6 Figures by 30: Career Navigation Guide

By Cecilyn Cayetano Hutchinson

6 Figures by 30: Career Navigation Guide is loaded with essential tools for success including how to: create a 6-figure career plan, develop a stand out resume, navigate interviews, strategize job searches, negotiate salary increases, and more.

At the beginning of her professional journey, author Cecilyn Hutchinson was far from focused on her future. Losing her only career opportunity during her senior year of college became the wake-up call that motivated her to ultimately change the course of her life. After landing her first job at 23 years old with a starting salary of $36,000, her appetite for financial success grew. She set a goal to earn 6 Figures by 30 and the rest is history.

Using the strategies highlighted iin 6 Figures by 30: Career Navigation Guide, Cecilyn earned multiple promotions, gained a 30 percent salary increase in less than two years, and achieved her $100,000 salary goal...all by the age of 30. This guide is designed to be your career GPS that will reduce detours and put your career on the fast track to six-figure success.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cecilyn Cayetano Hutchinson
• Release date: Mar 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9780998228020

Cecilyn Cayetano Hutchinson

Cecilyn Hutchinson is a millennial author, hiring manager and a motivational speaker who loves inspiring others reach their financial goals and be their best self. After learning significant lessons in her 10+ years of professional experience and going from a $36k salary at 23 years old to 6 Figures by 30, Cecilyn wrote the book 6 Figures By 30: Career Navigation Guide to help guide others through their career trajectory process. Cecilyn received her BA in accounting from Clark Atlanta University and an MBA from Mercer University. Cecilyn has held and exceeded in management positions in the supply chain field across leading industries including travel, hospitality, manufacturing, distribution and retail. She has successfully led global strategies in her positions at private and public Fortune 500 organizations and has also been on the decision making side of the interview process. Cecilyn has been featured on WATC's Babbie's House as well as the Michael and Joi Show on the Sensation Station. Cecilyn has also spoken for numerous schools and non-profit organizations.

Book preview

Dreams don't work unless you do.

~John Maxwell

«INTRODUCTION»

SLACKER TO SIX FIGURES

THEY’RE ENTITLED! They act so spoiled! They have a terrible work ethic! They expect to be the boss by the second day on the job! Can they do anything besides text? Because they surely don’t know how to effectively communicate! Who are they you ask? That group is us, millennials and Gen Zers. We so often get a bad rap, but I know the truth is we’re just misunderstood. Contrary to popular belief, we actually can work hard, we can produce great results, and we even offer a fresh perspective on the old ways of doing things. We just prefer to achieve financial success and stability sooner rather than later. Is that so wrong?

Have you ever wondered how you could make 6 figures by 30? Can you do it without an Ivy League school background or having the right connections? Have you wondered why you’re not getting calls for jobs after you’ve worked so hard to get that degree, or why your career path isn’t going the way you wanted? Have you been confused on what major or professional field to choose? If any of these questions have crossed your mind, keep reading. This is definitely the book for you.

If you’re near or over 30, but have the desire to earn a six-figure salary, this book is for you too! Personally, I achieved 6 figures by 30, but instead of 30, feel free to insert the best age that applies to you.

Before we dive into what it takes to make 6 figures by 30, let’s look at a few facts and stats you may be able to relate to.

Millennials are more likely to live with their parents than any generation since World War II. This is the actual headline from The Washington Post on May 25, 2016.

According to reporter Janell Ross, shrinking employment opportunities and decreasing wages have left a large portion of the nation’s young adult population unable to afford their own place. Others are unwilling to pay to live in the places they could afford.

According to a May 2015 piece in Money, by Kaitlin Mulhere, recent college graduates didn’t lack confidence or optimism, but many of them were surely getting reality checks as entry-level workers who were earning and staying at low wages. In 2015 College Grads May Not Be as Ready for the Workplace as They Think They Are, Mulhere also included a number of survey findings of note. I want to draw attention to a few findings that include themes that I will handily address as you read on.

1) Only 15 percent of recent college graduates thought they would earn $25,000 or less in their first job; however, almost three times as many recent graduates reported a salary at or below that level.

2) More than half of the new graduates did not think they would have trouble finding a job, even though only 12 percent actually had one lined up.

