You can go a long, long way with these two skills in your pocket

Clint Hankinson

THE LAUNDRY LIST is long and overwhelming: Earn a degree from the right school. Create a stellar resume. Move to the best city. Learn public speaking. And on and on. Experts will tell you a half a billion things you should do to build your career. While you can’t check off every box, you can be confident that a successful career won’t happen by accident. As Roman philosopher Seneca reminds us, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” So clean up your preparation strategy and focus on these two things.

1. Develop Your Skills
Pretty obvious, right? Of course you need to develop the right skills if you’re trying to advance along your current path or if you’re changing careers. The question is, how do you get those skills? Do you need to earn a formal degree, or can you teach yourself? Well, it depends—on the career you’re currently in or the one you’re interested in pursuing. It always helps to do some research by reviewing job descriptions of your targeted role posted by your preferred companies, by talking to your contacts already in that field, and by staying on top of industry career news.

While many employers are dropping the four-year degree requirement for new hires, many professions still expect an undergraduate degree. Such fields as medicine, law, and finance demand a formal education for their candidates.

But other career fields, including information technology, human resources, accounting, and education offer certification programs that can be earned in a self-paced format in the office or at home. Employers will often cover the expense of these programs for their team members intent on advancing to the next level within their company. Many programs are priced at a level reasonable enough for most individuals to build their own skills and enhance their resumes.

And thanks to the abundance of learning resources available on the Internet, most everyone has access to the tools they need to build the skills for their chosen career. Online classes, bootcamps, in-person and online workshops, as well as conferences, videos, books, and podcasts are all extremely valuable. Use them. If you’re serious about upskilling to the next level, you’ll leverage these budget-friendly resources to learn as much as you can.

Developing the right skills is critical. But it also serves only as the baseline. Skills will rarely set you above the crowd in the battle to win that new job you’re eyeing. Which leads us to the second key career ingredient…

2. Build Relationships
I know—the same old mantra: “It’s all about who you know.” Well, it kind of is. Life on Earth is essentially about people learning to relate to one another. So embrace it—it’s a skill as well. With the right perspective, you’ll find that people are fascinating. Their interests, their stories of overcoming adversity, their successes can inspire you if you’ll let them. But you have to do the work of connecting with them first.

Building valuable professional relationships is tough and takes longer than completing an online workshop—but it’s so worth the effort. You have to be intentional and approach others with the mindset of learning, discovering, and serving. For introverts, this concept may be terrifying. So take baby steps. The more you practice, the easier it gets. As an introvert myself, I’ve prioritized networking and have met some incredible people who have helped me, inspired me, and become personal friends. As I said, it’s well worth the effort. But in order to do that, you need to go where the people are, whether it’s online or in-person—and preferably in-person. That means attending conferences, workshops, and meetups.

Such events are extremely valuable ways to meet people in your industry, but your approach is critical. Don’t go with the desperate mindset of needing to convince them to hire you. Go to learn. To serve. To simply connect. Introduce yourself to the speaker after a workshop. Meet those who’re running their company booth in the exhibit hall. Listen to their professional stories and the exciting things their companies are up to. Be friendly, not demanding or pushy. You’ll build some connections that very well may turn into something significant.

Look for opportunities to volunteer at an event, to lead a session, or to give a keynote speech. The more that you can exhibit your skills and knowledge in the company of those in your field, the more career growth opportunities you’re creating for yourself.

Charities and nonprofit organizations unite people from all walks of life around a shared passion. Engaging in an organization that attracts others who share your cause can introduce you to individuals with a wide range of job roles, from new hires to CEOs. And don’t forget chambers of commerce—I love chambers of commerce! Most offer a variety of teams that you can serve on, while getting to know influential leaders in your community. For building local professional relationships, chambers of commerce are unmatched. Working together on a team gives everyone the chance to get to know and appreciate one another’s strengths and work habits. Demonstrating your skills and initiative can open the door to new career opportunities.

Another good way to meet people is through alumni associations. If you graduated from an educational institution that has an alumni office, reach out to them for resources, events, and other ways to connect with other alumni and alumnae. If they don’t offer networking opportunities in your community, take the lead and launch one. Everyone will be excited to gather and relive their memories of their school days. You’ll also meet influential people who can impact your career—and you’ll be appreciated for your leadership in bringing the group together.

Finally, LinkedIn is an incredible tool that allows you to connect with almost any professional throughout the world. Your approach of building genuine connections and serving others should continue here. If you’re quick to “sell” someone something, you won’t get far. Update your profile and begin following those in key roles within companies that you’re interested in. Be supportive and engage appropriately. We at Apprenticely have a helpful video on LinkedIn here.

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WE’RE ALL INUNDATED with the many things we’re supposed to do to build great careers. But ultimately—and simply—it comes down to growing your skills and connecting with the right people.

So keep it simple, take charge of your career, and remember…Your skills will put you in the position to seize the opportunities that your relationships bring you.
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Clint Hankinson is Marketing Director at Apprenticely.