Tag Archives: post grad

Be The Little Fish! (Why It’s Good To Be Around People Who Are Better Than You)

10 Jun

do better

I’m kind of a failure sometimes.

Like today… I wanted to work out.

So I went to CrossFit only to remember that the class I was planning on joining had been changed to an advanced session.

For ADVANCED CrossFit athletes.

No…let me rephrase that.

For ADVANCED ninjas that can somehow lift 300 lbs and make it seem ridiculously easy.

And that’s just their warm-up.

Now, I am NOT a ninja.

I just want to work out so that I can keep eating all the time.

Because eating makes me happy. And I like being happy.

So I decided to join in on the class despite the fact that I was obviously the LEAST advanced person in the room.

I mean, one of the coaches came up to me and asked me specifically…

“You’re doing this class?”

To which I responded…

“Ummm…yea…unless you kick me out.”

But he’s nice and I like him so he didn’t kick me out.

And  I started the workout.

And the workout was harder than anything I’ve done in a really long time.

And it was embarrassing because while everyone was easily lifting 150+ lbs, I was lifting like, 75 lbs.

It sucked, because I wasn’t the best.

And I really like being the best.

At everything.

I mean, I really thought about leaving more than once. I knew this class was way out of my league and I hated feeling like the weakest one in the group.

I was super intimidated.

But then we attempted back squats. And since we had to partner up, I kind of just tried to keep up with the weight that my partners were using.

Normally, I would have stopped at 100 lbs.

Because that’s the most weight I’ve ever successfully back squatted.

But today, I wanted to push myself.

Because everyone else was doing so awesome.

So by the end of the movement, I had reached my personal back squat record of 125 lbs.

And it felt amazing.

I felt so accomplished.

Driving home, I thought about how happy I was that I didn’t  leave the class early. I was glad that I pushed through. Because even though I wasn’t the best in the class today, being surrounded by athletes who are much better than I am, made me strive to be better. And I WAS better. Better than I’ve been in a long time.

In life…in our jobs…in our careers…we have a tendency to want to be the best.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

But sometimes, we tend to put ourselves in positions where we’re the “big fish in the little pond”, so to say.

We’re comfortable in our environment, it’s familiar, and we’re the best at what we do. There’s no longer any competition.

We’ve reached the top and it’s time to move on to the next level.

Only, sometimes, we don’t go to the next level. We stay where we are because we know that going to the next level means that we’ll be at the BOTTOM of the next level.

And that’s uncomfortable. Because we’ll be out of our comfort zone and we’ll have to work harder to be the best.

It won’t be easy.

I PROMISE you, it won’t be easy.

Because we’ll be surrounded by ninjas who can lift 300 lbs just warming up.

We’ll be surrounded by people who are better than us.

But that shouldn’t scare you. It should excite you, actually.

Because being around those people will motivate you.

Being around those people will give you a reason to push yourself harder.

And ultimately, you’ll be better.

At least, I really think so.

There’s a famous quote that I love that goes like this:

“If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.” -Unknown

But wait…if we’re the smartest person, isn’t that a good thing? Why should you look for another room?

Because you should ALWAYS be looking for rooms with people who are smarter, brighter, more experienced, or in my case today, much stronger. Because in those rooms, you’ll grow. And in those rooms, you’ll learn. And in those rooms you’ll challenge yourself and push yourself  harder than you ever have before, and you’ll come out better than you were entering them.

So don’t be afraid to be the little fish sometimes. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Be the little fish in the huge pond and swim against the current as if the quality of your life depends on it.

Because it does.

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Prepare For Career Success

4 Jun

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This weekend I went shooting.

Surprisingly, I wasn’t that bad.

I didn’t shoot myself by accident…so pretty much, I did much better than I expected.

It’s not something I do every day, but I’m glad I did it.

Because for a long time, I’ve been scared of guns. Terrified, really.

And for that reason, I never thought I’d actually pick one up and shoot it.

