Author Archives: Michael Schuetz

Assessing Your Fit: A Deep Dive into the World of Finance Careers

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Choosing a career is a significant life decision. This process involves identifying personal interests, understanding individual skills, and evaluating potential job markets. For those who are intrigued by the complex world of finance, it’s crucial to first determine if a career in finance is the right fit. In this article, we delve into factors to consider when making this life-altering choice.

Interest and Passion

Before plunging into a finance career, ask yourself, ‘Do I have a genuine interest in the financial world?’ Finance roles are dynamic, requiring a deep understanding of financial principles, economic trends, and analytical techniques. However, more than knowledge, one must have the zest and fervor for numbers, market trends, and the economy. This passion serves as a fuel when the work becomes demanding or complex. You can connect with people on community sites like Canary Wharfian to find out these intricacies.

Aptitude for Numbers and Analysis

Finance is a field heavily reliant on quantitative skills. Strong mathematical skills, statistical understanding, and the ability to analyze, interpret, and forecast data are crucial. If you enjoy working with numbers and complex equations and find it exciting to draw insights from numbers, a career in finance may be a good fit for you.

Problem-solving Skills

The financial world is often unpredictable, bringing forth numerous challenges. Successful finance professionals are adept at problem-solving and crisis management. If you are a natural problem-solver, enjoy challenges and are not easily discouraged by obstacles, a career in finance might be rewarding for you.

Ethical Considerations

The finance industry, given its influence on global economies and people’s lives, comes with substantial ethical responsibilities. You must ask yourself if you are comfortable with these responsibilities and if you are prepared to act with integrity even in challenging situations. A commitment to maintaining high ethical standards is crucial in finance.

Ability to Handle Stress

Finance careers can often involve high-stakes decisions and a demanding work environment, leading to high stress levels. The ability to maintain composure under pressure, manage stress, and make clear, informed decisions are vital qualities to succeed in this field.

Career Opportunities and Job Satisfaction

The finance industry offers a wide variety of roles – from investment banking to personal finance counseling, from risk assessment to insurance. The diversity of roles can provide immense opportunities for growth and development. However, consider whether the typically long hours and competitive nature of the sector align with your personal goals and lifestyle. Are you driven by high rewards, intellectual challenge, and high levels of responsibility? If yes, you may find deep job satisfaction in finance.

Financial Rewards and Job Security

A career in finance can offer significant financial rewards, but it’s important to remember that high rewards often come with high risks. Consider your risk tolerance level and your financial goals before making the decision.

Continuous Learning and Adaptability

The world of finance is continuously evolving with emerging technologies like AI and blockchain changing how finance works. Are you interested and willing to learn and adapt continuously? If yes, a finance career could keep you at the forefront of technological and analytical advancements.

Conclusion

Deciding on a career in finance should be a carefully deliberated choice. It’s not only about assessing if you have the necessary skills or interest but also about understanding the lifestyle and ethical implications it brings. Self-reflection, research, internships, and speaking with professionals in the field can all be beneficial in making this decision.

A career in finance is intellectually stimulating, potentially lucrative, and profoundly influential. If you resonate with the qualities discussed, find the dynamism of financial markets exciting, and are ready to embrace the responsibilities, a career in finance could be your calling.

What Makes Your Employees the Best Brand Ambassadors

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Brand awareness is very crucial to the success of every business as it drives sales and attracts new talent. The good thing here is that you do not need a million-dollar budget to build a strong brand. Your most valuable brand ambassadors are just right in front of you.

Brand ambassadors are the individuals that the company uses to highlight the company positively. They are entrusted with the responsibilities of promoting products or services offered by the company. And in most cases, workers are the best brand ambassadors.

Why do employees matter as brand ambassadors?

With well-trained workers in product promotion, the company will likely grow in profitability and face little competition. By the time you are settling on using your employees as brand ambassadors, you will find out that most of them have already established loyalty with the customers.

That means that connecting with the customers is very easy for them. Suppose you face issues with encouraging workers to promote the brand of your products.

You can use Employee Advocacy Software by ClearviewSocial to encourage them to share the company’s content. You can use different types of employee advocacy like webinars and company events. But the fastest mode will be using social media with your employees as the ambassadors of your product.

