G Stands for Goals

That's right. G does not stand for Gatorade, it stands for Goals. I went to Career Development Center's (CDC) "Ready, Aim, Hire!" workshop tonight. It was part two, Aim. Peter Spellman, head of Berklee's CDC, ran the workshop. If you haven't heard of him, check him out. He's brilliant.

To sum up the workshop:

-Be proactive. The jobs are not going to find you, you have to go find them. This could be anything from a gig to a cubicle. Go after what you want.
-There is going to be a period of dues-paying. He couldn't emphasize that enough. In any field, there will be a point where you're on the bottom of the totem pole. Embrace it.
-Treat every class as a professional gig. Bob says that good grades are money in the bank. He's right. So is Peter. Take the time to develop a good track record with your teachers. You never know when you might need a recommendation letter.
-Network. Network. Network. Peter said, "When it comes to networking, one plus one equals ten." He also said that before you take any job, try and find REAL people connected to the company. It could really help you.
-Understand what makes YOU tick. What are your assets? What do you bring to the table? Be able to articulate it.
-Be good at self-promotion. Many people don't like self-promoting. The thought of "selling" themselves is unappealing. It's confidence, not arrogance, when it comes to being a good self-promoter. Good self-promoters are "politely persistent", professional, and good storytellers. But the best way to promote yourself is to just be yourself and help others. BE GENEROUS. It comes back around.
-Create success on your own level. Don't go straight for the major label when you can do it all yourself for free! The more you have going for you, the less they (whoever they may be) can take away.
-Always always ALWAYS be in the pursuit of WOW. Go the extra mile. Impress your peers, your boss, your mom, etc... Stand out. Be creative. Be bold. Be YOU.

In case you're wondering, I found that picture of Mia Hamm in this month's Women's Health, and it really hit me. I'm not entirely sure why, but it did. It's taped on my wall right next to my bed. There's just something about it that I find extremely motivating and comforting in some way. The raw passion that Mia has for soccer comes through in it. Maybe that's it.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. One cannot run on no sleep, no matter how hard we try!

Enjoy!