Career Advice

91% of talent professionals agree that soft skills are important to the future of recruiting and HR, according to LinkedIn’s annual Global Talent Trends 2019 report. The report is based on a survey of over 5,000 talent professionals in 35 countries who were asked to identify trends transforming the workplace today. It’s clear that soft skills are important – but what are they, and how can you ensure you showcase yours to a potential employer?

You’ve finally gotten that coveted job offer, but there’s one catch: you have to relocate. Even if you’re excited to move away and start over in a new city, it’s important to give yourself some time to review your options and determine if this is really the best decision before accepting the job.

Everyone wants to find the perfect job. And with all the emphasis on finding a dream job right out of college, it can be disheartening to be a few months into your first job and realize it’s not what you thought it would be. The reality is, you may not like your first job. You may feel stuck and assume the only way to proceed is to quit and never look back. However, it’s perfectly OK and normal if you don’t feel fulfilled in your first job. Before you make any rash decisions, recognize that there are other options and strategies to consider before giving your two weeks notice – here are seven things to do if you don’t like your first job.

Walking into any job interview, you’re bound to receive a handful of questions that will help potential employers determine if you have the skills to become a valuable member of their team. It may feel like you have to answer every question in a job interview, but that’s not necessarily true. As a matter of fact, there are illegal questions that an employer is prohibited from asking you at all.

Remember when you applied for your first job, leadership role, or scholarship? Somewhere along the lines you probably had to create a resume. While a resume is a common requirement to apply for opportunities, we live in a technology-driven world. On the surface, our resumes look identical. As a college student and young professional, it becomes essential to continue to create innovative solutions to beat the competition and stand out. Whether your interest aligns with corporations, start-ups, freelancing, or speaking gigs, we are challenged by a competitive market filled with talented individuals.

Last summer, I interned at a bulge bracket investment bank in their 10-week Risk summer analyst program. My role specifically was within Leveraged Finance Credit Risk, covering mostly Tech, Media & Telecom (TMT) names and some Consumer & Retail (C&R). In general, my day-to-day was split between participating in credit sanctioning of deals, managing regulatory risk/requirements, and attending intern events. The internship itself was a great experience as I was given as much responsibility as I showed merit for, and exposed to people in roles across the function and the bank through numerous networking opportunities.

You did it! After countless applications, resume revisions, and unique cover letters you’ve finally landed a job. Even if it’s your first job, before you accept it’s important to recognize there are several elements worth negotiating that can benefit you in the long run. When it comes to consulting with employers about potential benefits, there is much more to discuss than a higher salary. Believe it or not, many aspects of the job can be mediated before an offer is accepted.

Business cards are typically marketed toward established professionals and entrepreneurs – but that doesn’t mean they can’t be useful if you’re just starting out in your career.

When researching a job opening, your focus is often on the responsibilities of the job, the location, and how much it pays. While the what and where of a job is important, it’s also important to discover what makes up the company’s culture as you move through the interview process.