What I’d Tell My Niece (and Anyone Starting Their Career)

I have a niece who is entering the workforce, and when she excitedly and nervously told me about the internship she landed, it made me think of the best professional advice I’ve received and given over the years:

1. It’s okay to ask for help
2. How you say something impacts how someone hears you
3. Don’t share a problem without thinking through — and offering — a solution.

I work with some of the best in the business, so I was inspired to reach out to my colleagues to see what words of wisdom they have for someone who is just getting started in their professional career. Here’s what they had to say:

René Tamayo, Production Associate Director
Try to learn, if you aren’t already, to be a self-starter. If you see things that need to get done, do them. If you’re done with your task, walk around and see who needs support to get their task done. When all tasks are done, we can start narrowing down what’s left to do before everyone gets to leave. 

Kat Dunn-Thomas, Account Director
Customer service is always important [in the event world] whether you’re working with a client, vendor, or volunteer. Make it a habit to look someone in the eye, ask their name, say thank you, and follow up to ensure something is handled after a question is asked.

Aaron Gingras, Event Production Manager
It might be ‘just another Tuesday’ for us (i.e.: we do this all the time) but it’s a very special ‘Saturday’ for every client, volunteer and participant. We should work to not forget that although we travel all over and do this every day — the same can’t be said for many of the folks we work with on the ground. This is special to them, and that should matter to us.

Matt Tremback, Controller
Understand your role and don’t take offense if an idea of yours isn’t used immediately. There are a lot of moving parts, and the best idea can’t always be implemented right away because of time or resource constraints.

And also: the world is more fluid than you might think. You should plan as much as possible but then you need to read and react based on how things unfold. I equate this to practicing sports for a game. A lot of times the planned play works but sometimes you need to adjust on the fly because you didn’t expect the linebacker to blitz (in the event world, it’s usually weather that’s blitzing us).

Joann Buckley Collins, Fundraising & Communications Strategist
Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help BUT make a good faith effort to try to figure it out yourself first. You will learn much more, and that knowledge will stick with you much better, if you’ve taught yourself. Whenever there is time and space, do some research and a little trial and error before you ask someone to give you the solution.

Thanks to my teammates for sharing their perspectives. I noticed some common themes here: plan carefully, stay adaptable, treat people well, and never lose sight of why the work matters. While I gathered this advice with my niece top of mind, it’s clear that whether you’re just getting started or well into your career, this advice will serve anyone well!

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