Students should set their own goals, not give up in a tough economy
The end of the semester is fast approaching. Week nine of the fall semester will end today. That leaves only seven weeks until many seniors graduate and enter the “real world.”
Post-college life is going to be a drastic change for most. The job market is not what it once was, especially in Michigan. But graduating seniors cannot lose hope, or get discouraged by the current economic climate. If you make yourself stand out of the crowd and make a name for yourself, things will go well in the long run.
Wednesday night David Borough, 1997 CMU graduate and current equities trader for Jefferies and Company in Chicago, came and spoke to the JRN 500: Current Issues in Mass Communication class about how life after college can be “scary” and overwhelming. He drove the point home that we must not lose faith. If we prepare ourselves we will succeed.
Borough told us that there are many things that we will learn in the working world that we are not taught while in college. One thing he told us is how to prepare for an interview, one of the most important aspects of finding a job. Aside from looking “put together,” it is vital to research the organization you are being interviewed by. The first question Borough asks interviewees is “What do you know about Jefferies and Co.?” He says this is when most prospective employees “fail the test” first. Nothing looks worse than the inability to exhibit what your knowledge about the organization you are applying to.
Borough told us that before we enter the job market, we must know that “no one cares about your career but you.” This sounds more pessimistic than it actually is. He said the best way to look at careers is that we are our own CEO.
I am the CEO of Mike Inc. I’m responsible for my failures and successes. I set the goals. I work the phones. I send the e-mails. I pay the bills. It’s all on me, no one else.
If you set up both short and long term goals, both easy and challenging, you will succeed. You will grow as a person from either meeting or falling short of your goals. The example Borough used was having a short term goal of getting a pay check within six months with a long term goal of having a job in your desired field within a year. These are obtainable goals. Goals build confidence, which goes a long way.
There will always be someone else who cares about your well being, but in the end, all decisions are up to you. You have to accept responsibility for those decisions, whether they behoove you or have dire consequences.
This is why we cannot despair in light of the current economic climate. If I take the necessary steps and make sure Mike Inc. is an effective organization, I can succeed. If I have the chance to succeed, so do you.
Just be your own CEO.
