Saturday, November 30, 2019

How to Write a Good Resume for Dummies

How to Write a Good Resume for Dummies How to Write a Good Resume Ideas Picking the right resume format is essential to understanding the right way to compose a resume. Based on the job youre applying for, presentation abilities and report preparation may be an asset. Recognizing that the procedure can be quite arbitrary and random its essential to be humble about it. There are a number of ways how youre able to write the college resume. You will do everything you can to discover the ideal fit for the position however, you will make mistakes and it is not your fault. Its also great in your cover letter to spell out in detail any areas you might be lacking in and how you plan to overcome the deficiencies. It is almost always better to prevent copying others resumes or including skills which arent obtained by you as it can result in problems later on. The format you opt to use should be absolutely the most appropriate one to effectively advertise your abilities or achievemen ts. How to Write a Good Resume and How to Write a Good Resume - The Perfect Combination Generally speaking, your email address ought to be based on your name. Personal details dont have anything to do with the expert status. Have confidence in what youve got to offer you. Canada confidence in what youve got to offer you. Choosing a professional resume writer has become the most obvious solution to your problem. Still, keep in mind that your first aim is to make your resume easy to skim, so be sure it remains on point. You ought to be thorough with everything thats part of resume because thats where a great deal of interview questions will generate from. Youd be amazed how a personal touch following a work interview can do wonders. You will be astonished how an extra five minutes on the computer can wind up in you landing an interview. If possible, ask a trustworthy friend to proofread your CV. In the event you dont have any particular understanding about the work positio n that youre applying you could write in generalized form. A resume must be written in such a way that candidates can convince employers which they are worth the job. Take musiknote that the key objective of resume is to obtain an interview prospect. Youll also stand out from several candidates just by having one when others dont. Instead, you must take into consideration why youd be an excellent candidate for each employer. Some people simply dont understand how to compose a good resume but they may be excellent software developers. Spend a while to take into consideration the type of content you may include to make yourself stand out. There are a number of sites offering free in addition to paid resume samples. Over the past couple of years resume writing has come to be a fast growing business. If youre more specific, it supplies the employers a better likelihood of assessing your appeal for a worker. Otherwise, the employer wont be in a position to get in touch with yo u. You dont wish to overstate your abilities or results because it will mislead the employer. For that reason, it must act as a great advertisement of the applicant and produce the recruiter select it from the many completing options. A resume is only a marketing tool with the principal purpose to find the applicant a work interview. If youre still confused, you can attempt doing some research about it. A good resume should mention all of the contact details on the top side of the resume which makes it simple for the employer to get hold of. You will accidentally reject individuals who wouldve been a wonderful fit. If you are in need of a gripping and a highly effective story to be told, you will require space. You might discover something interesting and additionally, it is a very good mglichkeit for you to learn. The ideal thing you can do in order to start out, is take a look at someone elses resume. If you feel overwhelmed then know it is possible to assemble a great resume. It would be better if you do your best not to present your resume all sorts of private touch. A good resume should appear professional and reflect the abilities of the person it is intended to represent without lots of fluff between the lines.

