5 Tips for Taking Initiative
[Below is a guest blog post I wrote for HigherNext. You may view the original post here.]
With today’s competitive job market, it has become crucial to differentiate yourself from the multitude of other job-hunters in your desired career field. Being a motivated self-starter proves to employers that you are able to innovate and think on your feet in today’s fast-paced business landscape.
The good news is that one of the most important skills, taking initiative, is not something with which you are born. It is something that can be developed with a little hard work and motivation.
I was always the quiet girl growing up. I was afraid to speak up and voice my opinions, let alone “start something.” Instead, I would follow what other people were doing, and was comfortable blending in with the crowd. It wasn’t until I started college that I realized that I have the potential to make great things happen.
I developed a sense of independence and self-confidence by simply being away from home and immersed in an exciting, new experience. I also discovered something else: my career goal. I realized that there are careers that would allow me to utilize my love of fashion with my interest in marketing. As a result, many of the decisions I make while in school are tailored to prepare for my “dream job.”
After creating a long-term goal to work toward, I ran into a problem: Temple University does not offer programs dedicated to preparing students for a career in the fashion industry. At a school as large as Temple, I figured there had to be some students with similar aspirations. It was then that I saw the opportunity to fill this void. This fall, I founded the Fashion and Business Club of Temple University, an organization designed to prepare students for careers in the fashion industry.
With some hard work, drive, and these five tips below, you can uncover the key to taking initiative as well.
- Discover your passion. This will make things so much easier when it comes to developing goals. While you don’t need to know exactly what you want to do after graduation, having an idea certainly helps. Start by thinking of things that interest you, and explore career paths that overlap with these passions. Be curious—check out job descriptions in fields that sound intriguing to you.
- Break free from your comfort zone. You’re going to have to do things you wouldn’t normally do. Attending networking events is a great way to step out of your comfort zone and market yourself to employers. I know it sounds cliché, but owning your sense of self-confidence goes a long way. If you believe in yourself and your ideas, chances are other people will as well.
- Get involved. Like Woody Allen said, “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” Motivate yourself to get involved in clubs and look for internships or part-time jobs. The more experience you have, the more you can boost your self-confidence, which will come in handy when you have a great idea to pitch to your future boss. Even more, if you decide you would like to be an entrepreneur, you will have insider knowledge of how to efficiently organize and run a successful organization or business.
- Set goals. Developing a long-term goal to keep in the back of your mind eases the seemingly daunting task of taking initiative. When you are passionate about your future goal, you’ll feel more motivated and inclined to make decisions that will positively impact your success. Setting small, reasonable goals are also beneficial for getting things accomplished along the way to prepare you for your dream job.
- Stay organized. You may discover that you are taking on several different projects at once, so it is important to keep your schedule organized and up to date. Additionally, keep any ideas that you may come up with in a journal or a running Word document. You never know when the opportunity may arise for you to put these ideas in motion.
College is the perfect time to develop initiative. There are so many opportunities to discover and refine your leadership skills through classes, clubs, and organizations. The key is taking that first plunge to get involved and develop your confidence. Learn as much as you can, both inside the classroom and outside, and take advantage of the opportunities offered.