Ron's Corner: Kick Start Your Career

EXP Board Member Ron Roberts, Jr., is a self-labeled “Career & College Planning Partner.” Ron draws on over 16 years as a college career advisor, corporate recruiter, and youth non-profit consultant. Check out his website, Career Intelligence for Young Leaders, and connect with him on LinkedIn.

For those of you who have recently graduated from high school, congratulations! I hope you are proud of this accomplishment and will use it as a springboard to more extraordinary accomplishments in your career and life.

Following are a few suggestions to help you navigate your career journey, whether you have just graduated or have been out of high school for a minute.

Understand the value you can offer to others

Whether it is your skills, knowledge, personality, or experiences, take time to figure out how you can benefit potential employers, colleges, and others. As a general rule, people who are thought to add value are the ones who are given opportunities. Knowing your value will build your confidence and will make you a more appealing candidate for internships and jobs.

Own YOUR career choices

Do not leave it to parents, teachers, or others to determine the best career path for you. Listen to their advice, of course, but at the end of the day, you should ultimately be the one determining the career that you want to enter into. After all, YOU will have to deal with the outcomes of the career choice - positive or negative. Read more about career exploration: My Next Move, Roadtrip Nation, and Real Life 101.

Take advantage of the resources around you

There are plenty of resources out there to make your college/career journey easier. Whether it is financial aid, academic advisement, career counseling, stress management tips, or mentoring. Do not take these resources for granted! Be sure to welcome the help of the many wonderful people that want to extend it to you. This certainly includes the dedicated EXP staff who want you to succeed in high school, college, and beyond. If you are going to college, check out this career guide for some handy tips on interacting with career centers and employers.

Talk to people who are in careers and companies that you are interested in

If you want to be a neurosurgeon, you may be able to get guidance from a teacher, a family member, or a career counselor. However, your best source of information will be from an actual neurosurgeon. Professionals are generally happy to share advice with young people. This information can help you determine career paths and employers that may be right for you. Where to start? With the people you already know, like family members and friends, teachers, career counselors, or even EXP staff. They can help you connect with who you should talk to next. You can also get some great information on this through the following: "A Complete Guide to Informational Interviews".

I hope this information will help spark you to a great jump on your career journey. I wish you all of the very best with it.