10 Career Hacks Every 20-Something Should Know

The job world can be hard. Here are some tips to make it a little easier

1. Swim against the current.

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Go for hard things. Don't be afraid of failure. Go for your dream. Follow your heart.

2. Get some experience.

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Do an internship as a student. Don't look at school as something to get through; it is preparing you for your career. Internships give you real life experience. Plus, you'll learn if you actually want to do it for the rest of your life.

3. Make your resume awesome.

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Keep it to one page and make it stand out, but don't make it too fluffy. Employers want to know what you've done, but don't need a job description regurgitation.

4. False starts are allowed!

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Just go for it! Don't wait until the week before you graduate to start looking for a job. And keep track of who you contact and when you should follow up.

5. Take your first job for the title, not for the money.

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Entry level jobs may pay extremely well, but follow-up employers will ask what your title was, not your pay grade.

6. Don't limit yourself because of your age.

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Try never to say your age if you're young. Ageism is real.

7. Google yourself.

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Chances are your future boss will Google you before your interview. Probably best to make sure your unfortunate beer pong photos on Facebook are gone.

8. If you're the smartest in your group of friends, it might be time to reassess.

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The most successful people in the world are surrounded by intelligent people. If your friends are dumb, you might want to start looking for some new people to associate with.

9. Treat every conversation like a networking opportunity.

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Don't butter it up too much, but don't be too casual. Be your best self. And then keep in contact with them. Maybe shoot them an email once or twice a year.

10. Never be too proud to learn something.

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Be a sponge! Learn everything! Like my dad says, "Maybe if you didn't know everything, you could learn something every once in awhile."