Brokentoy

Let�s start this week with an example. Read about these two graduates and see if you can guess the outcome:

A tale of two graduates

Grad A was a bright student with top marks. He spent his school years tirelessly researching and investigating industry trends, fads, and has mapped out a career plan for the next five years. People ask and email him with questions and ideas and he always makes time for a quick reply.

With his talent and work ethic, Grad A could land his first job in any business, or perhaps he will open his own business and wear all the hats necessary to maintain a small group of clients.

Grad B has a solid understanding of the theory and principles of her industry. While no means the best student, she asks questions, gives opinions, and shares her ideas with her classmates to make sure she�s on the same page. People come to her with as many questions as Grad A but through her conversations people have a good idea of her personality, her strengths, and her weaknesses.

After a few internships Grad B lands a permanent position in a medium-sized office. She chats with her coworkers on breaks and even managed to sell HR on hiring a friend from school to fill her vacant intern spot.

Five years later, who do you think will be more successful?

The value of networking

Both graduates have the basic skills to land an entry-level job in their field. But what happens when it�s time to think about moving up the ladder?

There is strength in numbers. Eventually in your career you will hit a point when your current options or resources don�t allow you to continue to grow. For example:

• Your company is downsizing and you want to find a new job
• You need to hire more qualified employees to allow you to take on more clients
• You want to update your skills to remain current in your field

A network of like-minded individuals in and around your field will help you overcome or find alternatives to problems that otherwise would take too much time of effort to do on your own. And it works both ways � a relatively small effort from you can make a world of difference to somebody else.

So, while Grad A is trying to manage his career without any help, I believe that Grad B will be able to use her network to find better opportunities and expend a lot less effort for a larger gain.

If you�re interested in starting or adding to your professional network, here are my suggestions. (more…)

It�s been two years after my classmates and I tossed our graduation caps and headed off to the working world. Our professors told us we were the best and brightest class in the five-year history of our program, and that we were headed to big things. With an up-to-the-minute skill set, a foot in the door with some of the Greater Toronto Area�s top design studios, and a promise to keep in touch and help each other whenever possible, we set out to show the world what we could do.

So, what happened to my 30 or so classmates? (more…)