Career tips good enough for my own daughter

My oldest child just graduated from college and is moving away to the big city to start her first full-time job. So being the person I am, naturally I sat her down for a three-part training session on launching your career.

Here’s what I told her bosses wish their junior staff knew and did but rarely tell them, developed over my years coaching and training both groups.

• Be accountable – “finishers wanted”
  • When given an assignment in person, visibly write it down
  • When given by email, reply with “got it” or “on it” or a thumbs-up emoji
  • Give unsolicited progress reports (not your activities, but your progress)
• When encountering obstacles, push through whenever possible without involving your boss
  • Write out the question(s) you would ask
  • Pretend you can’t reach the boss – what’s your best guess?
  • If you don’t need permission or resources to implement that guess, go for it
  • Never bring a problem to your boss without proposing a solution

• Follow instructions
  • Do it their way, then innovate (only after doing it their way first)
• Don’t ask for other tasks/responsibilities until you’ve delivered on your assignments
  • Succeed at what you’re asked, then ask for more opportunities
  • Deliver a project ahead of schedule, then ask, “What else can I help you with?”
• “Work smart” is true, but for the first three months at a new job, it’s about working hard first
  • Put in the hours: first one in, last one out
  • Prove you’ve got the work ethic and attitude to deserve cool opportunities

Perhaps you also have a member of the class of 2022 in your life who might benefit from these tips.