From the over 700 interviews the Advize team has had with professionals across industries about their college experiences, one theme consistently emerges: the transformative power of saying "yes" to opportunities, even when they seem tangential to your planned career path. Through hundreds of conversations with successful professionals, our team has learned that some of the most impactful career moments came from being open to unexpected possibilities during college.
Learning from Experience: A Freshman's Guide to "Yes"
Take Houston, a Director of Marketing and Protocol Relations at a leading digital finance organization. During his freshman orientation at Arizona State University (ASU) – an event many students skip – he received advice that would shape his entire approach. As Houston recalls, "They said, if there's one piece of advice going into this, into your four years of undergrad that I could give you is say yes to everything." He embraced this philosophy wholeheartedly, explaining, "Sometimes you might not want to, but I said yes 'cause I was like, you know, for the plot... worst case scenario it bombs... but it's a great opportunity to just put yourself and expose yourself to as many different ideas and people and whatever's as possible."
Beyond the Resume: Building Real-World Experience
This openness to opportunity isn't just about padding your resume – it's about discovering interests and talents you might never have known you had. Frank, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo alumni now Financial Analyst at Apple, shares similar wisdom: "Say yes to everything. And obviously say yes to the good things and not the bad things, but say yes to every opportunity that comes your way. Say yes to a job. Say yes to a role within a club, like spread yourself kind of thin and push yourself."
The Value of Diverse Experiences
The beauty of this approach is that it often leads to unexpected but valuable connections. As Nima, now an Architect at an architecture firm in Boston, discovered during his time at UC Santa Cruz: "holding onto that intuition was the most powerful thing in undergrad and really taking a variety of classes and meeting a variety of people and faculty, um, in very different fields and feeling comfortable taking a class and saying, I don't really know how this is gonna slot back into my life down the road, but I know I'm interested in this."
Building Your Professional Foundation
But saying "yes" isn't just about academic opportunities. Lauren, ASU W.P. Carey alumna now a Head of Employer Brand and Belonging at Qualtrics, emphasizes the importance of engaging in various types of experiences: "Internships, programs and social groups are the big three. So, internships, real world experience. Try to get the internships where you're actually given real work that you can go practice and start working on, and where hopefully you have good coaches and mentors to help you grow."
The Impact of Openness:
1. Network Expansion: Every "yes" creates potential connections that could shape your future career path
2. Skill Development: Diverse experiences build adaptability and versatile capabilities
3. Self-Discovery: Trying new things helps you understand what truly energizes and interests you
4. Career Preparation: Real-world exposure through various activities provides valuable context for future career decisions
However, it's important to note that saying "yes" doesn't mean saying yes to everything blindly. As Frank notes, it's about saying yes to "the good things" - opportunities that could lead to growth, learning, or connection.
Key Takeaways:
Don't limit yourself to experiences that only align with your planned career path
Be open to unexpected opportunities, even if their value isn't immediately apparent
Focus on building relationships across different areas of interest
Remember that some of the most valuable career experiences often come from unexpected places
As you navigate your college experience, remember that your future career path might not be as linear as you imagine. The willingness to say "yes" to new opportunities, step outside your comfort zone, and engage with diverse experiences can open doors you never knew existed. As the Advizers have shown through their stories, sometimes the most valuable career preparations come from the unexpected "yeses" along the way.
What opportunities will you say "yes" to this quarter or semester?
Want to learn more about how your specific background could translate into a career path? Visit us at Advize for more insights from successful, relatable professionals sharing real information to help.
If you ever want to reach out for help, advice or networking, shoot us an email at hello@advizehub.com or message us on Slack!
Wishing you success,
Emily McSherry
Founder & CEO
