October 25, 2009 - by Anton
Once you get an internship or a job, start acting like you are the owner. Please don’t think that I want you to boss your colleagues around and tell everyone what to do.
Instead, you should look at the company that you are working for, as a company of your own. Think about the long term goals of the company, and ask yourself, “How can I contribute to them?” The point of acting like “the boss,” is to make you care about the company on a deeper level than everyone else. Why? Because, you will take your job a lot more seriously, and you will perform much better than any of your colleagues.
Therefore, if you see room for improvement in any area of your company, act upon it.
For example:
If you see a way to cut costs, even if it’s just within your department, by all means – cut them.
If you see that people around the office are not recycling because there is no recycling bin nearby – set one up.
Acting like a boss is not easy, because you must look at everything from two different perspectives – as an employer and an employee.
What does this all mean at the end? This concept can allow you to go as far as you want, whether it’s just a pay raise or as much as a big promotion. Try it out. I think you will find your job a whole lot more interesting and exciting!
October 18, 2009 - by Anton
When we update our computers, we introduce them to new information. Therefore, this new information makes them a bit "smarter," which directly results on better productivity and efficiency of the machine.
The same theory can be applied to people, minus the wires and plugs.
Are you interested in economics and news from all over the world? Then pick up The Economist and stay up to date on current events. Are you interested to find out when we will get out of this economic downturn? Pick up a copy of The Wall Street Journal and find out what the experts are saying. Or are you interested in politics, healthcare, or environmental studies?
For example, every morning I read The Wall Street Journal, or at the minimum I skim through it. Personally, I feel the need to know what is happening in the world and why it is occurring. Then, I analyze the impacts of these events on various sectors of business, politics, and life.
There is a ton of information out there to keep you updated on virtually everything and anything. Ask what sources your friends and/or peers are using, and try them out. Learn what sources work best for you and only you, and continue to use them on a continuous basis.
As my good friend, Stephen Prenner from Adelphi University once said "Anton, don't ever stop, otherwise you will end up going backwards " What he means, is that whatever it is that you are doing, keep on doing it and always improve on it. Otherwise, you will fall behind and you will stay behind.
Don’t get lost in yesterday, stay updated today, and be ready for tomorrow.
October 11, 2009 - by Anton
This week at the Adelphi University Finance Society meeting, Doug K. Flynn and Richard J. Zito from Flynn Zito Capital Management, gave career and life advice to students. I completed an internship with this company over the summer of ‘09, and got to know Doug and Rich very well. Therefore, I invited them to Adelphi to speak and enlighten young minds of our University with their advice. Their presentation was extremely informative and inspiring. What really caught my attention from their presentation, was their emphasis on “the little things.” Doug and Rich said, “As business owners, we might not be able to do everything every day. However, we do notice everything that gets done.” For example, if you walk by a plant in the office and see that it needs water, get a cup of water and water it (especially if it’s not part of your job description). The employer might not have enough time to do it, but I can guarantee you that he/she will notice it. If you learn to apply this concept to its full potential on the job, you will get recognized by your employer as a hard worker. Furthermore, you will simultaneously benefit your career by becoming the person that pays attention to detail. I would like to leave you off with a quote by John Wooden, “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”
October 04, 2009 - by Anton
Everyone knows that networking is important. However, a lot of people don’t take complete advantage of it. In my opinion, good networking skills are as crucial as your college degree, when applying or looking for work. Most of the time when we network, we don’t even realize that we are networking because there isn’t one particular way of doing it. When I am in the gym working out, and I am attempting to push my weight resistance to a new limit, I would normally ask someone to “spot me” (make sure I don’t drop the weights on myself). After, I would thank the individual and I would introduce myself, and now I know one person more at my gym. Eventually, we would get to know each other better, and this is how we would build on our network. The same theory can be applied to any other activity or situation. For example, I network at the Adelphi University Finance Society meetings, at my local/online car club, at seminars and lectures, and even in class with students and professors. This is what I am trying emphasize on - networking can be done in numerous ways. A person can find a way of networking by simply using their imagination. My suggestion to you is, if you are strongly considering improving your networking skills, is to read Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi. This book will provide you with essential skills from the basics, to the most unusual and effective ways of networking. I am going to finish this post with a quote by Mr. Ferrazzi, “Because, flat out, people do business with people they know and like. Careers – in every imaginable field – work the same way.”
