Whether you are fresh out of college or embarking upon a new journey in the job world, it is exciting to have the opportunity to start a new career. You may never feel fully prepared as you begin this new chapter of your life. That is a very common feeling! Everyone feels nervous at first but the most important thing to do when approaching a new career is to get yourself as prepared as possible and then just go for it. Here are five pieces of advice for anyone who finds themselves wanting some more information on how to be the best version of themselves that they can be.
1. Focus on Building
It can be easy to get lost in the weeds of job searching, interviews and events. Throughout all of these processes, remember that you should be focused on taking what you can from each experience to benefit your future and your career-related growth. Building a career is all about playing the long game of chess not checkers. You should be approaching each new thing with the knowledge that it is a possibility you can utilize for your own growth. Because this is a long game, not every single thing will feel like a huge win and your progression might not be linear. But if you keep at it with this mentality, you will be able to look back to this point of starting and see just how far you have come.
2. Manage Your Time
It is true what they say: time is money! Your time is worth a lot, especially when you are just beginning your new career. You should treat it as such. Set your work hours and be strict with yourself because only you know what you can handle. Force yourself to carve out time for self care so that you do not get burnt out on your career in five short years. You should do the best you can to take care of tasks in a timely manner without sacrificing quality. This can often be a fine line to walk, but learning how to balance on it will be one of the most successful skills practically anyone in any field can have.
3. Know Your Worth
As a young professional, you may have some self doubt in your abilities. Just know that not everyone starts out being perfect. Do what you know, do not be afraid to ask for help and go from there. Don’t doubt your worth as a person, worker or professional. This can put you in a dangerous place where people above you might take advantage of this doubt. Many people waste their time in low positions in their field for this very reason. Remember your worth and walk away from places that don’t respect it.
4. Find Your Brand
As a professional in this day and age, you should consider having a full portfolio relevant to your career field. The more coordinated and extensive your portfolio the better. This means that you can play with your creative side by finding your strengths and building a personal brand around them. Hiring managers will be impressed with a person who understands their strengths and weaknesses as a rounded professional.
5. Work Your Connections
Anybody who professes to be a self-made person is lying. Humans need community and this extends to the workplace. Learn how to build connections with people in your profession and others and call on them for favors or recommendations when necessary. All you have to do is return the favor when you can!
Starting a new career is an exciting and nerve wracking endeavor. If you have made it to the point of beginning this process then you should take a deep breath and pat yourself on the back for your bravery. Know that you are in the process of getting to know yourself as a professional in this new field and that no matter what field you have chosen, this will take some time. Enjoy the process and work on honing what skills you can. Take these tips to heart and you may become a titan of industry.
