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Taking Initiative

July 8, 2009 by themadgrad

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It’s strange that at 24 years old, I finally found the genius behind Nike’s slogan, ” Just do it.” It never seemed much more to me than a slogan that got a few snickers on the elementary school playground and was just plain obvious.  Recently, however, this slogan has taken on a whole other meaning to me- one of taking initiative and making decisions yourself.

At my job, I assist the Founder of my company who is understandably very busy. When I first started my job a couple months ago I would ask permission for everything. “Would you like me to send this email?” Where should I make reservations?” I didn’t want to go ahead and do something and get in trouble if I made a mistake. That’s when I realized- it’s better to go ahead and do it instead of asking permission and waiting around for his answer. After all, if he had time to answer all of my questions- would he really need an assistant in the first place?

Being young in a big company is hard. We are hired with the expectation that we have a lot to learn and will be asking lots of questions- which don’t get my wrong is good to an extent! But to prove our maturity and ambition, we need to learn when to ask questions and when to go ahead and take initiative for ourselves.

I heard a quote recently by Grace Hopper that said, “Its easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission.” If I heard this quote 3 months ago, I’d probably disagree- but now, I could not agree more. There’s going to be times when you go ahead and do something, and end up making a mistake and getting in trouble.  However, a mistake here or there, from someone who takes initiative and makes decisions for themselves, is going to be forgiven a lot faster, than someone sitting around and waiting for someone to make decisions for them.

So next time you’re in a situation where you aren’t sure if you should take a risk and go with your gut, go ahead and “Just do it!”

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Guest Post by Author and Entrepreneur Robert Tuchman: Embracing Entrepreneurship

July 7, 2009 by Jenny

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Graduation from college carries such ironic emotion: you have spent four years yearning to graduation, but as soon as you do, you spend your remaining days nostalgic about your school days.  College is a great time, but with graduation comes reality.  You are now armed with all that you need: you are the fuse and your diploma is the match.  Let the fireworks begin!

Many leave college and send out applications to tens of corporations looking for a job. But there are others who take a bit more of a risk: they seek entrepreneurial pursuits.  Know that what lay behind you and what lay in front of you is trivial compared to what lay within you.  Have courage.

If it is entrepreneurship you desire post graduation, there are several thing you must consider.

An entrepreneur needs to be someone who can both visualize and actualize.  He needs to be able to visualize something—and once he has that “something”, he needs to see exactly how to make it happen.  In order to make it happen, there are several steps that you as an entrepreneur must take on your way to entrepreneurial success.  Do not just enhance what is, but advance towards what will be: keep the long term in sight.

It is essential that you are able to marry your work and what you love. When in sales, there is no right or wrong way to sell: all you need is passion and enthusiasm for your product. This passion will ignite the minds of your potential client, facilitating connections, and connections between will be made.  Your passion and enthusiasm for your product will be what encourages the sale—not the rote duplication of someone else’s selling system. It takes courage to grow up, form your own philosophy, and become who you really are. What you do to sell and promote your business has to be a reflection of what you are already willing to stay up late for and get up early for.  It has to connect to your “why” and be a part of your own experience.

Second, you must start working your plan, whether you are ready nor not.  Know the four good things that you are about to do: first, that your business is going to be built on a great idea; second, that great idea is going to connect you to a market; third, that you will create a plan based on what you learn, on an ongoing basis, about that market; fourth, that you will adjust that plan over time.

After you have visualized your plan, find the right partner… and avoid the wrong one!  You will have a significant advantage over one-man businesses if you come together with another person regularly to make important decisions.  Find someone with whom you have good chemistry, someone who fills your blind spots.  Successful partnerships are based on the idea of taking different perspectives in a discussion and having different talents.

Once the groundwork has been established, set priorities for the absolutely crucial first year. Concentrate on why you are doing something—not how.  Your “why” will keep you closely connected to your company and your product.  As soon as you lose sight of “why,” you will also lose sight of your driving force and your motivation.

Through your first year and beyond, court clients—and keep them coming back! In order that you become a successful entrepreneur, it is essential that you are the person who is willing to pick up the phone and call people to talk about making deals and doing business. When you make this phone call, make sure you are absolutely certain about the product that you are selling.  With this certainty, you can use confidence to build up a network of contacts.  The network cannot be established overnight—it is going to take a lot of phone calls.  You cannot just wave your magic wand over a corporation and change them into a profitable client.

In order to keep your client base, you need a great team to work with.  Make sure that your company has shared values, that there are rewards for quality improvements, and that there are strong internal and external relationships.  Empower the best, lose the rest!

