We Can’t All Be Michael Phelps

Celebrities know that every misstep, embarrassing moment, or poor decision they make will be broadcast everywhere. Rarely, this can enhance one's image, but more often such personal slip-ups are damaging. View this article about Michael Phelps:

Michael Phelps Apologizes for Hitting Bong So Hard

Amusing, perhaps, since this probably will not harm Phelps's ability to secure endorsements...in fact it may even make him seem a little more, well, human. But if you work in a corporate environment, it is unlikely that you would benefit from such exposure.

So how do you keep your personal life separate from your professional persona in a world where employers check the Facebook pages of job applicants, business is pleasure, and major deals are made over drinks? Depending on the industry in which you work, this issue may be more or less of a problem. Here are a few pointers for protecting yourself:

If you are meeting someone over drinks, DO NOT GET PLASTERED. Some strategies for preventing this are: adhere to a two drink limit; order something non-alcoholic - sparkling water or a virgin daiquiri; or, my favorite, order something gross, like a dirty martini. You'll drink it more slowly, I promise.

Do NOT discuss personal drama with professional contacts. Of course your personal life will come up in a casual setting - this is often how business alliances are made. But do yourself a favor and keep the conversations about your personal life limited to your favorite movies, your pets, or your intramural kickball team.

Harness the power of positive statements. If you are chatting with a potential client or business partner, talk about the things you like, not the things you don't like. You want to leave an impression of energy and optimism, not cynicism.

Get to know the security features on Facebook. If you keep a profile to entertain your friends, there’s probably some stuff on your Facebook page that you wouldn’t want your employer to see. So make sure that your profile is visible to friends only. And don’t become Facebook friends with people at work.

Good luck, and behave!

School As Work

No matter what you’ve done before in school, this time you put yourself to work. Make professors your mentors, talk to them during office hours, class times, look at case studies they present as catapults toward the career that you want. Every time you are assigned a project or a paper even if it’s a group effort, choose something that will provide you research information and introductions to the companies that you eventually want to join. You might interview the heads of such companies, or ask to write a review of their advertising or marketing.

Do not ignore your classmates or the other students. You more than likely will have them in your life as colleagues even bosses. Talk to the career center while you’re a student to line up interviews for you during the course of your program, unless your current company is paying your tuition. Understand that the career center can be a great connector throughout the years that you spend in school.

Remember, if you are out of sight you are out of mind. This is no time to pick petty fights with the professor or the program about what’s fair or what’s required. But learn to work the system for what you think you need. Always have your end goal in mind. This pro-activity is a starting skill of a great career.

FAQ Part 1

Q. Will it make a difference in my life if I can’t get into an Ivy League college?

A. Look at it from the other side: just going to an Ivy can’t by itself guarantee you a long, successful career. What does do that is you –if you are willing to take the risk of totally engaging yourself in your daily studies and activities to develop into a more curious, knowledgeable, and confident self. The secret? You can learn to do that in any college. Success does not rely on the elites only. While some US Presidents went to Yale, 98% of their classmates didn’t make political history.

As to having it made if your parents went to Harvard, a common enough thought, just know that those alumni’s children might or might not be successful. Far less than what you think, the college branding of your parents’ background has less to do with what you decide to do with your education and your life. If you’re really determined-- scholarly and ambitious and willing to turn your professors into mentors, you can make your own education pay off. After all, if you succeed at any college, you can usually be admitted to the best graduate schools. It’s they which lead you toward your chosen profession with the best opportunities for contacts.

Q. I am a second semester freshman, living on my own, but I am so disappointed with my college choice that I want to transfer. Where can I go?

A. You can’t transfer yet. But get yourself ready by doing all the following:

Go through the list of clubs, and pick 3 that you could care about. Go to the meetings, then choose the club that seems most interesting and be active in it.
Think of leaving your private apartment for now to experience the community of living in a dorm or fraternity. Make yourself get involved.
Pick one athletic activity - soccer, tennis, crew, or weight lifting – and commit to it 3 times a week. Make friends.
Get great grades: all A’s and B’s. Study hard. Look at your subjects as if they are worlds to explore; find something exciting about them. Talk to your professors in class or during office hours.
Make friends with your classmates and have lunch or dinner with them. Form a study group and make stronger grades and deeper bonds..

If you do all this, like some many freshmen before you who took this advice, you will find a family of friends and a way of belonging. Even though you will be able to transfer at the end of your second year, you might find yourself not even think of leaving.

Happy Inauguration Day!

You look to the President of a country as a leader and a great motivator. This President is thoughtful, prepared, inclusive, and non-complaining. He does not blame or finger-point; he is both realistic and optimistic. He is an excellent guide for all of us. Whether you are struggling to find your identity or you know exactly what you want to do, you will need courage - the courage to develop your abilities and to explore. If you are afraid, what will make you stronger this year? Start by looking for examples of courage and perseverance. Here are some other positive actions you can take:

1. Choose an elective course to improve skills that you have.
2. Try something totally new that will take you on a new path.
3. Develop more team skills by joining a club.
4. Join a volunteer committee.

In these endeavors you will apply the huge social skills of learning from each new person and you will gain a deeper understanding of your own goals and talents. Additionally, you may discover that your activities lead you in a wholly new direction. Start by celebrating with a local inauguration party tonight - you may meet someone new!

Paying Your Own Way Through College

Are you prepared to pay for your education? You may need to be, according to this article from the New York Times:

Students Covering Bigger Share of Costs of College

Although finding a way to pay your own way through college can be a challenge, the satisfaction you get from taking care of yourself is immeasurable.

Barack Obama's Citizen's Briefing Book

President-elect Barack Obama has created an online forum where any citizen can submit a policy idea. Once the idea is submitted, fellow citizens can vote up or down and comment on it, creating a stimulating debate about the issues of the day. The most popular ideas will comprise the President’s Citizen’s Briefing Book. You can submit your ideas here:

Citizen's Briefing Book

This is modern democracy in action, and I encourage you to participate, and to think about how this type of forum might apply to your leadership positions - now and in the future. When you are leading a project in class, or a club meeting, how receptive are you to your peers' suggestions? Do you listen when one suggestion comes up more than once? A good leader knows when to adapt, and always listens to those she supervises, whether or not she decides to take their suggestions.

News of the Day

Quality over Quantity
Quantity of students that is...MIT is dispensing with huge, lecture style classes in favor of smaller, more hands-on classes. Read about it here:

At M.I.T. Large Lectures are Going the Way of the Blackboard

Start Working on that Personal Essay

Fresno State is moving up its application deadlines. Could this be a trend? Read about it here:

College Abruptly Moves Up Deadline for Applications

Transparency for Universities

Student loan and credit card scandals may soon end. Read about how the I.R.S. may be regulating universities here:

I.R.S. Considers Pressing Schools to Further Reveal Their Business Activities