JayStream

I am neither as old as Methuselah nor as wise as Solomon. But occasionally I do get asked for advice by college students, mostly those studying meteorology or broadcast journalism. For what it’s worth, here is what I tell them:

• Diversify your brain power. In the olde days it was called being a Renaissance Man. Try to learn and become as proficient as you can about a variety of things. Specialists in the work world become endangered if there are changes in technology, or the economy, or simply ways of doing business. Metaphorically think about the case of a professional athlete. While he or she may play one specific sport, they keep their bodies in tune by cross-training. Do the same for your brain.
• Keep a clean driving record.  When you are hired for a new job, one of the first things the employer does is collect your driver’s license number. The company’s insurance company then looks over your record. If it decides you are a risky driver, they won’t insure you and your new company probably won’t keep you. I know someone who won a job and lost it in just such a fashion. We’re not talking DWI’s here – a stack of speeding tickets in your younger years can cost you a job as an adult.
• Be wary of shutter bugs.  Cameras are everywhere, photographs are simple to take, and the finished product can easily be distributed electronically. So before you are observed in a photo doing something stupid (or illegal), consider the consequences of that “moment in time” being captured forever. One of my colleagues got a tip from a professional athlete, who is happy to pose for pictures with anyone – as long as they move any adult beverage they may be holding out of camera view. Not a bad idea.
• Social networking can result in anti-social outcomes. Assume the entire world is reading every single thing you read – because they might be. Sitting alone at a computer gives you a false feeling of anonymity, while the words you send to the internet are no different then the permanence of publishing them in a book or newspaper. Before hitting the send button, think about the harm those poorlly-conceived tweets and not-so-friendly status updates could cause if they were seen by your best friend or worst enemy. And before you say anything crazy, remember that future business associates can also retrieve those words from the archives of the world wide web – even if you later go back and hit the delete key.
• Maximize down time with the spoken word. Music is great for relaxation or mood improvement, but those earphones can also be used to generate creative thought and self improvement. Libraries have books on CD and tape, which are great to listen to on long drives and plane rides – and all it requres is a library card and player. If you own an iPod, the iTunes program/website is a collection point for podcasts covering thousands of subjects – most of them downloadable at no cost. Many podcasts are now done by experts in their fields, and the production quality rivals professional radio programs. There is a lot to learn out there, and in most cases the price is right.
• Travel the world while young. If possible, enroll in a study abroad program offered by many colleges and universities. You will develop memories that will last a lifetime, and stop viewing world news as a mere spectator. Young travelers are physically able to explore and sightsee better than older travelers, and they can do it cheaper, too. Besides, I know a lot of people who planned to vacation in other countries later in life – but those “somedays” turned into “never dids”.
• Don’t burn bridges. This is important in college and in life. It is a small world, and the “six degrees of separation” paradigm really applies. If you treat someone poorly, the chances are somewhere down the road that person will remember you when they meet someone else with whom you are acquainted. I have a co-worker who asked, during his interview, if he should provide references. I told him not to bother, because mine is a small industry and I certainly know people who know people with whom he had worked in the past. Along that same vein, if you lose or leave a job, don’t vent when you fill out your exit papers. A future employer may call looking for a reference, or sometime down the line, who knows… you might need to work for that company again.
• Try to avoid panic during initial job search. The first job is always the toughest one to get. Every succeeding job you have in your life will be a little easier, because you will gain experience and acquire more lines on the resume. As you get older, the people above you on the employment food chain get older, leave, or die. Just plain hanging around boosts your value as an employee.
• Continue to invest in education. The world keeps advancing, so if you aren’t getting smarter then you are getting stupider – relatively speaking. Even after gaining that diploma, continue to take internet or night school classes. They don’t have to be graduate classes, or even aimed at any degree – simply a course that will improve your skill set. One thing that you will find is that college courses are a lot more enjoyable to take post-graduation, because you actually chose to be there in the classroom. The younger undergrads may be taking the class just to fulfill their major requirements.

Those are my suggestions. If you have any others, please let me know and I will be sure to pass them on to the youth of America!

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