If someone came up to me back in August, at the beginning of this "Enterprise Communications" course and told me that by the winter I would be a completely changed person, I would probably think they were nuts. However, that is exactly the case with this class I am finishing up.
I first saw this course as a lot of work with no real benefits. I felt like the lessons were unnecessary and didn't apply to me because I wasn't one of the "ambitious ones" who knows what they want and goes after it. So far, I have been a fairly timid person when it comes to the job force and following a track that's right for me. I'm not the type that can just go up to someone experienced and ask them questions or explain why I should be hired, so I was hoping that this class would give me a little more background on that. I just felt so left out because everyone else in the class seemed to be more motivated than me. It wasn't until I got inspired by various guest speakers, readings, and people in the world that these types of communication skills can be taught and relearned by anyone, that I got over the hump and started to see the class for what it was: one of the most interesting and educational so far. I can see this class being the basis for a whole new me.
When I think back to freshman year Emily, I think about how incredibly far I have come from then until now. I came into college still living in the past, thinking I was super smart and didn't really need to try super hard, and boy was I wrong. In high school I was ranked at the top of my class and got straight A's every semester. However, when I came to college I realized that everyone around me was just as smart and mostly smarter than me. If I wanted to do well, I would have to work harder than I ever had at something. My scholars class last year taught me how to question everything around me- a useful skill to have when entering college and the real world. Before BSE, I used to always just accepting things as standard. But after that first class, I learned to ask "why?" about everything that was accepted to be true, and brainstorm ways to make things better using design thinking. I needed to learn how to notice my faults and be more self-aware on how to improve them. I needed to learn what the business world actually was. I needed to find something I was passionate about, cultivate that knowledge, and pursue it as a major, since I came into University of Maryland as "undecided". I needed to get more involved and build my resume to start thinking about internship opportunities for my future self. I needed to do a lot of things as I entered this new phase in my life... and I didn't know how. The first-year BSE class, How Do Innovators Think, gave me that opportunity to start planning for the future and developing my strengths while improving on my weaknesses both individually and working with a group.
Now, as a second-year BSE student, I had learned about innovation and how to better myself and the things around me, but I had no idea on how to give an effective presentation in front of an audience or how to to well on a job interview. I had learned a lot of skills last year, but this year would be when I attempt to put these skills to the test. Dr. Wellman and our guest speakers gave me great advice on how to implement this new knowledge in my future plans and move forward to improve. The sheer thought of the elevator speech assigned at the beginning of the semester made me cringe. I even contemplated dropping the class it was that bad. I have always had a fear of public speaking, even though when I'm with my friends I am usually the most talkative one of the bunch. When I gave my initial speech, it was so painful I literally blacked out and don't even remember doing it. Every time I look at the recording of myself, I first am incredibly embarrassed, but second I realize that this is something I can fix with practice. Throughout the rest of this course, I only improved since the initial elevator speech in September. With the help of the Dan Parsons evening session, the second round of the ILIAD assignment, and the TED talk, I was basically forced to overcome my fear. Additionally, I was given so many readings and presentations that helped me develop good public speaking techniques. One of the easiest ways that I began to feel more comfortable around other people was realizing that they all felt the same way as me. I also started to feel more comfortable when I started having more confidence in my presentations, because I learned how to have a good opening, body/message, and closing for my audience, and I learned how to appeal to the exact demographic I was talking to. Soon enough, before I knew it I had a lot more confidence than I did originally.
The ILIAD assessment helped me improve on goals that I set for myself a year ago, which is a practice that everyone should be doing. Why should I be afraid of something that I know is coming? It's going to happen sooner or later, no matter who you are. So instead of being scared and panicking, I now take actions and plan ahead that I can try to make myself the best I can be, like identifying my weaknesses and making plans to improve them. I then welcome any other unexpected failure with open arms and an open mind to learn from those experiences.
Compared to what I knew before this class, I have learned so much about how to be engaging with others which will significantly help with networking. Last year I learned what LinkedIn was, this year I learned how to actually use it. I added so much new information to my profile that I didn't have last year, and made so many new connections because of it. Networking is a skill that allows you to have the world at your fingertips. For example, Dr. Wellman planned out entire BSE New York field trip last year using LinkedIn and connecting with UMD alumni. Keeping a strong network of connections is essential for success in the business world. I am much more confident after taking this class that I have the personality and the skills to effectively network and market myself to future employers. I definitely have the drive and the motivation, I just need to keep my confidence high and work on developing my skills at all times to become a highly desirable employee.
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