Advice on navigating the road ahead with a sense of purpose
By Anthony Iracki
By most accounts and standards, a young professional is someone who is deemed “35 and younger.” While I will take that assessment for my own benefit (who wants to admit they’re getting older?) I will also honor what I see as a time-honored tradition among my colleagues and use my recent 35th birthday as a moment to “bow out” from this designation while remaining present in its purpose. In other words, while my age may say I am one, my reflection in the mirror, position in life, experiences, and feeling in my gut tell me otherwise. I’m not saying I’m old. I’m just saying that, when I look at the students, interns, and young adults coming into the field today, I feel more like a big brother/middle child ready to guide them through the early stages of their career instead of being in the trenches with them.
With that in mind, as the sun sets on all my discounts and scholarship opportunities, I will take a moment to share what I have learned along the way.