Advice to College Graduates

To all you college graduates who are entering the workforce, I know it can be a daunting, if not overwhelming, time in your life.?The good news is you’re not the first, nor the last, to go through it.?You’ll be fine…eventually.?But it will take time and you need to be patient, learn and work hard.?

The older I get the simpler it seems, but I know ?you (rightfully so) see it differently.?It can feel like you’re pushing water uphill everyday while in the midst of a mental and emotional endurance test.?Hang in there…it’ll get easier.?

I take pride in helping young adults navigate through the work force, as many people did for me some time ago.?First and foremost, you should always embrace this narrative - Ability is what you're capable of doing. ?Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.

Here are my 10 pieces of advice for young adults starting their career - full disclosure, I “borrowed” quotes from movies and people far more important/successful than me.

1.?????Who of you majored in CEO??I ask this question whenever I speak to college students, and they look at me like I am crazy.?The obvious answer is “no one” as no career path is linear.?We all have to start somewhere.?Regardless of what you want to be in life, be prepared to jump around a bit before settling in on a career path.?Embrace new opportunities.?Try new things.?Be open to change. ?

2.?????“If your neighbor’s house burns down, your house doesn’t look any better” – Lou Holtz, former football coach.?You will gain nothing by taking shots at others, especially if it’s to raise your own profile.?Build your own brand, focus on yourself and eliminate the outside influences.?Talent and hard work will win out in the end.

3.?????Quit comparing yourself to others.?There will always be someone younger and smarter who has a better job and makes more money.?Deal with it.?Identify the 2-3 things you value in life (and in your job) and focus on that.?Be happy and the rest will follow.

4.?????“A goal without a plan is just a dream” – Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s.?A friend of mine used to say, “don’t go through life being a dreamer or wisher…go out and do it!” Put pen to paper (I know that shows my age) and map out a plan for success.?OK, maybe use a pencil as it’ll change.?But write it down and give yourself a path to career success. And when you start a new job, write down 3-5 goals of what you hope to achieve in this role.?Once you’ve hit most (or all) of them, it may be time to move on.

5.?????The answer is always “no” unless you ask.?Thank you Gerry Matalon for this classic line. ?If you really want something…ask.?If you have an idea share it with your boss.?It could be something they never thought of and might benefit the company. ?It could be a better and more efficient way to complete a task.??And if it can’t be implemented, at least you will wow people with your progressive thinking.

6.?????Network.?Network.?Network.?I cannot stress this enough.?My generation didn’t have cell phones, email, LinkedIn, texting, etc.?We actually wrote letters, jumped on a phone or (gasp!) met face to face.?Build your network by having coffee meetings, volunteering at an event or attending a conference.?You want to become the name that everyone talks about when job opportunities present themselves.?And get active on morning news feeds, specific to your industry.?There are numerous ones out there and you’ll stay better informed, more knowledgeable.?

7.?????Manage up & down.?People assume management applies to handling a staff of people below you, or “managing down”.?Actually, it’s equally important to “manage up” with your direct supervisor.?Not only will you better manage your workload and opportunities for success, but you might impress the heck out of senior management.?See the full picture and you will become a better – and more coveted – employee.

8.?????DO NOT utter this phrase – “that’s not in my job description” ever….ever…ever.?When you sign on to take a job, EVERYTHING is in your job description so long as it’s related to growing the company, enhancing the project or elevating the brand.?Try something new…you may just like it.?And again, it’ll help you develop a broader brand, which opens more doors down the road.?

9.?????“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity” – Woody Hayes, former football coach at the Greatest University in the World!? 美国俄亥俄州立大学 Too many times I hear employees lament that someone else is “lucky” to get a certain job.?Guess what??You can make your own luck.?Prepare and work hard and when the right opportunity comes along go get it.?

10.?“Excuses only come from losing locker rooms” – Holtz.?Wow…one of my favorites! It’s amazing how winning cures all in sports.?And in the workplace, achieving success in a job that you embrace has similar acclaim.?Your boss doesn’t want to hear why you couldn’t get the job done, but instead, how you did it regardless of the hurdles and challenges.?Remember, in life, it’s not always what you achieve but what you overcome that matters!

Remember, nothing is as good or as bad as it seems so try to remain even keel.?Celebrate the successes; manage the losses.?Your career will hit lots of perks and valleys and how you persevere is up to you.?

I hope this helps and wish you all of you great success!?