Words by Ebraheem Al Samadi, CEO of AL Samadi Group and Forever Rose London … reports Asian Lite News.
For most of us, there is no set career path to follow. We all have to start somewhere and climbing up the career ladder can be an exciting yet intimidating journey to embark on. Whether you are fresh out of university or have decided to venture into a new field, how can you know the best way to excel right from the start? Ebraheem Al Samadi, Founder and CEO of Forever Rose London and Al Samadi Group, started his career by launching his first business at the age of 14. After successfully appealing to the Senator of Florida to fast track his high school studies, Ebraheem joined the full time workforce, working 80 hour work weeks at the age of 16. By the age of 17, he had saved enough liquid capital to invest in his first company, EHALS. Now the CEO of a retail empire worth tens of millions of USD, here he gives his tips on how to put your best foot forward to kick start your career journey.
Do the time
Many employers require candidates to have industry experience before hiring. That is great if you have been working in a chosen field for a few years, but what about those who have been studying full-time or have decided to change their career? An internship is a great way to gain valuable experience in an industry you are new to and can provide skills and understanding to move you forward on the career path. If you are fresh out of university, this is the perfect opportunity to take theory into practice and gain real world experience, setting you up for when you eventually gain full-time employment. If you are unable to engage in an internship, try your hand at freelancing – use your expertise to help your friends and peers with their work. Ultimately, practice makes perfect and the more real-life experience you have, the more appealing your CV will look to a potential employer.
Network
As they say, it is all about who you know. Building relationships is an important aspect for any career. There are a multitude of networking platforms available, both online and offline for you to get involved with. LinkedIn is a great source to meet industry experts and influential people in the business. Don’t be afraid to reach out to those currently in your dream job to ask for advice – it will provide you with valuable knowledge on how to build your career portfolio in order to one day reach their level. Meetups and industry events are also a perfect opportunity to take the time to get to know the right people. Never underestimate the power of relationships as they might be the key to your future career success.
Get Online
If you are planning to go into an industry that depends on approachability, personality, and communication, a great way to get noticed is to build a personal online platform. Whether you create your own website or are establishing your presence on LinkedIn, continually update with examples of your most recent work to showcase your potential and show industry professionals what you are capable of. No one else is going to toot your horn, so make sure you are.
Read Up
It is important to take the time to know what is happening in your industry and the world around you. Subscribe to newsletters from industry websites or publications and take notice of the current trends, issues, and the latest talking points. This will ensure that you are ahead of the game and let business professionals know that you are well informed on the current market.
Learn from mistakes
Making mistakes is inevitable but it is important to learn from them rather than dwell. At the start of your career you will of course need to grasp new skills and it is ok to take some time to ensure you hone them properly. Through the mistakes we make, we learn. If you are unsure about something, don’t hesitate to ask your boss or a fellow colleague for advice. By making mistakes you will learn to be more meticulous with your work which will essentially help you progress forward on your chosen career path.