Monday, March 11, 2013

Believe in Yourself


Suku Radia
CEO and President
Bankers Trust
My first piece of advice to any young professional who is new to Des Moines is to “believe in yourself.”  If you don’t possess self-confidence, it will show and you will impede not only your career, but you will also have difficulty becoming connected in the community.

Doing everything with the utmost integrity is a given.  Good oral and written communication skills are also as important simply because they enhance your ability both from a career and a social standpoint.  These skills will do wonders for your self-confidence.

When I think about networking and how it has affected my professional life, the first thing that comes to mind is that we live in an absolutely wonderful region of the country where senior leaders are very approachable.  I always encourage young professionals to embark on a journey of networking very early in their careers because this will open many new doors both professionally and socially.  Networking through volunteerism is one of the easiest ways to become connected.  Likewise, developing a sense of curiosity is important so you are not afraid of asking questions. Quite often, young folks are afraid there will be a void in the conversation.  You need to work hard on developing a set of questions which will ensure the conversations are more productive.

As I reflect upon my career, if I had to do just one thing over again, I would have been more selective with which organizations I became involved.  I have overdone it and I have learned the hard way.  I should have said, “no” more often.  While it is good to give back, I believe I have paid much more than my fair share of civic rent.  Fortunately, I have managed to get by on a lot less sleep than most individuals but I am not sure that is a good thing.

Young professionals have a superb opportunity of impacting the community on a number of fronts.  For example, as we think about how well Des Moines has been ranked nationally on a number of attributes; young professionals can enjoy the benefits of the following:

  • Our human services organizations are outstanding.  Those people who are in need can always use volunteer help from our young professionals and those opportunities are available every single day.  Furthermore, it feels good to be able to help those who truly need our help.
  • Our cultural and arts amenities are always looking for young blood to perpetuate their board of directors.  This is a great leadership opportunity and becoming involved with these organizations is very fulfilling.
  • Young professionals can also become involved in mentoring programs relatively early in their careers.  For example, there are organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club and Big Brothers Big Sisters which provide tremendous mentoring opportunities. 

No comments:

Post a Comment