Yesterday’s Wisdom for Today’s Reality

When considering an appropriate topic for this article, I thought about what I could offer that would leave a lasting impression. The more I brainstormed, the more I kept going back to the advice that my parents offered when I entered the workforce. Since it is sound advice that has stuck with me for all of these years, I wanted to pass it down to you with a few adjustments that are better suited to what you will encounter as you begin your career.

If you want to break through the glass ceiling, climb the ladder. How I apply it today: Sounds pretty straight forward, right? Well, I discovered that the ladder isn’t always a straight shot. Circumstances may require you to make some side steps to an adjacent ladder or take a step or two down to ultimately complete your journey to the top. Today, organizations are hiring college graduates for positions that typically don’t require a degree. Don’t get discouraged, this perceived “underemployment” doesn’t have to be a negative. It can be an opportunity for you develop new and expand on existing skills. Many companies have leadership development and management training programs. While the starting pay may not be as generous as you envisioned and the job title may not be as glamorous as you hoped, remember that the added incentives offered like assistance toward creating an advanced degree or obtaining a professional certification (or two) hold significant value. This could mean exploring options outside of your preferred field to get your foot in the door of your dream company and in the long run could lead to a more fulfilling career.

Establish your career at a good company and don’t job hop. How I apply it today: Fear of the unknown, believing that the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know had me living by this advice. I learned to challenge the notion that longevity equates to stability and accepted that in some cases longevity is actually a sign of complacency and boredom. Simply put, know when your time is up. How do you know? You’re motivated to work only toward the red circles (the pay day), you are no longer learning and growing, and creativity and collaboration are diminished. Organizations thrive when there is a good mix of legacy knowledge and the fresh ideas of “newbies”. As an HR Practitioner, I can attest that a disproportionate amount of employees voluntarily separate from companies within the first two years of joining than those with longer tenure. Gone are the days of my parents when employees stayed with the same company for 20, 30, or more years. This is not to say that every time you get uncomfortable, disagree with a decision, or reach a roadblock you should resign. I’m also not suggesting that you should have a different job every few months or every year because that pattern is not looked upon favorably. Use discretion, be deliberate, and thoughtful if you take the grass is greener on the other side approach.

Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. How I apply it today: This is another one that I took literally and I have the power suits (do people even use that term anymore?) and two hour heels that I no longer wear as evidence. I came to the realization that how you present yourself encompasses more than what you wear. My advice, develop and promote your personal brand. I was taught to have an “elevator speech” locked and loaded at all times. I now refer to it as my “value proposition” because it conveys who I am, what I do, and how what I have to offer can benefit the person with whom I’m speaking. In addition to the in-person promotion, you have access to social media tools that can be an asset or liability depending on how you manage them. Always be aware of what you are putting out there. Positing something questionable, that paints you in a bad light, can be extremely harmful to your career. My advice, besides not posting something you will later want to remove, is to keep your personal and professional social networking accounts completely separate. Remember, before you submit a resume, complete an online application, attend a job fair or networking event, or interview for that dream job; you are being interviewed. Once you secure employment you are interviewing for your next job. Be mindful and actively manage your personal brand find ways to improve upon it and/or make revisions to advance in your career.

You go to work to do a job, not make friends. How I apply it today: I always picture the mother in the Parents Just Don’t Understand video saying , “You go to school to learn not for a fashion show!”, when I replay this advice. The message within this message is that you want to be liked, admired, and respected for the work you do, not seen as the office clown. Keeping a level of professionalism, foremost in your mind, it is also imperative that you network, network, network. Networking inside of your organization can, in some instances, yield a higher rate of return than networking outside of the organization because you have already established a base upon which you can build. Being a good employee isn’t enough though. Stay connected by attending internal networking events, volunteer, join employee sports teams, join employee resource groups, or try to meet one new person a month. I encourage you to find several mentors, at least one of which allows you to mentor up. The byproduct of having the right balance of exemplary work and being known will be making friends out of colleagues, so it’s a win-win.

One piece of advice that I don’t need to adjust is Be the best “You”. My parents always impress upon me, even today, to be accountable for my successes and set-backs, not forfeit opportunities, and strive to be the best me possible. It is my hope that at some point in your career, you will be able to remix my considerations and pass them down, just as I did my parents’…well, except that last one because it’s pretty awesome just the way it is.