So my first interview was yesterday....a good icebreaker I must say, with Emily Bennington, the woman who is helping college students understsand the transition period from college to the work-force. She is a co-author of the book: Effective Immediately: How to Fit in, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job. It was a great interview to be sure, and I'm very grateful that I was given the opportunity to talk with her. Emily, if you're reading this, thank you very much!
From what I got from the interview, the whole reason for her book was to describe that her transition from college to work was bumpy, and she made mistakes along the way. But, with every mistake comes a little bit of knowledge, and the more mistakes you make, the more knowledgeable you become about your job.
One of the first things she said to me that was important in the professional world is your appearance. In other words, the way you dress. Second, its important for you as the new employee to realize that you are part of a team-effort within the environment that you work. It is important of course to achieve your own success, but your success is also dependent on the team effort you all put in. She's right. It's important to cultivate with the team if you set high goals for yourself, and focus on the positive result the team can and will achieve.
Those of you that are college students right now and have the opportunity to work with other classmates on a project, give yourself that window of opportunity to learn how to work with other team-members. The rewards and process you learn with them will be beneficial to your growth.
On another important piece of information Emily gave me, while you're working with teams of people, its also important to try to be a good follower first. I know that you may think you know everything coming right out of college, but in reality, you're still a newbie. Start fresh by cultivating some interpersonal skills with the people you work with closely. You have to learn to do this well if you're going to be successful in the long run. After all, working with people and congratulating them on their successes and achievements will ultimately make people craft a positive perspective on who you are, and what you can contribute to the workforce. Treat people as you would want to be treated. Eventually, people will take notice and follow the protocol you set for yourself.
This was one of my favorites - Emily also said to mind your 'bilities' meaning your responsibility to your job and company, your accountability as an individual, punctuality, duality, and any other 'alities' you can think of. Try your talents out, and figure out what feels good and right for you. In order to effectively stand out, Emily also says, its the little things done very well that add up and contribute to the success of yourself.
Now, I know what you all are probably thinking: all she had to ask was good stuff, when we really need to know what is the outlook for us right now for getting that job? Well, I asked Emily in light of the situation with the unemployment, how do you think it looks for college grads right now? And she said the light is coming within a year to 18 months. Their are signs of improvement in the workforce, and it will loosen up a bit once the early baby-boomers that are soon going to be turning 65 will retire. That will open up a lot of jobs for the younger generations to take. Our generation - the nineties/millenium kids is what Emily likes to call the 'Entrepreneurial Generation'. Sales is going to be a huge market for us because so many young kids are taking the thought of owning their own businesses into their heads. Might not be the easiest feat, but it is sure to last once the economy is on the rise. Technology is the other big industry we are definitely most capable of going into and making a career for ourselves.
Of course, once the interviews start coming in, it is important for us all to recognize that just because the unemployment is high, that doesn't mean you have to immediately say yes to a job if it is just for a paycheck. You have to know that you will be happy in this job, otherwise, you're stuck doing something for awhile that you don't like. That's not what this is about - to just take the first job that comes along because you're afraid of never having another interview. If the job doesn't make you happy, there's no sense in doing it. As Emily said, its better to evaluate a few jobs before you get in there. Do your diligence on the job, and see where you can fit in. Its your persistence you need to count on in order to find that job that makes you happy.
Finally, the most important thing I learned from Emily is her signature quote. "Be your best. Do your best. Work hard. Never give up."
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