We’ve gathered invaluable advice from seasoned professionals across various industries, offering their wisdom to those just starting out. From owning your mistakes in digital marketing to viewing your career as a long game, here are 16 insights featuring directors, CEOs, and other leaders on how to navigate your professional journey.
- Own Your Mistakes in Digital Marketing
- Embrace Empathy in Personal Injury Law
- Be Proactive and Inquisitive in Law
- Seek Professional Development in Care
- Value Honesty in Human Resources
- Understand Customer Operations in Manufacturing
- Consider Stakeholder Interests in Higher Education
- Develop Soft Skills in Digital Marketing
- Show Commitment and Initiative in Education
- Foster Genuine Connections in Marketing
- Create Impactful Content in Publishing
- Build Strong Industry Relationships in Construction
- Find a Mentor in Fitness
- Stay Curious in Website Development
- Adopt a Learn-From-Failure Mindset
- View Career as a Long Game
Own Your Mistakes in Digital Marketing
In the world of digital marketing, especially in the realm of search engine optimization (SEO) where the landscape constantly changes, making mistakes is inevitable. The key isn’t to avoid errors at all costs; it’s to own them when they happen. When you admit your mistakes instead of deflecting blame or covering them up, you earn the respect of your peers and superiors. This honesty shows you’re committed to learning and improving, which is crucial in an industry that thrives on data and results.
Throughout my career at Webris, working on multifaceted campaigns and managing technical teams, I’ve seen firsthand how owning up to errors can pivot a setback into a learning opportunity. Mistakes are powerful lessons disguised as temporary failures. Each misstep teaches you something new about your work, whether it’s optimizing a PPC campaign or tweaking SEO strategies. Being upfront about your hiccups builds a strong ethical foundation and accelerates your professional growth, making you more resilient and skilled in the long run.
Cesar Cobo, Director of Operations, Webris
Embrace Empathy in Personal Injury Law
For young attorneys entering the field, especially those specializing in personal injury law, all I have to say is: live and breathe empathy. Your clients are often going through some of the most challenging times of their lives, dealing with severe injuries, physical pain, and mental anguish. It goes a long way when you approach each case with genuine compassion and a sincere desire to help them achieve the best possible outcome. This isn’t just about legal expertise. It’s about being there for your clients, understanding their struggles, and advocating for them with empathy and dedication.
A few ways you can show up for them with empathy include offering unwavering support and validating their emotions throughout the process. Keep them informed about any changes in their case, no matter how small, and ensure they feel heard and understood. Your clients need to know that you are not just their attorney but also their ally and advocate.
Riley Beam, Managing Attorney, Douglas R. Beam, P.A.
Be Proactive and Inquisitive in Law
In the legal field, the early years of your career are crucial for establishing a strong foundation and setting the stage for future success. Looking back on my own journey, the most valuable lesson I learned is to embrace a proactive and inquisitive mindset.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, seek out opportunities to learn from experienced colleagues, and volunteer for challenging assignments. Actively seek mentorship and guidance from senior attorneys, and never underestimate the power of networking within your firm and the broader legal community. By demonstrating a genuine eagerness to learn and contribute, you not only enhance your professional development but also position yourself as a valuable asset to your team and the organization.
Remember, the legal profession is constantly evolving, and staying ahead of the curve requires a commitment to continuous learning and growth. By embracing a proactive and inquisitive approach from the very beginning, you lay the groundwork for a successful and fulfilling career in law.
Chris Movafagh, Injury Attorney, Mova Law Group
Seek Professional Development in Care
Based on my career advancement, one piece of advice I’d give to new employees in the care industry is to never stop looking for opportunities for professional development. In the care industry, it’s essential to stay current. To provide the best care possible to your clients and maintain a healthy workplace, you have to be up to date with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices.
Attending workshops, conferences, and upgrading your skills will increase your value to the business. Essentially, you’ll be more flexible, able to take on different duties, and open doors to career advancement opportunities. Investing in upskilling will keep you relevant and clearly shows your commitment to the care industry.
Robert Daniel Lowry, Vice President & Administrator, Sunny Hills Assisted Living Facility
Value Honesty in Human Resources
Learn how to find the strength to disagree or share the final 10%. In my industry (Human Resources), I’ve found it’s a cycle of an HR pro not knowing if they are valued, so they don’t say what their colleague, peer, or leader needs to hear, and then the leader isn’t informed or challenged, creating an echo chamber.
