I attended a discussion panel yesterday. During the Q&A session an audience member asked, “As a practitioner entering the field, what are best practices when starting out?”
As someone who transitioned from student, to intern, to full-time employee under a year-span this resonated. I was sitting in her position a little over a year ago and now I have some answers to her question.
Here are three things I suggest graduates, interns, apprentices and first time pros should practice as they start their careers.
#1: Read everything
Once you’re out of school, you don’t necessarily stop learning; but, you are not learning diverse topics. You’ll realize you need to keep educating yourself out of school even when post-secondary education stops. This means, read books, news, industry related articles, reports, weird facts online. No matter what you read, give yourself a free education on things going on around you. It will continuously:
· spark creativity
· educate you in fields outside of your expertise
· expand your insights and critical thinking skills
· grow your vocabulary
#2: Find a mentor
I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for my mentors. I have a list of people who inspire me but people who motivate me to become a better PR practitioner I can easily list on one hand.
I’m not talking about a celebrity or a classmate as your mentor. Find a veteran in your field who demonstrates why you got into this position in the first place. Get inspired! Ask them for coffee to just talk about their experience and best practices. Learn from them, grow from them, and milk them for every piece of wisdom they have.
Once you apply theory and skill in your career it’s not just about what you do, it’s about how you do it and bettering yourself for the team, clients and yourself.
#3: Network
Expand your network! I'm talking branch out from your college peers and friends; attend networking events, workshops and expert panels. A big part of any business is investing time into people. Build relationships by showing your value and what you want to learn and offer others. You don’t know what you’ll learn just from a phone call or over a tall-non-whip Matcha latte.
Entering the workforce is a wake-up call. It’s harder than the classroom at times but applying your skill, working with like-minded people and feeling purposeful in your role—that’s the reward at the end of it all. Do the above three things to learn, grow and move your way up (slow as it may seem). Hustle and don’t quit.
How do you stay driven at work? What were challenges you faced in your first career-related job? And it you ever want to get coffee, let me know!
Hustle on, friends!
-Mimi