Why Do I Need a Mission Statement?

In hindsight, what I found to be most challenging when networking as a student was my lack of direction.

I didn’t have an idea of who I was or what I wanted out of networking.

It wasn’t until after I began my career as an attorney did I begin to develop my personal mission statement.

A personal mission statement is a summary of your values and goals.  It could be a few sentences or a few paragraphs.  It can be a list of words or a highly detailed summation.  Your mission statement has to work for you.  It may be in a constant state of revision, but once you have an idea of your mission, you will find that networking becomes a bit more easier.  You are no longer just looking for a job, but pursuing a career that coincides with your long-term goals and values.  

Developing a mission statement is no easy task.  Here are just a few sites that I have used to develop my own mission statement:

Think Simple Now 
http://thinksimplenow.com/happiness/life-on-purpose-15-questions-to-discover-your-personal-mission/

Quintessential Careers
http://www.quintcareers.com/creating_personal_mission_statements.html

Leadership Development Institute
http://literacy.kent.edu/Oasis/Leadership/mission.htm

Leverage Your Summer Internship

By this time, you may be finishing up the last week or so of your summer internship.  You may be looking forward to packing and returning to school in just a few short weeks.

Make sure that before you pack up your desk at your summer internship you have  taken steps to leverage your summer internship to your advantage:

1) Ask your boss or supervisor about extending your internship into the fall, this is a great way to communicate your commitment and interest to the company;

2) Update your resume with your most recent job responsibilities;

3) Ask your supervisor for a written recommendation;

4) Make sure you have contact information for everyone that you worked with and worked for; and

5) Plan to follow up with your supervisor or boss every few months, this contact maintenance will come in handy as you search for a full-time position.

Mentor Magic

Finding a Mentor can work magic for your career.

Magic in the sense that if you dedicate time and work hard, you will reap success.

We’ve talked about finding a mentor here and here.

Heather Huhman of USNews, points out some great ways you can benefit from a mentor relationship here.  

While Huhman’s article is strong evidence of the value of having a mentor, be certain that you pay it forward.  

You have skills, experience and advice that you can offer by becoming a mentor.  You might be able to help a high school student searching for a college.  You might mentor an underclassman trying to figure out a major.  

Who can you offer your mentor magic too?

Not A People Person?

“I’m a people person!”  He proclaims brightly, with an eager smile.

We all know that person.  The life of the party.  The chatty conversationalist.  For someone like him or her, networking isn’t something to be feared, it’s just another conversation.

They might even look forward to attending a networking event.

But what about the rest of us?

What about the introverts among us, who still need to network for career success?

Ruth Carter offers her advice here in the Introvert’s Survival Guide.  


Are you an introvert? What do you find works for you?