Dear Tony,

My youngest daughter is graduating college this spring with a degree in Accounting. She has lined up a job with a public company. What advice would you give her to get her career off to a great start? -Pointers in Pittsburgh

Dear Pointers,

First things first – Congratulations!! It’s always a proud moment for parents to see their children be successful in securing their first job.

First I would advise your daughter to enroll in her companies 401k plan and contribute to the max, or at least to the amount the company matches if this is an option. Setting aside for retirement in the early years will provide benefits down the road. Put the power of compound interest in her favor.

Secondly, I would advise her to focus on the value she creates “above what she is paid for”. By creating more value than what she is paid for, she is setting herself up for being considered for future promotions, while at the same time engaging in more parts of the business than strictly her job requirements as an accountant. Creating an equal amount of value for what you are paid will not differentiate you in the future. [For more on this concept, see the book “The Go- Giver” by Burg & Mann]

The next 3 pieces of advice go together, and they are:

1) Learn the business. What is the firm really trying to do? Try to get involved in helping the firm solve or overcome big challenges. Volunteer to get on teams to learn more and meet more people. Become a lifelong learner, realizing that you never stop learning in your career.

2) Get to know the people. Start building your network immediately up, down, and across the organization. Get a mentor or trusted advisor(s) sometimes before year 5.

3) Lastly, when given an opportunity – show a little hustle! Be excited to contribute, and your positive energy will be contagious. As her career goes on, I’d recommend 3-4 jobs before reaching 15 years tenure, and hopefully getting some supervision experience between years 10-15.

One final Pro-Tip: Develop some strong boundaries and coping mechanisms to keep work / life in balance. Building these habits early will be helpful down the road as life gets more complex. Doing the above should position your daughter with the best odds of leading a successful career and a fulfilling life. -Tony

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