Extraordinary Careers for Young Adults Begin From Day One

Today’s young professionals come to work with high expectations, boundless energy and an urgent need for achievement and success. With so many unwritten “rules of the road” in organizations, young professionals would do well to study a copy of William J. White’s book, From Day One: CEO Advice to Launch an Extraordinary Career.

From Day One is a primer of critical Career Literacy™ knowledge and skills. In truth, White’s advice is invaluable for anyone who wants to manage their career and net outstanding results. In a recent interview, he shared the following seven suggestions to pass along to our families with young adults entering the workplace.

Getting your extraordinary career off to the right start

1. Attitude is most important. Put the company’s goals first and let your contributions speak for themselves.
2. Volunteer for the “dirty jobs.” These are the difficult ones representing chronic problem areas in the company. You won’t have competition, and you will get exposure to higher management. If the problem isn’t solved, it won’t be your fault, but you will get credit for attempting to address it. Let’s face it. You can’t fall off the floor. Even Randy Pausch, Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, in his book, The Last Lecture, tells us that there is no job that should be beneath us. Even if you work in the company mailroom, you’d better be the best person in the mailroom. If you screw it up, you’ll never be seen as a contributor.
3. Volunteer for developmental assignments. Horizontal moves in an organization, without an increase in salary, help you learn by broadening your knowledge and expertise.
4. Find your ideal position. Identify your passions; they are the lasting motivation that leads to success. A comprehensive career assessment and guidance from a credentialed professional is the most expedient way to achieve this clarity.
5. Invest for the short term to gain long term benefits. Be a major contributor. Accomplish what is required and more. Do the most important tasks as prioritized by your boss, not by yourself. Don’t worry about compensation; you need to build your reputation as a contributor first.
6. Feedback is a gift. Hearing how you might improve from a boss, co-worker, Human Resources manager, or mentor is critical if you are going to learn how to become better. Ask for feedback, listen with an open mind, and act on it sincerely.
7. Help your rivals. Climbing over others and stabbing people in the back to achieve your goals may be encouraged in some workplaces. That may work temporarily, but White’s message is: If you support people and collaborate with them, you will succeed.

White is a Professor at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University. Prior to joining Northwestern in 1998, he served eight years as Chairman and CEO of Bell & Howell and as a senior executive at several other successful firms. In his book, White integrates his own wisdom with insights from world-class leaders.

A champion for Career Vision, White has brought his grandchildren to us for career guidance. He believes parents and grandparents should take the lead to make sure the young people in the family have the best resources to become extraordinary individuals.