Mennen Kassa

What is the most useful piece of career advice you got as a student, and who gave it to you?

The most useful career advice I received as a student was to network! As the saying goes, “Your network is your net worth”. I did not take that advice seriously until I got into the work place. A majority of people get jobs from networking. Companies want to be sure that the people they are hiring have a good reputation, and they know that hiring someone who has been referred is the safest bet. Attend as many professional socials and mixers as you can. Make sure to have an active Linkedin profile as well. It will pay off when you begin job searching!

What is the biggest challenge you had to overcome to get to where you are now professionally? How did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge I had to face professionally was figuring out my passion. I kept hopping from job to job trying to understand what I enjoyed and what I did well. It took a while, but I was finally able to crack the code. A few resources that helped me where the Myers-Briggs personality test and a book I read called The Quarter Life Breakthrough by Adam Smiley Poswolsky. The Myers-Briggs test helped me identify my personality type and roles that I would be good in. The Quarter Life Breakthrough book provided great stories and examples of how you can figure out your passion and turn it into a career. I was ultimately able to overcome my challenge by finding resources to get me on the right path. Reach out to mentors, read books, and learn more about yourself. The answer to your greatest challenges are within you!