to refer you to their company.
2. Go out of your comfort zone – How can you expect to get an amazing job if you’re still hanging on to the same old routine for 10 years? Change up your routine; take up a mini-course online or do a side project. This benefits you in two ways: the new skill will be a great addition to your resume and you’ll meet new people (see #1).
3. Ask and Give – Ask friends and family if they know someone in need of your services. And don’t be stingy; introduce friends to people in your network if you think the connection might be mutually beneficial. I’m sure your friends will be more than happy to return the favor someday.

You can’t hope to control how much “luck” the universe deems to bestow on you. But you can always control how you respond to what life throws at you. Turn problems into opportunities and always look for ways to make the situation work in your favor.