My Career Profile posts are unquestionably my favorite posts on Elana Lyn. The Internet has revolutionized mentorship by making it so easy to learn from people you admire. I know that Iâve learned so much from the women Iâve featured â and I hope you have as well.
“Surround yourself with people who keep you curious and inspire you to be better at anything and everything.” âJeni Lambertson, The Constellations
“Get rid of the idea of the way things ‘should’ be. Craft a life that works for you on your own terms. Free yourself from old ideas and restrictions about life, work and love. Be true to what matters to you, and chase the things that matter.” âAnn Shoket, The Big Life
“Be bold in your pursuits and don’t rely on others to give you opportunities. Create them for yourself.”â Jasmeet Sidhu, MasterClass
“My story works because Iâve learned tough lessons and been told no.” âLauren McGoodwin, Career Contessa
“Growth means pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. Remember, your dreams are on the other side of your fears. Courage isnât the absence of fear but the willingness to feel fear but do it anyway.” âNaomi Mdudu, The Lifestyle Edit
“We love to frame everything in the context of an overnight success, but success rarely ever happens that way. We don’t hear about other peoples’ struggles enough, so when we struggle we feel like failures because we’re led to believe our heroes never dealt with the same difficulties, which is just not true. Everyone stumbles, but the great get back up and keep fighting.”  âNur-E Farhana Rahman, Knotty Gal
“Be proactive, not reactive. Take action if you don’t like something. Don’t complain.” âWhitney Tingle and Danielle Duboise, Sakara Life
“My mum always told me to just keep going. Itâs a lesson that applies to work and to life. Understanding that nothing is fatal builds resilience and helps you evolve and grow.” âNisha Dua, BBG Ventures
“Create your own luck. Rather than sitting around, waiting for your lucky break, put yourself out there and make it happen.” âDebbie Sterling, GoldieBlox
“Believe in yourself. Donât be afraid to take a risk, listen to your gut and visualize your success. Trust that the universe will lead you to that success. We create our own realities.” âRachel Parcell, Pink Peonies
“Ultimately, women can have it all, but they need to loop others in along the way.” âArielle Patrick, Edelman
“Networking mostly just means being nice. There’s an assumption that when you’re fresh into your career, networking is inherently opportunistic, but my best connections come from striking up normal conversations with people who are in my industry and becoming real friends with them.” âKatie Becker, Coveteur
“You should also have a network of other women (and men) that will support you on your journey. Don’t try to go it alone.” âDr. Christyl Johnson, NASA
“Be the person you want your children to have as a role model. Listen to what people say, as well as what they arenât saying. Be confident, honest and kind.” âLiz Dee, Sarah Dee, and Jessica Dee Sawyer, Smarties Candy Company
“Donât compare their highlight reel to your day-to-day. The reality is, you have no idea how they got there or what struggles they faced on their journey, and itâs very likely that they faced a lot. It is better to focus on what youâre doing and not what anyone else is.” âDanit Zamir and Julia Capalino, Bloomerent
“Trying everything you think you might be interested in is the fastest way to build an interesting life, which is the ultimate goal.” âMolly Ford Beck, Author, Consultant, and Blogger
“Keep your eyes, mind and heart open to new learning opportunities. Donât be too siloed.” âAlexia Brue and Melisse Gelula, Well+Good
“Remember: No ‘thing’ can generate happiness. No goal met or accomplishment checked off the list can provide true fulfillment. Happiness, satisfaction, and contentment are found within, which makes understanding yourself a step you canât skip or take lightly.” âKimberly Barnes, ContentPark
“Donât be afraid to take a risk in your career, whether itâs taking a new job, forging a new career path or starting your own passion project. If youâre not a little scared, youâre probably not challenging yourself to reach your full potential.” âKatrina Scott and Karena Dawn, Tone It Up
“The difference between succeeding and failing may be just in the speed you can dust off, regroup and start running again.” âSusan Tynan, Framebridge
“Take ownership of your career. No one is going to care more or know what you want better than you.” âRachel ten Brink, Scentbird and Deck of Scarlet
“Donât worry if you donât have the best idea â youâll iterate on it. Donât worry if you donât have the financial means â youâll start slowly. Donât sit on your great idea. Build it.” âMia Saini Duchnowski and Laura Lisowski Cox, Oars + Alps
“The biggest lesson is honestly to be yourself. The reason you are there is because you are different. You are original.” âLucy Sykes, Author and Fashion Designer
“Donât spend so much time looking at your neighborâs grass that you forget to water your own.” âJaclyn Johnson, Create & Cultivate
“Always have a goal and work toward it every single day. Everyone starts at the bottom and, if you have to be an assistant for a few years to someday reach your goal of becoming CEO, then be the very best assistant that the company has ever had.” âChristy Doramus, Crowns By Christy
“You have to take control over your career because no one else will do it for you.” âAlexandra Cavoulacos, The Muse
“Take in all the advice and suggestions people throw your way, but in the end, listen to your gut. No one else is in your shoes or has the sum total of experiences you have, so you need to make the decision that is best for you.” âRachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping
“My goal is for my site to be a destination for anyone who entertains, loves their home, and appreciates beautiful things!” âAmanda Gluck, Fashionable Hostess
