Let’s Talk about Careers: Advice for Adults and Students
Over the summer, several people approached me for career help. These people ranged from soon-to-be college grads to seasoned professionals. And I’m always happy to share career advice from the perspective: “Here’s what’s gotten me to where I am.” And I believe that when it comes to careers, advice for adults and students is one in the same. In fact, I’d even advocate that the more mature your career, the more important it is to have a student-like mindset.
So, if I could distill 20 years of professional experience into 5 pieces of career advice, whether you’re early, mid, or at your peak, these would be it…
Whitney Daniel of The Perfect Pair and Emily Henegar of Cookie in the Kitchen. Each are at different stages of their careers, but both are masters of these principles.
1. Work for and with the smartest people you can.
Who you work for and around matters more than what you do.
Proximity to sharp thinkers who are “ahead” of you accelerates your growth like nothing else. Smart leaders and managers model how to solve problems, communicate clearly, and decisively balance intuition and logic.
Even if the job title isn’t perfect or you’re not passionate about the product or service itself, being in the right room to observe, ask questions, and absorb how great people think, is everything.
2. Make connections (and nurture them).
Relationships are the currency of a meaningful career. The best opportunities, whether they’re new jobs, promotions, or new clients, rarely come from cold calls or applications. They come from people who know you. In fact, 40% – 80% of jobs come from connections.
Go first. Stay connected consistently, before you need something. Recommend a great candidate for a role or refer a client to a colleague. Meet for coffee to share ideas. Send a thank you note.
Genuine connection isn’t networking; it’s building a relationship, bit by bit.
3. Stick through hard moments, and own your career.
There’s are many points throughout one’s career when things get uncomfortable: the job changes, leadership shifts, or you feel like you’ve outgrown your role.
It’s tempting to jump ship. But if you’re with a growing organization and a leader you respect, stay curious before you go.
Have proactive, honest conversations with your boss or sponsor about your goals, what you’d like to learn next, and ask for feedback on what gaps you need to fill to take on more. Growth comes from traversing the learning pits, which are part of the growth journey.
Our beloved Tammy used to say: “Own your career.” This means leading your career conversation.
4. Be generous with credit.
One of the best ways to build trust and influence is to make others the hero.
When you share credit openly: thanking the teammate who helped you behind the scenes get a win, or you acknowledge how past bosses and mentors got you to where you are, you (ironically) give people more confidence in you. It makes them want to be on your “career team” even more.
Sharing the credit adds fuel to your career engine.
5. Work hard, and be impeccable with your follow-through.
Many people speak about the follow-up. I care about the follow-through.
Follow-through makes you stand out. It elevates you, in influential people’s minds. In my own management and sponsorship of people (and hiring employees and outsourced business partners), I’m always watching for the medium and long-term follow-through.
Follow-up is sending the email within 24 hours of the meeting. Follow-through is closing the loop, finishing strong, and making sure no detail is left hanging.
When people with power know they can rely on you consistently, you become the person they want to bring alongside them.
Final Thoughts
Careers aren’t straight lines. They’re shaped by the consistent, small choices that define who you learn from, how you work, and how you show up.
If you’re just starting out, take this as career advice for students: learn relentlessly, connect meaningfully, and own your growth. If you’re further along and thinking big-picture, return to these same principles. They don’t change. In fact, the further along you are, the more impact each principle has.
