Are you lacking contacts? Taking on some volunteer duties outside of work can earn you some new friends in the right places and serve as a good use of your time. Study your industry and hook up with a professional organization that has the existing credibility and contacts to benefit you. Not only will your extracurricular participation help you grow, but it will give you increased access to inside tips and job postings.
If you need some tips on where to go, look at the leaders in your field and find out which organizations they spend time with. Many high-ranking corporate officials work at the top of professional organizations also. Depending on your sector, there are usually a variety of groups to choose from, like The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Public Relations Society of America and the Society for Technical Communication. As a professional, you need to be motivated, results-oriented and ready for action when duty calls. If you aren't fully prepared mentally or physically, it will be difficult for you to work effectively and at maximum performance. That's why the most successful professionals adopt good work habits early on to steer their careers down the right path.
06/18/2009