It’s just simple. Ensure that you empower your employees to make some of the decisions in the company. When they are empowered, employees get engaged in most of the company’s affairs, and as a result, they become natural ambassadors. Here are reasons why workers are great promoters of the company’s product.

Employees are the first faces of customers

Employees are the front-of-house representatives for your business. When customers come to your business, they first meet them. Sometimes, you may not even meet the customers as the employees solve most of the issues with them immediately. In this case, their words and actions are very powerful in promoting your products.

If the customers experience positive interactions with the employees, they are likely to keep coming back for more. On the other hand, workers who are excited about what they are doing are likely to willingly go above and beyond to provide excellent services to the customers.

They pave the way for brand recognition

Workers pave the way for brand recognition, leading to more revenue flow in the company. Studies show that engaged and empowered employees are likely to double the company’s revenue compared to others where there is limited employees’ freedom. Even if your business has a strong or powerful mission, without employees as the ambassadors, the company’s growth may be very difficult.

Most customers commit to the products based on the experience over the what the advertising features. Others develop an interest in certain products because they are connected with the employees. The higher the level of engagement between the employees and the customers, the greater the brand recognition.

Your employees know your product best

Most of your employees are well-versed with the production process and the details of the ingredients or raw materials used to make the goods. That’s to suggest they know the ins and outs of the business. They have undergone a lot of experience and have learned a lot about what it takes to succeed. So, it’s a matter of them learning the art of advertising language, and they will promote your products better than any other agency.

They can share your brand with the customers they are connected with using the gained knowledge. Great ambassadors have a great vision for the company, operate accordingly, and set the foundation for greatness in the business. They deliver a high-level customer experience and knowledge about the products that no other party can.

The Importance of Relationship Map for the Growth of Your Business

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Relationship mapping improves sales procedures and builds a more informed team of representatives for surgical proposals and presentations. Using this technique instead of traditional organizational charts yields significantly greater results in sales margins and revenue growth. 

Most importantly, relationship maps have a direct bearing on a company’s growth in the short to long term. Relationship mapping has aspects that foster positive growth prospects for businesses. What are the most common growth prospects that businesses can think of by using relationship maps? Let’s take a look.

Retaining customers

Business growth relies on retaining customers since that manifests a healthy relationship between your business and consumers. If customers choose you over the competition, they are highly likely to suggest the products or services provided to others. Using a Relationship Mapping Software contributes to retaining customers and keeping them satisfied. 

Whether B2B or B2C transactions, properly maintaining relationship maps on Prolifiq will lead to business growth. The tool uses AI to maintain developed relationship maps, aggregates all the insights gathered, and outputs comprehensive Business Intelligence findings. Those findings can be used to retain current customers and find other potential loyal consumers.

Upselling to current customers

One of the most effective growth methods is upselling when customers make a purchase. Having relationship maps gives you a peek into the user habits of the customers, making it easy to upsell whenever the time is right. Most e-commerce platforms upsell directly as users purchase by direct selling. 

Maintaining relationship maps promotes more targeted and effective upselling. The timing has to be correct, and the suggested products need to match user habits. Relationship maps reveal that information as comprehensive data is gathered and stored about customers. This type of upselling is common in the B2B sector for frequent customers due to its nature.

Vertical expansion opportunities

Expanding vertically within the sector and niche you are in has the potential of driving significant growth within your company. As a B2B supplier, there might be various other items in stock that can be marketed and sold within that relative market. At the same time, B2B suppliers can easily source items in high demand within their respective industries and niches. 

Mapping relationships can help unlock those opportunities, especially since it offers insights into key decision-makers in a buying group. Those decision-makers can be convinced to source other products from your business, unlocking vertical growth with higher profit margins.

Expanding to different markets

The networking opportunities provided by relationship mapping can also open expansion opportunities to completely different markets. Sometimes, executives within a buying group might have other business interests elsewhere. 

Making a strong initial impression can put you in a favorable spot with all decision-makers within the buying group. The only way to do this is to understand everyone within a buying group. Understanding their motivations and core beliefs with the intention of aligning your proposal using the information you have can open opportunities in other markets. Those markets could be different from the one you were targeting at that point.

