Letters From Your Chairs
Letter From Your National Alumni Extension Chairperson, Thzaira Charles
How to Get on the Path to 'Succeed Professionally'
As we prepare to attend our 37th Annual Convention, I know you’ve been getting your resumes ready, practicing for interviews, looking for the perfect suit and preparing to make a good impression at the Career Fair and land that first full-time job or get that summer internship. But have you thought about what comes after you accept the offer? Have you thought about what it takes to get on the path to “succeed professionally” after excelling academically?
For those of you who are starting your first full-time job, I am not going to talk about finding a coach and mentor, because I know you have heard that many times. It is important to remember that now, at the start of your career, you are already building a network of fellow professionals. Therefore, it is important to put your best foot forward as much as possible. Recognize that there will be days when you put your foot in your mouth, but always acknowledge that as quickly as possible, make amends, and be ready to learn, learn, learn.
As an entry-level person, don’t be afraid to ask questions, no matter how trivial they may seem, because every company, and sometimes different groups within the same company, has a different corporate culture. Questions will let you know what is and what is not acceptable or expected. When you are the new person, everyone will: 1) know you are the new person and 2) know that you are just out of school. Knowing 1 and 2, they will assume you are learning and may not know everything. So people who are interested in doing right by their own careers and by the company will want to help and guide you.
I know some graduating students get the advice to always speak in a meeting so everyone knows you are there. In my career, I have learned that speaking in a meeting just to be heard is sometimes just making noise. Not all people who are in a meeting may speak in the meeting, but everyone has a role. Usually, as the new person, you are there to learn. If you are given an opportunity to ask questions, do so.
Remember that you may be young and new, but you have a college degree. All of your work products should exhibit a level of professionalism. Proofread. Write clearly so you can be understood (This is a skill that is extremely important.). Deliver what is expected; don’t go off on a tangent.
Finally, take every opportunity to participate in field or site visits, attend meetings to learn how projects are progressing, and meet as many people as possible. Site visits are a great way to see how what is done in the office is applied to “real life.” Conversely, if you are a plant or field person, attend project meetings in the office to learn what happens during planning.
As a summer intern, know you’ve been given a great opportunity to do and learn as much as possible. Depending on the type of summer internship you have, there are two slightly different strategies to employ. If you are assigned a project to work on for your internship, ask up front what you are expected to deliver, because this is not just busy work: these are project deliverables. And finish the project: being a summer intern is no reason not to produce what is expected of you. If you need help to finish, or if you have questions, by all means ask as soon as possible. This shows you are interested in doing good work and understand what goes into producing a useful deliverable.
If you have a summer internship in which you work on aspects of several projects, understand the project objective (the big picture) and understand how what you are working on fits into the big picture. Sometimes it seems like busywork, but it fits somewhere into the project. It is important that you deliver a good product and deliver it on time.
Last, the summer tends to be slow in offices, so work may get slow, and the full-time people will take vacations. But that does not mean you should go into vacation mode. If your internship is planned carefully, you will have set tasks/projects to work on. Take your work seriously. The summer is also a time when you may want to take off. If you plan to take time off, you have a responsibility to let your supervisor know in a timely fashion, so you can receive the appropriate approvals. Of course, if you have an emergency or need to take sick time, there are different situations and should be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Whether you are starting your full-time job or doing a summer internship, your education will go on. You will continue to learn and see how what you are studying applies in the workplace. As you learn on the job, remember always to maintain a level of professionalism and acquire knowledge so you can advance in your career.
Thzaira Charles, P.E.
National AE Chairperson
Letters From Your Chairs:
National Chairperson - Calvin Phelps
National AE Chairperson - Thzaira Charles
Region I Chairperson - Ricardo Theodore
Region II Chairperson - Matthew McFarland
Region III Chairperson - Yael Monereau
Region V Chairperson - Paul Nguyen
Region VI Chairperson - Ogugua Agu