Josh Mackenzie
27 principles to navigate
the professional world –
and build a career, your way.
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If you’ve recently graduated or soon will, this book is for you.
The professional world is different to university, college or school. It works on completely different rules. The problem is, no-one tells you what they are.
Graduate Edge distils 27 principles you can learn and apply early in your career – packed with stories, examples, insights practical actions. Grounded in the skills the world’s leading graduate employers invest in when they train and develop their own graduates – and in real conversations with diverse, successful professionals reflecting on their early career stories and advice.
“Every graduate should read this book. It perfectly captures the challenges, questions and experiences we all face at the start of our careers, while providing practical, actionable advice to overcome them. Written in a relatable and engaging way, it’s like having a mentor and coach by your side. A career companion you’ll return to throughout your early career journey.”
Zara Hall
Graduate, Engineering
How will Graduate Edge help you?
The world continues to change and so does the professional world, organisations and jobs. And therefore so do careers. How will you know the career skills you will need? How will you learn them? How will you keep up? There are so many career skills to think about and they are changing every year.
Graduate Edge asks a different question to help you navigate the professional world.
What are the principles that sit behind all these career skills?
Graduate Edge gives you the most important principles empowering you to start your career with confidence, and making you much better able to adapt. Career skills will change at different stages of your career but these 27 principles stay the same. Principles stand the test of time and are unwavering no matter what else is changing.
Of course, understanding the right principles matters!
Keep using the principles you learned at school, university, or college and you are more likely to struggle to navigate the professional world and be left feeling confused and demotivated. Play by twenty-seven principles that explain how the professional world really works, and you are far more likely to navigate it with confidence, perform well, and build a career your way.
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principle
noun
a basic idea or rule that explains or controls how something happens or works
CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY
What is in Graduate Edge?
Chapters 1–3 are the ingredients that form your baseline
They cover principles 1-9 and are all about you. They’ve been chosen because they help you to back yourself, develop yourself, and learn more about yourself in the professional work environment.
Chapters 4–6 are the ingredients to step up a level.
They cover principles 10-18 and are about how to work with other people. They will help you to earn people’s trust, build strong relationships, and communicate with impact.
Chapters 7–9 are the ingredients that put you at the top of your game.
They cover principles 19-27 all about understanding context to help you excel. They will help you to read the room better, see the bigger picture, and play the long game.
Every chapter comes with 5 pre-made actions you can do to put the principles in to action.
Principle 19:
Every Organisation Has Unwritten Rules
Principle 20:
Energy Matters. Learn to Direct It
Principle 21:
Don’t Wait to Be Invited
Principle 22:
Understand How Your Organisation Creates Value
Principle 23:
Do the Boring Work Exceptionally Well
Principle 24:
Put Your Hand Up
Principle 25:
Focus on the Next Step, Not the Destination
Principle 26:
Resilience Is Built One Setback at a Time
Principle 27:
Skills Transfer in Ways You Can’t Predict
Principle 10:
No Surprises
Principle 11:
Become a Local, Not a Tourist
Principle 12:
Your Word Is Your Currency
Principle 13:
No One Builds a Career Alone
Principle 14:
Learn to Work Well with Different Managers
Principle 15:
Your Reputation Arrives Before You Do
Principle 16:
Get to the Main Point
Principle 17:
A Thoughtful Question Is a Great Contribution
Principle 18:
Listen for Meaning, Not Just Information
Principle 1:
The Feeling of Not Belonging Is Almost Universal
Principle 2:
Don't Try to Be Perfect
Principle 3:
They Hired You for a Reason
Principle 4:
Your Brain Is Not Fixed
Principle 5:
Treat Feedback as Fuel
Principle 6:
Own Your Part in It
Principle 7:
Discover What You Bring
Principle 8:
Your Beliefs Run the Show
Principle 9:
Don't Leave Yourself at the Door7. Read the Room
8. See the Bigger Picture
9. Play the Long Game
4. Earn Their Trust
5. Build Great Relationships
6. Communicate with Impact
1. Back Yourself
2. Develop Yourself
3. Learn About Yourself
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Josh Mackenzie has spent most of his career building and leading Development Beyond Learning (DBL), an award-winning learning and development partner to many of the world’s leading graduate employers. Josh is a passionate advocate for graduates and early career talent. Through his work he has developed a deep understanding of the early career development experience across major industries and disciplines in Australia, Asia, United Kingdom, Europe and the Americas. Josh also hosts the Graduate Edge podcast exploring the early career stories and advice of successful professionals.