5 Insightful Messages From Inspirational Leaders

This week I spent my last spring break of college traveling to Washington, D.C. and New York, NY with representatives from the Department of Communication at my school. Several other students and I had the unique opportunity to gain insight from industry leaders in various fields of Communication, such as the Senior Vice President of Communications and Brand Development at Time Inc. and a former U.S. President press secretary. We also networked with recent college graduates who are excelling in their careers. They provided us with valuable advice about how to stand out in a competitive job market, and gave us tips related to professional development. ​ I want to share some of the knowledge I gained this week to help any young professionals looking to achieve increased personal and professional success. Here are 5 powerful and insightful messages that resonated with me this week. All of these messages are quoted directly from the amazing Communication professionals I met.

1. “Network your a** off!” –Aaron Hite Advertising Sales Executive at Google ​I mentioned in my previous blog how important networking is when it comes to career advancement, but this week really further solidified the value of networking for me. Developing a strong professional network is vital to professional success. 2. “The winners are the ones who stay focused. If you keep your head down and grind, you will succeed beyond your wildest dreams.” –Scott Novak Senior Vice President of Communications and Brand Development at Time Inc. Hard work never goes unnoticed. If you make goals for yourself, and work every single day to be as productive as you can be, you will reach your goals eventually. Wake up with determination, and go to sleep with satisfaction. 3. “Take advice from people you respect.” –Alysha Love Multi-Platform Editor at CNN There’s always someone out there who’s already done what you’re aspiring to do, or something similar. Find a mentor that has experience in your areas of interest that can help guide you in the right direction. I’d say mentorship is equally as important as networking. 4. “Be a counselor, not a note taker.” –Guss Carson Chief Communication Officer at Thomson Reuters When you’re young, inexperienced, or even just new to a job position, it can be intimidating to speak up when you’re being directed to complete certain tasks. Always remember that being hired to do whatever you were hired to do was based on some level of skill or expertise. 5. ​"The greatest things in life will happen to you when you take a risk." – Robert Hoopes General Manager at Fleishman Hillard Sometimes you have to step outside of your comfort zone and take calculated risks in pursuit of you passions and dreams. Challenge yourself by pursuing opportunities that feel slightly out of reach.

I hope these messages were as inspiring to you as they were to me! If you have any other professional development advice, feel free to email me or comment below. Cheers!