Words of Wisdom: Amanda Kiefer
What have you learned since you were selected?
Community and networking play critical roles in our professional lives. Finding what drives me has helped so much in narrowing my focus and allows me to allocate time and effort toward those interactions that are truly energizing and motivating for me.
What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
I wish I had known then the power and importance of saying “no.” As a young professional, it is easy to get excited and say yes to a lot. While I encourage that early on, so that you have an opportunity to try different opportunities to find your passion, it’s also very important not to take on too much at once.
What advice would you give to aspiring young professionals?
Push yourself out of your comfort zone and try something you might not otherwise try. It might lead to an unexpected opportunity! You may find yourself in a professional role that doesn’t quite fit your plan. That’s ok. Most professional career paths are winding roads! Try to soak up as much as you can from that experience and leverage what you’ve learned for your next role.