Monday, November 25, 2019

How to Stop Overextending Yourself A Self-Care Worksheet

How to Stop Overextending Yurself A Self-Care WorksheetHow to Stop Overextending Yourself A Self-Care WorksheetThe job search is strenuous. Thats because the brain is designed to learn something and make it automatic to conserve energy. Heres how to rewire your brain without overextending yourself.Looking for work after a job loss takes energy. Besides the physical energy required to create resumes and make calls, you have to marshal emotional energy to cope with your feelings about the situation. Youre dealing with the emotions created by losing your job and the inevitable rejections that occur in any search, the mental effort to rebrand yourself as well as learn new skills and behaviors, and the spiritual challenge of staying hopeful and positive.Your job search at least as strenuous as the job you used to have and likely even more. Thats because the brain is designed to learn something and make it automatic to conserve energy.Re-wiring your brainIn the late 1940s, psychologist D onald Hebb first identified that within the brain, cells that fire together wire together. As a child learning to tie your shoes, for instance, your brain cells fired in a certain sequence as you practiced, the cells wired into a pathway that is now grooved into your brain. You dont have to think about it, so it takes hardly any energy at all. Likewise, at work, over time, your brain habituated to tasks until you could perform them with ease.Now youre asking your brain to work harder and in new ways, so you need to build up your energy reserves. Consider it part of your job description as a job seeker. Otherwise, you wont have the oomph to succeed.Thats what marketing executive Ruth McFee (who asked me leid to disclose her real name) discovered when she was recently laid off from Microsoft. She knows she needs to network, but never having needed to do it before, shes having trouble getting into action. It makes me tired just to think about it, she told me.Train like an athleteIs Rut h crazy? Lazy? Shes simply experiencing the truth that it is more effort to learn new behaviors.Rather than just give her a rah-rah speech about how she needed to get out there, I suggested she fill out a worksheet that we at Professional Thinking Partners created after reading The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. Loehr and Schwartz point out that executives need to treat themselves like high-performance athletes in order to excel. Athletes have strategies for extending themselves (by lifting weights, for example) and strategies for recovery as well (resting, for instance). To have maximum energy, all of us need extension and recovery strategies in four domains of our existence physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Physical refers to our bodies, mental to our intellect and emotional to our feelings. Spiritual can refer to religious practices, or it can reflect how you feel you are living your values and sense your connection to a larger whole.The workshe et below provides a snapshot of where you are right now so you can see what you need to do differently in order to fuel yourself for the challenging task of finding new work.In each domain, think about what youre doing to stretch yourself in that arena and what you do to recover. Write them in the boxes on the right. Then rate yourself on a scale of one to 10 in the spaces on the left on how well youre doing in each, with one being very low and 10 being extremely high.Now, what did your self-assessment reveal? Hopefully, your recovery scores are about as high as the ones you noted for extension but job seekers frequently find themselves out of balance.For instance, Ruths analysis discovered the following insightsPhysical Extension strategiesShe was swimming in the summer and doing 30 minutes on the elliptical the rest of the year. She gave herself a 5 (probably not enough extension, not doing it every day.)Recovery strategiesFor physical recovery, she reads novels and sleeps 8-9 ho urs at night. She gives herself an 8 (hitting it most days).EmotionalExtension strategiesHer job search has got her down after months of looking for work. She rates herself fully extended at a 10.Recovery strategiesAs a recovery exercise she journals once a week, but is still struggling with her feelings so she rates herself a 5.MentalExtension strategiesMentally, shes exerting herself looking for work. She marks down a 9.Recovery strategiesFor recovery, she does yoga and gives herself a 0 because she hasnt done it for months.SpiritualExtension strategiesIn spiritual extension, she is working on trusting she will find work and gives herself an 8.Recovery strategiesFor spiritual recovery, her strategy is yoga, and so she again rates herself 0.Your strategies will be different. Thats OK. A client of mine swims every day for physical exertion strategy as well as mental and emotional recovery. Theres no one right way. Whats important is what the information tells you.Ruth discovered her extension numbers are very high and her recovery ones very low. She decided to go back to taking a yoga class. Thats helping her acquire the energy to get out and network herself into a new position. You may discover that youre doing fine on recovery, but whats needed is more extension in one domain. Or that you have very limited strategies and want to expand your repertoire.Self-care isnt optional when youre putting yourself out there looking for work. Make sure youre building up your reserves

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Too much charisma can be a problem at work

