Starting your Career in mid-20s

Once you graduate college, you are expected to find a job as soon as possible. Competition during this time is very fierce. Westhill Consulting and Employment has encountered so many eager new graduates who always ask for advice on how to make it through a very challenging real world. We have gathered a lot of responses from different twenty-ish individuals in Singapore, Ghana, Africa, Jakarta, Indonesia, Tokyo, Japan and Illinois, USA to know how they have faced the challenge in their own culture and values. The following are general guidelines that can help anybody in their work adventure.

·         Always show gratitude.  If someone has done you a good turn, take a moment to express genuine gratitude by mail, email, text, or a few words and smile. It’s a gracious way to live. As old-fashioned as it seems, mailing a hand-written card to a potential employer or dinner party host leaves a lasting impression.

·         Remember this, too, shall pass. Never be early to burst out your complaints. Whether you’re riding high on good fortune or you’re wallowing in the dumps of tough times, things move on and so will you. Be grateful when things are good. And be grateful for the things that are good when other things are crumbling around you.

·         ever expect someone else to advocate for your best interest or to navigate major life decisions. While there are people who will want to help you, you know yourself and what you need best. Take whatever time you need to review, to research, to learn and to create your best options. From great options, make good decisions.

·         Maintain your professional reputation. Avoid burning bridges with those you’ve worked with. If anything, invest a little time to continue cultivating your past relationships with colleagues. You never know when you might cross paths again in business.

·         Exude confidence. You only have one body. So be comfortable in it. Confidence in yourself will spur confidence others will have in you. Don’t have the confidence? “Fake it ‘til you make it,” as they say.

·         Understand that job interviews are a two-way street. View them as career interviews. The company is as much of a candidate for you as you are for them. After all, if you’re going to be spending 40+ hours per week somewhere, it’s important to be fully informed about how much they will enable your career growth. I always ask job candidates if they have any questions for me. What you ask is sometimes as important as what you’re answering.

·         Mistakes can be gifts. Whether a learning experience, a happy accident, or a humbling experience, mistakes can serve us well. Don’t be afraid to make them. Just try not to make the same one twice.