Speak Up in Meetings (Even If You’re the Most Junior Person in the Room)

Speak Up in Meetings (Even If You’re the Most Junior Person in the Room)

As a young professional, you might worry that you’re too junior, inexperienced, or new to speak up in a meeting. But unless you participate, you won’t catch the attention of your senior colleagues who have the power to bring your career to the next level. Find something to share that will make senior staff notice you — and your potential. Don’t underestimate the value of the experience that you do have, which might very well be pertinent to the situation. You can reference the projects you are currently working on: “I’ve been seeing this topic come up in emails with clients” or “Amy asked about how this affects the bottom line — our team has been working on this very issue, and here is how we resolved it.” But avoid coming across as arrogant or uppity. Lean on evidence by saying something like, “I read a study about X…”

Adapted from “Don’t Let Inexperience Stop You from Participating in Meetings,” by Andy Molinsky and Melissa Hahn