In a recent article, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reminded us that “talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not.” For those who are in the graduating class this year, many are planning for a big celebration of the past but cannot help but feel anxious for the uncertain future, especially the ones entering the job market. I can understand why, so let me give them some advice:
No one doubts your talents, but as Nadella stated, opportunity is limited and requires fitting skills — aptitudes — with the right attitudes. So, setting yourselves apart from others requires much more than your pre-existing technical skills. Employers look for candidates who possess minimum required technical skills, strong soft skills and the ability to adapt and learn new skills on the job.
In every job, a person’s skills will need to continually evolve with changing technology and workplace needs. This doesn’t mean you will need to return to college full time. Rather, it means being open to learning new skills on the job, attending workshops and conferences, and being willing to change. Again, it is meshing aptitude with attitude. Employers are willing to invest training resources in those who demonstrate the right attitude. For instance, I learned C++ and Fortran in the early 1990s but used neither one of them in my professional career in computer science. Instead, I ended up learning Delphi (Pascal), Scheme, Lisp, Visual Basic, C# (.NET), Java, SQL, JavaScript, CSS, etc., to succeed in my career. Skills need to keep up with the inevitable changes of tomorrow. Keeping a positive attitude is one of the best ways to create opportunities for yourself.
Within my short two years with Highline College, I have sent three students to a local internet technology company while they were still taking college courses. One of them has since moved on to work for Microsoft. These opportunities all began from the students who demonstrated their excellence in the classroom, as well as their passion for the field and great attitude. The last student was not even one of my own. We met at an evening event at Highline for Women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), and she took the initiative to ask for my contact information. She contacted me and requested a meeting to learn more about pursuing a career in IT. She was one of the annual award recipients by the Pure and Applied Science division and was offered the job before the quarter ended. And guess what? These were students of color, just like the majority of students at Highline College.
Speaking of students of color, diversity is another angle that you must consider. For those who are in a minority group, you must work harder to overcome challenges in both life, and for some of you who are immigrants like me, language. The emphasis for this effort is not about being assimilated into the mainstream, but achieving a noticeable excellence in your chosen fields. If you have doubts, think of me as the living proof. I came to the United States from Vietnam over a quarter of a century ago with virtually no English and less than $100 for my family of four. I now hold a doctorate degree, have been in teaching for 15 years, and at one point was the chief technology officer for one of the largest accounting firms in the Midwest. You must tackle discrimination with excellence, not difference. Let me give you good news: there is absolutely no discrimination in excellence.
So, do not be discouraged if your future is uncertain, graduates. It is not too late to take the other skills seriously and begin to embark on the development of soft skills as well as the ability to self-improve. Enjoy your graduation ceremony to celebrate your past effort in completing your degrees and embrace the challenges of the next journey. After all, commencement really means the making of a new beginning. Technical skills may get you new jobs, but soft skills and continuing improvement are critical ingredients that make your long-term careers successful. Opportunities are always available for excellence. Go forth and lead the world.
Dr. Savio Pham teaches business technology at Highline College and is the author of “Lead Me Lead You,” a self-directed leadership development model. He is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences on leadership and higher education. He earned a doctorate in management in organizational leadership from the University of Phoenix and an MBA from Ottawa University.
