What I learned from Larry Smith:

• Network! Network! Network!
  • every time you talk to somebody, that’s an opportunity to network and present yourself.
  • Go to the cafeteria. You would have to sit beside people you don’t know well. Ask them questions and try to sound interested in what others have to say. People like to talk about themselves.
  • ‘Tell me more about this…’ That’s the golden phrase.
  • Keep a record of everyone you’ve talked to, so you’ll remember what to say next time you see them. People like to be remembered.
  • Save a copy of this record on your PERSONAL computer. Never save it on a company computer.
• Expand your job pool.
  • look beyond UW’s Jobmine. Some of the best jobs aren’t posted on these job boards.
  • They probably aren’t in the big public companies either.
  • The best jobs are found in private companies.
  • Private companies = cash cows. And you know what cash cows are… positive cash flow. From business studies, cash is king.
  • To really shine in the workplace, private companies are the best because they’re small. How are you going to really shine if there’s 10,000 employees and you’re just the measly entry-level position?
  • You may have more responsibility on your shoulders, but chances are, the CEO knows you by your first name.

Damn, Larry Smith is a smart guy. He’s also a very energetic lecturer. Now I understand why his econ classes are always over-filled with students. Either way, these are definitely some important life lessons that could be important when it comes to job-searching. Or just meeting people in general.