It’s June. For the first time in many budding adult lives, the summer heat has not brought on relaxation and fun, but rather deep contemplation about what to do in life, anxiety about landing first-time jobs, and succeeding within them.
Transitioning from student to professional has its challenges, but with those challenges come several benefits, including career insight, valuable experiences and both personal and professional growth. Below are seven tips on not only obtaining your first full-time gig, but building on success throughout your career.
1. Stay positive.
If you don’t manage stress proactively, chances are it’s evident in your work and interactions. Workout in the morning, meditate, or do what’s needed to walk in the door with a positive mindset and a readiness to take on the day as a calm, cool and collected professional. Doing this regularly motivates your team and clients to work with you and to trust you with greater responsibility.
2. Develop confidence through experience.
At the entry-level, you may feel like you’re at the bottom of the totem pole, but all of the work you do is important. Even with small tasks, it’s imperative to be consistently confident in your work and perform to the best of your abilities 24/7. Your team will notice.
3. Grow relationships.
Marketing yourself, engaging with your network, and communicating effectively with your team members can not only shape your relationships and professional experiences for the better, it can open more doors to opportunities that you wouldn’t be introduced to otherwise.
4. Understand Time management, Organization, Prioritization (TOP)
There is no irony in this acronym; A constant effort to develop these skills will drive your efficiency and overall performance.
5. Show value.
Always ask: “How can I bring value to my team and company?” “How can I improve my skills, responsibilities or the quality of my work?” If you don’t know the answer, always ask your team.
6. Be engaged and proactive.
No matter what field you’re in, although particularly in public relations, it’s important to read up on what’s happening in local, national and world news as well as news within your clients’ industries. Being engaged gives you greater knowledge on your clients, their competitors and audiences, which provides an edge to strategically planning your communications efforts.
7. Grow with each experience.
Starting a new job can be overwhelming, but persevering can make that feeling only temporary. Hard work, repetition and focus will eventually lead to once-difficult tasks feeling simple and clears some room on your plate to take on more.
-Christina Ibarra
Account Associate