Too much charisma can be a problem at workToo much charisma can be a problem at workWe should all have problems like this.Too much charisma is a problem for leaders in the same way that too little is, according to a study recently released in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The studyfound that for leaders, moderate amounts are charisma make others perceive them as the most effective.The research said that leaders with smaller amounts of charisma dont perform as well because they dont act as strategically as possible,and leaders with a lotdont do as well because they dont have enough operational behavior.While conventional wisdom suggests that highly charismatic leaders might fail for interpartal reasons like arrogance and self-centeredness, our findings suggest that business-related behaviors, mora than interpersonal behavior, drive leader effectiveness ratings,Jasmine Vergauwe, a doctoral student at Ghent University and an author of the study,said in a statement.Wh ile a dark side of charisma exists, use it to your advantage.The findingsExcessive charisma is when it isnt beneficialanymore, or it gets in the way of being effective. Here are some of the findingsStudy 1 said questionsfrom a specific surveygauged trait-based charisma successfully. It said, as in other cited texts, charismatic persons are typically described as energetic, assertive, talkative people who inspire others by generating a lot of enthusiasm. Moreover, inventiveness, imaginativeness, and originality reflect their creative minds, whereas their carelessness may reflect risk-taking behaviors.Study 2 showed, across groups, leaders with moderate charisma seemed most effective, unlikethose with a little ora lot.Study 3 found that low-charisma leaders seem less effective than ones in the middle, because the dont act as strategically. Ones with a lot also wereless effectivebecause they tookfeweroperational actions - that is, they lacked theability to get people to get things don e more quickly.How to boostcharismaBasedon outside research,the researchers elaboratedon howleaders can improve their performance Ones with high charisma might benefit most from coaching in the operational department. Ones with lesscould improve how they strategize with a program that emphasizes planning for the futureand being more skeptical of the way things are.In a related study, MITs Alex Pentland researched honest signals - described as unconscious factors such as the way one persons speech patterns match the others, the level of physical activity as people talk, and the degree to which one person sets the tone - literally - of the conversation.He told the Harvard Business Reviewabout how these non-verbal cues can be used to understand whats really going on in social situations, shedding light on the role of charisma inthe office.A Forbes articledescribeshow the MIT team tried to gauge leaders charisma at a cocktail party based on variousfactors. Later, the leaders presente dbusiness plans for judges. The research team successfully predictedwho would have the more successful presentations, based on their behavior in the first setting (without seeing or hearing the presentations). The researchers reportedly saw how powerful the participants social signals were. The executives who fared well pumped up their energy by doing more taking and listeningand by detecting how others acted and asking morequestions.Upyour charisma at work - just dont overdo it.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

