College Experiences That Helped An Executive Assistant At Boost VC Succeed

That's a really great question. I'll speak to the teaching experience first, as that's why I went to college.

As far as actually setting myself up for success in my career in college, it was really about exercising the skill of teaching as much as I could before becoming a teacher. One thing I learned, for example, through tutoring my friends with essays for our classes, was how to explain things.

When friends asked for help with essays, I'd sit down with them. At that age, working with someone your own age who doesn't quite understand what you do yet, but you have similar mindsets, allows you to explain it in terms they understand. This was invaluable for me going into teaching.

It gave me perspective and really hammered into my brain that not everyone thinks the same way. Everyone approaches an assignment, a book, or a project with vastly different life experiences and skill sets.

Tutoring my friends with essays, or even helping with math, taught me I had to explain my process. I learned I actually needed to articulate how I was doing something. It was about thinking from someone else's perspective.

Building empathy was one of the things I developed in college that was incredibly helpful for me going forward. Another thing I realized that reflected in my career was the importance of keeping my network strong.

I tell students, keep your network strong. Your generation is in constant communication, which is great, even if sometimes it's to unhealthy amounts. I wish I had done a little more to keep my network strong in college.

There are so many people from college I'm no longer in touch with, but I might see them on LinkedIn and think about reaching out. It's good to see what they're up to, how they're doing, and what they're working on.

Down the line, these connections might create mutually beneficial relationships. The power of association is so strong; it really is about who you know.

I used to get so angry and frustrated during transition periods. I'd think, "These people just get jobs without even interviewing." Then I'd take a step back and realize they probably fostered those relationships.

I jump at the opportunity to connect former students with job opportunities. If a student wants to explore a certain path, I'll connect them with someone in that field.

I've learned how valuable connections are. People you know are crucial to your success. You could be the best coder or an incredibly talented artist, but if no one knows you exist and you don't have a network of people rooting for you, promoting you, and recommending you, you won't get very far.

Without word-of-mouth or a sphere of influence, talent and skills can only take you so far. It's the people who help you along the way. Many people have contributed to where I am now.

It was more the people who got me here than the skillsets I had. You don't need to be incredibly skilled to write an email; AI can do that. Scheduling meetings can be done by software.

Ultimately, it comes down to people. The skills I wish I had built up more, I have now. In my later college years, I focused on keeping my network strong and staying in communication.

You never know who will add value to you and who you will add value to. You might think someone who did a vocational program and became a car mechanic isn't relevant, but 15 years later, when your car breaks down, you know a guy.

You go to them, they give you a deal, and you refer people to them. It's a reciprocal, symbiotic relationship. You give and take because you have something to offer and value to add.

Adding value with no expectation of return is one of the biggest pieces of advice I can give, not just for your career but for life. There's a gift in giving.

When I connect former students to employers, I'm not thinking about what I'll get back. The only thing I want back is how it went, what the plan is, and what the next steps are. I want to know how I can help them more and push them closer to their goals.

So, in college, I definitely focused on building empathy and really learning about people. I also made connections and worked to keep those connections strong.