The most common career advice for young professionals is to network more. That’s not wrong. But it’s incomplete. The most common mistake I see is waiting until they feel ready.
They think they need more experience, more knowledge, more credentials before they can introduce themselves to the right people or walk through the right door. In the meantime, someone else does.
Last week, I was back at The Catholic University of America for a career panel on think tanks and policy advocacy. A sophomore asked what she could do right now to stand out as an internship applicant.
It was my favorite question of the night.
My answer was simple: show up more than everyone else.
You do not need to know everything before you start. You need to start.
A few years ago, I returned from a trip to Croatia and decided I wanted to get more involved in the Croatian American community in DC. I found out the embassy hosted cultural events. So I went. Then I went again. And again.
At one of those events, I met the Executive Director of the National Federation of Croatian Americans. I kept showing up, and eventually I was asked to join the board.
I was not a historian. I was not a scholar. I just showed up consistently and demonstrated that I cared.
The same principle applies anywhere in DC.
Sign up for the email lists of organizations you admire. These could be student clubs, professional associations, nonprofits, community groups, or alumni networks. Go to their events. Introduce yourself. These organizations host events because they want to meet people like you.
Take them up on it.
Showing up is also why I said yes to the panel last week. Giving back is a habit worth building early. The investment you make in someone else’s start tends to come back in ways you don’t expect.
Most doors are not locked.
People just don’t try the handle.