4 Career Goals You Think Will Make You Happy - The Muse

4 Career Goals You Think Will Make You Happy - The Muse 4 Career Goals You Think Will Make You Happy Have you ever set out a clear career plan with specific goals for yourself? When I first started out in consulting, my plan was simple: Get a big raise. Get a promotion. Start getting bonuses. Then break six-figures. Finally score an even bigger promotion (with a really nice title). Years later I had all of the above, and yet- I was miserable. It took me a while to figure out that my career milestones weren’t making me happy, and moreover, I had spent years chasing the wrong goals. Ugh. I’d love for that to not happen to you. So let’s break it down, shall we? 1. Standard Milestone: Get Promoted Early Have you ever started at an entry-level or mid-level position at a company, met a few people higher in the ranks, and then thought to yourself: “Wow, I’d love to have their jobs?” At my first few big corporate jobs, I was obsessed with getting promoted. I felt like it was a small stretch to go from where I was to the next rung on the ladder, and that getting promoted would make me happy. I’d get paid more, I’d get recognition for my work, and I’d be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. Who doesn’t want that? Except- it didn’t make me happy. Stretched over a year, the raise didn’t make a significant impact in my daily life, and the work I was doing didn’t really change. What I Wish I’d Focused on Instead Figuring out what kind of work would help me begin to tap into my potential as a person (and even lead to some real happiness!). That first promotion is a rush, but instead of focusing just on that, I could’ve read more books, attended interesting events, developed a few more skills, and spent that time learning and growing my network inside and outside of my company so I’d have plenty of options at my fingertips, and mentors to help me grow. 2. Standard Milestone: Getting That Fancy Office Have you ever had office envy? I 100% did in my first big corporate gig. Everyone had their own office, but I was stuck in an inside windowless cell, while my more senior co-workers had lovely views and beautiful desks. I lusted after their offices. I spent an embarrassing amount of time thinking about and campaigning to get one. I thought it would give me recognition, I thought I’d feel better about my job, and I thought my work day would be nicer. The office would save me! I knew I needed to get promoted first, but I also knew that if I campaigned hard, I could sway my boss on which of the empty and lovely offices would be mine. After less than a year, I finally got my fancy office- complete with a view of the river. I thought it would immediately confer recognition and gravitas to my career- I’d be taken seriously. I have a window! But, it of course, did none of those things. And even more surprisingly- I was so lonely. What I Wish I’d Focused on Instead I was so caught up in the prestige of a fancy office, I lost sight of two milestones that are hugely important: working with people who motivate you and loving your workspace When I changed jobs down the road, I ended up in a desk in the middle of 30 other people- and I loved it. The people around me motivated me to do better, entertained me when I needed a break, and made coming to work fun. And I even liked my desk-in-the-middle-of-the room. Sure, it wasn’t fancy wood and didn’t have a view of the river, but it was way more comfortable and I felt good working there. Both these things lead me to be a better leader and better version of myself- which is a way better milestone than the fake prestige of a fancy office. So think about that: Are you working with people who motivate and support you? And are you working in a space that allows you to feel comfortable and good at what you do? 3. Standard Milestone: Making a Certain Amount of Money per Year After I changed jobs and got promoted a couple of times my new obsession became to break six figures in income before I hit age 30. I felt like that salary would be an external recognition of how good I was at my job, that I was on the right path in my career, and that I was worth something. Obviously, they were paying me, right? Yeah- are you seeing the theme here? Chasing the money was a distraction from the fact that I didn’t really love my chosen career, and I couldn’t imagine doing it for the rest of my life. But, I kept telling myself that I needed a fancy lifestyle, and the money was an important piece of maintaining my makeup addiction (and therefore my happiness). I feel into the trap of thinking that money is happiness, which we all know is so not the case. Not only is money not equal to happiness, but my focus on it also kept me stuck, because it made it easy to justify staying stuck in the wrong career. What I Wish I’d Focused on Instead I wish I had worried less about spending the money that I had (and making a certain figure) and more about the question: “Is this career fueling the life that I want?” Sure, having some money is good! But if all you focus on is the money, it doesn’t lead to happiness. For me, the hard truth was that I was buying a lot of things I didn’t need because I wasn’t getting my happiness through work. Don’t get me wrong, I like nice things. I’m a fan of shoes, and vacations, and being comfortable. But not if it comes 100% at the expense of myself and my career. When I started my coaching practice I cut back on everything that was unnecessary, like vacations and trips to Nordstroms. And you know what was weird? I didn’t miss those things at all. Why? Because the work kept me happy, and it allowed me flexibility, creativity, autonomy and freedom. Basically, it fueled the lifestyle I wanted, and that made all the difference. To sum up: I think a better career milestone that a certain amount of money is asking yourself: “Do I love my life?” And then focus on the kind of work that helps you love all parts of your life. 4. Standard Milestone: Getting a High-Level Title Like Director or VP I thought that I’d be happier if I had a really fancy title. Other people would instantly respect me, I’d obviously have achieved a certain level of success, yada yada. You’ve read this far, you know the drill! But when I got the tapped to be made Director of my Business Unit, my internal monologue was just the sound of someone screaming. Did I take the job? Of course! I thought I’d be crazy not to. Also, my business card would be even more stately! But, after getting the title and shoving 400 new business cards into a corner, I found my soul died a little bit more each day. I had even more on my to-do list that I didn’t love. And, I felt like I was doing work I wasn’t even great at anymore- and that was pretty soul crushing. Here’s the thing: A title is great, but not if it means you lose a piece of yourself or what you actually like to do. What I Wish I’d Focused on Instead One of the cool things about getting more experienced and recognized is the chance to increase your level of impact on the world. Instead of chasing the title and being focused on a few words on a business card, think about: “What’s the next step to serve more people?” or “How can I make a bigger impact?” Or “What am I doing right now that helps the world in some way- big or small?” Now I have one of the biggest titles around- that of CEO. But I honestly don’t even think about it, because what matters to me are the emails I get every week from someone in my community telling me how I helped them change their career (and change their lives!). And that beats a fancy business card any day! A lot of us look for career milestones that carry external recognition, like promotions or titles. But, if you aren’t happy on the inside, no title is going to solve that problem. Instead, try and map your milestones to things that bring you actual happiness, like doing work you love, working with people who support you, having a workspace or place that makes you feel good, having an impact (no matter how big or small), and really reaching your potential as a human being. You are a pretty awesome person with tons to offer- now get out there and do it!

