Category: young professionals

Do you believe the media reports that the economy is improving? Regardless what you think, let’s talk about what YOU can do about it. Picture yourself as a sprinter at the starting blocks…

Ready!
What is your personal vision? How innovative is it? You can’t be successful if you have no destination in mind. Start brainstorming a 1-year vision for yourself NOW and be specific! Think ambitious. Go for what you want. Remember, “without a vision, people perish.”

Set!
In order to reach your vision you must set goals. Not just any goals, but measurable ones. That means your goals must be quantifiable and attached to a timeframe. Think of your vision as the second floor of a house. In order to make it to the next level, you have to climb the steps. Those steps are the goals you set. Goals help break your vision into achievable steps (it also helps you chart progress made).

Go!
Most plans fail at the implementation stage, not the vision stage. That means you can have lofty dreams, but if you don’t put in the hard work – you go nowhere. At this stage, accountability is a must. We accomplish greater feats when more people are involved. Stop complaining and start doing!

Ready, Set, Go is about being proactive. We cannot control the economy, but we can do something about it. Winners have a tenacious will to succeed and a plan to achieve. Your biggest obstacle to success is YOU. Stop observing on the sidelines and start playing the game!

In his book “Outliers”, Malcolm Gladwell defines entitlement as asserting yourself with people in authority. His statement forces us to take a deeper look into the stereotype of Gen Y Workers feeling entitled at work. Let’s look at the positive side of entitlement:

Being entitled means you have self-respect. If you don’t respect yourself, how can you expect others to respect you? When you have self-respect, others can sense it. Being treated with respect starts with how you treat yourself.

Being entitled means you view yourself as special. Gen Y is motivated to make a difference in the world. The United States is also the most individualistic-driven country. Each person has unique talents that are waiting to be maximized. The key to increasing productivity is finding where each worker “fits” within the organization. Think: the right strength in the right place at the right time.

Being entitled means you are worthy of attention/interest from others. Part of succeeding in the corporate world is being “noticed” for the right reasons. If you don’t do something “extraordinary” to stand out from the crowd, don’t expect to ever be promoted. As an employee, give management a reason to look. It you believe you are deserving of your supervisor’s favor, back it up with results and you will position yourself to be an irreplaceable asset to the company.

Entitlement at work can be a good thing.
Gen Y Workers: Expect great things and perform accordingly!
Managers: Challenge your workers to higher levels of performance!

What to look for…
There are countless stereotypes about the Gen Y/Millennial Worker, but let’s focus on three qualities that you should look for to recruit and retain the best Young Professionals for your company!

1) Appearance.
Don’t dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want.

A rule of thumb is determine what the dress code is, then present yourself a step above. Your appearance is the first impression you give people get when they see you. The next time you meet someone for the first time, observe their eyes as they scan what you are wearing. Their initial read forms a perception of you. It’s not a fair assessment, but reality. If you want to leave a good impression, dress to impress!

2) Communication.
Effective communication is becoming a lost art.

This includes interpersonal skills, writing e-mails, face-to-face communication, phone conversations, body language and oral presentation. How you interact with people tells a lot about you. If you are an effective communicator, people remember you. Think about the last great speaker you heard. He/she clarifies concepts and delivers information in a way that the audience understands. Effective communication carries over to the interview process. Anyone can exaggerate on a job application or resume. The real test is how you handle yourself in an interview (especially past behavior-based questions). The only way to improve your communication skills is to practice.

3) Performance.
Performing is about getting results.

High achievers separate themselves from the rest because of their productivity. Performance is an objective measurement. Performance also includes the ability to adapt to change and learning from your mistakes. Plan A rarely goes as planned, so learn to be resilient and flexible when it comes to implementing Plan B. After all the subjective criteria is examined, we look at the numbers…they don’t lie.

Excellence is about standing above the crowd. The cream rises to the top and separates itself from the rest. If you don’t give people a reason to look, they won’t. Be a valuable contributor to society. If you commit to work hard, results will eventually follow. Dress for success, communicate effectively and perform at a high level. If you do those things well, people will notice. In this economy you have to differentiate yourself in order to thrive. Stand up, stand out and choose a better future for yourself NOW!