When I started my career, it was like being thrown into the middle of the ocean without a life jacket. I didn’t know anything (other than what I learned in school), I was new to the marketing world, I had limited resources and it was sink or swim.

Over the years, I learned to ask questions, not be afraid to fail, learn from my mistakes and to look to others for leadership and guidance from mentors.

It really is hard and intimidating when you are starting your career. As part of my #InTheSpotlight with the #Digital360Chat career interviews over the last six months, I have talked with 20+ professionals about their careers, how they got started, what path they took and then ended the interviews with this final question – Any advice for others just getting started?

There is so much wealth in the answers to that last question that is worth its weight in gold. The following are some of those insights that were shared and I wanted to compile those insights to share with you.

Learning from others never gets old even for the most experienced professional.

“Never stop learning. Read a book, check what’s trending, speak to people in your industry. Basically try and soak up as much knowledge as you can. Knowledge is power became an expression for a reason.”

Ira Bowman @irambowman

“Try to learn from everyone. Experiment and try new things. If you’re working for a company, don’t quit your day job and kill your dream job”

Brian Wallace ‪@nowsourcing‬ Read the full interview

“My only advice is BEGIN! The writer Kay Ryan wrote “Action creates a taste for itself” which is my mantra…getting started opens questions, answers and opportunities you never knew existed before then.”

R. J. Talyor @rjtalyorRead the full interview

“Be prepared to fail. Be optimistic but know that there is a lesson in everything. The good. The bad. And, the ugly. Ask that question constantly – what am I learning from this?”

Maria Elena Duron @mariaduronRead the full interview

“Just start with a plan, a strategy, get an understanding of what value you actually deliver for your audience, what problem you solve”

Doyle Buehler @doylebuehlerRead the full interview

“If you’re just now getting started in your career, my advice would be to embrace the power of surrounding yourself with knowledgeable people in your community and your industry. Nurturing these relationships can really take you far.”

Jen Cole @jencoleICTRead the full interview

“Make yourself visible on LinkedIn and Twitter! When you consistently add value to your online communities, you establish credibility in your industry and more and more people start to really notice and engage back with you. Don’t be shy!”

Jen Cole @jencoleICT

“Let go of the end game. Focus on the work!”

Maura Hughes @Maura_Hughes_Read the full interview

“Failure is fuel and #Community comes first.”

Dan Willis @MLLNNLmotivatorRead the full interview

“Besides the usual advice such as “Do it, don’t wait, follow your dreams, never give up”, which is great, I would add “Enjoy every single moment of it”. Enjoy the journey, it’s all part of your experience”

Sabrina Cadini @SabrinaCadiniRead the full interview

“JUST. DO. IT. 🔥🔥🔥 🔅 Don’t allow fear to hold you back. 🔅 Prior planning and preparation is a great foundation for any start-up. 🔅 Stay positive. 🔅 Keep focused on the end goal 🎯 and NEVER give up.”

Nicky Pasquier @VirtuosoAssistRead the full interview

“Advice for others getting started in their career? DREAM BIG, WORK HARD, STAY FOCUSED”

Gabriela Cardoza @CardozaGabRead the full interview

“Definitely choose something you personally enjoy geeking out on in your spare time. It can be hard to draw boundaries, but at least your work time will be enjoyable!”

Christine Gritmon @cgritmonRead the full interview

“It is all about respect and respecting others. Focus on the people and don’t be afraid to ask questions and to learn from others”

Gene Petrov @GenePetrovLMCRead the full interview

“Try things. Learn about other disciplines. Don’t stop experimenting. Dive in head first + make mistakes. See how it all connects. Find what you love and are good at and keep pushing – like I said, it’s the Wild West still – get involved and burn your own path!”

Patrick Delehanty @MDigitalPatrickRead the full interview

“Remember that you’re always going to be a novice. There is always a bigger and badder expert with more money, knowledge or some fancy tricks you don’t know. Stay humble. Stay focused. Focus and humility are big keys to a lot of doors.”

Mike O’Conner @SPNlocalRead the full interview

“There have never been more opportunities to get the kind of career that is appropriate to you, if you prepare properly and are willing to be patient and learn.”

Tim Lewis @StonehamPressRead the full interview

Remember, we all started out as a newbie at one point and the experienced professionals above share a wealth of experience, insights and knowledge that you can hopefully benefit from.

Follow Bernie on…
Twitter – @B2The7
LinkedIn – Bernie Fussenegger
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