Photo: Brand X Pictures

Getting an early start on your career can give you a head start on achieving success. That’s the lesson from four young professionals who spoke with Black Enterprise about why gaining experience at a young age ultimately led to big career benefits.

Leticia Bhola, a 35-year-old licensed master social worker in Washington D.C., worked at a salon when she was 15 years old. She spent her remaining high school year’s as a salon assistant, went on to work for Cornell Medical Center, then attended Baylor University. The advantages of this work history were immediate.

“The experience taught me how to deal with diverse populations and how to be a team player,” she says.

Isiah Hall, a 27-year-old who works with the National Urban League, got his start at the age of 12 and says he gained an education in financial management as a result.

Read more about all four young professionals on Black Enterprise.