Twelve Rules for New Grads
What advice would you give new college graduates
about launching themselves into the workforce? Beginning May 12, 2013, I
facilitated a discussion around this question on LinkedIn. The hundreds of
responses offered a wealth of advice and insight about what it takes to make a
successful transition from college into the workforce. I distilled the
discussion down into twelve key pieces of advice — “rules” if you will — for
getting off to a good start in one’s career. Each rule is adapted from a quote
from a participant in the discussion. (There often were multiple postings with
similar themes, so these are simply selections.)
1. What you learned in college is a foundation for
future learning, nothing more.
As William Shakespeare wrote in The Tempest, “What’s past is prologue.” This is not to minimize your accomplishments or to downplay the importance of graduating from college. Just take care not to view your degree as a destination. What you learned is important. What you learned about how to learn is essential; it’s the foundation for your life-long success.
As William Shakespeare wrote in The Tempest, “What’s past is prologue.” This is not to minimize your accomplishments or to downplay the importance of graduating from college. Just take care not to view your degree as a destination. What you learned is important. What you learned about how to learn is essential; it’s the foundation for your life-long success.
2. Be someone that your colleagues want to work
with.
No one wants to work with someone who is unpleasant or unreliable or self-serving. “Attitude,” said Winston Churchill, “is a little thing that makes a big difference.” So position yourself to be the colleague-of-choice. Bring a positive attitude to everything you do. Keep the commitments you make. Help others advance their (legitimate) agendas. If you do, others will want to work with you and help you to succeed.
No one wants to work with someone who is unpleasant or unreliable or self-serving. “Attitude,” said Winston Churchill, “is a little thing that makes a big difference.” So position yourself to be the colleague-of-choice. Bring a positive attitude to everything you do. Keep the commitments you make. Help others advance their (legitimate) agendas. If you do, others will want to work with you and help you to succeed.
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