“Recognize that you’re the only person standing in your way, and the faster you can stop listening to the little voice that says you can’t do it, the faster you’ll start really living! You’ll be surprised the doors that open when you trust yourself and put in the work to get there.” âJulia Gudish Krieger, VillageLuxe
“Itâs a tough job to be a modern woman: Professional and family responsibilities can be overwhelming sometimes! Take care of yourself.” âEvgeniya Khromina, Panah
“You have to keep challenging yourself, creating more work for yourself, looking toward what’s next and continuously setting higher and higher goals for yourself and your company as a whole. And the basis for all of this is passionâif youâre not passionate about what youâre doing, it will be significantly harder to succeed at it.” âStephanie Kaplan, Her Campus
“There are a lot of things that we’d like to see happen – whether for our own careers, for others, or in our personal lives, and we spend a lot of time and energy scheming to make them happen, rather than just ask for them directly from those who have the authority to act. It’s super scary! But immensely rewarding.” âEllyn Canfield, The NYC Mayorâs Office
“The lesson for everyone is this: Your story is worth it and there will always be people who will be willing to listen without judgment the whole way through.” âEmily Belden, Author
“Observe how much time you spend judging yourself and others. Note that itâs a total and complete energy suck and if you can work on it, youâll have so much more emotional bandwidth to do positive things. Also, work on giving less f*cks.” âClaire Wasserman, Ladies Get Paid
“Itâs important to remember that itâs as much about the journey as where you plan on ending up. Time is going to pass anyway, might as well work on something youâre excited about. Donât let perfection stop your progress.” âReese Evans, Yes Supply Co.
“Donât write an entire career or industry off just because you think you wonât fit in or donât see others there already that resemble you. In fact, those are the places where your voice is needed most.” âLaurence Bradford, Learn to Code With Me and Teachable
“You’re only as strong as you let yourself beâknowing your worth internally will help you exude that confidence externally too.” âEmily Drewry, Forbes
“Be confident in what you do well, but adaptable about how you do it. I felt a lot of pressure in my early twenties to be all things to all peopleâespecially employers. Experience has made me more self-assured about what I excel at and more honest about what I suck at.” âLauren Maffeo, Get App and Journalist
“When youâre the highest possible expression of yourself, all the right opportunities and people will be drawn onto your path.” âMaxie McCoy, Writer and Speaker
“Find your own way and stop listening to others dictate what’s best for you and your business.” âJenny Dorsey, Wednesdays NYC and Jenny Dorsey Consulting
“Take the path of least regret. I always say that we regret the things we donât do more than the things that we do. When in doubt, take the leap and if it doesnât work out move forward.” âAmanda Freeman, SLT
“Once I decided to let go of every comfort, excuse and shred of doubt is when the miracles started to happen. I took a chance on myself and my dreams and every day I see miracles happen that push me forward. Choosing to believe whole-heartedly in yourself is the best advice I can give.” âLillian Garcia, The Way U
“Do what makes you happy. Donât get caught up in the societal pressure of whatâs going on around you â just do what makes you happy and makes you feel good. With all that joy and confidence, the rest will fall into place!” âAgathe Assouline-Lichten, Red Velvet NYC
“I wish I knew that it’s ok to not know exactly what you what to do right out of the gate. Sometimes you know exactly where you want to be, but it’s also completely alright to fall into it. Keep your eyes open and find your passion.” âShannon Maguire, Comedy Central
“Even if there is failure, we will all learn from it and then grow from it.” âRachel Piskin, ChaiseFitness
“We can do anything we want, the trick is, itâs usually waiting for us just beyond our comfort zone.” âJulia Pimsleur, Million Dollar Women
My Favorite Career Profile Quotes From 2016:
âWomen tend to be helpers, which means we often put the needs of others ahead of ourselves. Sometimes your needs, goals, and accomplishments should take center stage.â âSarah Soden, Childrenâs Mercy Hospital Kansas City
âAnything is possible with hard work. I really do believe that anything can be accomplished with hard work and never taking the easy road.â âMaggie Lord, Rustic Wedding Chic
âPassion, resilience, and determination. Being an entrepreneur will force you to make a lot of tough choices that a more typical career path wonât have you face. If you donât have those three things, it will be hard to take those leaps.â âAnnie Shafran, Bellgray
âYou can be or do anything you want. Whether or not itâs 100% true, doesnât matter. My dad always told me that my whole life, so I believed it. It powered me through a lot.â âLeah Ginsberg, Forbes
âItâs a group you call your squad. Itâs the people who support you, who advise you, who lift you up when you need it, your unconditional professional support system, your girl gang.â âJessica Bennett, Feminist Fight Club
âIf you are in a position of privilege and power and have a voice that can be heard, use it to help bring others up.â âMeredith Walker, Amy Poehlerâs Smart Girls
âBelieve in what you set out to do. Follow your north star.â âBrit Morin, Brit + Co
âA support system is crucial â one cannot move mountains alone.â âClaudia Mason, model and author
âDo what makes you happy and what brings you the most joy because likely, thatâs what youâll be best at.â âLucie Fink, Refinery29
âIf youâre ever going to commit to doing something, youâd better give it your all.â âLiz Wessel, WayUp
âWork hard, donât cut corners and be nice to those around you.â âJohanna Lanus, Work With Balance
âThe answer is always within you just surround yourself with great people who will ask you great and challenging questions.â âMaja Svensson, Elsa and Me
âBe extraordinary.â âCallie Schweitzer, Time Inc.
