TED Talks: Powerful Speeches to Inspire Your Career

I have a confession to make. I am slightly obsessed with TED Talks; and by slightly, I mean incredibly obsessed. I’ve watched hundreds of TED Talks over the past few years. They can be funny, brutally honest, good, and even bad. I found that 99 percent of them have some kind of impact on how I view the world. I guarantee you that you can find a TED Talk on just about any topic. That’s what brought me to the idea of compiling a few great talks which revolve around career, life, and the future. I have watched all of these and feel as though they are excellent motivators to help you succeed in the world!

To inspire you to find your passion: Larry Smith – WhyYou Will Fail to Have a Great Career

Lots of times we hold ourselves back from accomplishing our goals. Maybe it’s out of fear or something else, but often we find excuses that prevent us from having a great career. Larry Smith, a professor of economics at the University of Waterloo presented a TED Talk on why you will fail to have a great career, unless. Watch and find out why!

What to Wear When...

I recently wrote that I attended a career fair at my university. I spent hours agonizing over what I was going to wear. It got me thinking about how important your outfit can be in an interview. Within the first few seconds of meeting someone people make assumptions of who that person is based upon what he or she is wearing. Imagine meeting someone in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. What do you think about him or her? Now imagine that you see that same person in a suit. Do you think about him or her differently? Most people do. Therefore, it’s important to dress appropriately. Below, I will outline the best attire for different job-seeking scenarios.

Phone Interview

Wear whatever you want! No one can see you and therefore cannot make assumptions about you based upon your attire. However, some studies suggest that people are often more professional sounding while wearing professional clothing. My suggestion, wear something that makes you feel confident. If you feel confident, you will sound confident!

College Life vs. Work Life

I love infographics. I think it has something to do with the fact that I am a visual learner. Anyhow, I thought I would share this interesting infographic with you about the differences between being a student and being a professional. Enjoy! 

Also, happy Tax Day to all my finance and accounting friends out there!

Career Fair 101

Recently, I attended a career fair at my university. As much as I wanted to feel confident going into it, I could not help but feel a little nervous. What if I forgot something or said something wrong? To help myself feel a bit less nervous and to hopefully help you, I came up with a list of things that I feel are important to remember before going to a career fair or networking event.

1. Bring Resumes! 

It goes without saying that resumes are a crucial part in landing a job. A lot has changed in the job market over the past few decades, but one thing has remained the same – resumes are always required. Don’t bring just one resume or even a couple, bring several. Depending on the size of the event that you’re attending usually 15 to 20 is a good starting point.