Inevitably, there will be failure.  You must learn from failure: use it as a stepping-stone.  Do not forget what mistakes you have made, but do not allow yourself to dwell on them.  Take from your failure: take the lesson learned—do not let it take anything from you: not your energy, not your time and not your space.

Finally, in order to keep your company going and keep your clients happy, maintain good relations with your vendors.  It is essential that you support the people who support you.  If you are making a big commitment to a client, make sure you have a solid relationship with your vendor.

In the end, take energy from taking risks.  Live in the spirit of the entrepreneur!

Robert Tuchman is living as an entrepreneur and has recently published his first book Young Guns where he gives young people guidance on taking your dreams and making them into a reality in this step by step book that will arm you with the tools you need to take your idea and make it a career.Check out Robert’s website: http://youngbusinessexecutives.com/

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June 3, 2009 by Jenny

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Just some hump-day inspiration compliments of Wordboner have a fantastic day!

Posted in Daily Inspiration | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments »

The Importance of Showing Gratitude

June 2, 2009 by Ashley

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I was out to lunch with coworkers last week, and everyone was telling funny work-related stories. Someone told one about how her boss had left his work bag on the train, and when they by some miracle found it- she sent a dozen roses to the person who did. I couldn’t help but be proud that this was my coworker, but also ashamed at myself at the same time. I would never have thought to do this! Then I started thinking, about how many people that have helped me, and in return I had only given them a quick “thank you.”

This incident wasn’t the first time I had thought about how my gratitude meter at work (and outside of work) needed a boost. Since I’ve started working at my new job two weeks ago, I’ve learned many many things, but the biggest lesson I’ve learned is the importance of encouraging and thanking the people you work with. We have this online tool, where you send “love” to anyone who deserves it- whether that is going out of their way to help you with something, making improvements, or doing a great job on a project. You might think this sounds odd, but really what it is- is taking one step further than a quick “thank you” to show people how appreciative you are- which sadly, we don’t often do. In fact the word “thank you” has become so common place that it has about the same weight as “sorry”. It’s better than saying nothing, but the word alone isn’t enough when people go out of their way to be a great friend, family member or coworker.

If you take 5 minutes each day- literally just 5 minutes, and send a thank you email or text or flowers or card basically any form of thank you to anyone that helps you, it will drastically improve relationships. Honestly, when was the last time you thanked the IT guy or girl at your work for helping fix your computer, your Dad for reminding you to get an oil change on your car, your coworker for getting you lunch, or your friends for just being awesome? Chances are, (if you are like me) it’s been awhile. And it doesn’t have to be in written form- picking up an extra coffee for your coworker in the morning, or grabbing a reeses for your friend if they are having a bad day- are all easy ways of showing gratitude. Is this the same as kissing as*? Nope unless you are doing it with expectations of something in return which shouldn’t be the case. All you need in return, is knowing that you are showing people what it means to be a good coworker, or friend and they’ll pass that on to someone else who needs it.

As Kennedy said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

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Change: a.To cause to be different b.To transfer from (one conveyance) to another c.To become different or undergo alteration

June 1, 2009 by Jenny

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If there is one thing in life that is certain it is that change is inevitable.

Change comes in many forms, today will change into tomorrow, your age will change each year, you will change you mind, you will change where you live, you will change who you love, the things that matter most in the world to you will change.

Everyone deals with change in their own way, some embrace it and seek it out, while others reject it and do absolutely everything they can to avoid dealing with it.  So what makes change so hard and why is it something that causes constant fear and stress? Change can mean taking a risk and often not knowing what exactly is going to happen next. Change comes in many shapes in sizes from something as significant as getting a new President of the United States to deciding to change your morning routine.

As a society we often overlook the fact that we have much more control over change than we sometimes realize. It is too easy to just blame things in life on change and act as though we had no say over them, when more often than not we do.

The most important characteristic of change lies in the beauty of it’s power. Over the past few years the world has witnessed the impact that Gen Y has made in politics, social issues and becoming a prominent and respected part of the business world. With this being said our generation has been given more opportunity than any before us, we have access to so much information instantaneously through the Internet and accessibility to millions of people through social media.

Slowly becoming an adult gives us the freedom to decide and figure out who we are and where we fit in this world. Although it is a confusing time it is so exciting because we can decide what we want to do with our free time what we dedicate ourselves to, and instead of just being a student or a employee we have the choice to become ambassadors of change. I know this many sound a bit intimidating but it doesn’t mean single-handed saving the world but it does mean becoming proactive in your own way.

