With graduation season upon us, the Class of 2020 is preparing for graduations in their homes. Through these difficult circumstances, graduating from college is an amazing accomplishment that deserves recognition. It has been a year since I have graduated from school, and through this year I have learned many skills college doesn’t teach you.
Here are a few things you will not learn in college
Networking and relationship building: “It’s not what you know but It’s who you know” is truer than you may think. Networking is meeting new people in a professional context, building those relationships over time, and providing value to each other. This skill is essential because a person’s main success is due to “human engineering”—your personality, communication ability, negotiation skills, and emotional intelligence.
Setting realistic career goals: Nine out of ten chances you aren’t going to land your dream job right out of college. I’ve been denied from Turner Broadcasting several times since I have moved to Atlanta. Setting goals, with realistic deadlines, is an important skill to have in any job where you don’t have someone explicitly telling you what to do. Goal-setting is also valuable for personal development and growth.
Work Hard. Hustle Harder: Good things come to those who hustle! How to sell your ideas and yourself is something not taught in college, but you’ll miss great opportunities if you lack the skills and confidence to put yourself out there. You get that dream job by selling yourself to a hiring manager. You get startup investors by selling your vision. You negotiate a raise by selling yourself to a higher-up.
It is so important to continue education and work on skills that college doesn’t teach you. These skills and many more will help you get a job and keep a job in the industry. Congratulations to the Class of 2020! Despite the circumstance, finishing school amazing. With hard work, determination, and drive anything you want to achieve can and will happen.