âPush past your comfort zone in all facets of life: emotionally, physically and mentally. Youâre usually capable of more than meets the eye if you really believe in what you set your mind to.â âAli Martillotta, BRANDSTYLE Communications
âIf you truly believe in something, you will find a way to teach yourself the necessary skills to get the job done. Action is better than inaction.â âJenna Tanenbaum, GreenBlender
âAlways be true to yourself. At the end of the day, you have to go home to yourself. You have to be with yourself. So make sure what you do is representative of who you are and that you feel comfortable to stand behind your work.â âKathryn Finney, digitalundivided
âMy profession brings out my adventurous side, forces me to leave my comfort zone, and exposes me to worlds I would have never otherwise discovered.â âSuzannah Weiss, Freelance Writer
âThe best job is one that combines your personal interests with your professional interests. Once you find a profession and job you love, stick to it!â âJessica Pollack, Crunch Gym
âSo my advice is basically you do you! Know yourself, trust your gut, and have the determination to make your dreams a reality.â âMonica Gray, DreamWakers
âAlways set goals for yourself. How can you accomplish great things if you donât know what they are?â  âAmanda Galvin, LinkedIn
âI have a general rule of thumb to say âyesâ more than I say ânoâ to new opportunities and challenges â and that has guided me.â âTracy Brower, Mars Drinks
âBe passionate about your career and it will never feel like work.â âLisa Ronis, Lisa Ronis Matchmaking
âFind great mentors and maintain those relationships vigorously.â âAlyssa Rapp, AJR Ventures
âYou know yourself better than you think you do, and if you trust your instincts and follow your gut, youâll end up in the right place.â âCarolyn Stine, Club Monaco
âTrust your intuition, your instinct, and find the joy in a few leaps-of-faith along the way. Thatâs where the magic happens.â âElizabeth Lane, quarterlane
âDonât be afraid of making mistakes. I used to associate mistakes with failure rather than learning something. I was really hard on myself early in my career.â âClaire Cook, Girls Who Code
âSometimes if we just sit with ourselves in the discomfort and let it move through us instead of acting out or responding right away, we start to feel empowered instead of powerless.â âEllie Burrows, MNDFL Meditation
âBe honest with yourself. Respect yourself. Listen to that small, still voice that tells you try something new, to push forward, not to give up. Lifeâs too short to live with regrets.â âDr. Melanie Ross Mills, Therapist
âYou only get what you ask for, so find out what you need to be happy, and get after it.â âKate Gremillion, Mavenly + Co.
