When I was in college, I went to a lot of conferences, career advisement meetings, and coffees with internship bosses. Namely, I’ve received a lot of advice about my career and, although not all of it has been wildly useful, some of it’s really stuck wih me.
Here are some of the best pieces of career advice I’ve heard (or figured out for myself).
1. Apply even if you don’t think you’re qualified in terms of experience.
Even if you’ve only got 3 years of experience and the job requires 5, apply anyway. Your cover letter is the perfect place to really vouch for yourself, show your personality, and prove that you might be even more qualified than you appear.
In reality, a lot of the time you won’t hear back at all, but I’ve found that sometimes you just might hear back. I’ve scored a few interviews and offers for jobs where I knew I’d be awesome at them even though I didn’t fit the listing’s requirements to a “T.”
It’s all about being able to sell yourself, believing in your capabilities, and trying to make yourself stand out.
Read More: 8 pieces of career advice that aren’t as useful as you think
2. Put your personality in your cover letter.
I’ve also heard the opposite of this advice – to keep your cover letter super professional and “not too fun”… but I think it’s possible to be professional while still being fun and personable.
In some career fields, you may not want to add lots of razzle-dazzle to your cover letter, but for a lot of them, mixing personality with professionalism can help your cover letter stand out and can help paint a better picture of who you are.
Some ways to do this is by opening up your cover letter with a personal story or your connection to the field/position instead of opening it up with “I am NAME and I am applying for JOB at COMPANY.” Change up your intro! Change up your conclusion! Keep it professional but don’t be afraid to sprinkle in a pun or personal story as long as it’s relevant.
3. Always send a thank you note!
This is such a basic one, but it’s the MOST important piece of career advice out there. Just the other day a bunch of my co-workers were talking about how if someone doesn’t send a thank you note after an interview it really stands out … not in a good way.
You have an interview? Send a quick thank you and say you appreciate the interviewer’s time! Two people interviewed you? Email them both. Whether you do a phone interview or one in real life, a thank you note is essential and an email is the best way to do so.
Plus, sending a thank-you follow-up e-mail will help keep you on your interviewer’s radar.
4. Being a good worker is important, but you’ll also want to make sure those around you enjoy working with you.
Being a good, hard worker who is also pleasant to be around makes you super valuable.
I believe the thing that’ll always help you in any field is being someone who’s a joy to work with. Offer to help, share ideas, show up to meetings on time, give praise and credit when it’s due, and try to keep a positive attitude when possible. Of course, it’s not always easy to stay pleasant and in a great mood, but just generally being someone that your fellow co-workers and upper management enjoy being in the same office as can make a big difference.
5. Speak up during meetings, even if you’re the “lowest on the totem pole.”
This is especially important at pitch meetings. Share those ideas! You’ll want to read the cues in the room (ie: maybe avoid asking questions until the end if they’re not particularly pressing), of course, but you’ll want to share your ideas.
6. It’s OK to not know exactly what you want to do.
I mean, I didn’t even know what my dream job was until I accidentally found it. I definitely went into post-grad life with a new “dream job” and “dream company” each week and although it was nice to have a jumping off point in terms of applying to jobs, you definitely don’t want to lock yourself into a specific path, because you never know what job you’ll end up loving or even discovering.
Read More: 6 things that can help you find your actual dream job
And even though I’m loving my job, when people ask me where I want to be in five years I don’t exactly have an answer. You never know how circumstances or your mind might change!
7. Ask questions before you do something.
It’s better to discuss any confusion you might have or to double-check you’re doing something right before you do it 50 times and will have to redo it later.
Whenever you start a task (especially one that’s high stakes or high volume), check with your supervisor that you understand it clearly and are doing it correctly. It might seem annoying but it benefits everyone to take an extra few minutes to ask.
8. Keep a work-life balance.
When I was hunting for jobs and doing interviews, I actually come across a few hiring questions related to whether or not you’re capable of having a healthy work-life balance. Although some nights you might work late or push deadlines, don’t set yourself up for burnout by making that a regular habit.
Keep your work in the office! Take a lunch break instead of eating in front of your screen every single day! Recently I stopped checking work e-mails as soon as I leave the building and I started forcing myself to take a walk for half an hour, even if I ate my sandwich in front of my computer screen.
Read More: How To Be Ambitious (Without Burning Out)
9. Sometimes, have a meeting over coffee.
So next time you have a small meeting lined up, why not suggest having it over coffee at a shop nearby? It’s always nice to have a slightly more casual conversation with your boss or co-workers, especially if the weather is nice.
10. Keep track of your goals and achievements.
Although it’s safe to assume that your bosses are keeping an eye on you, always keep a track record of your own personal achievements and the work you’re doing, especially if you can do so in spreadsheet form.
And save any emails or praise or any significant stats, they can come in handy whether you’re looking to add them to your resume or are trying to convince your supervisor you’re ready for a promotion.
