I was glancing through the Glamour March 2011 Magazine that mysteriously started being delivered to my house. Really, I have no idea why, but apparently I started getting a subscription and didn’t know it. I’m surprised a bill hasn’t materialized as well. Well, thank you to who ever sent it to me. Anyways, I found a one page article on Shauna Mei, who apparently has done more than most of us and she’s only 28 years old. She has some sage advice.

Her four rules are pretty simple –

1. Get Out of Your Own Way…We are always our own worst enemy. Never let yourself get intimidated. Get over your fear. As I like to quote Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

2. Do Your Homework…Back up an opinion with research. This can influence people’s perceptions. People will notice that what you say has merit.

3. Talk Like a Grown-up…I can’t tell you how true this is. Don’t dumb yourself down. “Like” is not an adjective. You need to train yourself. Looking people in the eye is also key, as long as it is not against any cultural ideals. Looking away makes it look like your afraid of conversation.

4. Don’t Tell People Your Age…In Mei’s case it is because of her youth, she has accomplished much in a short period of time – worked on Wall Street, ran a clothing company, co-founded an investment firm and launched ahalife.com (most recently). Just because she is young, doesn’t mean that she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. That goes the same for you. Also, in my mother’s case. She’s old, sorry mom its a fact, but she’s had to dive back into the job pool thanks to the economy. But she looks young, which is an advantage. Employers don’t want to hire old people, too much liability or too much experience they don’t want to pay for. So, mum’s the word on your age.