Get Your Shine On: A Young Professional Roadmap to Fulfillment

In “Get Your Shine On: A Young Professional Roadmap to Fulfillment” at the 2017 ASAE Annual Meeting, panelists Genevieve Borello, Paul Leahy, Brittany Shoul and Jacob Wilder shared their experiences (so far) navigating the office and finding a meaningful work life.

Below are some of our favorite tips and lessons learned from these young association professionals.

• Remember: You are your own champion; fight for yourself and be the biggest proponent of your own work.
• You’ve been hired to do a job, so master it first and then look to where you can contribute above and beyond your current role. Prove yourself, and then earn the opportunity to reach higher.
• Don’t become too comfortable in your own space. Build relationship with people who can help push you outside your comfort zone. Seek out experts in the association space who you admire and respect.
• Take advice from different people. Each person you’ll meet will have different strengths and weaknesses – learn from them all.
• Always be learning. Look for articles, online resources and communities, like ASAE or your state allied society. Read, listen and watch everything you can get your hands on.
• Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know,” and don’t be afraid to fail. You will, and it’s OK, as long as you learn from it.
• Break out of silos and avoid the “It’s not my job” mentality.
• Develop stretch goals that will take you down a path you love and plays to your strengths

This article originally appeared in the Aug 14, 2017 edition of Association Adviser.