Reflections Of A Not-So-Young Professional
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.
© Can Stock Photo / focalpoint
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.
Over the past 12 years I have:
1. Found my voice.
When young and starting out, it’s easy for one to be intimidated by others who are older and have been around longer. It’s easy to struggle with staff members who are closer to in age than older colleagues. As I have experienced more, met more people, and grown older, I have found my distinct voice that is neither too timid nor too boldly out outlandish. This happy medium has allowed me a sense of calm and a building up of my confidence and trust in my abilities. Speaking of …
2. Became more confident in myself and my abilities.
In finding my voice, having new experiences, seeing success in my programs, and nurturing a network of peers and mentors, I have only grown more confident in myself, my resolve, and my abilities. It should be known, though, that I have never sought out any “yes men,” nor have I ever been afraid of failure. Only through peers who challenge me and programs that failed have I been blessed with the opportunity to try again and stand tall the next time. I encourage anyone out there to fail as much as possible and connect with those who will challenge you in an effort to be your best self.
3. Learned how to say no.
It’s important when starting off to raise your hand a lot and volunteer. With this, though, will come a day when you will have to be comfortable saying “no,” when you had said “yes” many times before. At some point, the capacity to take on more goals will shift, where you will need to spend less time involved in everything and more time involved in some things. It’s OK to say “no” to people, places, and things that don't move you forward, so long as you remember to say “yes” when it matters. Which leads me to my next point.
4. Determined my worth.
If it’s not serving me, then why am I serving it? While a selfish question in tone, remember that you have goals you are trying to achieve—a number of which are selfless in nature. So, while you seek out opportunities to be involved, always ask what you are getting in return. Are you serving groups, people, and organizations that, in turn, serve you in some way? Even the most basic and selfless act leaves you with a positive feeling. If you find yourself serving others and gaining nothing in return or only negativity and stress, then it is time to move on. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you should always be true to yourself and know your worth.
5. Found joy in the development of others.
It’s no secret that professional development is a passion of mine. Ask me sometime how I came to the parks and rec field, and I will say, despite growing up in a park and having the only part-time and professional job field I have worked in, I actually went to college to be a teacher. Admittedly, I did not finish and changed my major near the end, graduating with a general arts degree in history and political science. The story behind that is long, but the irony is that I have found myself still working closely with students of all ages, along with young professionals. My greatest joy in work is offering them opportunities to grow and succeed. Certifications in aquatics and coaching, helping people develop new programs, taking their feedback to adjust what’s currently offered, developing the Young Professionals Network for WPRA, and being a mentor in general. My dream is to develop an internship program to offer opportunities for young professionals to grow. I give back where I can, when I can, and however I can.
More Pearls Of Wisdom
I feel the above list is accurate enough regarding the major areas of growth I have experienced professionally. I will also leave a few tidbits here that I find to be just as important.
1. Keep your eye on the prize. Think long-term about your goals and actions, and don’t get bogged down by short-term challenges. Be it a person, place, or thing, remember that “minor setbacks lead to major comebacks.” It’s OK to ignore negativity in pursuit of a larger goal. Don’t let anything stop you or bring you down. Keep moving.
2. Your network is your net worth. Not just money in your bank account either. Your network speaks to your reputation as a professional. It’s important who you share your time with, and I encourage you to find other like-minded individuals both in your industry and outside who will challenge you to grow and will offer feedback with constructive criticism.
3. Keep a portfolio. A while ago, I put one together for an interview. Since then, I have kept it up, not in case I need it, but just to have as a reflection of my work. It becomes harder year after year to remember all the work I have done, and sometimes it’s easy to forget where I came from with everything happening now.
4. Keep a journal. You don’t have to write daily or even monthly if you don’t want to. I have one that covers years of my professional life. Sometimes it just helps to get my thoughts on paper and reflect on the past to give me guidance for the future. Honestly, I write in it maybe six to 10 times a year at most. Do what works for you.
5. Enjoy the journey and have fun.
Anthony Iracki is a Recreation Supervisor from the Metro Milwaukee area. He is the past chair and founder of the Wisconsin Park and Recreation Associations Young Professionals Network. When he is not working to impact change, he enjoys hiking with his dog Samson, collecting watches, and traveling. Reach him at irackiat@gmail.com, Linkedin.com/anthonyiracki, or Facebook.com/airacki.