The Hunt

“If I only knew then what I know now.”  When I heard this as a young professional, I remember wondering, “What is it that you know now? Tell me! What would you do differently?”  Here are a few early career tips to young professionals that Artemis Consultants recruiters think they should “know now.”

• Early Career Tip #1: Establish a Personal Brand: As you start in your field, really become aware of what inspires you.  What is your niche?  Establish what makes you unique by writing and posting content on LinkedIn that speaks to you. “When it comes to building your brand, there are a few things to keep in mind,” says Sai Karra of Forbes. “It can be helpful to think of your personal brand as a way to stand out from the crowd. In a world where everyone is vying for attention, it’s important to have a clear and unique brand that speaks to who you are as a person.”  
• Early Career Tip #2: Network! It is easy to jump into a first job and get comfortable, but it is important to get out there and meet as many new people as you can. Join professional organizations and attend in person networking events. You can also find opportunities to network with young professionals who recently graduated from your alma mater. 
• Early Career Tip #3: Keep Learning and Find a Mentor: Continue to develop your skills through ongoing training and professional development.  Have the metacognitive awareness to determine growth areas and build skills through online certification programs, continuing coursework, or professional development opportunities.  Seek out a mentor and directly ask for mentorship.  “Building and maintaining professional relationships is crucial in the early stages of your career.  Consistently attending industry events, engaging with colleagues, seeking mentorship and nurturing connections can provide valuable insights, support, and potential career opportunities (Abhisek Panda, LinkedIn).”
• Early Career Tip #4: Embrace Feedback: Almost any experienced professional has a story about how difficult this is, but if you can learn how to accept, appreciate, and even embrace feedback early on, you will advance more quickly than most.  “When you’re early in your career, it’s essential that you can process and implement feedback from supervisors. There are many opportunities to get constructive criticism that can improve your process and product like evaluations, one-on-one meetings and project notes. A willingness to reflect on feedback and demonstrate improvement may help you earn the trust of teammates and managers (Indeed).”
• Early Career Tip #5: Be Confident: Many young professionals are still figuring out who they are, but those who can be confident while doing so have a big advantage.  Your perspective as a young professional matters. It is ok to realize that your ideas are based on limited experience, but you can still come across as confident and someone who knows he or she has value.  “In today’s society, your age is one of your biggest assets,” says Sai Karra of Forbes.  “Not only are you perceived as young and carefree, but you also have a fresh perspective on the world. Use your age to your advantage by sharing your experiences and thoughts with others.”  Practically, this means being prepared and speaking up in meetings with eye contact and poise.
• Early Career Tip #6: Be Consistent: This is a tough one to understand, but establish yourself as someone reliable by delivering consistently high quality work.  Be consistent in how you present yourself professionally as far as your appearance and how you are seen on social media.  Be aware of your personal reputation and how you are now a reflection of your company. Attend work consistently. “I never took a day off in my twenties. Not one,” says Bill Gates, Co-founder of Microsoft.

These are just a few tips on what Artemis Consultants would advise the young professionals.  What would you add?

-Written exclusively for Artemis Consultants by Content Writer Mellody Melville