College Experiences That Helped A Sales Development Associate At Green Street Advisors Succeed
For Brandon, the most important thing done in college to prepare for career success as a Sales Development Associate at Green Street Advisors was networking, which for Brandon meant "being vulnerable and reaching out to new people" at networking events and in everyday situations like coffee shops. Brandon encourages others to get out of their heads and realize that networking can't hurt and you "never know where that can go from a professional standpoint."
Networking, Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Career Development, Professional Relationships
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Brandon Sechrist
Sales Development Associate
Green Street Advisors
Chapman University
University of Iowa: MBA
Communications
Real Estate
Sales and Client Management
Video Highlights
1. Networking is invaluable and has no set formula; find what works for you.
2. Overcome the discomfort of meeting new people; the potential gains are immeasurable.
3. Don't be afraid to initiate conversations; you never know where they might lead, personally or professionally.
Transcript
What did you do in college that set you up for success in your career?
The biggest thing, and people probably hear this all the time now, is networking. There's no formula to do it, no step-by-step guide. It's whatever it looks like for you.
For me, it looked like going to networking events and simply being vulnerable, reaching out to new people. It's uncomfortable in the moment, but when you realize the gain you have from going to those events and meeting these new people, you can't even quantify that.
You don't even know; it's all this uncertainty. But once you get out of your own head and introduce yourself to someone new and make a new connection, maybe even a new friend, you don't know where it might lead. It may not even just be a professional relationship, but a personal one.
So, get out of your own head and go to events. Even if you see someone in a coffee shop and think they look cool, go up and talk to them. There's nothing bad that comes with that.
I think we live in an age where people don't want social interaction. I've noticed that if you can get out of that uncomfortable state, which might just be in your head and not reality, you never know where that can go from a professional standpoint. That's definitely helped me a lot in my career.
So, I encourage those who are hesitant to network: go network. It's something that will never hurt you.