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Resources of the Week!

1. Check out our curated community job board!

2. I’m excited to share an exclusive community discount for AI-powered headshots from Secta AI (more info below!)

3. Did you know that Landed! now has a LinkedIn page? I’m sharing job postings, getting input on topics to cover, etc. Feel free to follow here!

Starting Strong

Today’s topic was inspired by a subscriber who asked for advice as they start off their career with their first job after graduating college! First, congrats to all of our readers who are just beginning their careers - it’s an exciting time!

In my experience, the path to career growth involves a few things: delivering strong results, building knowledge and skills, and self-advocacy/self-promotion so people. And alongside that, you need sponsors in the workplace who believe in you and will advocate for you.

As you build knew skills and knowledge, communicate about them and make sure people see and are aware of the impact you’re having.

So here are a few tips (though I hope these are helpful where ever you are in your career). You don’t need to do all of these of course, but pick a few that align with your priorities and personality!

1. Work in an office, or somewhere you can shadow if possible
   I know remote work is popular, but I learned so much from shadowing other teacher, watching how people facilitated meetings, etc.
   

2. Get involved
   Try attending some of the optional social activities. No these aren’t required to get a head, but the reality in many workplaces is that this kind of casual relationship building in lower pressure environments can help you build relationships, find mentors, humanize more senior people who may be intimidating to you, etc.
   Not into socializing? Try joining a committee or employee resource group. Again, these are ways to get to know people, build relationships, etc.
   

3. Find mentors
   Some workplaces have a formal mentorship program so this is a great way to get paired with someone, but you can also find informal mentors. You can reach out and schedule coffee chats with colleagues for example. Finding more experienced people who can help you problem solve, reflect on your work, or show you various paths forward will be invaluable. These are also folks who can serve as references or connectors for your career in the future.
   

4. Build your technical knowledge

   Follow trends in your industry. You can do this by following “thought leaders” in your field on social media, reading industry newsletters, etc. Share your learnings in team spaces, with your manager, etc. This will all help you show up as someone who is a learner, eager to grow, etc. and help you to have a stronger impact at work.
   

5. Build your credibility
   Deliver strong results, and then share how you approached the challenge with others. Build your personal brand on LinkedIn. Write an article. Go back to speak at your undergrad university. Talk about your work on a podcast. Attend conferences. Of course some of these things are easier to do than others, but these sorts of things can help you stand out from the crowd.
   

6. Be easy to work with
   Some work places reward those who speak up and give feedback and challenge, but many don’t. In my opinion, when you’re first getting started, focus on being agreeable and feel out the workplace. Look at what behaviors are rewarded. I’ve never seen someone be penalized for being agreeable and pleasant. I have seen really skilled people be penalized for being difficult or overly critical. So I’d start off any new job observing, listening, and learning. You may find that speaking up and critiquing is rewarded and then you can do that more. In my current workplace, I find that it’s often welcome! But I know that’s not true everywhere so if I were to go somewhere new tomorrow, I’d sit back and watch before challenging.

Something to keep in mind: some of these may come naturally to you - lean into those. If you hate networking, avoid those tips, and focus more on being seen as the person who is quiet but always delivers strong results and is there to help their peers. If you love being the center of attention, lean into personal branding early on. No one excels at everything, but pick a few of these tips and give them a try!

I’ve been working with Secta Labs for about a year now, and they are hands down my favorite AI headshot platform - and I’m excited to offer an exclusive discount to our community!

Here’s why Secta stands out for me:

1. When I first purchased headshots, I didn’t like how they turned down. They immediately gave me a free redo, and the second batch were great!

2. They continually take feedback and roll out new features. They’ve improved gender options to account for those who may be gender nonbinary based on user feedback as one example.

3. I love the “remix” feature that allows you to fix the issues AI often has with eyes/mouths), change clothing or backgrounds on photos you otherwise love, or even test out new hair colors/styles! See below for two examples when I took a picture I liked and asked it to give me options wearing a sweater!

   *Please note that I do receive a small kick-back if you purchase through this link!

🙋Answering Your Questions🙋

Each week, I’ll answer a few of your questions in this section. You can submit your questions here.

Great question! For me, one of the biggest things is staying up-to-date on technology as well as what people are talking about in my industry. Often, I think ageism creeps in in the form of assuming people are comfortable with innovations, new products, etc. so keeping up with industry trends is helpful in alleviating these potential concerns (and I think helps us be better at our jobs as well).

One technology I think EVERYONE should have on their resume is AI. Use AI-driven tools. Understand what they do well and what their limitations are, and how to leverage them to get more done faster. This is something I’m actively working on, and talking about, as I think it’s something tech companies really value right now.

Finally, everyone should be comfortable with doing some self-promotion. Make sure people know what you’re working on, what you’ve accomplished, how you’ve impacted the business. You need to be doing this to get raises, promotions, and job opportunities!

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