1. Time is Not a Limitless Commodity –
I so rarely find young professionals that have a heightened sense of
urgency to get to the next level. In our 20s we think we
have all the time in the world to A) figure it out and B) get
what we want. Time is the only treasure we start off with
in abundance, and can never get back. Make the most of the
opportunities you have today, because there will be a time when you have no more of it. You’re Talented, But Talent is 2. Overrated -
Congratulations, you may be the most capable, creative,
knowledgeable & multi-tasking generation yet. As my father
says, “I’ll Give You a Sh-t Medal.” Unrefined raw materials
(no matter how valuable) are simply wasted potential.
There’s no prize for talent, just results. Even the most
seemingly gifted folks methodically and painfully worked their way to success. (Tip: read “Talent is Overrated”)
3. We’re More Productive in the Morning –
During my first 2 years at Docstoc (while I was still in my 20’s) I prided
myself on staying at the office until 3am on a regular basis.
I thought I got so much work done in those hours long
after everyone else was gone. But in retrospect I got more
menial, task-based items done, not the more complicated
strategic planning, phone calls or meetings that needed to happen during business hours. Now I stress an office-wide
early start time because I know, for the most part, we’re
more productive as a team in those early hours of the day. 4. Social Media is Not a Career –
These job titles won’t exist in 5 years. Social media is simply a function of marketing; it
helps support branding, ROI or both. Social media is a means
to get more awareness, more users or more revenue. It’s
not an end in itself. I’d strongly caution against pegging
your career trajectory solely to a social media job title.
5. Pick Up the Phone –
Stop hiding behind your computer. Business gets done on the phone and in person. It should
be your first instinct, not last, to talk to a real person and
source business opportunities. And when the Internet goes
down… stop looking so befuddled and don’t ask to go
home. Don’t be a pansy, pick up the phone.
6. Be the First In & Last to Leave –
I give this advice to everyone starting a new job or still in the formative stages
of their professional career. You have more ground to make
up than everyone else around you, and you do have
something to prove. There’s only one sure-fire way to get
ahead, and that’s to work harder than all of your peers.
7. Don’t Wait to Be Told What to Do –
You can’t have a sense of entitlement without a sense of responsibility.
You’ll never get ahead by waiting for someone to tell you
what to do. Saying “nobody asked me to do this” is a
guaranteed recipe for failure. Err on the side of doing too
much, not too little. (Watch: Millennials in the Workplace
Training Video)
8. Take Responsibility for Your Mistakes –
You should be making lots of mistakes when you’re early on in your
career. But you shouldn’t be defensive about errors in
judgment or execution. Stop trying to justify your F-ups.
You’re only going to grow by embracing the lessons
learned from your mistakes, and committing to learn from
those experiences. You Should Be Getting Your b*tt Kicked – Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” would be the most valuable boss
you could possibly have. This is the most impressionable,
malleable and formative stage of your professional career.
Working for someone that demands excellence and pushes
your limits every day will build the most solid foundation
for your ongoing professional success.
9. A New Job a Year Isn’t a Good Thing –
1-year stints don’t tell me that you’re so talented that you keep outgrowing
your company. It tells me that you don’t have the discipline
to see your own learning curve through to completion. It
takes about 2-3 years to master any new critical skill, give
yourself at least that much time before you jump ship.
Otherwise your resume reads as a series of red flags on why not to be hired.
10. People Matter More Than Perks –
It’s so trendy to pick the company that offers the most flex time, unlimited meals,
company massages, game rooms and team outings. Those
should all matter, but not as much as the character of your
founders and managers. Great leaders will mentor you and
will be a loyal source of employment long after you’ve left.
Make a conscious bet on the folks you’re going to work for and your commitment to them will pay off much more than
those fluffy perks.
11. Map Effort to Your Professional Gain –
You’re going to be asked to do things you don’t like to do. Keep your eye on
the prize. Connect what you’re doing today, with where
you want to be tomorrow. That should be all the incentive
you need. If you can’t map your future success to your
current responsibilities, then it’s time to find a new
opportunity.
12. Speak Up, Not Out –
We’re raising a generation of sh-t talkers. In your workplace this is a cancer. If you have
issues with management, culture or your role &
responsibilities, SPEAK UP. Don’t take those complaints and
trash-talk the company or co-workers on lunch breaks and
anonymous chat boards. If you can effectively communicate
what needs to be improved, you have the ability to shape your surroundings and professional destiny.
13. You HAVE to Build Your Technical Chops –
Adding “Proficient in Microsoft Office” at the bottom of your
resume under Skills, is not going to cut it anymore. I
immediately give preference to candidates who are ninjas in:
Photoshop, HTML/CSS, iOS, WordPress, Adwords, MySQL,
Balsamiq, advanced Excel, Final Cut Pro – regardless of their
job position. If you plan to stay gainfully employed, you better complement that humanities degree with some
applicable technical chops.
14. Both the Size and Quality of Your Network Matter –
It’s who you know more than what you know, that gets you
ahead in business. Knowing a small group of folks very
well, or a huge smattering of contacts superficially, just
won’t cut it. Meet and stay connected to lots of folks, and
invest your time developing as many of those relationships
as possible. (TIP: Here is my Networking Advice)
15. You Need At Least 3 Professional Mentors –
The most guaranteed path to success is to emulate those who’ve
achieved what you seek. You should always have at least 3
people you call mentors who are where you want to be.
Their free guidance and counsel will be the most priceless
gift you can receive. (TIP: “The Secret to Finding and
Keeping Mentors”)
16. Pick an Idol & Act “As If” –
You may not know what to do, but your professional idol does. I often coach my
employees to pick the businessperson they most admire,
and act “as if.” If you were (fill in the blank) how would he
or she carry themselves, make decisions, organize his/her
day, accomplish goals? You’ve got to fake it until you make
it, so it’s better to fake it as the most accomplished person you could imagine. (Shout out to Tony Robbins for the tip) 17. Read More Books, Less Tweets/Texts –
Your generation consumes information in headlines and 140 characters: all
breadth and no depth. Creativity, thoughtfulness and
thinking skills are freed when you’re forced to read a full
book cover to cover. All the keys to your future success,
lay in the past experience of others. Make sure to read a
book a month (fiction or non-fiction) and your career will blossom.
18. Spend 25% Less Than You Make –
When your material needs meet or exceed your income, you’re sabotaging your
ability to really make it big. Don’t shackle yourself with
golden handcuffs (a fancy car or an expensive apartment).
Be willing and able to take 20% less in the short term, if it
could mean 200% more earning potential. You’re nothing
more than penny wise and pound-foolish if you pass up an amazing new career opportunity to keep an extra little bit of
income. No matter how much money you make, spend 25%
less to support your life. It’s a guaranteed formula to be
less stressed and to always have the flexibility to pursue
your dreams.
19. Your Reputation is Priceless, Don’t Damage It –
Over time, your reputation is the most valuable currency you
have in business. It’s the invisible key that either opens or
closes doors of professional opportunity. Especially in an
age where everything is forever recorded and accessible,
your reputation has to be guarded like the most sacred
treasure. It’s the one item that, once lost, you can never get back.
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