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Campus Blog: The power of positive thinking

By Nicole Drozdiak

Business Analyst, Strategy & Operations Consulting

As young professionals making our first steps into the corporate world, there are many challenges that make it difficult to keep things in perspective. But don’t fret. With a positive attitude and an open mind, I’ve learned that I can make the most of any situation. Here are some tips on how to make any experience a good one:

Ask questions

It’s perfectly normal to not understand how things work at Deloitte. Whether you’ve been here a few weeks or a few months, the sooner you can accept that you don’t know how to approach a situation or a problem, the sooner you can find a solution.  Try looking at this as an opportunity to grow.

Take an interest

You might be faced with tasks that seem tedious, daunting and sometimes not very interesting. Try finding a way to learn something from the experience.  For example, if you have to upload a set of documents to an e-room, try reading through the documents to understand the purpose. Also, consider writing down some questions and finding ten minutes to have a quick conversation about them with your project manager. They’ll be impressed with your eager attitude and initiative.

Keep an open mind

Maybe you have an opportunity to work on a project that doesn’t fall within your area of interest or expertise. Try looking at this as a chance to step outside your comfort zone and expand your skill set.

Learn from your mistakes

Every consultant, manager and partner at Deloitte is willing to admit they have made mistakes throughout their career. Realizing that mistakes happen and learning from them helps reduce the fear of making them in the first place. Take the time to acknowledge where you went wrong and avoid making the same mistakes.

Enjoy the ride

Your first job might not be where you see yourself working for the rest of your career, which is perfectly normal. Realize that this is the time to build your network and the skills that will help you get to where you want to go.

Nicole is a graduate of Dalhousie University majoring in Finance. She is a Business Analyst for our Strategy & Operations Consulting Practice in Alberta.

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