[ASU W. P. Carey Alumni Only] What is the best piece of advice that you would offer to current business majors at ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business? [List your major and graduation date at the end]

In a world that is continuously changing — with technology replacing jobs and new jobs being created — you need to be able to adapt your skills to keep up with the ever-changing workplace. The key is to cultivate an adaptive mindset, one that responds well to unexpected change and embraces challenges as opportunities to improve and innovate. One way to develop this skill is to push yourself to be an early adopter of change. Whether it’s a new technology or taking on new responsibilities at work, be proactive, don\'t be afraid to ask questions and embrace the challenge with an open mind. Employers need workers who can adapt to industry shifts and keep the company current. Being committed to continuously improving and developing your skills is a great way to be seen as someone who is capable of meeting the demands of the future. Major: Marketing (Business), B.S.B.A, December 16, 1994 Erika Amoako-Agyei, ‘94 W. P. Carey B.S. Marketing

As you embark on this next chapter remember to continue exploring what you enjoy doing. Your career path will be a journey and that is the exciting part! Just as you would take classes that peaked your interests, continue to do this in your career. Take on projects or explore various areas of business even if they do not directly relate to what you studied. You are a student of life here to have fun along the way! Don\'t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone to find what truly lights you up. - Jacklyn Quinn Major: Marketing Graduation Date: May, 2017

A piece of advice would be to pause, breathe, and tune into what genuinely feels like alignment for yourself and your life. People can know if something is in alignment with themselves if they are doing something that deeply brings them joy and makes them feel a sense of peace, subtle or intense. As we can see in our current world, being in business for any other reason than this can lead to a lot of unwanted outcomes for the collective, so I would advise anyone in this field to evaluate why they want what they want and especially what they\'re trying to get out of it. Stopping and thinking about why we\'re doing what we\'re doing is so important, especially for the change-makers and innovators of the world, and from my experience, W.P. Carey is chock-full of those.

We live in a world where there are sometimes unlimited choices and options. Our challenge in business, and in life, is not to understand all the choices that present themselves, but to narrow the known choices to one that you can take tangible action against. Deciding and acting (even if wrong) will always win over constantly analyzing trying to find the "perfect" choice. Understand your options, but do not delay in taking action on one of those choices and moving forward. Krag Klages, MBA Graduate, 2014

Build genuine relationships! Every single opportunity I\'ve had to move my career forward has come from a relationship I built and nourished. This is not traditional networking: \'what can I do for you & what can you do for me?\' rather spending time truly listening and getting to know people you like and admire. Do your research, seek out interesting people, and ask for time. Then nurture and stay connected. I promise, it pays off big time. MBA full time class of 2009

As a new graduate, you will likely have times in your early career when you feel self-doubt, fear or a lack of confidence. Something I wish my younger, shy, introverted self knew was how much I would grow when I leaned into the fear and stepped outside of my comfort zone. In fact, I have found that the more I put myself out there, the more confidence I develop and the less fear I feel. Something else I wish I knew earlier in my career was this tip to overcome any feeling of inadequacy: Stand in a Superhero stance, back straight, chest lifted high, and hands on hips for two minutes before an important meeting, presentation, or job interview. You may be surprised to learn that this is a research-backed practice, replicated by social scientists in at east nine different published studies. Power-posing can immediately and measurably increase your performance, confidence, authenticity, happiness, optimism, and executive functioning. Jennifer Drago, FACHE, MHSA, \'93, MBA, \'93 BS \'89

As a W. P. Carey graduate, I can only advise current students to believe in themselves and see each day as a new opportunity. At W. P. Carey, you have the chance to learn from the best, and for me personally, it was the milestone for my continued professional success. Try to prove yourself and always know that it is okay to ask for help and advice. The moment things get difficult and challenging, know that everything will get better. The harder you work, the better the results you will get in return.

The best piece of advice that I could share with current W.P. Carey Students is to get involved and take advantage of all of the resources available to you. I recommend finding a professional Student Organization that aligns with your field of study or career interest. The opportunities to gain experience in leadership positions, collaborate with like-minded students, and network with actively-recruiting companies was essential in helping me not only solidify what I wanted to do after graduation, but finish my time at ASU in a career I have been very happy with. I graduated from ASU in 2018 and received a B.S. in Marketing with an emphasis in Professional Sales, and a Certificate in Business Leadership.

My best piece of advice to current business majors at ASU\'s W.P. Carey School of Business is to utilize all of the amazing resources provided on campus to help make your life as a student easier. I spent countless hours in the library and the tutoring centers so I would not only understand the topics but also ace my homework and exams. I also think that it is important to go to your professor\'s office hours and study sessions so you can get to know them on a personal level and show them that you are giving it your all to succeed. If you don\'t know the answer, seeking help is shown as a strength and not a weakness. Major: Business Communications Certificate: International Business Graduation date: May 2020

Many students feel locked into their designated major. If you choose accounting, you must be an accountant. If you choose marketing you must go into sales. I would suggest that anyone who is preparing to graduate should also be thinking about the other aspects of business that are not specifically their degree focus. Marketing majors would benefit from understanding accounting principles and Finance majors can benefit from understanding management techniques. We live in a world where specialized skills are of high value but people with an understanding beyond their core skill set are invaluable to a business. When I was working on my MBA I noticed there were quite a few people with medical and engineering degrees in the program. I asked myself, "why would an engineer care about getting an MBA?" The answer was simple, their employers saw value in them being more well-rounded and having an understanding of the big picture. Daniel Henderson 2005 BS Marketing 2010 MBA

Bosses and co-workers will come and go, but the most influential aspect of a company and your likelihood for success is its culture. I can’t overstate this enough. Be very clear about your values and the type of environment in which you are most productive. (A personality assessment like CliftonStrengths is a great first step to identifying your strengths). Find a company with a culture that aligns with what it takes for you to thrive and then show them what a great choice they made by hiring a W.P. Carey graduate! (editors note: CliftonStrengths is supposed to be written as one word) https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/home.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=us_strengths_branded_cs_ecom&utm_term=cliftonstrengths&gclid=CjwKCAjw9e6SBhB2EiwA5myr9lSS5PrgcBh4WEYwiF7uoU4_dIVFfbD6ZE9nLRn2ZOsrjS-JvV_5yhoC9iMQAvD_BwE)

Some people call this your superpower, others unique ability but it is something that you do very well, faster and better than others. Think about monetizing yourself in a way, this is why people hire you, pay you, listen to you. Then, keep innovating, improving, learning and honing this skill so you stay on top of the wave and ahead of others on the curve. Keep figuring out you 2.0 and new releases. The next step is to systemize yourself so you can leverage this ability even more and franchise yourself. Regardless of the financial, economic or political environment you always have your personal operating system (POS) to prevent commoditization of your skills and services to offer the market. MBA 2004.

One of the biggest takeaways from my W.P. Carey MBA experience was the confidence I developed as a result of taking part in the program. I learned new skills and excelled in areas I didn\'t expect (I was an English major rocking Statistics!) based on the quality instruction and thoughtfully organized presentation of content. I also gained experience working with diverse teammates, and through this, more deeply understood the importance of diversity in team building and providing a platform where all voices are valid and able to be heard. This has served me extraordinarily well in my career in Media/Entertainment and Big Tech where I frequently collaborate with global stakeholders of varying levels and experience. (MBA, December 2011)