I’ve been the most valuable in my career when I’ve truly been open to walking away if someone would rather be blind to the truth. I sleep better at night that way, too. Give it your all, embrace honesty, and share reality with grace. That is respected by others, and if it’s not, reevaluate the culture you are spending your day inside.
Kerri Roberts, Founder & CEO, Salt & Light Advisors
Understand Customer Operations in Manufacturing
As President of an ERP software company, my advice to new employees in the manufacturing industry would be: focus on understanding your customers’ operations and key pain points. Early in my career, I spent too much time focused on software features and implementation processes.
A few years ago, I started visiting customers on-site to fully understand their production processes, challenges, and business goals. By educating myself on what really mattered to customers, I was able to provide solutions that enabled their success. Many customers have provided repeat business and referrals as a result.
For example, a custom cabinet maker was struggling with inaccurate job costing and inventory management across three locations. I analyzed their end-to-end production process and key operational roadblocks. Using this insight, I configured our ERP system to streamline their quoting, purchasing, scheduling, and costing. The customer reduced costs and gave us a video testimonial.
Customer success has driven my own career growth. I now mentor new employees, emphasizing the importance of fully understanding customers’ operations and key priorities. Software expertise alone will only take you so far. Commit to becoming a strategic partner by investing time in learning what really matters to your customers. Success comes from enabling customers’ key objectives, not just implementing technology.
While keeping up with changes in ERP software, my focus remains on fundamentals: understanding customers’ production processes, pain points, and business goals; providing tailored solutions; and building long-term partnerships. Mastery of these fundamentals has allowed me to advance from Project Manager to President. Understanding your customers’ operations can drive success in ERP software.
Jean Magny, President, Genius Solutions
Consider Stakeholder Interests in Higher Education
The best advice for new professionals in higher education is to pay close attention to the variety of stakeholders and their interests in your work. Early in my career, this approach allowed me to double the size of a top business school’s alumni mentor program.
Stakeholders in higher education extend beyond students. They include faculty, administrators, parents, alumni, donors, community partners, employers, vendors, and government agencies. Each has their own motivations and expectations when working with a university. Being aware of these will help you develop exceptional partnerships and programming.
By addressing all stakeholder interests, you will advance the institution’s mission in your work and build a professional network that champions your career advancement.
Dr. Jena Pugh, Graduate School Strategist, Dr. Jena Pugh, LLC
Develop Soft Skills in Digital Marketing
As the founder of a digital marketing agency, my advice to new employees is: focus on developing soft skills. Technical abilities are important, but soft skills will accelerate your career.
Early on, I spent years honing my SEO and web design skills but struggled with client relationships. I took improv classes and worked with a mentor to strengthen communication and emotional intelligence. This helped me build rapport, understand clients’ needs, and become a CEO.
For example, a client was frustrated with their website’s performance but couldn’t articulate why. I asked open-ended questions, listened actively, and discovered their real issues. We redesigned the site, and they’ve been a loyal client for years. This opportunity wouldn’t have existed without soft skills.
Seek mentors and opportunities to strengthen soft skills. Volunteer, network, or join Toastmasters. Even in technical roles, soft skills open doors. They allow you to advance beyond a specialist position, mentor others, and spot new opportunities.
Continuously learn the latest marketing techniques, but don’t neglect soft skills. Mastery of both has fueled my career and the agency’s success. For any digital marketing role, technical abilities will only take you so far. Soft skills enable you to thrive.
Jesse Nelson, Founder, Simpleman Digital Marketing
Show Commitment and Initiative in Education
Whether in higher education (my main career path as an administrator, not faculty), other nonprofits, or Fortune 500 companies, always show up to work early and never be the first to leave until you establish yourself. Before you leave for the day, ask your boss if there is anything they need before you go, and be prepared to do it.
In education, many people think that it is very different from the corporate world, but that is no longer true. You have a mixture of seasoned educators, faculty, and administrators who come from the corporate world, and their expectations from colleagues and staff reflect today’s norms: be professional, be responsive, be resourceful, and understand what your peers are doing to remain competitive. On top of all this, understand what each person does and how they contribute to the success of the organization.
Catherine Calame, Marketing and Communications Strategist
Foster Genuine Connections in Marketing
I’ve been in the marketing game for a while now, and one thing I always tell newbies is this: Never underestimate the power of genuine connection.