3) Among the older graduates in the survey, 49 percent said they were underemployed or were working in jobs that do not require college degrees.

These statistics obviously demonstrate that there is a serious gap between what graduates are expecting versus what is actually happening post-graduation. If this is your story or it sounds like what others may have deemed as your destiny, let’s bridge the gap. It’s time to turn things around. I worked my way out of landing in the grim statistics, and with this book, the right plan, and the proper actions in place, I’m confident you will too.

THE TURNAROUND KID

When I was in college, I was somewhat of a slacker. I planned my classes around my favorite TV shows. (Hey, my college student budget didn’t allow for those fancy on-demand services, don’t judge me!) I spent more time planning my weekend activities than studying for that upcoming test. My future, after college, was the furthest thing from my mind. I aspired to simply maintain a 3.0 average to keep my Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship. Seeing as how I had a military job lined up once I graduated, my career was essentially on autopilot. Therefore, I didn't spend any time working on career planning activities. Oh and did I mention, thanks to too many late nights of partying, I was on the extended graduation plan? It’s not exactly the topic I like to lead with in interviews, but since I'm among friends, I thought I’d share the inside scoop.

I was happily rolling along until right around my fourth year of college when, to my dismay, there was a major change in plans. I ended up getting kicked out of ROTC due to skipping one too many of their core classes. Let’s face it, at the time I didn’t have the maturity level or commitment it took to be a serviceman in the United States military. So, my scholarship was revoked and I was pretty much left career-less overnight. As you can imagine, I was in a complete frenzy! I wasn’t working with a whole lot of time before graduation. I didn't have one internship to my name, and my grades were not exactly the most competitive, to say the least. I knew top firms definitely weren't going to be knocking down my door to offer me a job.

At that point, I realized it was time to sink or swim. It was a major turning point in my life because I knew I had no backup plan. None! Moving back in with Mom and Dad after school was not an option for me. I suddenly got very serious about the task of creating a successful and meaningful career path. I began taking advantage of every opportunity to improve my skill set. I took as many of the resume writing classes and mock interviews offered by the campus career center that I could. This is where my career-planning journey began. The lessons I learned from this point on are literally what got me from no career path at twenty-three years old to 6 figures by 30.

Consider this book a crash course in career navigation, or better yet, your career compass. After 10 years of professional experience and being on both sides of the interview table, I am sharing my career journey and best practices I’ve learned along the way. Expect to learn how to create your 6-Figure Career Plan, build a strategic resume, interview with confidence, and make good impressions by managing your brand, as well as how to manage salary jumps, negotiations, job changes, and much more.

I encourage you to take advantage of these preparation tools to navigate your career choices and checkpoints while avoiding many of the mistakes or detours I’ve seen and made along the way.

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

~Benjamin Franklin

«CHAPTER 1»

TIME TO RISE AND GRIND

6 FIGURES BY 30 is no easy task, but it definitely can be done. It will take a sound plan, determination, being deliberate in your decision-making and a level of stick-to-itiveness as my mom often says. You see, you are about to be on a financial fast track. So let me preface this early: This is not going to be an easy road. It will entail some late nights researching your industry and upcoming career moves. It will also involve additional study time to score that higher GPA or to pass that certification. Also expect more hours on the job to prove yourself and gain extra experiences, to name a few. This chapter is about understanding the grind, believing in yourself, and knowing your motivations.

You will constantly be sacrificing your time. You won’t get to attend every party or event you’re invited to. You may not be able to listen to your friend vent on the phone for hours, watch your favorite sports team or reality show marathon all night. Getting the latest scoop on social media, or seeing every new blockbuster movie that hits the theater will have to drop down on your priority list. For a set period of time, it’s going to take a level of grind (which you may or may not be used to) in order to get to the level and income you want to achieve. I’m not saying you’ll have to put your life and relationships on hold, but unfortunately, there are only 24 hours in a day. Consequently, some of your time will have to be reallocated in order to accomplish your goals. The good news is, after you achieve your 6 figures by 30, you’ll still have plenty of life remaining to enjoy a lot of those activities and a normal work-life balance again.

PROCRASTINATION

Procrastination is the arch nemesis of success. Consider the following scenarios—waiting until the last possible minute to get up in