Brianna Robertson: ‘Hard skills qualify you for the job, but soft skills get you the job.’
6) MASTER THE SOFT SKILLS
“Soft skills are just as important as technical skills. I was always worried about pursuing a non-technical degree. However, I realized that having all the knowledge in the world but not knowing how to communicate or work with others will bring no success. Ultimately, hard skills qualify you for the job, but soft skills get you the job.” – Brianna Robertson, University of Houston (Bauer)
7) FAIL – AGAIN AND AGAIN
“One of my favorite sayings comes from a Michael Jordan quote, ‘I’ve failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.’ In business, the ability to bounce back and learn from failure is one of the most important skills you can have. Through my internships, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with and be exposed to several successful entrepreneurs. A common theme that was echoed was their ability to learn from their mistakes and not be discouraged from their failures. Personally, I have failed or been told no hundreds of times: whether it be athletically, academically, or professionally. I strongly believe that there is no such thing as failure as long as you learn from your mistakes, refuse to be discouraged, and attack the problem again with a renewed strategy.” – Connor Sept, Lehigh University
8) TRY THE ‘COLD CALL’
Drew Arnson: ‘My biggest opportunities and learning experiences came from applying to something new, reaching out to someone I didn’t know, or asking a friend for help.’
“There are people everywhere who want to help you, and will do so in incredible ways, BUT you have to seek them out yourself. My biggest opportunities and learning experiences came from applying to something new, reaching out to someone I didn’t know, or asking a friend for help. These new experiences are great ways to learn about new industries or jobs, build new connections, develop skills, and more. A cold LinkedIn message or email can go a long way, and I’m glad I was able to realize how I needed to advocate for and push myself into places where I could develop. Ideally, I will keep being able to help students and co-workers younger than myself who reach out, sharing advice that they hopefully find helpful.” Drew Arnson, University of Michigan (Ross)
9) STAY AGILE
“The biggest lesson I have gained from studying business is to remain agile. Control of every variable in business is not possible. The best work is done when preparation is made, and change is welcomed. Through my experiences during business projects, I learned that critical time can be wasted holding onto set plans instead of using the time to pivot toward a project’s success. As much as a plan may have been thought through, different circumstances can change how a plan is carried out. Being agile is a key part of successful projects and being able to adapt to those changes carries projects forward.” – Sandy Sledge, Marian University (Byrum)
10) BE A SERVANT LEADER
“As a member of Stillman’s business leadership program, leadership has been at the heart of my undergraduate education. Since my freshman year, I have received a specialized curriculum on how to be a successful leader through business meetings, coaching, and hands-on projects. Consequently, the biggest lesson I have gained from studying business is what it means to be a leader. In my freshmen year, I believed being a leader was about being the first voice that was heard and being the most commanding presence in the room. However, I now believe leadership is about servant leadership—it’s about using your voice to help foster other people’s success and making sure people feel seen and heard.” – Anastasia Plank, Seton Hall University (Stillman)
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