From the Blog
Is more education important?
Tuesday, June 30 2009
I often get the question, "With the job market as it is, should I simply go on and get more schooling?"
My answer is, it depends - profound huh. Let me explain. If you have never had a "real" job, I believe it is important that you get a professional job before you get a masters. Why? Because you need to wake up everyday and go somewhere, work for someone you may like or you may not particularly like; you need to figure out what you are good at, great at and not so good at. Figure out what you like and what you don't like. But, wake up and go somewhere and build something, contribute your skills, improve your skills and better understand your skills. Additionally, a masters right on top of an undergrad degree won't differentiate you much, if at all, in this environment. Not to mention you will (unless your parents have money) have debt. Yuck!
Don't approach the job search and think, "Well if I can't find a job I'll just go back to school." This is not a good approach because your passion, your fearlessness, your game plan, your execution and so on will lack the intensity needed to be successful. In your mind, you have a fall back. Don't listen to that little person in your head that says..."Oh well if I don't...."
Ok, now let's say some of you reading this believe you need a masters. And, based on your particular situation now is the time. Got it, good. Promise me that you will ask yourself these questions before you put your money down..
What will I do once I graduate with more education?
What is the perfect job?
Who do I know that did this and it helped them? How did it help them?
Based on how much the degree costs, how much more will I make because of it and how quickly will that increase off-set my expense for the degree?
Get your head around the benefits and have a plan as to how you plan to use it.
Enjoy and embrace the path you choose and always, always enjoy the journey.
Solution and goal oriented in each conversation
Wednesday, June 17 2009
I recently met with a young man who lost his job....he is about 26 years old, he has worked for several years in sales in the sports marketing business. Very nice young man.
When I asked him what he wanted to do he said, "that's the problem...I don't really know for sure." Yikes, I thought to myself. He might be thinking that but I don't advise that people say that - after years in the business world - "I don't know..." Not a good answer.
The better approach is to stay solution and goal oriented in your response. What do I mean?
Your intention in the meeting is to get them to like you and believe that you are a bright, ambitious, motivated individual. Give them enough direction with your response to this question that they can think through their contacts, identify people who they know that would network with you and so that you can leave the meeting with names and contact information of people who they have referred you to.
As you answer this question, talk about what you know you are interested in...it can be somewhat generic if necessary. Maybe your answer is that you want to be a part of building something or that you want to secure a position where you are in total control of your financial rewards or that you want to stay in this particular city you live in or that you are eager to move anywhere. Stay positive and stay focused on what it is that you do want to do, not what you don't know or you don't want to do. The goal is to have them like you enough to want to help you or hire you so you need to create enough of an impression and illustrate enough ideas that they want to help get you in front of good people.
So when they ask you, what do you want to do, remain solution and goal oriented. Not to mention, these are two key traits that people making hiring decisions want in their employees. Prove to them by your response to this question that you live by these key traits.
Eric Saperston
Tuesday, June 16 2009
Have you heard of Eric Saperston? We spent an hour or more on the phone recently discussing our shared passion for finding ones passion. He has awesome energy and vision. Years ago Eric took a trip around our wonderful country with the goal of gathering wisdom from the greats of the generation before him. From his journey, he created a movie called, "The Journey", which shares the advice he gained during his time with so many ordinary and also extraordinary people. Check out his website http://www.ericsaperston.com enjoy and believe in your tomorrows.
