Good Advice from Others Who Have "Been There, Done That"
1. Don't let others decide "your" attitude.
2. Always be early to work and always be willing to stay late. Moving up is often measured in �sweat equity�.
3. The best ethics are those that can stand being illuminated in the morning newspaper.
4. A positive attitude will take you further than your technical knowledge.
5. Decision making should always involve identifying the risks and assigning probabilities to possible outcomes.
6. Make an effort to improve your written and oral communication skills. Whatever the sacrifice - make it! -- Very few professionals move up without being good communicators.
7. If you are in a college major and you do not like the topics, homework, tests, teachers, etc., you should change majors. If you do not like this material in college, why do you think you will suddenly fall in love with the subject when you are working? (Note about accounting: The purpose of doing business is to make a profit, and accounting measures profits. All career paths need to understand accounting, and those who don't will remain at the bottom of the corporate ladder.)
8. College is the �real world.� There are obligations, responsibilities, and consequences.
9. Your college grades are a measure of your willingness to sacrifice. Employers want employees willing to sacrifice to improve the company.
10. If you don't like group and team work in class, forget the business world--change majors! You must be able to work as part of a team to survive in the business world.
11. Learn everything you can about the computer and the internet. The 21st century will be defined by "technocrats." Join them or fall behind.
12. Join professional business organizations. Career maintenance and the networking related to it will pay off.
13. Be a volunteer for community service, starting now. Recruiters believe if you give that extra two cents while you are a student, then you will likely give that extra two cents to the company.
14. Continually update your address, telephone, and e-mail information. Networking is an important key to success.
15. Join student clubs and take a leadership role. Leadership is the key to moving up in the business world.
16. Cultivate friendships among all the students in your major. You may need this network later on.
17. Develop a good rapport with at least one of your major professors. Make sure they know you and your career objectives.
18. Be attentive to details. It is not long in life before you will discover it is the little things that make the big difference.
19. Excuses for submitting reports and other paperwork late don't get it in business----nor do they in classes. If you can't handle the load, lighten up your course load by dropping a class, or reducing work hours. Time management skills are strong indicators of your ability to manage the tasks involved in your intended career.
*Source: Email circulation, with personal adaptations