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

7 Steps To Creating A Good First Impression in a Job Interview

7 Steps To Creating A Good First Impression in a Job Interview 7 Steps To Creating A Good First Impression in a Job Interview There’s a reason you go that extra mile before a big first date.  We’d reckon to say most readers would admit to being guilty of spending that five extra minutes on their hair or clothing selection, prior to stepping out with a potential love interest.  Why, then, would you take less time studying up prior to interview day for a career making opportunity? Sure, an office and a steady paycheck aren’t quite as mushy-feeling inducing as romantic dinner, but we’re pretty sure one has a much bigger potential upside than being left footing the bill for some awkward conversation.  To help about the employer equivalent of “check please” we’ve put together these foolproof 7 steps to creating a good first impression in a job interview. Don’t be Long Winded Whether a cozy nook in a local bar or sitting across from a conference table, no one wants to hear you drone on about your stuffed migratory bird collection endlessly.  Instead of dominating the conversation, try to develop a good dialog with your interviewer. Ask questions and keep your answers thorough but brief. The best interviews will more closely resemble a friendly conversation over coffee than an awkward and stilted dissertation on your personal accomplishments. Don’t Call Yourself a People Person To start things off, the label of a people person itself is more than a bit confusing.  Does this mean you like people? Or, maybe, people like you? Or maybe it’s just a redundant phrase you should throw out of your interview vocabulary altogether.  Instead of tired and overused descriptors, use action verbs and real-life results to explain your management or teamwork style. Pay Attention to Hygiene It doesn’t matter how charming the personality of the person sitting across the table if there is a piece of spinach stuck in their teeth or an overwhelming odor of bad breath emanating your way, chances are you aren’t going to remember much else.  Be sure to show up to your interview polished and fresh to avoid distracting from the quality of your candidacy. Leave the Bad Attitude at the Door No employer likes to deal with employees with bad attitudes or anything less than a can-do spirit.  With that in mind, don’t blow your chance at scoring a great new position by being negative. This is especially true when it comes to speaking about your former employer.  Chances are if you are willing to bad mouth one company you’re likely to do the same in the future, a big potential red flag for your interviewer. Likewise, try to be positive, upbeat and excited about your new potential position.  Be sure to make eye contact with your interviewer and in a multi-person interview make eye contact with each individual and be sure to answer questions professionally and thoroughly.  There’s plenty of anecdotes about positive attitudes impacting outcomes so be sure to set yourself up for success by leaving negativity at the interview room door. Ask the Right Questions You may think the interview is a chance for a new company to get to know you but it more closely resembles a two-way street when it comes to information gathering.  Asking questions during the interview now only lets you get to know the company and culture but also helps you appear more informed and interested regarding a position. Come Prepared You wouldn’t walk into a test without having studied up ahead of time so treat your interview in the same way.  Prepare but mentally and physically the day or week ahead. Spend some time researching the company and industry to get a better handle on the business so that your questions and answers are well informed.  Get plenty of sleep and eat a sensible meal ahead of time to ensure that you make the best impression possible. Be Punctual Remember your mom’s saying about showing up on time means you’re 15 minutes late.  One of the worst things a job seeker can do is show up late for their interview. Sure, things like traffic, accidents and public transit delays can be beyond your control.  Savvy interviewers, however, give themselves more than enough time to account for all but the craziest of emergencies. These practical tips for making a great first impression can make the difference between a callback and failure.  The bottom line goal should be showing up looking and acting professionally to any job interview to maximize your chances of scoring a long-term career.  Have another tip? Drop us a line in the comments and spread the knowledge with fellow would-be job seekers.

Monday, November 18, 2019

5 Signs its Time to Find a New Job

5 Signs it’s Time to Find a New Job 5 Signs it’s Time to Find a New Job A host of factors may enter into your thinking when youre trying to decide if its time for a new job, and theres no end of  career advice  related to the topic. Some job seekers may be focused solely on their career path; others may be weighing  work-life integration  issues; still others may find themselves anywhere on that spectrum, with career at one end and family and personal life at the other. Often, deciding youre ready for a new job is a matter of timing. Or it could be a question of simply pushing through a rocky period in your job or career, and eventually regaining a sense of satisfaction with your current job. Whatever the case for you, its worth considering a few factors if youre deciding whether to  quit your job  and launch a new job search. Here are five signs its time to find  a new job: 1. Youre at the point of quit or be fired. If your thoughts at the beginning of your workday swirl around whether you should quit, or worries about being let go, thats a pretty sure sign that you might want to get a serious job search underway. Do your best to avoid doing anything rash, like quitting before you have clear  job search strategies  in mind. If youre really at the point where you may be out the door, but not quite yet, theres no better time than now to  get clear about your life and work priorities. 2. Youve reached a career dead end.   You may have taken all the steps you can to avoid  career burnout, but youre still at a career crossroads, and may need a wholesale re-boot to get things moving in the right direction. Lack of opportunity for career advancement or training to enhance your  professional skills  may be another sign that its time to think of moving on. 3. The pay isnt going to get any better. Perhaps youve asked for a raise a time or three, and have been put off, or told directly that a pay increase isnt in the cards. If youve truly tried to  negotiate  higher pay and hit a wall, thats a pretty clear indication that it may be time to search for a new job. Scope out the pay for your industry, specific  job categories, and the amount youre seeking to earn, and set the bar from there. 4. Theres little or no work flexibility. Lots of job seekers have concluded that work flexibility is non-negotiable if they want to find that right mix of work-life balance.  Working parents, caregivers, or people who simply want to escape the bonds of the traditional work schedule are increasingly opting for  flexible jobs, including work-from-home options, part-time schedules, compressed workweeks, job sharing, and other forms of flexibility. 5. Job satisfaction is approaching rock bottom. Are you always eyeing greener pastures? You may feel under-appreciated because of a lack of positive feedback, a subpar work environment, or perhaps theres little support from supervisors or colleagues. Job satisfaction is central to career happiness and productivity, and one of the best ways to achieve both is through flexible work to  improve love, life, health, and happiness. Ready to find a new job? Browse flexible job opportunities in 55 categories.   Brie Weiler Reynolds contributed to this post.  