âFind three hobbies you love: one that could make you money, one to keep you in shape, and one to be creative.â âTracy Dungo, Kalaki Riot
âDonât be afraid to make mistakes and ask for help. Starting out, I thought I had to have it all figured out, otherwise no one would take me seriously. However, being humble and asking for help goes a long way.ââMeika Hollender, Sustain
âLearning to live comfortably in the unknown was at first a challenge but is now a mindset that is filled with rewards.â âOlivia Fay, Rallier
âSurround yourself with other like-minded woman who motivate and inspire you.â âAlison Chace, Pink Wisdom
âThereâs two women you should connect with at every job: one woman you look up to, and one woman who looks up to you.â âCaitlin Abber, Womenâs Health
âLook forward, not backward â and donât stress over trying to control things you have no control over.â âDeanne Kaczerski, InStyle
âDonât be afraid to fail and donât hide your failures. Your life will be a series of failures, learn from them and become braver by them.â âReshma Saujani, Girls Who Code
âProgress, not perfection.â âBigi Sann, Bandier
âTrust your potential. Visualize where you want to be, and map out what you think it will take for you to get there â and you will.â âParis Rouzati, About.me
âTrust yourself. Usually youâre the one who has the answer.â âNicole Ross, USA Fencing
âPeople care about action, not talk. If you can deliver, youâre golden.â âPinsi Lei, Pinsi Lei Creative
âDonât just let life happen to you. Be able to visualize what you want.â âLucy Kaylin, O, The Oprah Magazine
âKeep going. If you love writing â and I believe that you must â keep plugging away. There will be tough days, days where you donât write a word, but sitting down to face the blank page or screen, is such an important part of the process. Consistency is half the battle.â âAidan Donnelley Rowley, Novelist
âI think itâs important to be open minded. You might not land that dream job right away, but it doesnât mean that each step along the way isnât going to teach you a few important lessons. Everyone has to start somewhere.â âDani Martinson, StyleWatch
âTrust yourself and know you are exactly where you need to be today. I have a racing mind, so itâs important for me to remember I have to be patient and persistent and take care of myself during the process.â âKatie Corcoran, Lifestyle Coach and Author
âWork hard! Be persistent. Keep pushing. Never give in â and never give up. Hard work always pays off. There are no short cuts. You must pay your dues. It is also very important to figure out what you love so you can be truly happy in your professional life. I never know what the time is â if you never know what time it is during your workday, it means you truly love what you do.â âKris Ciulla, CINER
âAlways raise your hand for things. I honestly canât remember who told me this, which is terrible, but itâs really become my professional philosophy. No one is going to give you an opportunity you donât ask for, so be proactive and persistent.â âMacaela Mackenzie, Ketchum
âNo matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.â Itâs so true â no matter what industry youâre in, you never, ever forget when someoneâs been nice to you. Kindness goes a long way. Also, Iâm a full advocate of âshaking it offâ â the stress, the self-doubt, the second-guessing oneself â on a regular basis.â âElana Fishman, StyleWatch
My Favorite Career Profiles From 2015:
âDonât be scared to do it alone (as daunting as it is to attend networking events or something on your own). I highly recommend putting yourself in those uncomfortable situations for those are the experiences that challenge you and offer you the most reward.â âEmily Merrell, INTERMIX and City Society
âGet out there and make it happen! Something Iâve learned over the years is that you need to look out for yourself and make yourself heard. You want a promotion or raise? You need to pitch yourself and not be afraid to ask for what you want, otherwise how will anyone know you even want it? Donât hold yourself back, be brave and speak up.â âAmanda Shapin, Cosmopolitanand Seventeen
âNothing is ever as scary as you think it is.â âJordana Kier and Alexandra Friedman, LOLA
âAccept that thereâs no such thing as balance. Some days youâre going to be awesome at one thing and other days youâll be awesome at something else. Follow your heart. Different decisions are right for different people. Do what makes you happy and those around you will also be happy.â âKari Saitowitz, The Fhitting Room
âDonât let fear get in the wayâyou are largely only limited by your own mind.â âJane Mosbacher Morris, To The Market
âWayne Gretzky once said, âYou miss 100% of the shots you donât take.â While Iâm sure he meant it as a hockey metaphor, heâs absolutely right. If you donât make the attempt, youâll certainly fail. If you try, sure, thereâs a chance you might fail. But you could also succeed. Hard work and determination go a long way. Besides, who wants to live life with regrets?â âMarissa Driscoll, The Girl Scouts of the USA
âBe the first one in and the last to leave. I know thatâs hard, but before the hubby, house and childrenâif you really want a career, not just a jobâyour twenties are the time for hustle. Zero in on successful people in your field and absorb everything you can from them. Attend their seminars, read their research, overhear the way they converse. Do two things as much as you canâtravel cheaply and save as much of your hard earned dough as possible.â âKate Westervelt, Wayfair
âDonât be afraid to ask. Whether you are asking for an assignment on a project, a raise, or a promotion you always have to ask. I learned early on in my career that if you donât ask, you generally wonât receive. Itâs rare to find a manager who is always ahead of the curve in advocating for you, so you need to speak up and advocate for yourself (of course, you must also present the âwhyâ but thatâs the easy part). This also applies to so many other situations in life and we may miss out on opportunities if we fail to ask the key questions. How will you know if you can get better pricing on a deal if you didnât ask? How will you know whatâs on someoneâs mind if you didnât ask? You may not always get the answer you want, but at least you can walk away from every situation feeling like no stone was unturned and you did your absolute best to get what you needed.â âChelsea Kocis, SWERVE
