11 successful people share their best advice for new college grads
May 13, 2015, 19:12 IST
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Here are some highlights:T.J. Miller
Comedian and actor; Star of HBO's "Silicon Valley"Advice for recent grads: "Work harder than anyone else around you and be nice. That truly is the formula. It worked for me and I have mediocre talent and a horse jaw. And as a good friend of mine says: 'Know who you are and don't apologize for it.' -Erlich Bachman"Amy Ockert
Competitive Strategy Director at Whole Foods MarketAdvice for recent grads: "The best thing is to find a mentor that you admire. Not your manager or even someone in your department, but someone you respect professionally. Bounce ideas off your mentor, work with him/her on issues that arise at work, and glean information to help your development as a professional."
Leah Remini
Actress; star of CBS's "The King of Queens"Advice for recent grads: "To aspiring actors: It is not an easy business for everyone, you have to love to entertain and you have to go in it for that reason, because if that is truly what is in your heart, those times you are told no will not allow you to give up. You can't give up if it is something you truly love."Eric Bahn
Product Manager at Facebook; cofounder of Hustlecon Advice for recent grads: "Your network will become increasingly important as you progress in your career. Once you build a reputation and build the right contacts, then you'll never have to apply for a job again - opportunities will come to you. When you encounter an interesting person, grab their e-mail and add their info into a master list of network contacts. Write an annual e-mail during the holidays to your master list to keep your contacts warm and updated; you'll be amazed how effective this tactic is."Brian Lee
CEO and founder of The Honest Company; founder of ShoeDazzle Advice for recent grads: "Find something that truly inspires you, and join a company that has the same passion, or start one yourself."
Sanya Richards-Ross
Professional athlete; four-time gold-medal Olympian Advice for recent grads: "To be bold and fearless. The world needs new, fresh ideas! The world needs you! Don't conform or be afraid to try and fail. Failure is an important ingredient to success. You'll be happier and more proud of your results when you take the risk."Sam Reich
Head of Original Video at CollegeHumorAdvice for recent grads: "My advice for people starting out in this industry is always this: (a) Do what you love to do, a lot, for free, until you get great at it. (b) Get any job you can somewhere you'd like to work - no matter how stupid it seems at the time. Many of our best writers are former interns. Murph, who is one of our writer-cast members, started as CollegeHumor's front desk guy!"Katrina Lake
CEO of Stitch FixAdvice for recent grads: "Focus on finding roles where you can learn, grow, and develop most. Make sure you work for someone you admire, and that your manager can be a mentor and champion for you in your career today but also for the years to come."