For many firms, gone are the days of a true "open door" policy – where you could drop into your manager's office, knock on the door, and speak for five minutes. In the age of virtual video calls and meetings, these ad-hoc communications have all but disappeared. Need to speak with your manager about something quickly? Try a Slack message (which may or may not be read for a while) or schedule a virtual meeting instead.

So, how should a recent graduate approach career development?

"Something that is often overlooked with recent graduates is the need to learn professionalism. They need to understand that punctuality matters, and that working with people can be difficult," says James Philip, founder of Heavy Hitter Holdings – a portfolio of more than a dozen companies spanning executive search, human capital consulting, career services, and employer branding. "Work is often like that group project in college where two people don't pull their weight, one helps a little, and one person does all the heavy lifting. Learning to work with people in a professional setting takes time, and that process is slowed down when you're working from home."

The transition to a work-from-home environment means that while new habits will need to be formed, there are many tried-and-true aspects of professionalism that still hold.

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Focus on getting the job done

One thing that hasn't changed despite the move to a work-from-home environment is managers' emphasis on performance. In fact, without the benefit of frequent in-person touchpoints to gauge headwinds and tailwinds, managers have had to increasingly rely on key performance indicators (KPIs) to determine how successful team members are in this new environment.

Therefore, a simple and effective way to stand out and build credibility early in your career is to invest the necessary time and energy into getting really good at your job. In this new world, where productivity across organizations ebbs and flows, competence and commitment are virtues. The best part is that recent graduates, who may not have as much experience as someone with 20+ years in a field, can outshine their peers purely through effort and communication.

Kristen Fowler, Practice Lead at global executive search firm Clarke Caniff, says that recent graduates can stand out "by being extra communicative with their peers and boss and driving results. At the end of the day, you need to have the results in order to move to the next level."

"Ensure those you work with understand the work you are contributing and aren't left wondering what you are working on," she adds.

Make sure to invest in yourself

Another aspect of professionalism that hasn't changed in the work-from-home environment is the necessity to upskill, get better, and invest in one's own professional toolkit. On average, Americans save 52 minutes per day not having to commute to and from work. That works out to just under 220 hours of time, per year, that we can apply to something else in our lives. Why not apply it to our own professional development that is helpful to your workplace?

"Be very open to feedback and ask for specific advice on ways to continue building your career within the organization," says Fowler. The key is also to be direct and purposeful about asking for time from your manager. "How am I doing with X process or Y function?" is far more helpful than "how am I doing?" when asking for feedback.

"Use the time you aren't spending on a commute to expand your professional knowledge by reading books, listening to podcasts, gaining professional certifications. Any time invested early in your career is sure to pay dividends later, too."

Networking & relationship-building

With entire organizations working from home, networking and relationship building will become harder and harder. This is especially true for young professionals and recent graduates, who have not had the time to develop workplace friendships, mentors, and communication channels that they can lean on. This means that recent graduates will need to put increased time and energy into networking with team members in their departments, but also with individuals in leadership positions across their organization.

The nice thing about this is that, because it is difficult, few young professionals will put in the effort to develop these relationships. So, any effort to send introductory messages to leadership, or to schedule quick Zoom introductory calls, will go a long way in developing the capital required to stand out and climb the career ladder.

How should a recent graduate go about getting this done? Aim to send one introductory message to a leadership figure once a week. Then work on follow-up procedures so that if you don't get a response right away, you're following up and making sure your presence is felt. The goal is to set up a longer conversation where you can build rapport and a long-term professional relationship.

Kane Carpenter is the Director of Marketing for Clarke Caniff Strategic Search. In this role, Kane is responsible for driving market awareness across the entire JMJ Phillip Holdings portfolio of companies. Kane is currently pursuing an MBA degree from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, holds a bachelor's degree from Boston University, and is Google Advertising Certified.

Read more: 

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