If I knew then what I know now…

Sometimes we forget that every homerun and hiccup in our career brought us where we are today—hopefully somewhere great! But it never hurts to reflect on the journey to see what we might have done differently, to achieve better, quicker, or totally different results. You never know when this insight can benefit you or someone else. In fact, an intern recently asked me about the first big lesson I learned as a manager, and I really had to think about it! The answer is included below with the best advice I wish I’d known at the start of my career.

It All Starts With Attitude

Attitude isn’t everything, but it is the mechanism by which your professional clockwork ticks. Make your attitude a good one. Your outlook should be genuinely positive and pragmatic, not saccharine and overeager, or negative and surly. Lift others up, and look for ways to support the team effort. Since the working world isn’t always a pretty place, you will have days when you’re feeling less positive or pragmatic. When that happens, be aware of your mindset, do what you can (go for a walk, meditate, watch a silly cat video) to change it, and do your best not to burn the place down with your dragon breath.

Be Prepared

This advice is as great at the start of a career as it is at the end and all throughout. Preparation keeps you a step ahead of the game, always ready for action. You’ll radiate respect and reliability when you build in prep time, whether it’s researching a project, gathering materials for a meeting, reviewing a resume before an interview, or just plain showing up on time. Make preparation a part of every project as part of your time-management strategy.

Network

It’s true what they say, that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. And you never know when a network connection will teach you something amazing or steer you down a new and fabulous path. So network early and often in your career, starting with your college professors (because when will you get another opportunity like that?!). If your network needs bolstering, it’s never too late to start, whether you’re established in your field or looking to break into a new one. Set your LinkedIn profile to awesome, join professional groups, go to the local lunch-and-learns, and participate in those online alumni webinars. Make and maintain meaningful contacts, proving your value-add to others before you start asking for favors. Put yourself out there and see what happens!

Set Realistic Goals

If you don’t set and pursue goals, you’ll end up going nowhere, or at least nowhere intentional. Do your career path a favor by detailing where you want to be in one year, five years, and ten years. Set a course for how you will get there, but keep it realistic, because you won’t be CEO of Apple six months after graduation. Also be willing to rethink your steps if things don’t go as planned. If you missed that promotion, forgive yourself and either stay the course or rechart it. Stay focused on your goals and do your best work to achieve them.

Overcome Problems

Thinking back to the intern who asked me my first big lesson as a manager, the answer I (eventually) came up with was, “If you think of a thing as a problem, it will become one. Instead think of it as a puzzle to solve.” Whether it’s an insanely hard Sudoku or a 50-piece jigsaw, “puzzles”—inefficiencies, contention, failures, and other problems—happen. Some people are great at identifying problems, while others are great at offering solutions. Both types of people add value to an organization. You’ll get noticed when you flex your problem-punishing muscles early, but also know your audience; it’s rarely good for the newbie to ask everyone to solve a 100,000-piece “puzzle” out of the gate.

Ask Questions

There is always something to learn, so take every chance to ask questions. You never know whether the answer will help you or someone else. Remember, this article was born from one intern’s thoughtful question! Asking questions also shows you are curious, driven, and open to feedback. (This is also why you should always ask questions during job interviews.) So tap into the experience of your professors, mentors, and colleagues. If you’re stuck in a situation, ask a trusted mentor what that person would do in your shoes. You’re likely to get even more great advice for the start of your career!

In Conclusion

We can’t change the past, but we can use our experience to make someone else’s journey a little easier. We can even use our self-reflection to chart new, better, or different courses for our own professional journey. What career advice would you give your younger self?