Effectively using relationship mapping tools

Relationship mapping tools have a wealth of information that businesses can utilize to optimize sales margins and revenue streams. There are plenty of growth opportunities that result from mapping business relationships continuously with an advanced tool. Relationship mapping tools generally require little initial input from you, but more insights can be added as time goes on. 

Ensure that the tool is fed accurate information and on time to properly identify valid growth opportunities. Lastly, use every bit of information to improve sales procedures and promote the culture of retaining customers.

The Best Online Career Options for Finance Graduates

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The emergence of the digital workplace has led to an abundance of remote finance jobs. The financial industry has many different occupations that basically involve interpreting financial figures and using them to improve operations or solve problems.

Finance is a booming sector and companies are always seeking qualified candidates. Given the fact that the remote work market is growing exponentially, the need for those in finance is growing at a similar rate.

Financial planner 

Financial planners are also known as wealth managers or financial advisors. They give clients advice on how to reach their financial goals. They may work with individuals or businesses and offer both short and long-term investment planning. They analyze data provided by clients to develop plans for budgeting, saving, and debt management. Investment strategies, retirement planning, insurance protection, and even estate planning can fall within the orbit of their expert counsel.

Financial planners usually have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and they often receive further certification as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). Financial literacy statistics show that financial awareness is lacking and the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) is encouraging financial literacy to help an upcoming generation to succeed professionally.

Day trader 

A day trader holds positions in stocks for a short time. Day traders often make a large number of trades on a daily basis. Being a day trader may not offer benefits in terms of a fixed salary or benefits but it does offer the opportunity for those who are successful at it to experience potentially large returns on capital. To be successful, day traders need long-term strategies and up-to-the-minute market information.

Using analytical software can help them to discover trading patterns faster and reduce trade execution times. They need to weather short-term losses and should have enough cash reserves. Some of them focus on trading equities and others speculate in foreign currencies or derivatives. Day trading is not for everyone, as losses can mount up quickly.

Financial analyst

Budget analysts apply their financial knowledge to projects and proposals in various sectors, from the government to education. They have to interview managers to gather the information for proposals and train staff in budget development processes for their organization. Finance majors need to develop the necessary communication and analytical skills to become successful budget analysts.

Credit analysts evaluate the financial standing of clients applying for loans. They have to assess the risks involved in offering them finance. Finance majors have to learn how to evaluate financial records and data and look at financial viability. They have to determine the legitimacy of the financial data supplied by clients. Communication skills are necessary as they have to convey their findings to colleagues.

Accountant

Cloud-based accounting technology allows accountants to work from virtually anywhere. It is possible to accomplish the same tasks online as in an office setting. Accounting work can encompass handling financial records, analyzing data and helping to keep organizations operating smoothly financially. All of these duties can be done online as much accounting work is digitized.

Accountants can take on specialized roles involving budgeting, auditing, financial accounting, certified public accounting, and forensic accounting. Certified public accountants can provide tax preparation and advice to a variety of clients.

Financial writer

Becoming a financial writer may not be an obvious choice for a finance graduate. However, talented and experienced financial writers are always in demand and there is an increasing need for professional financial education and training. Those who have good written communication skills and financial background can always find work and they can choose to work remotely for a variety of clients.

Creating Sustainability in Businesses with Lean Six Sigma

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Many blue-chip companies have used the Six Sigma business sustainability model to help them enhance performance and deliver quality service. The model has been in use for many years and it has been tested and proved to work.

The model does not work with just a section of business stakeholders, but it demands everyone to be put on board for it to work perfectly. Willingness must come from the top management and flow downwards to the lowest level. Every business can create a sustainable business using this framework.

Why use Six Sigma?

Although Lean Six Sigma can be traced back to the 19th century, it wasn’t used as a business framework successfully until recently. In the business world, the framework was incorporated into the current mainstream business from the 1980s. To date, Six Sigma remains the most practical method used for improving business productivity, processes, and customer service.

Since its inception, many businesses have used the framework to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Its adoption into the business environment has helped to set the pace for continuous improvement and to use the Six Sigma tools, businesses can reduce variances, defects and identify the source of errors so that businesses can improve on their products and services.