But I figured that if I ever (God forbid) find myself in a situation where I DO need to know how to shoot to defend myself, I’ll be a lot more successful if I’m comfortable with the basic concepts, having practiced a few times at the shooting range.

I figured that I’d feel a bit more PREPARED.

And that being prepared would ultimately give me a huge advantage.

Because that’s the thing about preparation. It DOES often give you a huge advantage.

And it can make a world of a difference.

Observing people, I’ve seen that there are way too many college graduates that enter the workforce completely unprepared.

However, every once in a while you’ll find a few who are prepared.

Not ENTIRELY prepared, because let’s face it…most of the time we have no idea what we’re doing.

But some graduates know better…some graduates enter new jobs with a basic understanding of work.

How to dress…

E-mail etiquette…

Professional behavior…

How to deal with people who are different…

How to deal with people who are mean…

These are all concepts that I guess some people just tend to take for granted.

Because these days, most universities offer ONE HUNDRED MILLION THOUSAND courses and classes all aimed at helping college students prepare for the real world.

They’re all aimed at making sure that college graduates are successful in the workforce

And well…that’s kind of nice.

But unfortunately, a lot of people think that these sessions are stupid.

Confession: I used to be one of those people who thought the sessions were stupid.

I used to think…I’ll figure it out when I get there.

I used to think…Why waste my time in college preparing for my first real job when I have a million other things to deal with?

But the value of these courses shouldn’t be overlooked.

And if they’re offered to you for FREE, I’m going to punch you in the face if you don’t take advantage of them.

Because you’ll ALWAYS learn something that you didn’t know before.

ALWAYS…as long as you’re willing to listen.

And at the end of the day, that preparation will give you a huge advantage.

That preparation will set you apart from the rest.

That preparation will ensure that you’re successful.

Because just like me and my ability to shoot a gun…you’ll be more comfortable with certain concepts if:

a. you’re familiar with them

b. you’ve practiced, and

c. you’re not caught off-guard.

So if you can, give them a shot. What do you have to lose?

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Oprah’s Advice For New Grads

31 May

I’m such a sucker for commencement speeches.

I could really just sit and watch them all day.

But I don’t.

Because I have a job and have to work.

And be productive.

Regardless, here’s the latest one I’ve watched.

Oprah addresses the Harvard graduating class of 2013.

And anything that has to do with Oprah can’t be bad.

So if you have some time this weekend, watch it (You can start around minute 8).

Let me know what you think! :)

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Take a Break! You Need it!

24 May

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I’ve been struggling with a really annoying problem lately and I don’t know what to do.

I’m tired… ALL THE TIME.

And I hate it!

Someone please explain this to me…

I’m a CrossFit junkie three times a week.

I eat pretty healthily (I hope that’s a word).

And I’m 22 years old!

22!!!!!

So where’s all my energy gone?

I see people twice my age going out and having a great time and me…all I want to do is take a nap.

That can’t be normal.

In the three years that I’ve been working full-time, it’s almost like all the life has been sucked out of me.

I kind of want to cry.

But it’s not an unusual feeling, really. Research the negative affects of work and you’ll find the following:

Overload.

Burn-out.

Stress.

And then we wonder why so many people are dropping dead from heart attacks.

We work and we work and we work. And when we’re done with that, we work some more.

Because if we do stop, if we do take a break, we’re not committed.

We’re considered lazy.

We’re not the one the boss wants on her team.

I really wish that this attitude would change, though.

I wish that people would be judged by the quality of what they contribute.

Not by how many hours they work.

Because overload….burnout…stress…

I’m way too young to have to deal with that the rest of my life.

And if proving that I’m committed to my work means that I can’t take a break every once in a while for my own health…

I’ll proudly accept my title as Worst Employee of the Year.  

Now do yourself a favor and check out this AWESOME infographic about breaks and why they’re SUPER IMPORTANT!