It is easy to get caught up in the every day routine of life and forget about everything going on outside our personal world. Here and now is the time to ask ourselves what have we done for others? What positive change have we contributed to? Maybe making a change is as simple as getting a compost bin to help eliminate trash or taking an even better step and setting aside a couple hours a week to an non-profit that you believe in and helping them out.

Change is an overwhelming word but when we think of it in terms of the small every day changes we can make and encourage others to make it seems a lot less scary. I know everyone always makes the point that if everyone made small changes in would in fact make a HUGE difference but it is the truth and it is now about taking matters into your own hands.

The founders of CoolPeopleCare recently published a book called New Day Revolution discussing the importance of taking even one minute our our busy days to make a conscious effort to do something proactive. Highlighting the importance of making an impact where we are with what we’ve got. The past month Life Without Pants has been asking bloggers to share their thoughts on change so check out their site for all the thought provoking posts and different approaches others take dealing with change.

Do the world a favor and ask yourself today, what am I doing to instill positive change in the world?

And as my favorite all time quote states above, be the change you wish to see in the world!

Posted in Daily Inspiration | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Guest Post: Taking the First Steps in Your Adult Shoes

May 27, 2009 by Jenny

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Graduating from college is a huge step in life. The question changes from what do you want to be when you grow up to  a more realistic one- now what? The first steps you take after college are the start to your adult life. I started thinking about this in light of a friend deciding to move back home.
My friend Matt went to college in Oregon and moved to San Diego upon graduating last summer- to live with his best friend and start a new life. He got a job as a waiter to pay the bills while he looked for a job. He felt like he didn’t fit in here and talked about it often. He was constantly reminiscing about the college days and how he was the “big man on campus.” After less than a year, Matt has decided to move back home. I have mixed feelings about his move, because he did give it a shot, but I don’t think he was open minded enough.

Here’s a few pearls of wisdom for the new grad out there:

1. KEEP AN OPEN MIND: Be ready for new experiences and new challenges. Be ready to LEARN. Managing my own money and supporting myself financially was something I had to adjust to.

2. EXPECT TO BE DISAPPOINTED: You will be let down at some point, that’s life so just be ready. You might not get the first job you interview for. You may not get the salary you expected. All I’m saying is be realistic. Especially in this economy the game is totally different.

3. CHANGE IS INEVITABLE: Even if you stay in the same city you attended college, your life will not be the same. Friends will leave and life will be different. There are no “mental health days” allowed at work like in college. You need to change your method of thinking and remember that you are being paid to be there and your company values your time so you should too.

4. TAKE RISKS: If not now, then when? Move somewhere new. Apply for a job you might be under qualified for. Travel and work somewhere exotic for a while. Go out and meet new people- NETWORK! This is probably the most valuable take away networking will do wonders for your career in the present and in the future.

5. TAKE YOUR OWN PATH: This is your time to be selfish. By that I mean, you need to make decisions for yourself  about where you will live, work and play. Don’t make your plans according to what your best friend or boyfriend/girlfriend is doing- you will be left thinking what if. Go with your gut and make sure that you are doing something that you are proud of and are in a place that you feel excited about going to work and being part of the company.

Starting off is both frightening and exciting and you will never get another first chance to decide what the first thing you will do after college is going to be so make it something great and do not be afraid of listening to your heart!

-Nicole LaVelle

Nicole LaVelle is a recent graduate from San Diego where she studied graphic design she has also studied in Florence Italy and she is now working as a Designer at a marketing company. You can see her work here www.nicolelavelle.com

Posted in Career Advice | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

My Twitterific Customer Service Experience

May 26, 2009 by Jenny

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Who would have thought that a successful tip for surviving life after college would be to use and understand a social media outlet like Twitter?  Well these days if you are not in the know about Twitter and how companies are using it for free to their advantage then your chances of getting a job will decrease greatly.

Oh no not that word again…TWITTER! It is literally the hottest word in the world and is slowly causing a whole new slew of words to arise.  There are new words associated around Twittering for example, Dweet, which is a Tweet you write while drinking alcohol. Due to the uproar of Twitter and the limitations of expressing yourself in a world of only 140 characters a whole new language has evolved and now there are even Twittonaries popping up to help people become better acquainted with the lingo.

Now on to my Twittermazing experience. One Sunday night a few weeks ago due to some frustration I tweeted from my blackberry about how much I disliked Comcast because our cable and Internet never work despite them setting it up and us always paying the bill on time. To my surprise the next morning when I checked Twitter I had an @ reply from someone named ComcastBill asking me what seemed to be the problem. I wrote back and said I simply didn’t know but was dissapointed with the fact that we paid so much and it never just worked correctly. He asked me for the # off of my cable box and then checked it through the system insuring me that it must be a problem with the actual cord because everything else was running smoothly.