In a world saturated with ads and content, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. But when you take the time to truly understand your audience, their needs, and their pain points, your marketing efforts will resonate on a deeper level. I remember when I first started out, I was so focused on the technical aspects of marketing that I forgot the most important part: building relationships.
So, my advice to you is to get out there and talk to people. Attend industry events, connect with potential customers on social media, and build relationships with influencers in your niche. Don’t be afraid to show your personality and let your passion shine through. When people see the real you, they’ll be more likely to trust you and your brand. And that’s the key to success in this ever-evolving world of marketing.
Liga Rudzite, Marketing Manager, Lemon Pitch
Create Impactful Content in Publishing
Being in the publishing and media industries, I would highly recommend newcomers to measure the impact of their content, not just the metrics. While it is true that the world revolves around numbers like likes, shares, etc., when it comes to content, if your content is not impacting anyone’s life, something is going wrong.
Measuring metrics is very important for a business to grow, but focus also on creating value and impact on the readers and customers. Even if it has an impact on just a few, your content is doing well. There is already tons of content on the internet that is trying to just sell, without much value or motto. Hence, don’t just try to sell; try to retain customers and build lifetime value through your content. This shows the authenticity of your content piece, making you stand out among the rest.
Julia Lozanov, Chief Editor, Verpex
Build Strong Industry Relationships in Construction
Based on my career advancement, the one piece of advice I’d give to new employees in the construction industry is to prioritize building strong relationships with clients, other contractors, and subcontractors.
Building strong relationships will stand you in good stead within the industry. Good standing is crucial to your career advancement and future as a building contractor. Not only will it lead to repeat business and referrals, but it’ll also grow your reputation, ultimately fostering trust from the get-go.
Good communication, reliability, and honesty will elevate your career prospects, opening doors to new opportunities within the industry.
Richard Ala, Director & Founder, Six Brothers Contractors LLC
Find a Mentor in Fitness
The average career span of someone entering the fitness industry is a single year. The hours can be long, pay low, and generally, the expectation of making a big impact in people’s lives gets let down when you start to deal with the reality of how hard it is for people to change their habits.
Young coaches can have a hard time relating to their more “seasoned” clients and often suggest lifestyle changes that simply aren’t helpful or encouraging to clients with families and career stresses.
For new coaches and trainers, I strongly encourage you to find a successful mentor. Find someone who’s been in the industry a long time and is actually making a living from it. They will be able to show you how to inspire others to make changes in their lives, and they’ll show you how to create strong internal systems in your business for long-term success. The mentor may be a local coach if you’re in a bigger city, or it may be an online mentorship group if you’re in a smaller town.
Find a mentorship that addresses where you currently are in your career stages and will help you move up to the next stage. WARNING: There are a lot of shady mentors in the fitness industry, so I also recommend finding an independent online group where reviews are shared by actual students. FitPro Mentorship Review is a free Facebook group that I’ve used to avoid costly errors.
Debra Hammett, Managing Partner, Serious Results LLC
Stay Curious in Website Development
One crucial piece of advice I’d give to new employees in the website development industry is to always stay curious. Early in my career, I landed a project to revamp a local accounting office’s website. Rather than just applying cookie-cutter solutions, I dove deep into understanding their needs, competitors, and customers. This curiosity-driven approach not only made the project a success but also earned us long-term clients. So, don’t just stop at “good enough;” ask more questions, dig deeper, and you’ll turn good projects into extraordinary ones.
Patrick Deja, CEO & Founder, Codi.pro
Adopt a Learn-From-Failure Mindset
It is essential to adopt a learn-from-failure mindset. Yes, we all like to celebrate our successes and focus on our skills and achievements. But we learn far, far more when we take risks, experience setbacks, and learn from them. A learn-from-failure mindset helps us develop professionally, think strategically, and improve our successes. So I’d advise we should all celebrate failure. We should fail fast, fail smart, and ensure that we don’t replicate our mistakes. We all benefit from taking calculated risks in our work. We won’t get it right the first time. That’s OK. Accept it. Embrace it. Leash from it. Failure is one of the most powerful lessons we can experience.
Patrick Riccards, CEO, Driving Force Institute
View Career as a Long Game
As a long-time digital entrepreneur who has built several award-winning agencies, my advice for new employees is to look at their career as a long game. While each job description and title are extremely important in the now, they also represent building blocks for where one might want to be 5, 10, 15, and 20 years from now. Don’t just look at your job as a paycheck. Your job is also a story you are authoring with a vision of where you want to go.
B Randall Willis, Founder, Right Angle