âSo what I learned is, you need to blog for the love of what youâre writing about and stay focused on that. As much as possible, try not to worry about things like pageviews, feedback, comparing yourself to others, growth or lack thereof, etc. If you feel burned out, take a break! But donât have the attitude of all or nothing like I did.â âJackie Clair, York Avenue and Operating Room Nurse
âThe most important thing you can be is determined. Passion gets you started: Determination gets you over the goal line.â âAlesya Opelt, Alesya Bags
âThe best piece of advice that I have received is to âtap into your intuition and learn to listen to it.â Itâs the best guiding principle for my life both personally and professionally. Iâve learned, and Iâm continually learning, to avoid distractions because of my intuition.â âTiannia Barnes, Tiannia Barnes
âI believe our thoughts are self-fulfilling prophecies. Pessimistic thoughts become negative feelings and translate to negative actions, even subconsciously. I love the notion that if we believe great things are coming our way, theyâre already half way there.â âSamantha Emrich, Ketchum and Catching Dragonfly
âThat itâs okay to fail. I was so scared of making mistakes that it kept me from taking on bigger projects and opportunities to grow. I stayed small so I could master the tasks I was doing. Since starting my business, my relationship with failure has been redefined. Iâm failing all the time and have realized that failure is just a milestone in the process towards success. If I had known and lived that early on, my experience starting my career would have been very different.â âAshley Feinstein, Knowing Your Worth
âAs much as you want to have all the answers and have it all figured out, there are things youâll wish you did differently, but things really do have a way of working out as they are meant to, try not to worry so much.â âCaroline Shifflett, Tory Burch
âI think the most important thing young professional women can do is respect one another. It is incredibly frustrating to see the lack of respect or the way women talk down to other women. We have to set a good example for our future daughters and other young female professionals and raise each other up!â âAmanda Keegan, Good Morning America
âLuck is something thatâs truly found at the intersection of preparation and opportunity.â âRhonesha Byng, Her Agenda
âIâm not sure who said it, but I love this one: âAmazing people do not just happen.ââ âEvann Clingan, 360i and Evan Clingan
âComparing yourself and your career to those around you is an easy trap to fall into, especially when you live in NYC. You are surrounded by some of the brightest, most driven people in the world. Let that energy be a source of inspiration and motivation rather than comparison. Everyoneâs career is their own journey and there is no one definition of success.â âAlexandra Moncure, Financial Times
âWork hard. Pay attention. Ask questions. Listen.â âBridie Clark Loverro, Andra Newman, and Betsy OâReilly, Quad Jobs
âIâve kept the same quote taped to my computer monitor for the last 3 years. The quote is by Maya Angelou and reads, âThe question is not how to survive, but how to thrive with passion, compassion, humor, and style.â I love this mantra for two reasons. Firstly, I think itâs both the most unusual and spot-on choice of words Iâve ever heard: passion, compassion, humor, and style. We can all only hope to embody those traits daily. (Right now, Iâm shooting for just one day of the week.) And secondly, I never want to consider myself just âsurviving.â That breaks my heart. Whether professionally or personally, this mantra is a good reminder that if Iâm not in a place, position, or relationship where Iâm thriving, itâs time to make a change.â âCarly Potock, Google
âYou are smarter than you know and more capable than you feel. Remember that; then just start.â âJenna Arak, Jenna Arak Modern Day Storyteller
âI feel like itâs kind of weird to be giving advice when I havenât graduated yet, but hereâs the advice a guy gave me last week when he accidentally thought I was a college senior and started spewing all sorts of wisdom: âEmbrace the panic, and enjoy the ride.ââ âLily Herman, The Prospect
âThe best advice I was given and would give other entrepreneurs is that a âno,â doesnât really mean a âno,â it just means you have to be persistent and stick with it until you get a âyes.â Also, entrepreneurship is all about being able to take calculated risks, you have to approach it with a sense of adventure and not be bogged down by fear of failure. You canât worry about failure too much because every failure you can eventually turn into a success. To get ahead, you have to be able to jump in.â âAgnieszka Burnett, Nomaterra
âStay focused on you, and not what anyone else is doing. Donât compare yourselves to others. Strive for greatness; be polite yet bold. If all of a sudden you want to take your career in another direction, DO IT. Itâs never too late to just start all over. I switched the direction of my career after two years, anything is possible.â âMicaela English, Town and Country
âBe proactive. Donât only do what youâre told. Find a better process or develop a new program that will help you stand out and be remembered.â âTracey Skaler, Seventeen
âMy dad once told me: âNo one else knows what theyâre doing, either.â So many womenâmyself includedâhave this tendency to assume that everyone else has it all together, that weâre the only ones who are second-guessing ourselves. And it couldnât be further from the truth. You learn specific skills over time, of course, but then life throws you into a completely different arena where those skills arenât even applicable anymore. Weâre all getting knocked down and crawling back to our feet over and overâŠbut we only see our own stumbles.â âJulie Schechter, FitBallet
âBe curious, ask questions when you have them, and set goals for yourself in all areas of your life. Also, be flexible. It is good to have a routine that works for you but it is also important to be spontaneous. That is how you meet new people and expose yourself. I think that some of the greatest moments are those that happen unexpectedly.â âMadeleine Casella, The Museum of Modern Art
