There are many reasons to attend college. Some people may want greater career opportunities. Some may want to make more money. Others want to make connections that will help them in their careers. I wanted a career in business so I pursued and obtained both a Bachelor of Science in Business, specializing in Human Resource Management, as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Sounds impressive, right? I graduated about 30 years ago and often reflect on my college experience and what I learned. The actual subject matter for each of the many classes I completed is not what stands out at all. It is actually what I learned as a result of the college experience that stands out. I’d like to share with you what I really learned in college that helped me succeed in business.

 

 

 

I worked while I attended college. I also participated in various clubs and organizations. Finding the time to get everything done for my classes and balance work, clubs and social time could be someone overwhelming and, quite frankly, chaotic. However, I learned to be very organized about what I needed to do and when.

 

The best tool for time management was a planner. When I received a course syllabus at the beginning of the semester, I wrote down important dates in my planner. Then, for each class as due dates were presented, I’d write down those due dates down as well. 

 

For larger projects, I’d break them down into the pieces that I needed to do to complete them and work backward from the due dates. For example, if a large paper was due I’d write down the things I needed to complete the assignment:  select topic; research topic; prepare an outline, and write the paper. Then, knowing how long each of those tasks took, I’d work backward from the due date and write in my planner what I needed to do when in order to complete the assignment.

 

The topic of time management is very popular these days. You can “Google it” and find all sorts of tips. When I was in college there weren’t any tips. Heck, there wasn’t even Google! I learned about using a planner and managing my time wisely as a result of a very simple need . . . the need to succeed in college. I have used the time management skills I learned during my college years throughout my work life. I’ve tried electronic planners and to-do type lists. However, a good physical planner still works for me. There’s something about physically writing something down that helps me remember it and commit to it. And, there is something very satisfying about checking off or crossing out things that have been completed. 

 

 

As a college student, I had many opportunities to develop the skill of being resourceful. One example involves my work as a Graduate Assistant for the School of Business. For an Employment Law Class, I had to prepare and present role-playing scenarios for the class on interview questions demonstrating both lawful and unlawful questions that employers may ask. Doing the research to write the scripts was pretty straight-forward. However, getting a business professional to join me to do the role-playing in front of the classes was a bit more challenging. Luckily I had met someone from the local Chamber of Commerce who was a guest speaker at a Human Resources Management Association meeting that I attended. I called that person and asked for a suggestion on someone who would be willing to participate in this role-playing activity. Making connections and reaching out to people for information or referrals have helped me greatly over the years. Almost always, what you need is only one or two phone calls or emails away! 

 

Another example of resourcefulness that I learned in college has to do with budgeting. I was on a very small budget in college. After paying rent, utilities, and fuel, there wasn’t a lot of extra for food and entertainment. As a college student, I learned where AND when to get great deals on food. For example, there was a drive-through Chinese food restaurant where I went to college that had a very large portion of shrimp chow mein for $3. I could get TWO meals out of that. Also by networking with other students, I learned other great deals. For example, one night a week I could get a pizza from a restaurant for only $5. Again, this provided me with multiple meals. Sure, I shopped at the grocery store and prepared most of my own meals, but some of these restaurant specials were simply too good to pass up! In business, I’m still resourceful when it comes to saving money. By talking to others and doing research, I can often find the best deal for various expenditures. 

 

 

Another thing that I learned while in college was how to communicate well, both in writing and verbally. There is absolutely no way to avoid this. There are so many papers to write and presentations to give while in college that it would be hard not to learn to communicate well. In fact, college success depends on it. Through feedback from both professors and peers, I gradually improved my communication skills. 

 

Effective communication has been crucial throughout my business life. Whether I’m writing an email to a supplier, talking to a customer, coaching an employee, or writing a social media post, it’s important to be able to communicate well to your audience. 

 

 

 

When reflecting on my college classes, there is very little subject matter that was truly helpful. Don’t misunderstand me; I truly appreciate what I learned in my accounting, finance, management, marketing, and human resources classes. However, the most important things I learned were not what was taught in the classes but was learned as a result of the classes. I learned to manage my time wisely, learned to be resourceful and learn to communicate effectively. These skills have served me well during the last thirty years of my life and will continue to do so!