Golden Guide Career Advice is a new series from the AMA in partnership with Lydia Lazar, author of Dean Lazar’s Golden Guide: Pragmatic Career Advice for Smart Young People.
Do you have a career question? Contact Lazar at deardeanlazar@gmail.com—the answer may appear in a future post.
No. 30: Don’t Let Fear Sabotage You
Everyone has impostor syndrome. It’s important to face your situation with strength and confidence.
No. 29: Be Punctual, Prepared and Present
Drive your career forward by being present. Listen actively and engage others.
No. 28: Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk
Be an authentic builder and collaborator.
No. 27: Smile More, Help More
When you’re interacting with people, remember that they see and react to what you show them.
No. 26: Take and Enjoy Time Off
Build your personal resilience. Only robots work 24/7, so enjoy some time off.
No. 25: Better Safe Than Sorry
You’re on your employer’s team, but they’re not on yours.
No. 24: Control Yourself!
Life may be random, but your response is anything but.
No. 23: You Work for You
Think of building a company with a personal brand called “Me, Inc.”
No. 22: Learn Your Part Well
Think of your workplace as a theater production—you should learn your role well.
No. 21: Cultivate Your Curiosity
Don’t worry about defining your passion; instead, cultivate your curiosity about the world around you.
No. 20: Never Stop Striving
Getting ahead in life isn’t just about who you know, but what you know.
No. 19: Show Your Thanks
“Thank-you” notes help you build your social vocabulary and are an important part of building your personal social capital.
No. 18: To Fail to Prepare is to Prepare to Fail
Don’t sabotage yourself by neglecting to adequately prepare for an interview.
No. 17: Never Wear New Clothes to an Interview
To project an authentic and natural attitude in an interview setting, you need to relax. Wearing brand-new clothes may be too much of a distraction.
No. 16: Use Your Time Wisely
Be intentional and make good choices with your time, however fleeting it may seem.
No. 15: Get in the Game!
You can’t turn down what hasn’t been offered. Take a more aggressive job-seeking approach.
No. 14: Use Your (Key)Words
Copy the keywords used by those who have the job(s) you want!
No. 13: Enhance Your Digital Footprint
Influence what employers see about you online.
No. 12: Read Your Way to Success
Widen your approach to information-gathering. Read deeply, critically and voraciously.
No. 11: Protect Your Reputation
Your ability to grow in a career hinges on the protection of your personal brand and reputation.
No. 10: Find Advocates for Your Success
Build your personal Board of Directors.
No. 9: Practice Small Talk with Strangers
Invest in yourself by getting to know others around you.
No. 8: ABC=Always Be Connecting
Invest in yourself by getting to know others around you.
No. 7: Build Your Own Social Capital
Continuously invest time and attention in socializing and networking.
No. 6: Build a Professional Ecosystem
Networking and socializing are the keys to finding your niche in the work ecosystem of your choice. Get out there and talk to people.
No. 5: Contribute to the Greater Good
Think globally, act locally.
No. 4: Be Intentional and Strategic
Focus your attention, continually motivate yourself and take steps to grow and prosper in your career.
No. 3: You Are in Control
You are the person who will be living your life, and you must drive the career car.
No. 2: Use Your Resources
Go to the library or a local bookstore. Look for mentors and advisers in your workplace and community.
No. 1: Make Greatness a Routine
“You are what you repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”—Aristotle