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By nature, people are social. This integral quality of humanity has led to amazing ideas, incredible innovation, and has created the collaborative world we live in today. Students (and workers) of this day and age are able to, due to the advancements of technology, communicate with each other from miles and miles away. While Zoom does definitely tire and fatigue students, we have to admit that it’s incredible (and that these advancements were available right in time)!
Communication is, as we’ve established, crucial. This translates to your professional development and advances, as well. Many of your peers are going through the same kind of interviews and experiences that would be beneficial to learn from and explore. Additionally, if you have a knack for entrepreneurship, talking with someone can often make ideas become reality. All this being said, let’s get into 3 career conversations you should be having with friends and colleagues this semester, whether virtually or (safely!) in-person.
- BUSINESS IDEAS
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- Business ideas, such as creative endeavors or new product or service lines you’re thinking of starting, are a great conversation to run by someone you trust and respect. Of course, when you think you have an amazing idea, there’s always the fear that someone might take it, so make sure you’re talking to someone who you know wants the best for you or that you have a patent/copyright situation already figured out. As for getting your idea up and running, it’s not a bad idea to seek a partner in a friend or colleague who you know could add value to your future endeavors. Partnerships, after all, do have to start with just a conversation, just like anything else!
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- INVESTMENTS
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- If you’re interested in stocks or cryptocurrencies, you might already be regularly discussing the markets, which is great. Even if you don’t personally invest, it is worth your time to figure out what is going on in the stock market and in the world. Just look what a HUGE conversation piece GME and AMC have become in less than two weeks, even amongst people who have never had a trading account or interest in their lives. By discussing with your colleagues and friends about investing, you will be more prepared to discuss worldly events in interviews and be informed enough to hold your own against people who love investing (who you will encounter no matter what major you are or what job you will have).
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- INTERVIEWS, NETWORKS, AND INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCES
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- Your colleagues and friends have so much advice to offer, as long as you ask the right things. A very important discussion to have is just to offer insight on previous interviews, networks, and companies. You never know who might have a connection that could really benefit your goals and your career. The only way to find out is through asking questions and having genuine conversations about your concerns or ideas regarding your future internship or job. Maybe one of your friends went to an awesome employer event and you realize you might be interested in that specific company. Maybe a colleague had a negative interview or internship experience and will be able to offer insight on what went wrong so that you can avoid similar mishaps in the future. Either way, simply talking about professional goals with your friends and colleagues has countless benefits that can only be identified after-the-fact, so make sure you’re dedicating some time this spring to have these important conversations.