Elements of Lean Six Sigma

The framework uses three major elements in its lean business model. The first is tools and techniques, which is a set of approaches used to identify problems and provide solutions. The next is process and methodology, which form the tactics used to support the strategies adopted to work out on fully solving the problems identified.

The last one is the mindset and culture, which helps set the right way of thinking based on available information and methods that help attain sustainable and continued improvement of services. These three help strengthen each other so that a business can continuously grow positively while improving production and service.

The Six Sigma Tools

For businesses to improve efficiency and effectiveness, they must adapt unique problem-solving tools and use them continuously. Using both qualitative and quantitative strategies, businesses can apply and integrate these tools for both short-term and long-term gain. Here are the tools that help make this goal a reality.

Flow: Flow describes the processes a product goes through from the source of raw materials to delivery to the plant, value addition, and delivery to customers while eliminating blockages or stoppages. The process must remain smooth.

DMAIC: It is an important lean tool and uses data to help improve strategies and processes. It is an independent tool and stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control.

Voice of the customer: This tool helps identify the needs of a customer and then create a platform for the customer to be heard and responded to in a timely way.

Five S’s: It is a tool that helps promote a work environment that is safe, waste-free, clean, organized, and healthy.

Visual workplace: Machines at the workplace come in at this level and they must help create a smooth flow of information so that both the human resource and machines can work together to enhance production.

Seven wastes: It focuses on the total reduction or elimination of wastes at all levels from producing the right quantities, avoiding unreasonable transportation, not processing too much, having the right workers, machines, materials, reducing defects, and having the right inventories.

Value stream mapping: This tool helps map the path followed by a product in its production process. The person concerned draws that process on a paper from its starting point to the final phase. He then creates a visual presentation of the current process.

After that, he creates another visual process presenting how that process should be in the future. The future presentation should be the guiding map to help improve the product and the process.

 

Why Learning Coding is So Difficult for Some Students

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Coding is not necessarily that hard to learn but it may seem difficult for various reasons. If you’re a student, you may have to tap into areas with which you have no prior familiarity and this can easily make you feel overwhelmed at first. If coding was easy to learn, everyone would become a programmer.

It does take time, dedication and persistence to learn coding and even more time to master. Here are some of the reasons why you may find it difficult to learn coding as a student.

Going beyond mastering the basics

When you first start learning, the scope of what you need to understand is fairly narrow. As soon as you go beyond the basics, the scope broadens as you need to start picking up more difficult things like when to use the code you know how to use and understanding errors. At the start, there are a plethora of resources that can help you but at some stage, you have to start building on your own.

If you’re asking, “Where can I find someone to code for me,” there are writing services that offer programming homework help. You can get help from experts in many different programming languages from Domyprogramminghomework.io. The service offers competitive prices, privacy and a money-back guarantee.

There’s a perception that coding is hard

Coding is a skill that’s a little different from some other skills in that it may be more difficult to grasp what’s involved. You may have grown up being told that it’s hard because many people are not that familiar with it.

Learning to code may not be as difficult for you as others make it out to be. It often feels strange at first and takes time and persistence to feel more familiar with it. You may start feeling that coding is too hard for you when you try to build a project from scratch. This may cause you to feel you want to give up but if you move on, you will find yourself moving into a new phase of learning.

Not knowing the right questions to ask

At the start, you will learn basic syntax and feel good about your accomplishments. However, you soon have the painful realization that you don’t know how to ask the right questions to progress. You may reach the point where you feel like you’re constantly going around in circles and you’re looking for resources just to get you through.

There are many resources out there but there is a big difference between the resources that are available when you first start out to when you’re looking for help to build things on your own. Getting some help from experts can give you more idea of exactly what you need to search for to get you over the hump and then you can start finding the resources you need again.

Knowledge expands rapidly

You will come across many resources that seem to hold the answers you’re seeking but there are no easy answers. There’s a lot more to learn than you expected and it’s often difficult to measure your progress. You will eventually launch some projects and realize you’re starting to get it.