And when you’re done with that…go enjoy your weekend! :D

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Being Human in the Workplace: Why It’s Okay To Tell People You Ripped Your Pants

15 May

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I have a big problem with the workplace. Well, I have A LOT of problems with the workplace, actually, but this happens to be rather high on my list.

I guess I’m sort of a creeper, to a certain extent, because I observe people all the time. That’s my thing.

I watch and I listen and I realize how ridiculously crazy people are most of the time while they’re at work.

A lot of people tend to feel that they need to put on some kind of front while at work…they can’t be themselves. Instead, they have to be perfect. ALWAYS.

So they put on their suits and they cary their briefcases and they walk from meeting to meeting, focusing on numbers and on the latest budget reports. They’re serious all the time. They can’t laugh, they can’t joke. Because that would make them unprofessional.

Now, I get that people have to work. I also understand that we have to focus on numbers and on budgets and reports.

But in doing so, we can’t forget there’s also a human side to work. Work isn’t just numbers. Work isn’t just reports. Work isn’t just about the bottom line.

Work is also about human relationships. Work is about BUILDING those human relationships.

Because without those relationships, work is not possible.

It’s okay to show that human side of yourself while you’re at work. It’s okay to have a personality. It’s okay to be nice to people.

We’re not robots.

And honestly, I’ve found that when you share that human side of yourself with others, people are more receptive towards you. People like you more because you’re honest. You’re silly. You’re NOT perfect. You’re just like everyone else. You’re human.

A little crazy. A little messed up. A little not-so-put-together.

So don’t be afraid to open up every once in a while.

For example, I was running into work not too long ago wearing my not-so-hemmed pants which I have to wear my 5 inch heels with. And so I decide to take the elevator to prevent myself from falling flat on my face. So what happened?  I got off the elevator, took 4 steps, my heel got stuck in a crack on the floor, and I fell. On my face. The best part was…I didn’t just fall, I also ripped my pants. Big time.

So I got up, continued walking to my office, and when people greeted me with the usual, “Good Morning! How are you?” my response to them was NOT, “Fine, thanks.”

Instead, it was more like “Wonderful, thanks, I ripped my pants! Isn’t that great?”

And you know what?  People didn’t look at me and scold me for being honest. Instead, they laughed and some of them even shared with me their own embarrassing stories.

So my point is, don’t be the kind of person at work who has the personality of a tree. Be true to who you are, don’t put on a front, and you’ll be much more likely to build those human relationships which are essential to career success.

PLUS… you’ll be wayyyy cooler in my book.

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Hello! Gen Y Wants To Travel

7 May

Travel

Growing up, I always knew I wanted to travel.

I also knew, that it would require me to have lots of money.

So I strategized.

I worked hard in school. I got good grades. I got a scholarship to college.

I started a full-time job when I was 19 and graduated when I was just 20.

Beautiful!

I had a full-time job AND made enough money to afford my inexplicable need to hop on a plane whenever I wanted.

Or so I thought.

You see…

Traveling requires money.

And to have money, you need a job.

But to be able to KEEP your job and therefore KEEP having money, you can’t just spend weeks at a time traveling.

Dissappointing, I know.

I think that today, more than ever, young people want to travel.

More than ever, they want to see the world.

And they want to do so while they’re young and have no kids and while they still have their friends from college to go with.

But it’s kind of hard to do that if they have no money. And if they HAVE jobs and therefore HAVE money, it’s STILL hard, because they just don’t have the time to do it.

They can’t just start a new job, walk into their boss’ office, and ask for a month off because they need to go see Europe.

That’s not exactly what employers want to hear.

So more than ever, young professionals are seeking out jobs that allow them to travel.

They’re seeking jobs that advertise in their job descriptions: 70-80% travel.

Why?

Because they haven’t seen the world yet!

And they want to. Desperately.

So jobs that let them do that are instantly the most attractive. They’re the most exciting.

That’s why I really liked this contest that I came across…

It’s called Around the World in 80 Jobs, sponsored by Adecco, a leader in full-time and temporary staffing solutions.

