Johnny Xu: Reflection on Being a PCC
What are your top two career prep recommendations?
To answer this question, I would say that my top two career prep recommendations are 1. Be a sponge, and 2. Make genuine connections.
My first recommendation is being a “sponge”: this means always be learning, and it can be from your job (gaining new skills, taking on more responsibilities), listening to others and their points of view (understand and empathize with others’ experiences), or just generally being a student for life (learning about life and all that life has to offer, like trying new foods, exploring different cultures, etc.). I think this was the biggest piece of advice I’ve ever received about how to live my life wholly, and although it’s not career-oriented, you can apply it to your career.
Have you ever heard of the saying “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with?” It definitely holds value, as it means just be mindful of who you surround yourself with. My second recommendation is to make genuine connections. I think that in the business world, everyone emphasizes networking and making mutually beneficial connections that help you in your career. However, I think that those that push for this aren’t genuine, and you can really see that in their interactions with you, or other people. I’m sure that being nice and polite can get you far in life, but actually caring and empathizing with others will take you further. Befriending others based on similar interests, shared experiences, or just because you have a great time with them should be a huge priority in college, as I believe your social circle really dictates your experiences and influences a lot of your decisions in college. Being social is a big part of having a well-rounded college experience. Choosing who you spend time with wisely influences your internship search during college (e.g. if you are surrounded by motivated people, you will be motivated).
Why do you enjoy being a PCC?
I enjoy being a PCC because I’ve always loved giving back to the community that has given me so much, and in this case I wanted to help students in the business school develop personally and professionally.
I’ve had a lot of mentors, upperclassmen, and other peers help me out throughout my time at college, and I think that those who have gone through similar experiences before are super useful in passing down information and guiding those that will go through them in the future. In the end, I highly recommend this program to seniors that are willing and able to contribute to a great cause within the community, as you connect with other seniors in the business school that you haven’t talked with before, and give back to students through sharing your experiences and tips.