How to Get Key People to Take You Serious
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Money
  • Leadership
    • Career
    • Education
    • Jobs
    • Men
    • Women
  • Technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Events
    • Black Men Xcel
    • Entrepreneurs Summit
    • TechConneXt
    • Women of Power
    • American Black Film Festival
    • ABFF Honors
  • Lists
  • Magazine
  • Videos
  • TV Shows
    • Our World
    • Women of Power
25 black women who are changing the world

January/February 2018

Black Enterprise
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Money
  • Leadership
    • Career
    • Education
    • Jobs
    • Men
    • Women
  • Technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Events
    • Black Men Xcel
    • Entrepreneurs Summit
    • TechConneXt
    • Women of Power
    • American Black Film Festival
    • ABFF Honors
  • Lists
  • Magazine
  • Videos
  • TV Shows
    • Our World
    • Women of Power

Young & Promising: How to Get Key People to Take You Seriously

Antoine Moss
by  Antoine Moss
December 19, 2012
Young & Promising: How to Get Key People to Take You Seriously

(Image: Thinkstock)

As a young professional, one of the biggest frustrations you may be experiencing is your inability to get key professionals to take you seriously. A common reason for this is the power players in your industry are often overwhelmed with tons of similar requests from others. This essentially means that there’s perhaps a long line of people ahead of you.

During my early 20s, I experienced some of the same frustrations. But through some crucial trial and error, I’ve learned secrets as to how to surpass that lengthy line. To get to the front of the line you must enhance your professional visibility and credibility.

Here’s how you do it:

  • Develop strong interpersonal skills: Reading (or even skimming) books on how to strengthen your interpersonal skills will equip you with various strategies that can help you appeal to key people in a powerful manner.
  • Make power connections through your mentors: Speak with your mentors and ask them if they can introduce you to some distinguished professionals that may be of interest. This may take a little time to evolve, but you have to be patient and dedicated to making the connection.
  • Lead and host community events: Developing community events pays extremely high dividends. It demonstrates that you’re a leader who’s truly committed to making a difference in the community.
  • Become featured in the media: You can do this by sending news releases to various media outlets each time you host an event—at least 2-3 times a year. If you host enough events and write a very catchy release, the media will come.
  • Stay persistent and offer to serve: Go to community and business events that key professionals attend so they’ll begin to recognize your face as you mingle with them. You also definitely want to offer to help or volunteer for them in any way you reasonably can. For some, it takes years to strengthen relationships, but it’s well worth the wait. Trust me. Stay persistent.

Taking these actions will help you gain the visibility and credibility you need to be taken seriously. As a result, power players will know you on a first-name basis and you will officially be in their network.

Antoine Moss, Ph.D., (@2PositiveTweets) is a nationally recognized resource on internships, early career achievement, leadership and motivation. CEO and founder of CEO Style Consulting L.L.C., Moss empowers professionals and organizations to reach their full potential, and serves as speaker, workshop instructor and consultant. The author of Learn to Intern CEO Style, Moss has been a featured expert on outlets including Fox 8 TV News and George Fraser’s 2011 Power Networking Conference.

Join the Conversation


MORE ON BlackEnterprise.com
Featured Stories
‘BE The Code’ Podcast: Beauty Entrepreneur on Creating a Brand for Multicultural Women
Antoine Moss
by  Sequoia Blodgett
Education
Most Black Parents Begin Saving for College Before Their Child Is 10 Years Old
Antoine Moss
by  Robin White Goode
Featured Stories
The Richest People of All Time From Every State [Infographic]
Antoine Moss
by  Samara Lynn

BETV

TRENDING

  • Baltimore May Sell Homes for $1 to Revive Neglected…
  • Spotify is Looking for New Female Podcasters of Color
  • Meet Melissa Harville-Lebron: The First Black Woman to Own a
  • Free Money? The Top 10 Grants Available to Black, Minority…
  • 7 Top Grants Or Free Money For Black Women Entrepreneurs
  • U.S. Small Business Administration and Milken Institute…
  • 5 Books Every Millennial Entrepreneur Must Read
  • Top WNBA Salaries vs. NBA Salaries: Who Earns More? [2017…
  • Meet the Dallas Mavericks’ New CEO
  • Chance the Rapper Hosts Holiday Party to Help the Homeless
Women of Power WOMEN OF POWER SUMMIT
Entrepreneurs Summit ENTREPRENEURS SUMMIT
American Black File Festival AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL
Our World OUR WORLD WITH BLACK ENTERPRISE
Women of Power TV WOMEN OF POWER TV
25 black women who are changing the world
SUBSCRIBE
GIVE A GIFT
CUSTOMER SERVICE
  • © 2018
  • BLACK ENTERPRISE
  • Management
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Site Map
  • Masthead
  • Media Kit