Advice to a Millennial

I volunteered today for a “Career Jam” (career development fair) for Skidmore College students to talk to them about their career goals [in October 2016].  That inspired me to compile some thoughts about what I would tell a college student today, *if asked*.  I think there is useful info here for anyone at any age that is trying to “level-up” their career or life.  What career advice would you give to a college student today?

My advice:

Be Optimistic! You can change your life, your body, your mind, your future!

“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.”

~ Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), American philosopher & naturalist

“We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.”

~ Epictetus (c. 50-120) Roman Stoic philosopher, former slave & tutor of Marcus Aurelius

A Good Book for the start of your career!:

 

Level Up Your Life: How to Unlock Adventure and Happiness by Becoming the Hero of Your Own Story 

~ Steve Kamb (2016)

I finished this book yesterday [in October 2016], and it’s already changed my life and career for the better! I’ve read (or listened to) many “self-improvement” books over the past few decades, and this one is fun and I heartily recommend it.

https://levelupyourlife.nerdfitness.com/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1623365406/

Job Hunting Tips

·        How To Create Value?  We get compensated for adding value.

·        What Problem Are you Solving?  Emphasize what you can do for employer, not what you hope to get out of the job. Focus on solving the employer’s problem.

·        You get one chance to make a good first impression:  No typos in your resume; Dress nicely–show you care; Do research on company and be prepared to ask questions that show you did some research first.

Career Tips

Career in general	Career in Technology
Life is a Game: Think of problems as puzzles to be solved. (It’s more fun this way.)	Technology work IS literally solving puzzles!
Learn new stuff: Continuous Learning	Great news! There are so many technologies and it is always changing!
Find a niche: Specialization is key	e.g. Oracle Developers/DBAs earn more than DBAs or Developers of more commonly used technologies
Build things: For the practice and learning, but also creates a portfolio	e.g. Build a useful web site, create a Raspberry-Pi project, etc.
Find or Create a Support Group	e.g. Meetup.com; User Groups; Conferences
Figure out a way to create more value
Keep a “Me” file, to save copies of praise, milestones achieved, projects completed

Start a Business or Work for a Company??

Have you considered starting a business rather than getting a job with a well-established company? Starting a business or joining a growing startup is a viable career option that you should at least consider. It’s not like there is much job security anymore by working for large companies. There are many benefits of participating in entrepreneurship.  Here are just a few:

·        Starting a business will look great on your resume, even if you fail (especially if you fail and you can talk clearly and concisely about what you learned!)

·        If you are involved in a startup, you will have more control over your daily activity and your destiny, and make more of an impact.

·        In a startup, you will learn so much about what really matters in business, which would make you more valuable in any other company or field you might end up in

I maintain a list of books I recommend in the areas of Self-Improvement, Management, Leadership, Business at my personal web site:

http://www.patrickdholmes.com/

My favorite quotes about Optimism:

Optimism Quotes