Essentially, the contest is giving eight winners the opportunity of a lifetime.

Eight winners will have the chance to explore the world while gaining on-the-job experience.

Check out the video below and if you’re interested, you have until May 20th to enter.

Sooo…What do you think? Share your thoughts and comment below for a chance to win a $100 Banana Republic Gift Card.

What’s your dream job? What’s your dream location?

Would you LOVE to travel or am I the only crazy person who wants to?

Giveaway sponsored by Adecco.

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Why We Need To Get Over Our Fear of Rejection

25 Apr

rejection

Nobody likes the word NO.

It sucks, usually, when you want something and you just can’t have it.

No… you can’t have that job.

No… I won’t pay you $70k a year so you can pay off your student loans of a million dollars.

No… you can’t have that slice of pizza.

DAMNIT.

But let’s face it…

NO is definitely a word that we need to get used to.

Especially us young people at the very start of our careers.

Now, I won’t lie… I’ve always been one of those people who hates rejection.

I HATED applying for jobs and getting back that super annoying e-mail…

“Thank you for your interest…blah…blah…blah…but unfortunately, we’ve decided to move forward with other candidates that better qualify…blah…blah…blah.”

Translation: YOU ARE A LOSER.

I hated it SO much that for a long time, I just stopped applying.

Even to jobs that I really wanted.

Because I figured that at the very least, my inbox wasn’t full of rejection e-mails.

Life was good!

But after a while, I noticed that I wasn’t getting any offers either.

How could I? I wasn’t applying!

You see…that scary and vulnerable position that we put ourselves in that quite often leads to rejection…it’s the SAME position that also gets you what you want.

When it comes to your career, you need to learn to love the word NO.

Or at the very least, you need to stop being scared of it.

Because your career is NEVER going to be handed to you.

Nope…sorry.

You can’t just sit back, play X-Box all day, and expect that someone’s going to knock on your door and offer you your dream job.

That’s not the way it works.

You have to WORK for your career.

You have to ASK for what you want.

You have to take CHANCES.

And while you’re doing this, you’re going to hear NO every once in a while.

Maybe even all the time.

But it shouldn’t discourage you…

Because it means that you’re doing something right.

Think about it…

If you’re facing rejection…if you’re hearing the word NO…it means that you’re putting yourself out there.

It means that you’re taking chances. It means that you’re asking for what you want.

Sure, you’re giving other people the opportunity to say NO to you.

But you’re also giving them the opportunity to say YES.

So don’t be afraid of rejection.

Embrace it.

Learn to love it.

Because the more you hear the word NO, the less it’ll affect you.

And in the long run, you’ll take more risks.

And you’ll take more chances.

And you’ll ask for what you want.

And you’ll get it.

 

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4 Day Work Week…Would It Really Be So Bad?

20 Mar

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The workforce is a scary place right now.

Really, it is.

For those unemployed, it seems like it’ll take a miracle of God to find a job.

And for those of us who DO have jobs, we hope and we pray that we’ll be able to keep them.

Even GREAT organizations…even organizations that have been recognized for their financial stability… right now, they’re having to deal with not-so-great stuff like budget cuts and layoffs.

Take a look at the equation below, it’s pretty simple.

Budget cuts + fear of layoffs = unhappy, scared, & unproductive employees

Ask any employer.

I was thinking about this yesterday because I came across the term “Furlough Fridays.”

For those of you who don’t know, the term “furlough” is essentially a leave of absence, a vacation, a holiday. You’ll hear this term a lot these days because many government employers are implementing “furloughs”.

They’re mandating that employees take time off work….with no pay.

Basically, they don’t have money to pay you…so you need to go home.

NOT COOL.

So then I started thinking about it…what would happen if I had Fridays off because my employer couldn’t afford to pay me?

Would the extra time off be worth the pay cut?

And so I came to the conculsion that for some people, it WOULD be worth it.

