What I’d tell my college senior self
Let me start by saying this: I am not as successful as I want to be, and I’m OK with that. As happy as I am with my life right now, I’m the type of person who is always looking days, weeks, years into the future and trying to figure out what I need to do now in order to have the life I want then. Obviously, my career path has been a bit more of a jungle gym that a straight ladder to the top. I’ve traveled, I’ve taken time off, I’ve showed up in no less than three cities not knowing a soul and not having a job and not having a place to live–and somehow, here I am in New York City. With a salary, 401K, benefits and a savings account!
Today I’m hosting a group of Chico State journalism students at Vimeo. It doesn’t seem like that long ago that I was on the other side of the table, desperate to find a well-paying entry-level job and get married and sink blissfully into a status quo-successful, suburban life in Northern California. Life has created opportunities than I never could have imagined back then, and I’m thankful that I wasn’t afraid to dream a little bigger. That said: here are the pieces of career advice I’ll be doling out to those college seniors.
Treat people to coffee
Stating what shouldn’t need to be said: if you ask someone to coffee because they could potentially be helpful to you, buy them their coffee (or beer, or whatever it is). Their time is valuable, and their advice is valuable. Make sure they know that you appreciate it. Every job I’ve gotten has been because I’ve known someone, and more often than not, it can be traced back to a cup of coffee. And don’t stop meeting people for coffee once you have a job: a wide network can pay dividends, whether it’s through providing outside insight on an insular problem, keeping you in mind when a better opportunity arises, or simply being able to commiserate about industry issues.
Work abroad
Bartending in France and working in marketing in Australia are two of my most treasured life experiences. It made me more self-sufficient, taught me how to solve a multitude of problems, and reminded me that what is the “right way” in America is simply one way of doing things. It also allowed me the opportunity to travel through two incredible countries without emptying my savings account. I also made such good friends: expat communities all over the world have a way of creating lasting bonds. Side note: securing a work visa for France (and most of Europe if you’re not a citizen) is a nightmare. It’s almost frighteningly easy to get a working holiday visa for Australia and New Zealand if you’re American/Canadian/European.
Set up an automatic transfer to a 401K
My mom made me read The Automatic Millionaire when I was in high school, and one of the best things that it taught me was to automate my savings (and to start thinking about retirement now because of the magic of compound interest). I’ve had $100 automatically transfer each month from my checking account to a money market fund since I graduated from college: money that I’ve never missed, but that has resulted in more than $7,000 that continues to collect interest. I also have a Roth IRA that automatically pulls from my bank account each month so that I end up with the maximum $5,000 contribution at the end of each year.
What I love about both of these is that it just automatically reduces my disposable income, forcing me to spend less on things I don’t need. Automate your accounts to pay your bills and save money first–and then figure out what you can spend.
Don’t let your work life be your only life
Seriously. Have reasons to leave the office at a decent hour, and leave. Whether it’s a gym class, dinner with friends, a very important date with a glass of wine and an episode of The Good Wife on your couch: having a life outside of work is important for your mental health. “If you leave a work task undone in order to meet a friend for dinner, then you are “shirking” your work. But it’s also true that if you cancel dinner to finish your work, then you are shirking your friendship. That’s just not how we usually think of it.” is from What They Don’t Tell You At Graduation, a Wall Street Journal article that has profoundly affected my attitude toward work, and for which I’m very grateful that I read at a young age. Work projects are important, but they should only be one part of your life’s puzzle.
Being the last one in the office doesn’t prove anything
If you’re efficient and effective at your job, you shouldn’t need 12+ hours every single day to get your work done. (If you do: you have too much to do, and you should probably talk to HR about your workload.) My tried-and-true philosophy is that if you get your work done well and on time, no one will pay close attention to when you arrive or when you leave.
What tips would you give your college senior self?
