CollegeSurfing Insider

Yes, it does pour! And I’ve certainly got my share of work pouring in over the next couple of months. When it comes to your career, doesn’t it seem like just when you start to reach your comfort zone, new projects, staff shuffling, and outside forces collide to send you into overtime overload?

As I glanced over at my soggy cheerios unfinished from this morning, I realized I was so fixated on my laptop, I actually forgot to eat my whole breakfast. And I never forget to eat — trust me! Maybe it’s lack of sleep since I’ve been burning the 2 a.m. oil all week long. Who knows…

What I do realize, though, is that my current work influx is actually a very positive thing. In fact, much of it is the result of yesterday being my editor’s last day in the office — she’s gone off on maternity to have her beautiful baby boy (or at least that’s the gender I’m betting on in the baby pool). What can be more joyous than that?!

On the flipside, I also know that her absense will propel me to shine in the spotlight (when usually, I’m more of a sunglasses and visor kind of cube dweller). Sure, I’m a seasoned pro at editing, assigning writers, and blogging (don’tcha think?), but now I’ll have to show my face at corporate meetings, get in on conference calls, and answer directly to the powers that be. And that all means I’ll need a refresher course in corporate jargon, excel spreadsheets, and company culture — things we creative types usually don’t have to concern ourselves with much.

It’s when such challenges arise that I dig down deep and recall all of the lessons learned within the business courses I took in college (and thank goodness that I managed to stay awake through most of them!). Communications, marketing, finance, accounting, business administration — I knew I’d need those skills someday to succeed in an office setting. And that day has come.

My point here? When thinking about embarking on career training, it’s important to develop related skills beyond your craft, too, in order to be more marketable, stand out from your competition, and open yourself up to new opportunities.

So, aspiring massage therapists, be sure to learn about running a business and dealing with clients in between rubdown techniques. Prospective teachers, use your electives to develop a strong knowledge of technology (you just may be asked to teach online courses, create a class Web page, or broadcast podcasts for your students!). And future health care workers, think about learning a second language so you can deal with a variety of patients. Get my drift?

You never know when opportunity is going to rain down, so be prepared, otherwise your career might become as soaked and soggy as my cheerios.

Ever ask yourself that question? Of course, you have! And while sites like CollegeSurfing.com aim to help you discover that all-important answer, this week’s guest blogger, Brett Farmiloe, reminds us that it’s OK if you’re still not exactly sure.

Half of the American work force is satisfied with their job, while the other half dreads reporting to a job they hate, working for a boss they can’t stand. As a senior at the University of Arizona, I was determined to join the group passionate about their work. But the biggest obstacle that stood in my way was that I did not know how to get to where I wanted to be, or for that matter, what I should do with my life.

“What should I do with my life?” is a question on the minds of many students and young professionals — and it’s a damn good question! You just spent four, five, six years in school and now you’re expected to answer it. You have parents pressuring you, friends and colleagues off to undoubtedly successful starts to long careers, and then you have your situation. I’m here to tell you not to worry. Not everyone has their life figured out at our age. In fact, no one really has it figured out.

Last summer, I ventured on a cross country roadtrip to interview successful people who LOVE their careers. I wanted to talk with these extraordinary individuals about the path that they pursued so I could develop an idea of which path I should pursue. The single most important thing that I took away from 75 interviews and three months of grassroots roadtrip travel was that at 22 years old, I didn’t have to figure it out.

One of my interviews was with University of Arizona head basketball coach Lute Olson. At 21, he was pumping gas and cleaning grease bays on the graveyard shift so he could pursue his love for education. Another was with Barry Moltz, who a week before college graduation did not have a job, accepted a position with IBM because he didn’t have anything to do the following Monday. Nine years later he transitioned out of the corporate world to enjoy a successful career in entrepreneurship. There were also 73 other people I talked with that all shared the common characteristic of not having life completely solved at our age.

I had reached a comforting conclusion.

Life takes too many twists and turns to decide right now what you want to do forever. It’s just not possible. The only thing we can do is have a determination to one day join the “better” half of the workforce by progressively working our way towards figuring out who we are and what thrills us.

Brett Farmiloe is the Founder of Pursue the Passion, where students and recent grads interview passionate professionals on cross country roadtrips about their career paths. Read interviews and about the 2007 tour at www.pursuethepassion.com.