When I first met my future President, Ed Calnan, I was seven months in on my search for a job after graduating college. There were some very long days, especially after going to interview after interview and not landing a job. I consider myself a patient person, but I was growing quite restless in my pursuit.
Desperately reaching out to friends and family, I was put in touch with Ed and we decided to meet for lunch so he could introduce me to his friends at companies in Boston. Neither of us thought of this meeting as an interview. We ended up hitting it off, and now I am sitting at a desk, writing a blog post for his company…Who knew?
I tell everyone I talk to about getting a job out of school that it is not “what you know,” but it’s “who you know.” It all stems from personal relationships. In my case, my friend introduced me to her boss, who introduced me to her boyfriend, who is now my boss. I basically lucked out…but that is how a lot of people get their start. The most important thing is to not get discouraged because the next opportunity will present itself when you least expect it.
And even if there does not appear to be an opportunity at a company for you, try anyway, you never know what could happen.
People think that their resume and their GPA are the only things that are going to get them their first job out of school. That is simply not the case. Relationships lay the groundwork for where it is you will go on your wild journey in the corporate world. Build them wisely.
I walked into Seismic after my lunch with Ed and could not believe what I saw. Exposed brick with the logo up on the wall, people in jeans and sweatshirts…no suits, and music playing. Where was I, my college dorm? No, this was a flourishing business with some of the most driven and forward thinking people I had ever met.
It was so much different from any business I had been to up until that point. There was no stuffy feeling when I walked in the door. I was greeted with smiles and handshakes as if I was being introduced at one of my friends’ parties. I immediately felt welcome, and I actually remembered all of the eight people’s names that I met – that never happens. Something really was different about this place.
Four months later, and a year removed from college, I still feel like the luckiest graduate out there. Time has flown by. And to know that I was hired for the person that I am, instead of the credentials on my resume, gives me an extra boost of confidence every day I walk in the door. And I actually wake up excited to walk in that door in the morning.
That never happens either, right? Wrong!
My role in sales has taught me a lot in the time I have been here. I only wish that I could have had a class that offered sales training in school. It would have made the transition a little smoother, but this is the best experience you can ask for. I never thought I could move up this fast at a company, but the fact that I have been given a great deal of responsibility has helped me to become more focused on the goals at hand. I think people out of school can hit the ground running in sales because it is mainly centered around communication skills and relationship building, a major part of every college career.
If I could give any advice after the hiring process, it would be to have your company hire you for the person you are, not the person you are on paper. That is why I was hired – these guys thought I was a good person who wanted to work hard.
The same goes for the company you choose to work for. Make sure your choice is not just based on its reputation, but because you like the people who are there and you can see yourself enjoying working at the company.