I’ve written a lot about Gen Y and how we’ve pretty much redefined what success looks like.

Instead of spending our entire lives devoted to a job, 70+ hours a week, we want time to spend with our familes and our friends.

We want time to pursue our other interests, our other hobbies.

We want time to travel.

But we give up a lot of this time because we need to make ends meet. We need to pay rent.

More often than not, a part-time job just won’t pay the bills.

But on the other hand, a full-time job usually leaves us exhausted, with no time to enjoy the other aspects of life that we’re interested in.

But what about an extra day off every week? What about an extra day off every TWO weeks?

I think some people would love that.

Now I’m not trying to say that all employers should send their employees home every Friday. I’m not trying to say that employees should be paid less.

What I AM trying to say is that in SOME situations, rather than having to lay off employees, the budget could possibly be reduced by allowing employees the option of working a few days less each month.

At a time when employers are trying to cut budgets while avoiding at all costs having to lay off employees, I think it might be a good time to think outside the box.

I think we’d be surprised by how many people would jump at the chance to have a little more time off.

To have an extra day to spend with their kids.

To have an extra day to run errands.

To have an extra day to go away for the weekend.

It’s not feasible for all employers. It’s not feasible for all employees.

But in some situations, I think it is.

And I certainly think it’s a much better option than having to lay off employees.

Because laying off employees kills morale.

It kills morale and it can destroy an organization’s culture in two seconds.

But allowing employees to have an extra day of freedom…

That might just do the complete opposite.

Something to think about…

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Respect and Gen Y: What’s Age Got To Do With It?

26 Feb

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I’m working on an exciting new project. It’s awesome, really, because I get to do something that I love.

I get to teach college students about leadership and about success at work.

Yes, I’m currently in the midst of trying to be productive…even though this is me on most days…

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Alright… so in an effort to find the right topics to discuss and the right stories to share with these students, I’ve had to reflect a lot on my experiences in the workplace.

And well…that hasn’t been fun.

It hasn’t been fun because I’ve realized something.

I’ve realized that although there are a lot of things that I can teach these students, there’s no way that I can control the hardships that they’ll continue to face as young professionals.

There’s no way that I’ll be able to rid them of the label that they’ll often be given:

YOUNG & INEXPERIENCED.

This makes me mad.

You know, I once went on a job interview and overall, it was a great experience.

The people were friendly and made me feel comfortable…something a bit rare for an interview. I was actually having a good time.

Until I wasn’t.

I was totally bothered by something that one of the men who was interviewing me asked.

He said, “I’m going to ask you something…you look very young…how are you going to handle yourself when an executive or a senior employee needs something resolved and doesn’t want to talk to you because you look so young?”

Yes. I was really supposed to answer that.

Now, don’t get me wrong…the man who asked me the question was a nice guy. I actually got a long with him very well and so I know that he didn’t mean this question to be negative or to upset me.

But it did upset me because it made me realize that this is a very real problem.

When we talk about discrimination, stereotypes, diversity in the workplace, etc., we often tend to focus on race and ethnicity.

But what about age?

I mean, in that very same interview, would it have been okay for him to say, “you know…you look a bit Asian….how are you going to handle yourself when an executive or a senior employee needs something and doesn’t want to talk to you because you’re Asian?”

No. Absolutely not. That would absolutely NOT have been okay.

So why is it okay that he asked about age?

Why is it okay for young professionals to receive less respect than we deserve?

Think about it.

So many of us are intelligent. So many of us are driven. So many of us are talented and determined and hungry for the opportunity to make a difference.

Sure, we don’t know everything. No one does. And yes, we have a lot to learn.

But we need people who will teach us and who will treat us as equals.

Not people who feel that we’re beneath them.

Because at the end of the day, we all have a lot to learn from eachother.

So when I think about these students that I’ll  be advising, I hate that I won’t be able to force others to fully see their value. I hate that I won’t be able to delete that label that many of them will get stuck with.

