College Assets Unveiled: Skills and Knowledge that Transformed Business Leaders’ First Jobs
To help you understand the value of college skills in the professional world, we asked fifteen professionals, including founders and a VP of Marketing, to share their experiences. Their insights range from the importance of effective communication in software programming to the necessity of writing skills in the corporate world.
- Effective Communication in Software Programming
- Soft Skill as a Key to Professional Navigation
- Mastering Sales as a Universal Skill
- Cultivating Relationships From College to Career
- Music Technology Knowledge Boosts Sales
- Time Management as a Writer’s Lifeline
- Critical Thinking in Marketing Analysis
- Resilience From College All-Nighters to Startups
- Project Planning From Thesis to Workforce
- Adaptability as a Call-Center Agent’s Asset
- Public Speaking as a Legal Career’s Foundation
- Work Ethic as a Designer’s Inspiration
- Task Management and Prioritization in Marketing
- Language Mastery in SEO Optimization
- Writing Skills as a Corporate World Necessity
Effective Communication in Software Programming
I’m excited to share my experience from my first job, and the skills I acquired during college that helped me along the way.
Effective communication was the most valuable skill for my first job. College activities like group projects and presentations fine-tuned my ability to convey ideas clearly, which has been pivotal in my career.
As a software programmer in my corporate job, this skill proved indispensable. For instance, when tasked with explaining a complex software product to a non-technical audience, my communication skills enabled me to simplify intricate details into understandable content.
Also, my communication skills helped me collect feedback and collaborate effectively, enhancing the quality of my work and bolstering client relationships. All these communication skills that I acquired during my college days laid a solid foundation for my successful career.
Vidya Soman, Founder, Resume Guardian
Soft Skills as a Key to Professional Navigation
During my college years, I pursued a degree in Communications, which exposed me to a range of courses focused on soft skills such as self-awareness, empathy, diversity, and leadership development. Little did I know at the time that these skills would become some of the most valuable assets in my first job and subsequent professional career.
One crucial lesson I’ve learned from my college education is the importance of valuing soft skills and having confidence in their long-term impact. In a workplace often plagued by imposter syndrome, where individuals doubt their abilities because of a perceived lack of experience, these soft skills have been my most beneficial assets. They have not only allowed me to excel in my role but have also empowered me to navigate complex professional situations with confidence where technical skills aren’t enough.
Anna Thiele, Leadership Strategist, Deliberate Directions
Mastering Sales as a Universal Skill
The best skill that absolutely everyone must master is selling. Everything is sales—whether you’re selling yourself to an employer, or an idea to a client or investor.
Learning how to sell wasn’t part of the college curriculum, and that held back many opportunities because there was a belief that the work was good enough to speak for itself. It took years of resisting, and then finally investing, to learn how to sell without selling. Now, there’s no discomfort when selling services. The focus is to serve—but more importantly, the language used attracts dream clients and projects effortlessly.
Average people will advance quickly in their careers (and finances) simply because they are masterful sellers. Whatever the field of study, learning how to sell is crucial!
Anastasia Gerali, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Abundance Life Coach, Art of Aligned Living
Cultivating Relationships From College to Career
I learned the importance of cultivating relationships with mentors in college. Professors and upperclassmen were the reason I could succeed and accomplish my goals. In my first job, I prioritized building relationships with my managers, on top of making sure I was performing well. These relationships were a huge support in the steep learning curve I experienced in the first couple of months, and their advice and experiences gave me clarity on my own possible career trajectory within the company.
Adam Shlomi, Founder, SoFlo Tutors
Music Technology Knowledge Boosts Sales
During my college years (1980s—I’m old), I was deeply immersed in music technology and hi-fi systems, fueled partly by a part-time job at a music warehouse. This passion often led me to focus more on the mixing desks at concerts than the performing bands themselves. The intricate nuances of sound engineering and device connectivity fascinated me. When I landed my first job as a salesman at a hi-fi chain in London, this specialized knowledge became an invaluable asset.
My understanding of how audio systems connected and functioned allowed me to excel in my role. I could quickly ascertain customers’ needs and offer them tailored solutions that improved their audio experiences. This wasn’t just about pushing products off shelves; it was about building trust and delivering value, boosting sales and fostering customer loyalty. The blend of my technical expertise and genuine passion enabled me to excel in a role that many others might have just seen as a transactional process.
Shane McEvoy, MD, LeadFly
Time Management as a Writer’s Lifeline
Being a writer was my first job, and it still is. Time management was the most beneficial skill in my first job. Yes, it’s a very generic one, but I personally gained this skill nowhere but during my college years. I remember doing multiple course assignments every day with excruciating deadlines, not forgetting that I also had to balance my academic performance with organizational experiences.
Time management has helped me survive my first job and excel in my role to where I am now. I learned to organize work and time perfectly. As a writer, I must count how many hours I spend on different writing projects. I also need to deliver quality results promptly. That’s why if I can’t balance my time, I’ll be prone to burnout and easily get trapped in writer’s block. Fortunately, that’s not the case, thanks to time management skills.
