Question

Note to My 25-Year-Old Self

Start planning your career when you begin your first position. A sailor has a map to chart the course. Your career deserves the same care—otherwise any road you take will get you only to “a destination.”

Begin your journey. Be flexible and open to opportunities that are aligned with your career goals. Don't be rigid about position titles and roles; adapt to the organization's needs. Understand your strengths as well as those areas that require more development. Seek a mentor early on, and use failures and missteps as opportunities to learn. And be vulnerable. In short, it will heighten your self-awareness.

Be yourself. Capitalize on the attributes that come naturally to you. What works for others may not work for you. Approach your projects and work with others in a collaborative manner to assist in achieving organizational objectives. Observe leaders and other professionals regardless of their position. Take notes. Ask questions. Learn, and adopt habits or behaviors that allow you to realize and maximize your full potential. Remember, be humble and you will learn what not to do.

Enter your profession. Consider the skills and knowledge you will gain, not the salary you have been offered. At this stage, you should focus on roles that are the best fit for you and that allow you to bring value to the organization. Honor your commitments and produce results; with results come future opportunities.

Engage in both professional and personal networking, and build relationships. No matter how busy you are, networking is critical. People in your professional network recommend other professionals they know. Membership in professional organizations is an excellent way to cultivate those relationships. On the personal side, sustain family relationships and friendships to achieve work–life balance while maintaining your health, spirituality, and involvement in civic activities. Surround yourself with friends who have the same values as you, and have some fun.

answer these please:

1. Did you enjoy and/or find value in the advice offered by Andrea Price? Why or why not?

2. Which 2 or 3 pieces of advice did you find the most valuable (or not of value)? Explain your answer.

3. Do you believe this lesson's information will be helpful as you begin your internship, capstone project and/or establish career?

Answer 1

1. Yes. The pieces of advice are an honest statement of what is actually needed in the professional world to be a successful person both as a career oriented individual and as a responsible members of the society. The suggestions help an individual to plan his /her career as soon as he /she enters the profession and successfully progress in his /her chosen path. These advice not only help to plan a great career, but also enable him /her to learn other necessary skills like professional networking, focus on learning,openness to new opportunities and information, being adaptative and self introspective among others, to make full use of one's capabilities.

2.The three most valuable advices

(a) Being yourself. Every individual is unique, so are his /her capabilities. One should focus on learning new skills while knowing what works best for him /her according to the individual strengths and weaknesses.

(b) Being open, observant, adaptative and a learner for life to make full use of the opportnities that come by.

(c) Cultivate relationships, both on personal and professional fronts, and managing work- life balance for a meaningful and fulfilling personal and professional life.

3. Yes. The advices would act as a set of guidelines and principles for a new entrant to the professional world and help him /her to build his /her career and progress successfully through it to achieve a holistic success in all aspects of life.