But I CAN make sure that they understand the following…

Each of us…we get the respect that we demand.

Simple as that.

Just because we’re young doesn’t mean that we’re not good at what we do. Skill and ability are not necessarily determined by age.

Experience, not age, is what leads to wisdom.

And sometimes people forget this.

So young professionals…

Demand that respect. Demand that equality.

Don’t let people underestimate your abilities and your talents.

And when they do, prove them wrong.

Don’t let people be mean to you just because they think that they can.

Know your worth.

Be professional.

Do good work.

And always make sure to stand up for yourself.

Because if you don’t demand that respect for yourself, no one else will.

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Small Changes = Big Results

5 Feb

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Last week I had a HUGE dilemma. Really, it was catastrophic.

It was the weekend, I had somewhere to be for the first time in forever, and I HAD NOTHING TO WEAR.

Before I continue, please let me say that this is not a post about fashion.

It’s not about clothes, nor is it a story pertaining to any of my previous shopping trips to the mall.

You’re welcome. Now, I’ll continue.

So how could I fix this? Without even thinking much, the solution was pretty obvious to me.

Clearly, I needed to go shopping ASAP and spend all my money on a new wardrobe.

Genius!

But then I stared at my closet for a good fifteen minutes. I mean I just stood there and stared at it.

Here, this is my closet…

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I know, it’s a disaster. I’ll get around to organizing it this weekend. Promise.

But here’s the deal…You see that piece of white wall to the left? Well, behind that wall is a continuation of my closet. The problem, however, is that when I stand in front of my closet and try to decide what to wear, I can’t see anything that’s behind that wall, all the way to the left. So what happens? The clothes that’s all the way to the left of my closet…I forget that it exists.

And then I cry because I have nothing to wear.

So here’s what I did…

I shuffled my closet around and shifted the stuff that was all the way to the left, right to the smack center of my closet. And after doing so, I had a brand spankin’ new wardrobe.

Oh…and I spent no money.

Success!

Now I’m sure some of you are reading this and thinking um…okay…so she rearranged her closet…so what?

So why do I think this is important enough to write about?

Because it was a small change that made a HUGE difference.

It seems that these days, young people in particular, whenever we’re faced with a dilemma, we tend gravitate towards brash solutions.

We hate our jobs? We quit.

We feel that our life is devoid of meaning? We pack our bags and take a 7 month trip to Europe…all expenses paid by our student loans that will end up consuming our entire adult life leaving us broke forever.

Now yes, granted, sometimes drastic measures need to be taken. That’s fine.

But more often than not, we just need to relax, take a deep breath, and see things differently.

The solutions to our problems are not always great, giant, life-changing events.

I once read in an article somewhere that just a tiny change in your daily routine can impact your mood dramatically.

So listen, tomorrow…when you wake up hating life because you’ve got to go to that job that’s terrible… take a different route. Drive with the windows down. Decorate your office. Buy a plant and put in your office. Read a book during your lunch break. Go take a walk during your lunch break. Have a 30 second dance party. You might just see that it helps a bit.

But maybe your job REALLY sucks. Maybe you really DO need to quit. Do you really need to quit right away? How about you try making small changes leading up to that? Be smart about it. Don’t just get angry one day and throw in the towel. Figure out what else you can do. Figure out what else you WANT to do. Network. Work on a project on the side. Cultivate a new skill. But do all those things while you have a job.

Because a huge change, a big change…that might not be the best kind of change at all.

You’re feeling that you’re lacking purpose in your life and suddenly feel the urge to take off for a year and travel around the world like a nomad?

That’s cool. But is that the only thing that you can do that will give you that sense of purpose and adventure? Can you maybe make it a point to travel on the weekends? Can you join a club of some sort? Can you find an organization to volunteer at? Can you take up photography? Can you learn a new language?

You see…that problem you have…there may be more than one solution.

You just need a different perspective. You need to see it differently. So change the way you see things.

Change 1

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