He then told me he could send someone out the same afternoon and I told him that my roommate was home so that would work out fine.  A few minutes later I called my roommate to tell her that a Comcast worker would be stopping by and when she answered she told me not only had he already come but he fixed the problem and was already gone!

This amazed me, I didn’t even have to pick up my phone or go online to Comcast and I got my cable fixed within less than 24 hours of it not working! Truly a shining example of a company that has a ton of money and utilizes social media by employing someone to monitor Comcast tweets online all day and night.  I didn’t even have to ask and I got my problem solved for me!

Here are some other great examples of companies using Twitter to enhance there customer service:

HR Block :  http://twitter.com/hrblock

Whole Foods: http://twitter.com/wholefoods

Southwest: http://twitter.com/southwestair

If all companies were utilizing Twitter their satisfaction rates would most likely go up. The bottom line is that we live in a digital world where people like things to happen at the speed of light and if you can use a free service that is easy to use and easy for your customers to use and is totally sufficient then what are you waiting for?

Posted in Apartment Living (Decorating, organizing and finding), Daily Inspiration, generation y | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Looking Back: TheMadGrad’s 1st Year

May 22, 2009 by Jenny

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Looking over the past year since we started The Mad Grad, I think that the blogosphere has changed drastically from blogging to facebooking to micro-blogging on Twitter. Ashley and I first started this blog because after graduation we felt that despite all the resources there was no one out there that we could relate to who had recently been in our position. We decided that taking our experiences (good and bad) and  the insight we gained from them and sharing them with others would be positive not only for us to reflect on our own lives, but hopefully to inspire and assist others who were going through the same situation.

We have learned so much over the past year from our experience with our blog. We found that people all over the world could relate and benefit from the advice we had to offer about life after graduation. We also found how much time and dedication it takes to maintain a blog and balance work and life.

From being a part of the ever growing world of blogging we have discovered so many other wonderful blogs and learned that we were not the only ones out there that felt the importance of life after graduation issues. One of the best parts for us is being able to connect and even meet with like-minded bloggers. We recently even had a meet-up with some amazing women who write similar blogs and it was great to connect and spend time with them hearing their thoughts and talk in blogger about our experiences blogging and twittering!

We both have been slacking lately with our posts but have made a pact in honor of The Mad Grad being around for a year to start blogging again and using feedback from our readers to enhance what we are writing about. We know that there are a million and one things to do on the Internet and we feel privileged to be able to share our world with you all –so thank you!

-Jenny & Ashley

Posted in Daily Inspiration | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments »

Inspiring Words

May 9, 2009 by Ashley

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I just watched Michael J Fox’s special on happiness, and found his closing words very inspiring. Enjoy! (And be sure to watch it if you missed it)

“For everything this disease has taken, something of greater value has been given. Sometimes, it’s just a marker that points me in a new direction that I might otherwise not have traveled. So sure, it may be one step forward and two steps back, but after a time with Parkinson’s I’ve learned that what’s important is making that one step count. It’s evident in Tracy’s love and inexhaustible friendship, the toothless grip in Esma’s smilie, Aquinna’s grace, Schuyler’s grip, Sam’s intrepid curiosity. Since I’m not sure of which address to send my gratitude, I put it out there in everything I do. Its my ongoing journey and what I’ve discovered is that optimists are open to alternatives in the face of adversity- they deal with reality head on. That hope flourishes in groups and resonates when people are doing what they love and that happiness is contagious- you can give it out like newspapers and feel it in everything you do.”


Posted in Daily Inspiration | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments »

“Seek Week” on LinkedIn

April 23, 2009 by Ashley

If you aren’t a subscriber to the LinkedIn Blog, you will be after you check out their excellent series “Seek Week.” This two week series (as of this past Monday) focuses on helping Recent Graduates in today’s Economy, with advice from students and professionals. They discuss a variety of topics from using LinkedIN to find Internships,  adding more “oomph” to your job search,  paying back your college loans and Do’s and Don’ts for 09 Grads.

LinkedIn is an incredible networking tool, that if used correctly, can connect you with the right people. My good friend got a notification the other day that he had a message on LinkedIn, and was joking about how it was probably just spam and he never really used it. That was until he found out the message was from someone that graduated from his University and Fraternity and owned a successful company in the Bay Area in the field he specialized (and was job searching in!) A similar story is told on this series by a recent college grad, who landed an incredible position at Microsoft through LinkedIn.

Go to LinkedIn’s blog, to check out this excellent series. This is a great resource, not just for recent grads, but for everyone interested in expanding their Network.

Posted in Career Advice | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments »

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