The Value of Short-term Mentorship
By Allison McWilliams (’95), Ph.D., Assistant VP, Mentoring and Alumni Personal & Career Development, Wake Forest University At this point you likely have heard that you need to find mentors, sponsors, and other support systems to build a successful career. In this age of boundaryless career paths, hybrid or fully remote work, uncertain economies, and […]
Categories: career planning, connections, create community, mentorship, network, own what's next, positive life habits, practice reflection, professional development, reflection, relationship-building, work strategies, year one, young professional
The Connection Crisis: Craving Friends at Work and How to Bring Back Belonging
Do you have friends at work? For many employees, the pandemic and remote work have made relationship-building with colleagues more challenging than before. Check out this article from Forbes about how to cultivate friendships at work and the positive benefits that result from these relationships.
Categories: community, connections, create community, power skills, relationship-building, skill-building, year one, young professional
Get the Feedback that You Need
Difficult conversations are hard. It’s hard to tell someone they’re not meeting your expectations, and, it can be hard to ask for and to listen to someone telling you how you aren’t quite measuring up. Of course, not all feedback conversations are critical. But frequently they are, and frequently they get caught up in messy […]
Categories: feedback, practice reflection, reflection, work strategies, year one, young professional
Navigating Year One
Navigating your first year in your first job after college can be difficult and overwhelming. The good news is: you’re not the only one who feels that way! In this LEARN with @LifeAfterWake webinar, Allison McWilliams (’95) and Katherine Laws (’20) discuss the challenges recent graduates face in their Year One and strategies for thriving […]
Categories: build a life, create community, do the work, first job, own what's next, practice reflection, professional development, relationship-building, skill-building, time management, work strategies, year one, young professional
Setting (Realistic) Expectations as a Young Professional
By Allison McWilliams (’95), Ph.D., Assistant VP, Mentoring and Alumni Personal & Career Development, Wake Forest University What does it mean to set realistic expectations as a young professional? What should you do when those expectations still don’t live up to the reality of showing up, every day, and working in this place that is […]
Categories: do the work, feedback, first job, skill-building, work strategies, year one, young professional
Scaffolding Skills for Effective Management
By Allison McWilliams (’95), Ph.D., Assistant VP, Mentoring and Alumni Personal & Career Development, Wake Forest University Beyond the actual work tasks, the product you’re churning out, and the measurable goals you and your team are working to achieve, there is a critically important role that all managers play: helping their new professionals (in particular, […]
Categories: do the work, feedback, first job, management, skill-building, year one
How Managers Can Help with Impostor Syndrome
By Allison McWilliams (’95), Ph.D., Assistant VP, Mentoring and Alumni Personal & Career Development, Wake Forest University When new employees join your organization, they have a lot to learn, right off the bat, ranging from where to park to when they are expected in the office to how to do work successfully. And, they’re navigating […]
Categories: create community, first job, management, mentorship, relationship-building, work strategies, year one, young professional
Building Relationships that Work at Work
By Allison McWilliams (’95), Ph.D., Assistant VP, Mentoring and Alumni Personal & Career Development, Wake Forest University There are few things that are more important, and more challenging, than building great relationships at work. And, as someone who is just starting out, you are probably discovering that many, if not most (if not all) of […]
Categories: create community, first job, mentorship, network, relationship-building, year one, young professional
Your Money and Your Time: Managing Life as a New Professional
By Allison McWilliams (’95), Ph.D., Assistant VP, Mentoring and Alumni Personal & Career Development, Wake Forest University There’s a lot of emphasis on work in your first year after college – what type of work you will be doing, where you will be doing it, how to get it done – but figuring out life […]
Categories: budgeting, build a life, finances, first job, time management, work-life balance, year one, young professional
Managing the New Professional: Setting Boundaries
By Allison McWilliams (’95), Ph.D., Assistant VP, Mentoring and Alumni Personal & Career Development, Wake Forest University Historically, there has been an unwritten rule that the boundaries between work and life should be clear and impermeable: you leave your life stuff at home and don’t bring it to work (though not, for some reason, vice […]
Categories: boundaries, build a life, first job, management, work-life balance, year one
