If you find yourself daydreaming about the career you hope to have “someday” but then are reluctantly dragging your feet all the way into your part-time job, you’re making one major mistake. You aren’t making the most of your future career now! It doesn’t matter if you want to be a neurosurgeon and you’re spending weekends washing dishes. There are common skills in all jobs and careers, and taking an active approach to your work now is something you can do to prepare to slay your future career. Not sure where to start? As McDonald’s Director of Employee Business Networks, Bill Dale knows how to engage employees with personal and professional development opportunities. He gives Blavity some tips on how you can get started:
Find a mentor
Chances are someone at work has made the effort to reach out a helping hand to advise you on best practices, how to avoid any issues or what you could be doing better. Beyond thanking them for their help, it’s also beneficial to officially enlist this person as your professional mentor. “Having a mentor provides many benefits that can positively impact your professional development,” says Bill. “Increased visibility, accelerated learning, exposure to new and different work experiences and expanded professional network of support can all come as a part of developing a relationship with someone at your organization.” Develop a relationship with them so you have a sounding board for future ideas, someone to confide your business goals and questions in and more. Mentorship is an important part of professional development, and forming these relationships early, even in your first or part-time jobs, can help you to grow those social skills for future positions.
Keep your part-time job
Don’t assume that your part-time job flipping burgers or washing dishes is a throwaway gig. All jobs are important, and even more importantly, showing loyalty to a brand is a mutually beneficial situation. Your resume will benefit from having a few years at this position, and your experience will be a deeper one if you get to grow with a brand over a few years rather than barely making it past training at a handful of jobs. If you keep your part-time job from 16 until you graduate from college, just think of the relationships and experience you’ll gain in that 6-8 years, all the while preparing for your future career. There are layers of skills in every professional position, and you’ll have an opportunity to really utilize them all.
Zero in on skills you’ll need in the future
Speaking of skills, look beyond your daily tasks for the skills you can develop in your role. Beyond preparing food, are you able to work on customer service skills and teamwork with your coworkers? Does your company have extended learning programs that you can use (like McDonald’s Archways to Opportunity program)? How about planning and management as you train new employees? Really break down everything you do in your job. Don’t sell yourself short, you gain valuable communication and business skills in even the simplest tasks. Take advantage of them.
Photo: @dre0316
Trial and error
Unsure of what exactly you want to pursue down the line? That’s understandable, as there are many options out there and it can be hard to know what you love until you try it. So try it! Explore different roles within your current position when you can. And if you can’t? Ask someone who’s doing something you think you’d like to pursue, for example, you could ask your company’s social media manager if you can observe them for a day. Reach out to fellow employees with an open mind and embrace the community within your work space. Make mental notes of what you enjoy and what makes you giddy to go to work. That’s what you should pursue.
Ask to grow
It can be tough to ask for more challenging assignments at work, but the longer you work somewhere, the more time you have to prove yourself and the better relationships you’ll build with your boss and other mentors. If you want to have more opportunities dealing face-to-face with customers, ask for that. If you’d like to understand the paperwork that keeps your business going, see if you can pick up some responsibilities in that department. Communicate with the people who can connect you to your next steps.
These small changes can elevate your work experience greatly and will surely prepare you for the career you dream of. All experiences are of value, and these things will help you get the most out of every employment opportunity you have.
This post is brought to you in collaboration with McDonald’s.
