What is the best piece of career advice you have been given?

Alumni from European business schools give their response.

The single best piece of advice I have received is to never stop learning, even if that means failing often. It is better to be in a room full of people smarter than you than being the smartest person in the room. If the second case happens too often, it’s time to move on.
— Consultant, Bain & Company

All careers have elements of a game of Snakes and Ladders. You will advance and be held back for reasons beyond your control. Learn to develop resilience in the face of ambiguity. This will take you to the top square.
— Manager, PwC

In one of my early leadership roles someone told me, “your team is a direct reflection of you; if you don’t like it, change it.” That stuck with me over the past 20-plus years and has shaped how I evaluate myself in light of my team.
— Vice-president of sales, health company

Make the extra call. When you’re ready to wind up for the day, call one more client, answer one more message or complete one more task. A little extra effort on a daily basis leads to a lot of extra success over a career.
— Vice-president, investment firm

Give 80 per cent at work. Then you can scale to 120 per cent for short bursts when required before going back to 80 per cent. Don’t burn out. Easier said than done, but this advice is at the back of my mind as I balance family, work and personal commitments.
— Executive, Amazon

You are not happy because you succeed; you succeed because you are happy. Don’t always look for immediate advancement or a prestigious job title; look for a job you will enjoy and success will come on its own.
— Analyst, Swarovski

Be sure to update your CV every quarter with a new skill, otherwise you will have done nothing to develop your career.
— Executive, Unilever