- Ms. Sandra Guzman, Kansas State University
What I've Learned in LA
Before COVID-19 placed most trips on hold, I had an amazing opportunity to travel to Los Angeles with the National Millennial and GenZ Community (NMC). Over the past four years the group has met with over 200 companies throughout the United States and world. The LA trip was the 28th “field trip” to initiate conversations with organizational leaders about the values and beliefs of this next generation of workers.
About the National Millennial and Gen Z Community
NMC is a community of college students and NMC alumni who travel around the U.S. to elevate the conversation and eliminate the negative comments surrounding millennials and Generation Z. These generations account for more than 50 percent of our country’s population, so it is important that our voices are heard and recognized by those in authoritative, decision-making positions. Throughout this trip I gained valuable knowledge and advice from some of the most successful people I have ever met.
Companies we toured
1. ASV Inc. - an experiential events and activation company
4. Team One
Advice for young professionals
There’s more to life than work. Hearing this from some of the most successful people I’ve met was reassuring. I know that life is about more than just work and there needs to be a balance between work life and personal life.
Giving up is not an option. Whether you are fresh out of college and looking for a job or trying to succeed during college you must never give up.
Go with the flow. Life is an adventure and you may not know where your life will lead you in the next five years, and that’s okay.
Don’t close yourself off to new opportunities. Taking a job that isn’t your first option is risky but, in the end, you may acquire new skills, new insights, and maybe even find what you don’t want to do in the future (which is just as valuable as learning what you DO want to do)!
Tips for job seekers
Be authentic and true to yourself. Know what you’re good at and which skills you need to work on. Build these skills to move closer to landing your dream job.
Network as often as you can. You never know how much someone can help you in the near future. Keep in touch with your connections and use them wisely.
Search for key words when looking for a job. If you are interested in something such as social media, search for that. Job titles can sometimes be deceiving.
It’s okay to take a job that you think you are overqualified for. You can still learn valuable skills, network with others, and potentially advance to the next level.
