Career Advice for Young Adults 

Navigating the modern business world can be challenging. Learning from those who have already made the journey is invaluable.  

These indispensable career tips can help set you on the right path. Learn how to find mentorship, level up your resume, and move forward in your industry on your own terms. 

10 useful career development tips 

Whether you’re looking for a career in tech, design, or another field altogether, there’s power in tapping into insights from industry leaders. 

As part of a past  job readiness program, a group of high school interns did just that, taking part in a weeklong design camp at Intuit’s San Diego campus. They learned to apply Intuit’s Design for Delight (D4D) methodology in creative problem-solving scenarios, receiving some great career advice from Intuit VP of Design Cesar Villegas along the way.  

In addition to Villegas’ tips from our event, we’ll share more practical tips you can use to jumpstart your career. So, read on. The information in this blog just might help you reach your career goals faster. 

1. Connect with who you want to become 

Whatever you want to do in life, make friends with someone who’s already doing it. Whether you want to be a designer, copywriter, or coder, befriending someone already working in that role can fast-track your journey.  

This is not the same as networking or connecting with someone on LinkedIn. We’re talking about literally making friends with them. 

Go out of your way to meet them at in-person events, then build the relationship by doing what friends do. Schedule a get-together over coffee, go to dinner, and get to know them for who they are and not just their business persona. Villegas says, “When you hang out with people that do the things you want to do, you end up becoming more like them.”  

This puts a fresh, positive spin on the (usually pessimistic) saying, “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” When you hang out with people as friends, you can ask them questions about what they do, and you’ll usually find that they’re happy to tell you. Not only will you have a new friend, but you’ll be able to learn from them and grow as an individual. 

2. Assume good intent 

If someone does something to you that appears not to go your way, don’t assume their intentions are bad—assume good intent. For example, if you send your portfolio to a prospective employer and don’t get the response you hoped for—or get no response at all—resist the impulse to interpret it negatively. Don’t assume they didn’t like it or that you’re not good enough. More often than not, it’s not you. It’s them. Perhaps they didn’t see your email in their inbox, had a bad day, or just forgot about it.  

Cultivating this mindset takes work, but it’s worth it. Assuming good intent empowers you. It helps you keep a positive attitude versus feeling rejected, inadequate, or like a victim. And this, in turn, allows you to sustain a positive demeanor. 

3. Be solution-centric 

Another great piece of career advice is to be solution-centric. If you go to your manager, teacher, or even your parents with a problem, always come up with a solution (or solutions)—even if you’re not entirely sure what that solution is.  

Instead of saying, “I have this problem—what should I do?” try a different approach. “Hey, I have this problem. I don’t know what to do with it, but here are 3 different solutions that I think might work. What do you think?”  

If you bring problems without proposing solutions, you miss an opportunity to develop that problem-solving muscle. But if you offer solutions, your boss or teacher will appreciate you for it. Rather than expecting them to solve it, you’re working with them to solve it. You’ve already done some of the work and given them a starting point.  

This is especially important if you want a career in design. Any time you bring up a problem, always have a solution. This mindset will serve you well, no matter your aspirations. 

4. Enroll in career development programs your job has available 

Many companies offer their employees continuing education or enrichment opportunities. Talk to your manager or the human resources department where you work about your goals and what career development opportunities are available. This might include mentorship, skills training, leadership development, or tuition reimbursement programs. 

If a program that aligns with your goals doesn’t exist, speak up. Discuss it further with your manager or HR and see if anything can be done. You never know. They may be willing to work with you to launch a new workshop or cover a stipend to pursue education on your own time.  

Employers love team members who strive for more and are looking to improve. If the pathway for your improvement doesn’t exist already, maybe you can pave the way for other employees by helping carve it out yourself.  

5. Find a mentor 

Like befriending the person you want to become, finding a mentor who has already done (or is doing) what you want to do is critical to your career success. Their tips or career advice can help you jump the learning curve. 

Mentors are so powerful because they can provide more than just advice. If your mentor works at the same company as you, they can help you through tough projects and assist in networking with managers and supervisors. Your mentor can also be pivotal in your advancement by recommending you for special projects, teams, or committees within your company. 

If your company doesn’t offer a formalized mentorship program, approach coworkers or immediate managers with more experience at your company. Ask them what you can do to help them. Offering your services is a good way to foster a relationship. You might propose going to lunch or coffee routinely to strengthen and deepen the connection. 

6. Go to in-person events to expand your network 

Networking at in-person events is a more strategic form of networking that can really boost your career connections. The relationships you form at these events are immediately stronger than networking through other channels because there’s an instant human connection. 

You can use apps like Meetup to research networking events in your area. There may be events specific to your career niche or more general networking opportunities for professionals in the local community. 

So, what types of in-person events might you look for? Here are some options: 

• Industry conferences: Target conferences relevant to your field to hear from experts, stay up on trends, and connect with like-minded professionals. 
• Workshops and seminars: Look for workshops or seminars focused on specific skills or topics you want to develop. Their smaller settings can offer more focused learning and interaction. 
• Professional association meetings: Research and join relevant professional associations in your area (or larger associations with chapters in your area). Their meetings are great places to meet and network with peers. 
• Company events: Don’t overlook company-sponsored events. Team-building activities, social gatherings, or even volunteer opportunities are fantastic for building relationships with colleagues beyond your immediate team. 

