How to make the most of your 20s professionally

Photo credit: thestaffingstream.com

Levo League recently published an article about how to make the most of your twenties professionally. While the article is geared toward young women, I think it could apply to all people in their twenties:

10 Ways to Make the Most of Your 20s Professionally (levo.com)

One piece of advice that the article gives is to use the time in your twenties wisely. Similar to Meg Jay, who warns us against delaying adulthood until we turn thirty, this article tells us not to waste our twenties procrastinating. Instead, we should be using our twenties to take risks — whether it’s trying new careers, starting our own businesses, or learning new skills — that build our identities.

Another tip that the article mentions is to use online tools like LinkedIn to network and build your personal brand. In last week’s post, I mentioned how young adults could use their expertise of digital technology to their advantage when they’re establishing themselves as professionals. Chelsea Krost, host of The Chelsea Krost Show, expresses a similar opinion with her advice:

Your twenties should be a time where you build your personal brand and network network network. Millennials, Digital Natives, people in their twenties today have unlimited resources at their fingertips thanks to technology. The time is now to start building a presence online, and to create a LinkedIn account. Let your twenties be a time where you create, innovate, and collaborate.

The last point that the article makes is “Don’t rush,” which sounds easy but could actually be quite difficult, especially when people your age are hitting milestones in their personal and professional lives that you haven’t reached yet. But you shouldn’t rush into a career or a relationship just to catch up with everyone else. In the words of E! News correspondent Alicia Quarles:

So many people in their 20s are in a hurry to get to where they want to be: graduated, established, promoted, in love. Your 20s are a time where it’s ok to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. Don’t be in a rush to be who you’re going to be. Just enjoy being who you are.