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When you’re at the start of your career, “success” and “growth” seem like important, urgent concepts. You’re constantly told that you need to “hit the ground running” and that working hard now will pay dividends later. The pressure to perform, and to very purposefully plot your career trajectory, can be immense.

But when you scratch the surface, things become much more ambiguous. In their more candid moments, older colleagues will confess that career paths are rarely linear and cannot be fully controlled. They will acknowledge that growth often results from circumstance, not design, and that luck plays a big part in long-term success.

This begs an important question: what can you do right now to improve your chances of success down the line?

Scaling Up Your Skills

An undergraduate degree is no longer the guarantee it once was. Many entry-level positions now require 1 to 3 years of professional experience, regardless of whether you have completed your Bachelor’s. This highlights the importance of exposure to real work environments and the need to supplement your academic endeavors with practical experience. Many higher education institutions are working to address this through an increased focus on work-based learning. 

As an emerging professional, you can also take matters into your own hands by pursuing independent work opportunities. This could be through an internship, volunteering, or a temp or part-time role.

Whichever route you choose, this will not only strengthen your resume but it will also allow you to explore your professional interests. This is crucial as learning about a field can be very different from practicing within it. So, getting real-world experience while you’re still studying allows you to confirm that you’re on the right path for you.

Most careers also require a range of additional skills that are difficult to teach in a classroom. “Soft skills”, like time management and problem-solving, are best learnt by doing, and are highly valued by potential employers. Importantly, these also tend to be the most transferable skills, so developing them early can open up new opportunities – and new industries – down the line.

As many sectors are currently undergoing significant change, mostly driven by automation and AI, keeping your options open is especially prudent. Long-term success is increasingly dependent on your ability to be flexible and adaptable, and your willingness to embrace uncertainty. In the modern job market, a commitment to lifelong learning is crucial to remaining relevant, and an open mindset is a competitive advantage.

This means that you need to find the right balance between industry-specific training and more general professional development. Consistency is the key here, as small, regular interventions can lead to significant expertise gains over the long term.

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Connecting with the Right People

“Networking” has become a bit of a dirty word in recent years. And, understandably so, given the reputation many associated activities have earned for being disingenuous and transactional. Despite this, it remains one of the most effective ways for young professionals to build connections and access development opportunities.

The trick is to find ways to meet professional contacts that feel natural and comfortable for you. This could be attending relevant industry events, joining professional organizations, or participating in online forums. However you go about it, you need to approach networking opportunities respectfully and with the intent of developing ongoing professional relationships.

If public forums and big events seem a little too overwhelming, consider starting smaller and focusing on finding a mentor. This could be a professor or internship supervisor you particularly liked, or a fellow alum or more senior peer you respect. It should also be someone who can offer advice on your development and connect you with new people and opportunities.

Taking Your Qualifications to the Next Level

While undergraduate degrees are being valued less by potential employers, advanced qualifications continue to hold significant weight. They are a sign of commitment, evidence of specialist knowledge, and can indicate readiness for leadership responsibilities.

That said, they still need to be approached strategically. Not every role requires further formal education, and, in some industries, a postgraduate degree will have minimal impact on your prospects. So, when deciding on whether to continue your studies, consider your career goals, your industry’s educational expectations, and the potential financial impacts.

The specific study path you pursue also needs to be selected carefully. When considering ways to strengthen their expertise and prepare for leadership roles, many professionals go for options like EdD programs. Online programs are also a good choice as their flexible structure should allow you to continue working while you complete the course.

Planning for What Lies Ahead

Positioning yourself for long-term professional success takes more than one perfect choice. You need to make a series of thoughtful, informed decisions, often in response to unexpected developments.

This is easier to do when you have clearly defined career goals that you can actively work towards. These do not need to be set in stone and should evolve as your career progresses and personal circumstances change. They should also be aspirational enough to be motivating but realistic enough to be achievable.

Once you have defined your long-term goals, use them to develop your career roadmap. This is a summary of the practical steps you need to take to get where you want to go. It should outline the actions you need to take, the milestones you would like to achieve, and the timeline you will work to.

By defining the what and how of your long-term plans, you create a framework for every decision about your professional development. You also enable yourself to focus on the skills, relationships, and opportunities that will most support achieving your desired career outcomes.