It’s also helpful to have goals going into a networking event. Your goals can be simple, such as meeting 3 new people or collecting 5 business cards. Just be sure to keep track of whom you meet and follow up afterward.  

7. Learn new skills 

The job you take is more than just a job. It’s a platform for growth. It’s an opportunity to test yourself, meet new people, and, most importantly, learn new skills. 

Every job you take should be looked at as a way to advance your skillset. Once you’re hired and working in your assigned role for a while, be open-minded about the opportunities that come your way. Take on new projects, explore opportunities with new teams, or, if your lifestyle supports it, even consider relocating to a new area to help the company grow. 

These types of opportunities are chances to grow professionally and personally. Life happens fast, and you don’t want to open yourself up and experience growth through unique experiences.   

8. Hone your written and verbal communication skills 

Communication is key in all aspects of life, but especially in the corporate world. Without the ability to speak and write effectively, you can’t hold out much hope for success or career advancement. 

Fortunately, both are learnable skills. Ask managers or human resources personnel at your job if they offer any workshops in either of these areas. If not, they may be willing to pay for you to attend an in-person or online class to hone your skills. Additionally, you can do your own research for an online class you can take in your own time. You may even be able to find one that’s free or low-cost.  

9. Set goals to keep you moving forward 

Goals are your roadmap to success in your career. Without a goal or a target in place, it’s easy to get off track. There are many schools of thought on goal-setting. One of the most popular is the S.M.A.R.T. method: 

• Specific: You clearly state the goal. 
• Measurable: There’s a clear measurement for success. 
• Achievable: Your goal is realistic, given your current circumstances. 
• Relevant: The goal makes sense to you and fits your overall purpose and direction. 
• Time-based: Your goal has a specific time frame for completion. 

Let’s look at how to put S.M.A.R.T. into practice. A general goal might be something like, “I want to improve my leadership skills.” To make that a S.M.A.R.T. goal, you would turn it into something like, “I want to complete a leadership program focused on communication and delegation by December 31 of this year.” 

10. Take initiative 

One of the fastest ways to grow your career is to add value. There’s no better way to do that than taking the initiative in your workplace.  

What does that mean, exactly? One example of showing initiative could be anticipating the needs of managers and supervisors and delivering. Maybe you anticipate they will need certain data or a certain report for a special project. Work on it ahead of time, without being asked, and deliver it to them. You’ll save them tons of time and energy, and they’ll realize they can rely on you in sticky situations or when the chips are down. 

A track record of showing initiative can earn you a reputation as a go-to employee in your office. This puts you at the front of the line whenever advancement opportunities or interesting projects come up. 

Career change resume tips 

As you establish your footing in your industry, there will come a time to advance in the field or switch lanes. When that time comes, here’s some resume-specific career advice you can use to help transition over or upward:  

1. Add a resume objective or summary 

A statement at the top of your resume that quickly highlights your skills and experience could be the difference between landing or not landing your dream position. Hiring managers looking at dozens of resumes will appreciate this step, and it could help you stand out against the candidates in the rest of their pile. This statement should be short, sweet, and at the top of your resume below your contact information.   

2. Update your education and skills sections 

Your skills section should go right below your resume objective and can contain both hard and soft skills. Your soft skills section gives you the opportunity to list your transferrable skills from previous experience, while your hard skills section enables you to bridge any skills gaps. If you don’t currently possess the hard skills necessary for the job you’re after, you can use this section to show employers you’re actively working on obtaining them. 

3. Highlight courses and certifications 

Any relevant course you pass or certification you receive should be on your resume—especially if you’re changing careers. Listing these accomplishments shows prospective employers that you’re building the skills the job requires but may not have hands-on experience with yet.   

4. Include relevant projects or professional experience.  

Examine your experience and relevant projects for transferrable skills. For example, if you’re just entering the job market and working at a fast-food restaurant, you can list customer service and managerial skills from that position to help make the next step in your career.  

Our commitment to building future prosperity for students 

We’re passionate about helping students build a financial future and providing career advice to better prepare them for the real world. About 1 in 4 high school students have guaranteed access to personal finance courses, while the majority (68.8%) only have access to embedded instruction or elective coursework. This figure drops to 1 in 10 students in states that don’t mandate personal finance classes.  

The stats get even lower in underserved communities, where over 75% of high school students rely on government-subsidized lunch programs. In these scenarios, just 4.6% of high school students are guaranteed to take at least one semester of a personal finance class.  

At Intuit, we’re uniquely positioned to address this inequality and education gap through our products—TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp—and Design for Delight (D4D), our design thinking methodology to problem-solving. 

Our job readiness work focuses on three areas: finance skills, career skills such as critical thinking and collaboration, and career education that showcases career pathways through internships and mentorships. Since fiscal year 2020, we’ve helped prepare 2.5 million students for jobs, partnered with 21 school districts across nine countries, and set the goal to prepare 5 million students for jobs by fiscal year 2025. 

Learn more about starting or continuing your career at intuit — or, if you’re ready to start your career powering others’ prosperity with our amazing team, browse our current job openings.