Started from the Bottom: Lessons at the Entry-Level

For every young professional being at the bottom in an entry-level position could be a bit unflattering. There is always the dream of doing something more challenging to fit the degree you worked so hard for. Although you may feel like you’re not currently reaching your potential, there are some valuable lessons you can learn from that position that will last throughout your career. The Daily Muse offers lessons you can learn from this position and how to apply those lessons in your career rise:

Nothing is Beneath You
As an assistant, you’ll no doubt get stuck doing a lot of things that no one else wants to do. Whether it’s

because these tasks are boring, hard, or gross, one fact remains: You’re the one who gets to handle them. Sealing 500 envelopes? You’ll do it! Vacuuming the conference room when the cleaning guy cancels before a big meeting? No problem! Doing literally almost anything your boss asks (within reason)? Well, you kind of have to do it if you want to keep your job.

This whatever-it-takes mentality comes in handy later on in your career. For example, I’ve often had to re-do pieces multiple times because an editor changed her mind or because we decided we had to add in new information. Is this boring or frustrating? Of course. But I suck it up and do the work–because it’s part of the job.

Bonus: After being an assistant, you’ll be a lot less likely to be the co-worker that pawns all of your difficult, mind-numbing, or menial tasks off on others just because they’re “beneath you,” which will win you lots of points.

Read more at The Daily Muse …