LETTERS FROM THE DESK – Yousef Batter

Open Letters – From the desk of Yousef Batter

Senior Account Manager at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, and NextGen Committee Member

14 October 2021

Dear 22-year-old Yousef,

As you leave college, a bright-eyed graduate and with a bagful of dreams, future Yousef is dying to reassure you that you can do this.

There’s more to life than the anxiety weighing in on you. The pressure to be excellent despite all the uncertainty is overwhelming but all of that goes away – eventually. You will face rejection, you will make mistakes, and your self-confidence will take a real beating in the years to come but I’m here to tell you that you will get through it and come up on top.

Your career is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s hard to get out of this mindset at first because up until now, life has felt like a sprint. There’s plenty of time to explore, take calculated risks, and have lots of fun.

You have to remember not to sell yourself short. You have so much to offer, so don’t be afraid to ask for opportunities you want. Be confident and advocate for yourself. You’ll probably feel a bit like an imposter at first at work, but remind yourself that you deserve to be here right before putting your heart into the task at hand.

The pressure will get to you so make sure to start building healthy habits and take care of yourself. Take a step back when the job gets too stressful. What is the worst-case scenario? Usually playing that out will help you realize it’s not as bad as you had initially imagined. Invest in your health and prioritize your workouts – you’ll find that it does wonders for your mental health as well.

Finally, be authentic. Don’t try to hide behind a mask and don’t let your insecurities force you to be someone else. By embracing your strengths and weaknesses, you will grow to be more comfortable in your skin.

Be thankful for what you have accomplished, what you have learned, what you have gone through, the people you have met along the way and the mistakes and choices that you made. Without them, you wouldn’t be where you are now.