Diana Royanto, Writer, Milkwhale
Critical Thinking in Marketing Analysis
One skill I gained during college that was most beneficial in my first job was critical thinking. This skill helped me excel in my role as it allowed me to analyze complex problems, evaluate different perspectives, and make informed decisions.
For example, in my role as a marketing analyst, I was tasked with analyzing market trends and consumer behavior to recommend strategies for our products. By applying critical thinking, I could identify new opportunities and propose innovative solutions, which ultimately contributed to the company’s success.
Lee Odierno, Personal Injury Lawyer, The Odierno Law Firm, P.C.
Resilience From College All-Nighters to Startups
I think back to my college days; the most invaluable skill I picked up wasn’t a coding language or a business strategy—it was resilience. Remember those sleepless nights cramming for finals? Or those group projects where no one seemed to be on the same page? They taught me to navigate through challenges and keep pushing forward.
In the early days of my startup, when we were just a team of five cramped in a tiny basement, our first software crashed more times than I care to admit. But instead of giving up, I’d remember those college all-nighters and think, “If I could get through that, I can get through this.” Our bounce-back attitude became our company’s DNA. Did you know that, according to a report, 70% of startups face significant setbacks in their first year? Yet, only those with grit and resilience, like that developed during challenging college experiences, truly flourish.
Ankit Prakash, Founder, Sprout24
Project Planning From Thesis to Workforce
One of the most important skills I learned as a student was project planning. This really helped me in my first job out of college, which was a research and writing role that came with a lot of personal responsibility and independent work.
Because my college required us to spend one year working on an undergraduate thesis, I was able to practice research planning, creating achievable timelines, and organizing and prioritizing tasks. This made it so much easier to handle the transition from being a student to entering the workforce and allowed me to excel in my first job.
Eva Chan, Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Senior Content Specialist, Resume Genius
Adaptability as a Call-Center Agent’s Asset
As an English philology student, I developed decent adaptability skills during college. The main reason for that was the international environment, as my professors and other students came from different parts of the world and represented different cultures. I also participated in a student-exchange program and spent a few months in Spain.
Adaptability has been greatly helpful in my work life ever since, starting from the first job I got. I worked as a call-center agent, and my duties involved renewing mobile-phone contracts. Thanks to precious experience from college and adaptability skills, I excelled in the given role. They helped me tailor my approach to various clients and circumstances. I also found it easy to adjust my communication style to the person I was talking with.
As a result, I was successful—clients wanted to speak to me, managers were happy, and the job satisfied me.
Agata Szczepanek, Community Manager, MyPerfectResume
Public Speaking as a Legal Career’s Foundation
An invaluable skill I honed in college was the ability to confidently speak in front of an audience. Far from a mere academic drill, these classroom presentations laid the groundwork for my legal career. They taught me how to structure my thoughts clearly, navigate unexpected questions, and simplify complicated concepts.
This skill set has proven to be indispensable in my work, especially in courtrooms and client consultations—where clear, impactful communication often tips the scales between success and failure.
Alex Freeburg, Owner, Freeburg Law
Work Ethic as a Designer’s Inspiration
The one thing I took from college that was the most beneficial to my first job was the importance of a strong work ethic. This actually came from a work-experience placement I had in London during my degree, where I met two other design students creating amazing motion-graphics work as a team.
Seeing how hard and how efficiently they worked was truly inspiring, and it opened my eyes as to how if you want to create great work, you have to be prepared to put the effort in and be relentless in your pursuit of producing something special. It took me up a level as a designer—I started thinking bigger, working harder, and achieving more.
Obviously, there’s a limit to how many hours we can put into things, but generally, this helped change my mindset and put me on a path to becoming a better designer.
James Sanderson, Creative Director, EverydaySomething
Task Management and Prioritization in Marketing
The skill of effectively managing tasks and setting priorities, honed during my college years, played a pivotal role in my initial job. This ability allowed me to seamlessly transition into the professional world and excel in my position. For instance, in my first job as a junior marketing analyst, I handled many projects simultaneously.
By applying the organizational and prioritization skills I acquired in college, I could systematically assess each project’s importance, deadlines, and impact on the company’s objectives. This enabled me to allocate my time and resources efficiently, ensuring that critical tasks received immediate attention while managing less time-sensitive responsibilities.
Consequently, I consistently met deadlines, contributed to successful marketing campaigns, and demonstrated my value as a reliable and productive team member.
Hilary Kozak, VP of Marketing, LivSmooth
Language Mastery in SEO Optimization
One of the most valuable skills I gained in university was mastering multiple languages. This proficiency proved advantageous when I became an SEO specialist. We often optimized web content for different regions, and understanding language nuances was crucial.
Accurate translation and implementation of SEO keywords in various languages improved our site’s visibility in non-English markets. This expanded our customer base and boosted website traffic. My linguistic skills from college were instrumental in my success as an SEO specialist.
Kseniia Mykolaienko, CMO, Parentaler
Writing Skills as a Corporate World Necessity
Writing! The corporate world is full of correspondence, especially emails. Being able to compose a well-written email or any other correspondence can go a long way, from getting the job to performing in your roles, and beyond. Having great communication with your team, clients, or anyone else can significantly advance your career.
Irina Scarborough, Owner, Resumeology
