If you are someone who dreams big and wants to make it big on the professional front then you must remember that the only way you will attain success is if you are willing to give your best shot at all times. There are many people who want to become successful in life but they are unwilling to work hard. Success is something which does not come easy at all. So if you are someone who is a young professional with doubts plaguing your mind, then given here are some useful career resume and networking tips which are bound to help you along the way.
Career Tips for Young Professionals:
1. Do not shy away from speaking your mind:
Just because you are a young professional that certainly does not mean that you need to shy away from speaking your mind at all times. You should decide to work in a company that respects you for who you are as an individual and not on the basis of how old you are. If you feel that you are not being given the respect which is due to you then do not shy away from handing in your resume as soon as possible. Good companies respect their employees no matter what and they do not differentiate on the basis of caste, creed, color, sex or age.
2. Constantly try improving yourself:
As a young professional who is just stepping into the corporate world, it is obvious that you have a long road before you with plenty to learn, so your aims should be to constantly improve yourself. Just because you have managed to bag a good job that does not mean that you stop trying to improve yourself. The more technical knowledge you acquire the better it will be for you in the long run. Once you have learnt your theory then you can apply this knowledge when a problem presents itself. This is really going to allow you stand head and shoulders above the rest.
3. Do not act like a know it all:
It is a well known fact that younger people tend to be rather hot headed and they do not like to be at the receiving end of too many orders. As a young professional you should try and be as humble as possible. It is important that you keep your eyes and ears open at all times so that you can learn a great deal from the manner in which others work and organize themselves. You should never try to become like someone else, but you should do your best to pick up the positive qualities which people working around you have. Acting like a smug ‘know it all’ is not going to get you far.
4. Establish a proper work- life balance:
Nowadays there are many workaholics who are so hell bent on making it big on the professional front, that they let their personal lives take a back seat. As a young professional you should train yourself to be as productive as possible during your work hours so that you do not have to take any of your work home. If you organize yourself properly you will find that you are able to get a lot of things done in a little time. At no point in time should you miss important family gatherings as you are going to be filled with regret later on in life. No work-life balance is bound to take a toll on your health too.
5. Do not settle for any or every job:
As a young professional it is important that you remain hopeful, optimistic and open minded at all times. No matter what problems present themselves before you, you should be willing to handle it in a professional manner. One of the worst things you can do is settle for any and every job that comes your way. It is imperative that you exercise some discretion and be selective when it comes to taking career related decisions. Initially you might make some errors in judgment and even encounter failure, but you should not take these things to heart, try your best to remain optimistic.
6. Seek advice from a mentor or career counselor:
Young professionals often have a lot of doubts and questions, so if you as a young professional are facing some mental anxiety as well then you should not shy away from speaking to a career counselor. He or she is a skilled professional who will surely help you solve your issues. In addition to this it is advisable that you find a mentor who will be willing to offer you good advice as and when required. Also do not shy away from talking to friends and family as they are bound to be a great source of help and positive reinforcement for you.
7. Do not get easily influenced by what others say:
As mentioned above as a young professional you should seek advice from various sources but it is imperative that you finally come to a conclusion based on the dictates of your own heart and mind. Younger people tend to be lacking in confidence, but you should keep telling yourself that you are willing to take responsibility no matter what the consequences are. You must be willing to take risks, but you must ensure that these are calculated risks which do not put too much on the line. You never know when a risk might pay off and yield rather rich dividends for you and the company.
8. Do not trust people very easily:
Young people are often too trusting and take anyone into their confidence. As a young professional you must learn from beforehand that everyone around you cannot be trusted. There are many individuals who will not think twice before stabbing you in the back in order to get ahead. It is for this reason that you should be very careful about what you say and who you say it to. An inappropriate word or action can really land you in a lot of trouble.
Resume Tips for Young Professionals:
1. Remember that it is an official document:
Recruiters appreciate it when employees take the pains of making their resume unconventional and different. In the attempt of trying to make your resume unique, it should not come across as silly and immature. At the end the day you must remember that your resume is an official document which needs to be taken seriously. One of the worst things you can do is make it too flashy, distasteful as well as gaudy. This having been stated, there is no harm in posting pictures of things which you have designed or neatly made diagrams which clearly show you career graph.
2. Make it clear and comprehensive:
Prior to making your resume you should sit in quiet contemplation with yourself, you should make a rough draft of what things you would like to include. Once you have cleared your head and narrowed down on points and subheadings which you would like to highlight then only should you get started. As a young professional it is obvious that you think that making a resume is a challenging thing, but it really is not. Take your time to make it and it is bound to be exceptional. The more effort you put into making this CV, the better it is going to be for you.
3. Do not lie in your resume:
One of the worst things you can do is lie on your resume. It could indeed be rather embarrassing for you if you are caught out in your lies. So do not even try pulling a fast one as if the recruiters find anything suspicious or unbelievable they are bound to cross check the information. The moment they find that you are lying, your resume will immediately be tossed into the trash. In addition to this do not try and blow your own trumpet too much. Many young people go overboard in their self praise and they end up looking rather comical.
4. Choose your words wisely and be very economical:
In the attempt of trying to be detailed you should not make the mistake of writing a terribly long resume which is an absolute ordeal to read. Interviews appreciate those CVs which are lucidly written and briefly tough upon the educational qualifications, skills and achievements of the person. In addition to this there are also several advantages of having an online resume. The manner in which you submit your resume will be a testimony to what your attitude to work generally is. Never make the mistake of giving up a CV filled with grammatical mistakes and spelling errors.
5. Constantly update your resume:
Once you have prepared your résumé, things do not stop there. You should constantly try and upgrade, improve and update your resume. In addition to this you should also try to do more courses so that your resume looks formidable. Ensure that for each job which you send in your application for, you edit your resume to suit the job description. Sending in an appropriate and to the point resume will really help you to bag the job without much problems at all. To bag a good job, having a well written resume is an absolute must.
Networking Tips for Young Professionals:
1. Be active on social media:
It is a well known fact that we live in a technological age. Most of us feel completely handicapped without our smart phones, tablets and laptops. Networking is something which you cannot shy away from. The more active you are on social media, the better it will be for you. So ensure that you are active on Facebook, Twitter or Linkedln as this will really help you to establish a powerful virtual presence. In addition to this, having your own blog is a very good idea as well. Through your blog you can share ideas with your friends and colleagues. Rather than wasting time browsing your timeline for hours, make the most of social media.
2. Do not cast a small net:
Networking is something which is indeed very important in today’s time. The more contacts you have the better it will be for you and your business. As a young professional your aim should be to meet as many new people as possible. Be polite and civil at all points in time as you can never tell when you might need someone’s help and assistance. Casting a wide net and interacting with a number of people virtually or at social gatherings will really help you to climb that professional ladder. So in addition to networking with people in your own field, interact with professionals from other fields as well.
3. Improve your communication skills:
Finally, in order to network effectively it is important to improve your communication skills. Many young professionals feel shy to speak at first, but you should do your best to overcome this feeling of shyness. It is only when you speak that you will be able to communicate your ideas in a proper manner. Even if you aren’t blessed with the gift of the gab, try acquiring this useful skill.
Implementing these career, resume and networking tips might seem very daunting at first, but overtime you will get used to these and they will be a part of your system. It is never too early or too late to start chasing your dreams. As a young professional you should be always ready to learn new things and you should constantly try to improve yourself so that in time to come you will be able to rise from strength to strength. As long as you are pursuing your dreams your job will not seem like a burden to you at any point.