âIf you are on the right road, keep your head down, do good work, and press forward. Youâll get there little by little every day â and speak up when youâre ready for more responsibility!ââMeagan Hooper, bSmart Guide
âI loved the part in Sheryl Sandbergâs Lean In when she writes about the best question an interviewee has ever asked her. The person she was interviewing asked, âWhat is the companyâs biggest problem and what can I do to solve it?â I think as you are networking, that is the most important question that you can possibly ask anyone. Not only is it a good question, you are essentially asking what that person really needs, but you are also asking what can you do to help, and people really do remember that, especially when you follow-through.â âKatie Schloss, Three Jane
âDonât be afraid of hard work and always say yes. The early years of your career are critical for growth â work hard, always be willing to help out and donât be afraid to speak up â especially when you have an idea!â âCait Weingartner, Pretty and Fun
âIâve always been inspired by this quote by Diane Von Furstenberg: âI didnât always know what I wanted to do, but I always knew the woman I wanted to be.â Becoming a Lovely It Girl is all about embracing who you are and letting go of who you think you should be.â âMichela Aramini, SELF and The Lovely It Girl
âFar too often we are hesitant to firmly answer a question if we are only 90% sure of an answer or caveat our opinions with phrases such as âI think,â even when we are 100% sure. We know a lot and need to be better at touting our knowledge and opinions with confidence, but itâs not an easy thing to change overnight. Paying attention every time you start a sentence with âI thinkâ or âI feelâ is a great place to start.â âDorie Golkin Smith and Emelyn Northway, Of Mercer
âChange is good: Embrace it and go for the flowâbut set definitive goals for yourself, and fight for the thing you want. Also: Negotiate your salary. Always. You owe it to yourself, and to women everywhere.â âElizabeth Kiefer, Refinery 29
âWhatever you do, be true to yourself. Authenticity is #1. My best friend always reminds me of this. You cannot break down boundaries without being yourself! This goes for brandingâŠand everything else in life, really.â âJessy Dover, Dagne Dover
âBeing genuinely nice goes a really long way. This industry is so small. People donât forget that you had a positive attitude during a rough close, or you were kind enough to forward that pitch, or return a publicistâs email, even when the answer is no. People want to work with people who are pleasant to be around and your attitude is a big indicator of future success.â âAbbe Wright, Glamour
âLife is short and my parents always said, work hard, stay open and follow your passion because you never know where youâll end up. I have to say, starting a business from nothing and growing it every year and the challenges you face and running it day to day â Iâve never learned more or been happier.â âJeannette Yudes, Peyton and Clark
âWhen running a business itâs important to be fair, firm and compassionate. I try to live up to that daily. I also am a firm believer in breaking out of your comfort zones.â âStephanie Middleburg, Middleburg Nutrition
âJust remember, itâs not a straight and narrow path â there are ups and downs and twists and turns. Donât hold on too tightly to any expectations about how you think your career is going to go, because youâre in for some fun surprises!â âDana Gereboff and Brooke Polson, Love Detailed
âBe yourself. At this time in our life, itâs so easy to compare yourself to other young women and feel inadequate. You are on your own path at your own pace. Be happy with your experience, and if you arenât happy, make a change.â âDanielle Leach, Search Solution Group
âWork hard and be nice to people. You never know who is going to help you out later down the road or notice that extra three hours you put in one night to organize all of the photographs in the runway show look books. Being humble and grateful is always a plus, too.â âKaitlyn Sullivan, W Magazine
âDonât feel pressured to always be âcreativeâ and âon.â Sometimes the best ideas come when you least expect itâjust always work on being the best worker with the strengths you have.â âElizabeth Didora, Real Simple
âThe first is to be patient. I still struggle with that â but if you work hard, ask questions and are eager to learn, things will happen. Second, forget comparison. By comparing yourself to anyone else youâre wasting time â time that you could spend investing in yourself, your career, and developing the skills you need to realize the hopes and dreams for your career.â âLauren Pruner, Weber Shandwick and PR Blonde
âSavor the small accomplishments: When you have a big dream, it can be easy to beat yourself up for not âbeing where you want to be.â Be proud of yourself for everything you accomplish here and now. Your dream will only continue to get bigger as you grow more and more.â âSamantha Cooper, Trend Tribe
âI try to stand up for millennials as much as I can because I really like our generation. I think we are hardworking. I think we are optimistic. I like that we donât accept doing things the same way because âthatâs how itâs always been doneâ. I guess my advice would be to just keep going, keep making things, keep chasing things make you happy.â âAmanda Greeley, Tink + Tiger
âThere will be storms to weather, there will be struggles, there will be great rewards and great disappointments. When you are at your lowest point, you will still need to be able to say, âThis is worth it. I am strong enough for this. This is what I am meant to do.â I know it sounds a bit depressing, but it has been the most meaningful, motivational, and hopeful piece of advice I have ever been given. Itâs helped me immensely over the last few years.â âKatherine Feiner, Katherine Feiner
âBlissful ignorance is kind of a gift when youâre starting out in any career. When youâre fueled by passion and not by information, you barely notice the late nights in the office, coffee runs in the rain, or early morning meetings. Itâs much more fun to learn it all as you experience it.â âEllie Somerville McNevin, Gray & Co.