Sunday, November 17, 2019

How to Prove Youre as Smart as Your Degree - The Muse

How to Prove Youre as Smart as Your Degree - The Muse How to Prove Youre as Smart as Your Degree Do you know what an Allen wrench is? The engineer my friend hired a few years ago didn’t- despite his degree. His employment status changed after that. You see, it’s one thing to be able to list a college, graduate program, or certificate on your resume. Competence is an entirely different matter, however. What does this mean for you? How do you prove that you’re as smart as your resume implies? I’m glad you asked. Keep Learning There’s simply no replacement for learning. Certainly there are traditional routes you can follow to further your education like attending grad school or enrolling in an intensive course. But it’s silly to assume those paths are the sum total of a good education. Growth is a constant and lifelong process, and information is more accessible than at any time in our history. You can take free online classes, listen to podcasts, watch videos, read voraciously, listen to audiobooks- the list goes on, and the variety of topics which you have access to is endless. And certainly, since you have access to endless topics so long as you have an internet connection or a library card, you don’t really have any excuses. Continuing to learn and push yourself is the best thing you can do if you want to be marketable. And, it’s not only good for your career and your brain (obviously), it’s also great for your self-esteem. Put in Effort You may be hearing your mom’s voice right about now, or maybe the voice of a teacher or mentor from your past. You know what? They’re right, and I can’t over-emphasize this. Anyone can sign up for a class. Anyone can show up and sit through the class. It takes effort to actually draw as much knowledge as you can from that class, to apply that knowledge outside of the classroom (whether virtual or brick and mortar), and to build on that knowledge. Effort separates the mediocre from the exceptional, and the amount of effort you put into expanding your knowledge is entirely, completely up to you. The same goes for collecting credentials. I know some folks with long strings of acronyms after their names who are truly exceptional, and others who are not so exceptional. Earning certifications or licenses can look good on paper initially and can certainly be a worthwhile investment. But anyone with five minutes of work experience knows a credential is only as good as the person behind it. Demonstrate Mastery Speaking of proving something, when you invest in your education, consider how you can go beyond just telling a potential employer or your current manager that you’ve completed a degree or earned a license, for example, and instead demonstrate your knowledge and skills. After all, you’ve poured the time, energy, and money into bettering yourself. For heaven’s sake, don’t make anyone guess at whether or not you’re qualified. Show them that you are. Because at the end of the day, it’s not what’s on paper that matters most. Yes, the paper gets you in the door, but that’s all a resume is- a foot in the door. It’s what you can do that matters most. Employers don’t create jobs as favors to hand out to nice people with sleek applications. They create roles because they need something done that ultimately impacts their bottom line. It doesn’t matter how many accolades you have if you can’t do the work. Finally, when you’ve completed a degree, program, or course, don’t think of it as reaching the finish line. I often tell new college graduates, “This is just the beginning. Your degree is a launchpad for much, much more.” Where you go in your career and how you move forward depends in no small part on how you handle yourself. Keep learning. Keep challenging yourself. Keep building relationships across industries, gaining knowledge across industries, and looking for new opportunities. You can’t stagnate if you’re always learning. And you won’t be stuck trying to figure out what you want to do and where you want to go in your career if you’re regularly exposing yourself to new things.