One of the biggest mistakes you can make is believing that your work will speak for itself. Your work will definitely play a big role in shaping your reputation, but that’s a process you have to actively participate in. Many people think success is the simple byproduct of being disciplined, working hard, following the rules, and doing all the right things. Surely the world will reward you for those things, right? Well, that’s only half-right. You also have to learn how to present yourself to the world in a way that makes all of those things clear.

Have you ever seen someone be misunderstood even though they were trying to say something nice? Why does that happen? It happens because being nice isn’t enough. In addition to being nice, you have to find a way to effectively communicate how you feel. If your communication skills are poor, your nice intentions will be wrongly interpreted or simply overlooked. The same is true of your intelligence and integrity as an aspiring young professional. Being a great worker is a lot like being a nice person. It matters, but it won’t mean very much to other people unless you figure out how to tell other people.

Read Advice to Ambitious Young People: Just Build Something!

Read Start Building Your Digital Brand, Now

Read Build A Better Signal

• Create an “About Me” page. Tell us who you are, what you’re passionate about, what makes you unique, what you want out of life, what you’re learning, and how you’re currently pursuing your goals.

1. What is the value of building things?
2. Who’s the youngest person you know that seems to be good at building things? What can you learn from them?
3. What’s the value of building things for professionals?
4. What’s the value of building things for non-professionals?
5. Is it ever possible to have a neutral presence online? Why should you care about your online image?
6. What is a signal and why does signaling matter?