âIf you find that you are the smartest person in the room â leave the room. You always want to be surrounding yourself with people who will make you better than you were the day before.â âShala Burroughs, CloudPeeps
My Favorite Career Profile Quotes From 2014:
âMy mom always says, âYou catch more flies with honey.â Meaning, more opportunities come if you are sweet in your personal interactions. I would also say you are happier if you are kinder to others. Basically: always be nice â at work, in relationships, and to yourself. Canât go wrong with that plan!â âMolly Ford, Hearst and Pretty, Smart, and Awkward
âDonât be afraid to take a risk, especially at this time in your life. Donât be afraid of taking a chance on a job, or country, or other experience that doesnât follow a traditional path. In my experience, taking a chance on the unexpected leads to great results. Also, take advantage of this time to develop that hobby or learn that language that you never had time to take on during collegeâthis is a time for growth, so take advantage.â âCourtney Joline, Consultant
âRead The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman and just trust yourself. Surround yourself with positive, talented and like-minded young women. I rely on an inner circle of close friends for professional conundrums and advice all the time. We are constantly a sounding board for each other.â âCourtney Grace Peterson, Logic and Grace
âYouâre not going to be good at some things. Get help in those areas, and kick ass where you can.â âNathalie Vaandrager, Sloane Stationery
âMy advice to other young professional women is to take full advantage of opportunities that are presented to you. Many times we turn down an opportunity because we fail to see how it directly correlates with our long-term goal but many opportunities can be leveraged to be useful. Granted although not every opportunity may be worthwhile, the ones that are can truly help you get closer to your goal or dream.â âBrittany Lo, Beautini by B.Lo
âWithout great risk, there would be no great reward. If you have a dream that seems wild, but you really believe in it with your heart, go with it and donât stop. There will always be those that doubt you, the pressures of society and your parentsâ expectations â but let it go for now. Accept the fact that you will have bad moments. Iâm talking days with no sales, weeks when everything goes wrong, website crashes, and people who just slam the door in your face. These mistakes wonât kill you, in fact, they build character and one day (in the not so distant future) youâll be laughing about it. The world needs more people who take risks â be one of them!â âErin Zaikis, Sundara
âThis is the time to take a chance. If you are looking for a change of pace or career, go for it! Shadow people, look into online courses in different fields, travel, volunteer, etc! Itâs going to be harder in the future to take those chances, those risks, so take them now!â âSamantha McLean, IREX and The Peace Corps.
