DSP to CEO notes from LEAD

Hey Brothers!

I ran across my folder from LEAD and remembered my favorite speaker. The seminar was on becoming a CEO, but he had great advice for general career advancement. I found this information to be interesting, sometimes surprising. Take a look.

Speaker: Tim Augustine

• If you are going to get an MBA, wait 5 years before you go back. Why? You get a better raise, instead of 2-5% you could get up to 10% and your company may even pay for your tuition. Also, you are more mature at this age and it is easier to apply the skills back to your company's needs.
• The school you go to to get an MBA is important. Choose a different school then where you went to for your undergraduate degree. Employers see that you went to the same school and figure that you had the same environment and the same teachers.
• Don't take your first job based on the best salary. Because most individuals only stay at their first job for a couple of years, take your first job for the experience and skills it provides. Look for company's that use the Fast Track Program.
• In the first 90 days of your job, avoid casual conversations. Office politics. Find out what is going on in the company, but do not agree with or be involved with drama.
• Recommended reading materials: "Working with Emotional Intelligence" "Good to Great" "Winning Friends and Influencing People" "The Art of Being a Finisher" "Can I Have Five Minutes of Your Time"
• Negotiation skills are key, pick your battles and understand the principle of give and take.
• Success is attributed to networking: develop a list of professors, Deltasigs, etc. It's who you know to get your foot in the door, it's what you know to stay there.
• When interviewing, remember that it is what you accomplished that matters, not what you did. When you write down you were involved with something, it means more when you can give a story of what you learned or the experiences you had. Also, make sure you make a list of examples: leadership, teamwork, weaknesses, and strengths
• Leadership organizations: he recommended looking into Toastmasters International
• When looking for jobs, if the industry is urgent rather than stable the employers will usually hire more often and pay more.
• Don't be afraid to have a relationship with your boss.

-Brother Brooks 590