Life after university: books and experiences.

Having graduated from university about six months ago with a 1st class honours degree in Business Management with Accounting and Finance I was very excited to see what the world had in store for me. After all, don't they say if you get a 1st and obtain experience at a good company you'll be in a great position for when you graduate?

Well this was not the case for me, yet I am grateful for the opportunity and here is why...   

Like with many 'milenials', as we are branded, I had no idea what I wanted to do after university. You can sense anxiety levels increasing as your friends go off to their "graduate" job interviews, or start planning their travels, or even begin to start their own business... The problem was that I wanted to do all these things which led to me feeling confused or as my dad put it "messed up" - not the most reassuring advice Dad. I had fantastic job offers, but with little desire to take them; the chance to travel, but with little money to do so; and a brain that appears to be naturally wired to identify a problem or scenario and then within minutes come up with a business concept that could solve it. The truth is I was confused, I still kind of am, but now as each day passes my stress levels are decreasing and my understanding of what I really want is increasing. 

The good news is that the why and how is simple and stems from a basic understanding of time... and its relationship with compound development.

'Time' never seems to be on our side. We want more of it when approaching a deadline but less of it when waiting for a bus. The fact is it's constant. My stress levels were at their highest during June-August, I wanted answers to how I could achieve my goals quickly but I didn't find any. It was then around November time, working for my dad, that I realised that I was still frequently getting good job opportunities posted through to me; that I had managed to accumulate enough money to travel if I wanted; and my 'validation' for business concepts and strategies was much stronger. I had sub-consiously given up applying for jobs; although my degree, experience, and I guess strengths are with numbers and finance, my true passions are marketing, sales, and entreprenurship - finding out what makes people tick. I was unknowingly replacing this time with reading; enrolling in courses; watching documentaries and interviews; writing-up and pursuing business concepts; speaking with mentors; just aiming to know a bit more about the world than yesterday. It all accumulates before you know it. There will also always be job opportunities; you will have just increased the number of them and therefore increased the chances of finding that 'dream' job. If you're lucky enough to have a job, consistently put aside a small % of your earnings each month and before you know it you'll have money to make investments or travel. Complete one page of a business plan each day and eventually you will not just have a "finished" business plan; you will also be left with an understanding of consumer behaviour, or payment gateways, taxes, marketing strategies, margins, and so much more that can be applied to a whole range of different industries. Time can go fast or slow depending on how you look at it, but it will always go, you should fill it with something meaningful and enjoy a few beers a long the way.

"Trust the process will carry you through" - Ed Catmull (Creativity, Inc.)      

I don't consider myself an expert but to all those who are lost and looking for some direction try compound learning, enjoy the process, and you will soon realise that "time pressure" you once felt becomes more and more irrelevant.

Good luck,

Sam  

Below, are a few of the best books I have read or re-read in the last six or so months that I have found useful. Again, I'm no expert but I found these books in particular to be a good starting place. Any suggestions on what books I should read next are gladly welcome.

Entrepreneurship

Rich Dad, Poor Dad

Reccomended to me by a friend, this is perhaps the most logical book I have ever read. Describes the true meaning of assets and liabilities and encourages the build up of passive income. 100% recommended read whether you're interested in money or not.

9/10 Rating

Creativity Inc.

Interesting read for managers and entrepreneurs that want to achieve a creative work environment. First hand account of the struggles and successes of Pixar leading with a talent management culture. Also highlights the importance of "trusting the process" even when all seems lost.

7/10 Rating

What They Don't Teach You At Harvard Business School

Fantastic book for those who really want to understand why standard practices don't always work and ways to overcome conventional problems. Contains a lot of great examples of people that have 'been there and done it'. 

Rating 9/10

Finance

How The Trading Floor Really Works

This was recommended to me by an old school friend who has now set the foundations for a successful career in banking. Really is the place to start if you want to pursue a career in financial services. Somewhat complex information easily explained.

Rating 9/10

The Sensible Guide to Forex

Became interested in derivatives and options trading having read 'How The Trading Floor Really Works'. Moreover, ties in nicely with 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' with regards to passive income. It's a bit heavy at times but is packed with solid information and smart investment strategies.

Rating 7/10

Marketing and Sales

Being The Best You Can Be in MLM

A 50p gift from my aunty; one of the first marketing books I ever read and the information stuck. Old and traditional but provides a good base. Without trying to sound like a marketer, it's 100% worthy of investment as you can buy a copy for ￡0.01 on amazon.

Rating 7/10

The Sell: The Secrets of Selling Anything to Anyone 

An enjoyable read and auto-biography of a proven salesman. Good sales tactics are explained and how to execute them and when to. In addition, it can also be seen as a book on personal branding. Great read for people who want to go into business development.

Rating 7/10

Talk Like Ted

This is a great book for those that suffer from stage-fright or talking in front of large audiences. It can be a bit slow at times but does deliver a good in-depth analysis on some of the best speakers in the world. I found it more useful when I watched the video talks they were referring to (www.ted.com)

Rating 6.5/10

General

The Monocle Guide to Good Business

Still lost about where to start or even considering enrolling in further education; this book is great at telling you what's out there and the opportunities available to you. It is inspiring to read some of the success stories of SMEs & also interesting to learn about business culture worldwide.    Rating 9/10