ââQuit early and quit often.â One of my professors in business school gave a great speech about having the courage to quit a job or a career path that you donât enjoy. Growing up weâre taught to keep working hard at something, even if we donât enjoy it, because âitâs good for usâ or because maybe one day it will bring happiness. Donât wait for that day to arrive â have the courage to take a chance and forge your own future.â âKatherine Contag, Color Clutch and BaubleBar
âJust do it. Thereâll never be a perfect time to start a business or launch a blog or do what youâve always dreamed of doing. Youâre only going to get busier and have more commitments. And, more importantly, do it before youâre ready. I do so many things without being readyâand while it may not be the best way to get stuff started, youâre never going to be 100% ready and prepared. Donât say no to good opportunities. And, put yourself out there. Email that potential mentor. Reach out to your favorite blogger. Tweet to someone you admire. The worst thing that can happen is that you either wonât hear back or theyâll say no. Itâs okâsomeone will eventually say yes. But you have to put yourself out there first.â âSierra Barter, The Lady Project
âThink big. And when people tell you it isnât possible, think even bigger. Keep the end goal in mind at all times.â âEmily Raleigh, The Smart Girls Group
âThis is unrelated to blogging, but the best advice Iâve ever received was from Dad. I was in a sour longterm relationship at the time, and pretty miserable. I felt stuck. He told me that the most important choice Iâll ever make is choosing who to spend my life with, and that I should put great thought into the decision. That really stuck with me. Iâm convinced that his words are the reason I finally built up the courage to change my situation, and the reason I ended up with the love of my life. (Sorryâso mushy!)â âKelly Larkin, Kelly in the City
âNo one is going to hand you anything! You have to be brave enough to ask for it. And then you have to be prepared to explain why youâre the ideal candidate or employee for that role or responsibility. I think young people too often think that opportunities will be handed to them, or that theyâll eventually get recognized or rewarded for their hard workâŠwhen in reality, people are too busy with their own jobs to really notice! You really do have to be your own best advocate in order to get what you want in your career.â âMeaghan OâConnor, Seventeen
âThat one will strike out more than theyâll land something (especially in New York). A hundred rejections, one âyes.â But the âyesâ is always worth waiting for.â âAmy Stone, The Gap
âTheodore Roosevelt said, âComparison is the thief of joy.â It is so easy to compare yourself to others and instantly feel inadequate or like youâre not measuring up, especially in the age of posting every new purchase, apartment, meal, and vacation to social media. When you feel yourself starting to do that, snap out of it. Remember that everyoneâs life experience and career is different, and what is fitting for your best friend might not be the same for you. Lately, Iâve seen a quote by Dita Von Teese floating around the blogosphere and Pinterest that says, âYou can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and thereâs still going to be somebody who hates peaches.â I think itâs such a great reminder that you canât please everyone all the time, but should strive to do work hard, do your best, and treat others with respect and graciousness.â âJennifer Taylor, Jack Rogers USA
âFigure out a way to differentiate yourself. Whether its through your education, past internships, or unique skillset, show companies why you are uniquely qualified to do the work. If there is a skill you donât have that keeps popping up as a requirement of jobs you are looking at, go out and get it. There are so many cheap and easy ways to learn new skills and programs, and thereâs always room to be a better candidate. I also believe itâs important to show off your work ethic during the job search process.â âJamie Petkanics, The Prepary
âBe true to yourself. Be a good friend to your friends. Make your parents proud. Work hard but find time to live your life. Take chances!â âMackenzie Horan, Design Darling
âMy advice to new bloggers is boring and obvious but BE AUTHENTIC. There are so many bloggers out there now and I find half of them copying each otherâs styles, designs, and even writing. People will want to look at your blog for you so own that.â âJulia Dzafic, Nourish Snacks and Lemon Stripes
âSuccess doesnât happen overnight and working hard at something doesnât mean that it will actually work. Keep in mind that success takes time, and working smarter and not harder is what will take you and your brand to the next level. Lastly, you have something to offer; you are one of a kind and thatâs what makes you different. Your best asset is your âyou-ness.â âAshley Brooke, Ashley Brooke Designs
âThereâs nothing wrong with trying new things â donât feel like you are limited by your major or background. Youâre 22. If you start out in one thing and see yourself being pulled in another direction, just try it! Better to try things and get it figured out now rather than working in something that you hate for thirty years and trying to switch then, right? There is no âperfectâ job in my opinion, but I donât believe in spending every single day doing something that you absolutely hate.â âHolly Casto, Charm and Gumption
âIf youâre trying to be like someone else, youâre not being yourself. Iâm pretty sure my mom was the first to say this to me and Iâve really taken it to heart since I studied abroad in college and realized I wasnât sure what I wanted to do anymore. When you are trying to figure out what youâre interested in, itâs easy to see someone who is happy and try to emulate them. The problem is that you arenât that person and doing the same as them wonât necessarily make you perfectly content. The hard part is finding what makes you you, but once you find it you will be happier than youâve ever tried to be!â âDevon Huntly, Phi Sigma Sigma
âDonât stress, youâre not saving lives! It is so true. In New York, sometimes you forget that taking care of yourself is important and your email will be there tomorrow.â âJoanna Scholtz, Lilly Pulitzer
âThis is pretty clichĂ© advice, but donât compare yourself to what others are doing. I think itâs a trap we all fall intoâI know I do, and itâs such a waste of time.â âEvelyn Henson, Evelyn Henson
âMake sure you have a good support system. Having friends and family who believe in your cause and who will support you will really help during the long days. Weâve been very lucky to have received help from so many people.â âKim and Kristen Waeber, Kidogo Kidogo