We asked W. P. Carey Alumni: What is one piece of advice you would give someone in the graduating Class of 2022 as they step into their new jobs?
Here is the advice they shared:
- Practice The 3 Cs
- Network in Person As Much and As Often As You Can.
- Don’t Be Afraid To Say Yes or No
- Get To Know The Company Top To Bottom
- Continue Learning
Practice The 3 Cs
There are three fundamental components of success I have identified in my early professional experience: consistency, curiosity, and confidence.
It is important to stay consistent in the workplace, but it is also important to stay consistent with yourself. Take the time to show up and invest in yourself as you would for your employer.
Stay curious and don’t be afraid to ask questions! We are always continuing to grow, embrace learning new concepts and remain open to change.
Stay confident in yourself and don’t forget to acknowledge hard work from yourself and others around you. Confident energy will gleam a positive attitude and always lead to success, positive mindsets will attract positive outcomes.
Kim Asciutto, BS Marketing ‘20, Darwin Research Group
Network in Person As Much and As Often As You Can
As an ASU grad you have proven to be smart, capable and possess skills to join the workforce, but how many opportunities for career growth do you have? The answer is countless. The exact number is only bound by how many of the 8 billion citizens of earth you know. Covid has taught us that business can be conducted remotely, but it cannot replace the power of a handshake or a hug. Who can you meet, and what doors can they open for you?
Brandon Gerson, BS Supply Chain Management May ‘07, Cool Foods Co
Don’t Be Afraid To Say Yes or No
The first job is definitely the hardest – it can be incredibly intimidating to step into a workplace, manage expectations, and try to comfortably fit into an existing team structure. While there is truth in that saying yes to everything will be a great gateway into fantastic opportunities, it’s important to remember your own capacity and to take care of yourself as well. Establishing boundaries can be tough, but it’s an important step to avoid burnout and maintain a steady level of productivity. There’s no point in saying yes to everything in the short term if it leads to a lower quality of work and life in the long term.
Brandon Marquez, BS Marketing ‘20, Hulu
Get To Know The Company Top To Bottom
As you step foot into your new jobs, it is imperative to get to know the entire building top to bottom. Find something in common with as many as you can. Share your passion, energy, and excitement in being new to the company each day within the organization. I refer to the acronym, (F.O.R.D.) – Family – Occupation – Recreation – Dreams. Use those (4) themes to foster connections, you will quickly find that speaking on any of those will come easy and allow you to create connections. You will love coming to work each day having built these connections across the org chart.
Zachary Hall, BS Business Administration ‘09, AvAir
Continue Learning
The workplace in 2022 is a rapidly changing, dynamic environment, and whatever you find yourself doing today, most likely will not be what you find yourself doing 2, 4, 6 years down the road. In order to make yourself resilient against change (such as the loss of jobs to AI, economic downturns, and other disruptions, you need to continue to develop skills you have learned over the last 4 years, as well as develop new skills. Embrace growth and a learning mindset and you will become a valuable resource for your employer. You will also add to your life expectancy and overall happiness.
Jesse Ofner, MBA Business Administration and Management ‘08, DHI Group Inc
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