The 4 Essential Skills You Need For a Successful High-Stakes Career

Almost every job brings some level of stress with itself. Heck, you’d find stress even if you were unemployed. It’s part of life. But, some specific jobs ARE different. Imagine yourself having to make life-or-death decisions with a clock ticking next to your ear. The pressure is crazy, the stakes are high, and the margin for error, well… It doesn’t really exist.

As you can (probably) imagine, high-stakes jobs aren’t for everybody. Not even world-renowned surgeons can perform miracles if they fail to think critically when solving problems or working under massive amounts of pressure/stress. This isn’t something that you can exactly learn. And of course, these types of jobs tend to be unpredictable, where no two days at work are ever the same.

If you dream about being a success in a high-stakes job, keep reading and you’ll see what skill set you’ll need.

How to Thrive in High-Stakes Professions

To be successful in any job, you have to be able to handle the pressure and deliver results. Now, multiply this by a – that’s what a high-stakes profession will ask of you.

But before we address which skillset you need to thrive in such an environment, let us give a few examples of what a high-stakes profession is and why.

There are a few that immediately come to mind: anesthesiologist, surgeon, programmer, pilot, firefighter, police officer, etc. Here's what you can expect in terms of payment for these types of positions. We’ll use Chicago and NYC as a comparison point.

Median annual salaries for high-stake professions

As you can see, the high-stress and critical thinking requirement that comes with the job isn’t necessarily compensated in the same way. And that division goes deeper if you factor in where in the U.S. you live.

Talent and years of experience can go a long way, but you won’t go too far if that’s all you can rely on.

1.    Critical thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to look at problems in a logical way and make sound decisions. In environments with high pressure, this skill will make sure you can provide quick, effective solutions without letting emotions get in the way.



For example, if you’re able to assess the risk and see which tasks are more important than others, you’ll allocate resources where they’re needed most.

Strategic planning will help even more to prepare you for surprises and find your way around unfamiliar situations. This is something you can develop through practice; you can analyze real-world scenarios, take a course, or reflect on things from your past to help you make better decisions in the future.

2.    Communication and team coordination

In a fast-paced environment, misunderstandings can cause huge (even tragic) mistakes, which is why you’ll need to be able to communicate in a clear, concise way with your colleagues. Information has to be delivered quickly and accurately so that everyone involved is on the same page.



Don’t forget that teamwork is key to success, and good collaboration comes from communication.  Consistent practice, observation, and feedback will help you improve these skills.

3.    Emotional resilience and managing stress

Staying calm and focused under pressure isn’t easy, but it’s how you thrive in professions like these.

If you’re emotionally resilient, you’ll be able to keep your composure and continue making rational decisions, even if the circumstances are chaotic. Again, this is something you can work on and get better at; practice mindfulness to stay centered and focused, and look for support from your colleagues who understand what it takes to do your job.



You’ll also need to learn how to manage stress, which can have a very negative impact on your performance. Professional training can equip you with some great stress management techniques.

4.    Being able to adapt

Those that are planning to work in a high-stakes profession should always expect the unexpected because that’s what happens, which means they’ll need to get really good at adapting.

If you’re flexible, you’ll have no problem adjusting your strategy, overcoming setbacks, and taking advantage of new opportunities. To stay adaptable, you’ll need to keep learning and stay up to date on the newest advancements in your field.

Applying Skills in the Real World

When you apply these skills in real-life high-stakes jobs, it becomes more than obvious just how important they are. Take emergency healthcare, for example. Doctors and nurses have to think fast and work together to save lives under extreme pressure. Lawyers, especially those that handle complicated cases like medical malpractice, have to have strong analytical skills or they can’t build solid arguments.



An emergency medical malpractice lawyer will often find themselves working with medical experts to see what went wrong and who’s liable. For example, working in a big city like Chicago or New York City will only add to the pressure, so staying calm and making quick decisions becomes even more important.

Conclusion

It’s important to take on board the fact that if any part of this article stressed you out, you really shouldn’t be looking to build a career in a high-stakes job! These jobs, although very rewarding, take a toll on people, and if you’re not well-equipped and armed with both skills and technical knowledge, the only thing you’ll get is huge amounts of stress and anxiety.

But if you’re one of the rare ones that are able to thrive, each day will be a new challenge and your job will never feel boring or stagnant.