Show Some Leadership

One of my earliest memories revolves around learning to order my own food at a restaurant. Hearing my Dad say, "Show some leadership," at the age of three should have been a good indicator that I was not destined to be a shy person! On the surface, that experience may seem trivial. However, I was taught how to speak up at an early age. Even the simplest action of ordering my own chicken strips obviously left a very lasting impression on me as the first step in my road to becoming an outgoing girl.

Overtime, Dad's advice evolved beyond food orders to more important situations. Those three simple words have become a staple phrase in my family and always surface in situations that require me to take chances and be bold. As I approach graduation and begin planning for the future, I've used this encouragement to keep on trucking. I know I'm not the only one out there who needs a little extra motivation to take that leap and jump into all the uncertainties that life after college has to offer!

So, as a student, how can we "show some leadership" when all we hear about is a tight job market? It's simple. If you don't apply for a job, you aren't going to get the job. Unlike star college athletes getting recruited for a professional team, it's less likely that an employer will be the one to make the initial contact to discuss career needs with the average student. So as the sole person in charge of your future, here's a little nudge from a girl who stepped out on a limb and got the job.

In my experience, I had to get up the courage and ask for a position that didn't technically even exist until I showed interest. I don't know if I call that luck or preparation, but either way it's proof that sometimes being bold and showing some leadership can get a person further than imagined! So my challenge for the week is to encourage other students to "Show some leadership" and make an effort on their path to career success!