Chapter 33
Seek Guidance:
“Connections that
Count”
September 2014
He’s 6 feet tall, white headed, mid-60’s, and he began
working in the business field before the students in his audience were even
thought about. His energy is contagious as he runs around the classroom demanding
input from the 15 students. He has more “spunk” than any of the other students
in the class, despite only being an adjunct professor (paid much less than a
regular professor). The class, consulting for the entrepreneurial firm, is held
once a week from 5-7:30 PM. As you might
notice the class is held right in the middle of dinner time, which for college
students is a big deal. However, the professor’s love for business is very
filling, allowing students to postpone their dinner plans.
In past chapters I have spoken about the impact of
professors, but never had I been a classroom setting like mentioned above. I am
a student in the class, and I absolutely love it. Before the class began I was
already excited, and immediately following the first class I felt even more
excitement.
It wasn’t until the second class that I really made the most
of this classroom setting. The professor continued to amaze me with his passion
for the topic. So, after the lecture I stayed to speak with him. We spoke for
almost 30 minutes after class, and he even offered to give me a ride back to my
dorm! It was in that moment that I realized how special the faculty and staff are
at the Kenan-Flagler Business School. He took time out of his night to speak
with me about something we were both passionate about, business. When you get
where you going in college, work, and life, seek guidance from people who have
been there before. These people are most likely willing to answer any question
you may have. Just know, when you find yourself in a situation where you can
learn from someone else, embrace it.
After reaching out to my professor, it was much easier to
reach out to my other business professors. And as you might guess, it has been
beneficial in a number of ways. For instance, if you remember back to Chapter
16, I mentioned starting a business called “Buddy’s.” One of my professors is
acting as a mentor as I begin to start that company (more details to come).
During this semester I have also learned something that is rarely taught. How
to “listen.”
As my parents and my friends can attest, listening
(patience) has never been a strong suit of mine. However, I know that in order
to be a great business person, or person in general, I must become a great
listener. In order to become a better listener, I made this list
- Listen attentively, look the speaker in the eye
- Become an active listener, listening and then answering with questions to better understand
- Attack arguments, not the person
- Just put your phone down, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook can wait.
The beginning of a new school year means a lot of things for
many, football games, meeting up with friends, and just being back on campus.
For me, the beginning of the year means all of those things, and one more. It’s
time to give more campus tours, which is one of the most enjoyable things I am
a part of on campus.
My first tour of my junior year was by far the most rewarding tour that I have ever given.
My tours usually follow the same route; I begin with
housing, move quickly to history (where I share my Halloween stories), I then
follow with the academic section, zoom through the dining hall, and then end in
the “pit” (center of campus) or the Student Union. At the end of the tour I
share my experiences as a college student, sharing most of what I have told in
this book. Finally, before I release the tour, I “pitch” my book by passing out
my business cards. I encourage the students to read my blog and to contact me
with any questions. Most of the time, that’s how it ends. I walk away, and they
never see me again. However, this time it was different.
After passing my cards around the group, one of the parents
approached me. He said, “Here, I’ll give you my card, I think I know someone
who can help you out.” To be honest, I didn’t know how to handle the situation,
so I shook his hand, stuck the card in my pocket, and darted to class.
On my way to class, I remembered the parent giving me his
business card, so I pulled it out of my pocket.
I began to read, “NBCUniversial, hmm, Syfy. Oh my goodness.”
I had just met one of the top executives of Syfy and Chiller. To keep a long
story short, I was beaming when I got to class. The fact that an executive from
NBCU give me his card was incredible, but mind-blowing that he said he could
“help me.” I was on cloud 9.
As soon as I finished with class for the day, I sent my new
connection an email.
Quick tip: If you
make a connection, make sure to follow-up, it’s crucial!
A week after I sent the email, we had scheduled a phone
interview. The phone interview was awesome. I learned a tremendous amount in
the 30 minutes I spoke with him. Here are some of the things he told me:
“Whatever you do don’t lose your drive and enthusiasm” and “Continue to be
appreciative.”
For now, I’ll leave you with that. If something BIG happens,
you’ll know, trust me. (Internship…perhaps?)
Quick tip: First
impressions, might be the last impression.
In college, you’ll learn quickly that some people are great
at networking (speaking with professionals), and others aren’t. However, we all
must learn how to network effectively because it is a crucial tool to the path
to success.
During the fall semester, universities/colleges host
internship and job fairs. This allows for all students, no matter the major, to
learn about opportunities for the upcoming summer. An internship fair is a
great time to use your networking skills. The fairs usually have employers from
all around, from all different fields. I really enjoyed the time at the
internship fair because it opened my eyes to opportunities that I hadn’t even
thought about. If you’re not great at networking with employers, use this platform
to practice. The more you speak to employers, the better you will become.
Every person I have met during my life has benefited me in
some way. Maybe they passed me the “rock,” helped me on homework, or maybe
career advice, no matter how crucial they were, they have left an impact. While
in college, or in life, make connections that count.
My man Toby and I during an Internship Fair (Business Symposium)
