Find a fast growing industry...

While I was in college, I got a valuable piece of advice from a family member mentor, who suggested starting my career in a fast growing industry because opportunities to learn and advance come much more quickly. She was right. (While it may be a comical reference in the movie The Graduate, "Plastics" was a fast growing industry in the 60s!) I had an opportunity to take an entry level job in the technology industry right out of college, and while I wasn't sure if the role was for me, it did help me break into and learn about a hot industry. Although I have had a number of serendipitous career changes so far, being knowledgeable about an industry fundamentally changing how business is done has been very valuable, and the accelerated advancement in one area can translate to another industry once you have that experience under your belt.

~Christa Degnan Manning - High Technology, 15 years

Don't let the dream die...

It is so often said, and so rarely followed. The idea to never take no. But as I look back on my career, I believe the times I was really passionate about something, I simply couldn't hear no. To follow my dream to be in television and film production, I had to go beyond my scope of knowledge. I didn't know anyone in the field, and my parents wanted me to have a
stable career and did not encourage this area. After my first few years in the industry, the company I was with moved and I took the chance of remaining in my location and finding a new job. When a few months of unemployment went by, I was advised to change my career path. But it just didn't sit right with me. It was during this time that my own business in production began, and after years as a small business owner, I can still say that my determination fed my success. And I have been able to create a joyful life for myself around this fulfilling career.

~Leigh - Television Production, 19 years

Some general advice...

To start, it is necessary to determine what you like to do in the long term. Next, research the requirements for the task. Determine the preparation needed and see if there is a match with your resources. Devise a plan to achieve the goal. Take action. Do not fear change as your plan unveils the results. Adjust the procedures as the goals change. Have passion about your primary goal. Always have a star to follow. Never give up, just adjust. Believe in yourself.

~Albert Benoist - Retired Architect, 50 years

Personal Leadership Excellence

Everyone has the ability to become an excellent Leader, regardless of formal title or role. Personal Leadership Excellence comprises some very important insights:  Having a Vision; Inspiring Others; Building Authentic Relationships; Exuding Confidence, and, Communicating Effectively in a variety of situations and with a variety of people. Your ability to be an excellent leader resides within. Take time to reflect on each of these leadership excellence components, read and learn about them, and most importantly, practice them daily. You will learn and grow exponentially.

~Diane Allen - Leadership Coach, 25 years

Initiative

One thing I found in my career was that it took that initial jump on my part to get my foot in the door. I believe it is at least 80% vision. In college, I wanted to be part of a certain prestigious literary organization, but I did not have the grades to even apply. I created a resume, researched about the company and headed into the office without an appointment. It was a long-shot, but I thought it was worth it. I ended up speaking with the President and we had a good conversation that day. He told me he would give me an opportunity starting the next day.  It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. All it took was some gusto and being myself to achieve my goal.

~Brandy Garbaccio - Marketing Assistant, 13 years

Follow through on every commitment you make...

Not everyone in business or in any given field is an inspired leader, a creative thinker, or a brilliant inventor. Everyone, no matter what her endeavor can be the consummate professional. These are the people who follow through on what they agree to take on. This is the person who gets it done…on time, on budget, and as expected. That person is very valuable to the corporate culture and to any professional environment. Through the years, as you seek to shift gears in your own organization or when you pitch for new jobs, you’ll be asked for recommendations. Trust me, one of the most important comments you’ll want said about you is that you are reliable. Maybe that sounds dull, but that feedback is golden. On the other hand, if you are sloppy in your follow through, that’s a nasty little label that will stay fixed on you for years. Don’t risk it. My advice is to think carefully before committing to a project, then deliver on what’s expected of you.

~Lee - Media Industry, 30+ years

Change

You can be the change you want to effectively organize in your work environment.

There's a Chinese Proverb that states the following:

I hear and I forget
I see and I remember
I do and I understand.

~Eileen McGurk - Educator, 30 years

Trust, but Verify

Back in 1985 when I was 24 years old, I was working for a small investment bank in mid-town Manhattan. Having just made the transition form working for several years in the back-office to an assistant on the trading desk, I began working for two senior traders, one of whom was my mentor. My primary duties at the time entailed answering the phones, interacting with other traders and brokers inside the firm as well as outside and learning as much as I could about the intricacies of Wall Street.

In December of that year, I received a phone call from an individual who identified himself as John Gutfreund (pronounced: good friend ). Mr. Gutfreund asked to speak with my mentor.  Suspecting it was a broker from another firm whom we did business with pretending to be someone else, I immediately let my caller know that my mentor had no good friends and that Mr. Gutfreund was wasting my time and would be better off calling another party. Mr. Gutfreund politely told me that he was from Salomon Brothers and that he was calling my mentor to wish him a Merry Christmas. I would have non of that and told Mr. Good Friend to take his business elsewhere. With that, I rudely hung up on him.

Seeing my animation and suspecting that something might be amiss, my mentor inquired of me who I just hung up on. I told him that one of the brokers that we did a lot of business with had just made a prank call to my mentor and that he called himself John Good Friend. With that, my mentor informed me he was a good friend (no pun intended!) of Jon Gutfreund of Salomon Brothers. When I asked my mentor what Mr. Gutfreund did for a living at Salomon Brothers, my mentor stated that he was only the chairman of one of the most prestigious and powerful firms on Wall Street.

Well, you could imagine my horror! Me, a young, runny-nose punk mocking and then hanging up on the King of Wall Street as he was referred to at the time. One piece of advice to those starting our not only in the business world but the world itself, whomever calls or contacts you and represents themselves as X , always trust, BUT verify. Most importantly, treat THEM as YOU would want to be treated!!!

~Tom Woodmaska - Finance/Wall Street, 25 year

HOPE for the BEST but always PREPARE for the WORST

Time and time again throughout my career, I learned that it is simply NOT enough to prepare SOLELY for the task at hand. Instead, whenever an assignment lands on your lap, you need to look BEYOND the BASICS of the task and ask yourself, "What if X or Y happens" when I attempt to carry out this task? That should enable you to envision and thereby prepare for not only the BEST case scenario but MOST importantly, the WORST case scenario that may lie ahead for you. BIG moments have been made (and BIG blunders avoided) in countless individuals careers SOLELY as result of excessive preparation. There truly is no such thing as being TOO prepared.

~Veronica Ronan - Lawyer, 20 years