Two Years, Six Months

A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of going back to my alma mater to do some recruiting for my company. When I was asked if I would be willing to do it, I was pretty much baffled - I was only in my third week on the job, and they already wanted me to go back? Why not more qualified people? This quickly subsided, however, as the chance to visit Montana for a week, see a football game, and catch up with friends hit me and I forgot about the rest. As the date kept on getting closer and closer, though, that question started sticking out more and more - why me?

It really started bugging me, and I didn't really pin it down until a couple nights before I left: I didn't feel all that qualified to go back and talk with students. For most people who recruit, it consists of going to career fairs, setting up booths, looking over resumes, doing interviews, narrowing down qualified candidates, and passing along anyone who seems like they would be a good fit. For us, when we go to Montana, it's a little more in depth than that. We're typically on campus for a week, talking to classes and having informal talks with students before getting down to the nitty-gritty formalities. Students ask a lot of questions not just about the job, but academic advice, general career guidance, how their resumes look, etc. You get to know these people, most of whom are very bright and motivated, and they look to you for those insights that can help land them a great job. It's a lot of fun, but it's also a huge responsibility and privilege to be in that position. That thought was quite daunting; who am I to be that person, what do I know? I haven't even been in the working world full time for three months. Going further, I haven't even been in my field all that long. I started out college a Journalism major, before switching over to Business and eventually Information Systems in April of '08. That's barely a blip on the radar. And now I'm being asked to represent my company in front of all these eager young students?! Something really doesn't add up.

One of the things I loved about my major, though, was that it didn't focus on specific skills or pieces of technology, but instead taught the basic frameworks you need to be successful. Technology changes every day, but by focusing on the underlying patterns you get a feel for what makes things tick and how to use them to your advantage. And even though I haven't been in the IS field all that long, let alone be full of wisdom and experience, I have shown a knack for applying the concepts to problems I have and getting results. If not, I wouldn't be where I am today. Luck probably played a factor as well, but fortune favors the bold. I went out on a limb becoming an IS major, talking with the women who recruited me into the company, when applying for the presidency of the student group I used to lead, etc. I've come a long way in two and a half years.

When I finally had to get up and speak to a classroom full of students, that's what I kept in the back of my mind. I got this far for a reason, and hopefully I can inspire someone else to do as well or better than me in the same amount of time. The other two people who were with me are in a league of their own, personally and professionally, so when I wasn't speaking it was great to see them in action. Especially in the beginning, when I wasn't really sure of what to expect out of the entire experience, they were great examples of what to do and how it should be done. I probably learned more from them than the students did, and some of what rubbed off has already helped me in my first weeks back. Guess learning by osmosis does work...

As the days passed, I got more comfortable settling into my new position in life and speaking as a professional. In another two and a half years I'll have more experience and will be able to give more practical advice than I can right now. I'll have even more nuanced points of view two and a half years after that, when I'm a polished and battle-hardened monument to professional excellence. But for right now, this is what I can do. I have the frameworks that are working for me, and even though I don't have the instant gratification results I'd like, I can see a lot of progress in my current job and career. Might not be much in the grand scheme, but if anything, it's a great start.