When you’ve been entrusted with helping a novice onto their feet professionally – where do you start?
Here is what comes to my mind:
- Be true to yourself and your objective
- Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer quickly
- Perfect your networking skills
- Perfect your listening skills
- Observe your competition (direct, indirect, local, interstate, worldwide)
- Keep a consistent business image
- Observe expected business etiquette when it comes to appearance and punctuality
- Know your numbers – observe your cash-flow and debtors constantly (amongst other data!)
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help when required
- Embrace technology and the changes that it brings
What about you? What were some of the things you were advised when you first started or advice you would leave to someone in hindsight?