This is just the beginning of the journey and your learning will enter into a whole new phase where you start to master programming by improving your style and much more. You need to have goals for what you want to accomplish or you will end up learning all kinds of things that are interesting but ultimately unproductive.

The Related Fields Web Developers Can Switch to

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The web developers’ educational requirements vary depending on the work type and their work settings. Web developers are required to have a bachelor’s degree or high school diploma, but the most common requirement is an associate’s degree.

Web developers are responsible for creating and maintaining websites and they also deal with technical aspects of websites such as capacity and performance. However, web developers can switch to other related fields as long as they are well-trained and skilled.

Database administrator

Database administrators use special types of software to maintain and organize databases. As a DBA, you will be responsible for the database planning, integrity, performance, and security.

Your key role will be to ensure clarity of data definition and the consistency of that data across the database. Prior preparation for a career as a database administrator is important and may entail learning more about programming languages.

When in college, take time to understand programming languages such as SQL, Python, PHP, and so on. Some of the assignments you will be required to complete may be technical so seeking professional help is important. The best programming language homework help company is the Assignment Overflow.

It will provide the programming help you need to complete any programming assignments fast and at affordable rates. Assignment Overflow employs experienced and highly-skilled programmers who perform their work will need a high level of proficiency.

Applications developer

Application developers enable computers to perform certain tasks based on the user specifications. As an applications developer, you will be required to convert the requirements of software into suitable programming code and also develop programs for business use.

You will work within a particular field of development, such as accounting software, graphics software, office suites, and mobile phone applications. The work may also entail writing applications across various platforms, including mobile devices and computers and for systems such as Android or windows.

Other responsibilities include clarifying the actions a program should perform and establishing program specifications by holding dialogue with clients. As an application developer, you may also be required to install programs into production after successful testing.

Web designer

Web designers use their technical know-how and creativity to create websites based on clients’ requirements. Whereas web developers perform more specialist roles, being focused on the website’s back-end development, web designers ensure the responsiveness of the web pages.

As a web designer, you will be responsible for planning, creating, and coding web pages by applying non-technical and technical skills. You will be involved in graphical and technical web page aspects and determine how a web page looks and functions.

You will need to draw specifications of clients’ websites and design page layouts capturing colors and text size. Other tasks to perform include designing web animations and graphics and using different types of software to carry out program coding.

Software engineer

Software engineers use mathematical and scientific principles to solve problems and develop computer software. You will be required to work in an environment that is constantly evolving because of scientific direction and technological advances in organizations.

Your work will be to develop, audit, improve and maintain systems to ensure that they meet the specific user needs. You will be advised by a systems architect or analyst and test soft and software systems to identify and resolve any faults in the system.

The responsibilities also cover writing and designing codes and diagnostic programs for software and operating systems to ensure efficiency. In some cases, you may be called upon to give recommendations regarding future developments.

Depending on the system at hand, your job title may be database/software/systems programmer, developer, or engineer. Different organizations may have your role specifically designed and you may work with IT specialists, including the systems analysts and systems testers.

Stress

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The MPA program at the University of Texas is number one for a reason. The faculty is amazing. The research being done is innovative. And, the students are brilliant. But, sometimes being around such greatness can be a lot of pressure. The environment  is very competitive even with the comradeship fostered by both Longhorn and McCombs school spirit. Everyone around you worked hard to get to where they are and they continue to work hard to get to where they want to go. On top of all that, there’s an expectation of excellence within the MPA program. It didn’t reach #1 for nothing! While accepting the challenge will be great for any students future career, it can be stressful. I’m going to share some strategies I use to manage the stress.

stress-management-copy

Sleep
Every night I try and get the recommended 8 hours of sleep. I take this especially serious before I take exams. Some students will try to tell you they only need 4-6 hours of sleep and they feel alright. But, getting the doctor recommended amount of sleep not only keeps you sharp and focused, but also decreases your stress levels. Being tired can make you irritable and less ready to take on challenges during the day.  If you’re tired before all of your classes it’s going to be difficult to pay attention. This will eventually catch up to you when its time for exams.

Working Out
Working out has two benefits. If you do it regularly, it gives you more energy throughout the day. It can also serve as a great stress reliever on your most frustrating days. If there’s a big event coming up that I’m worried about, I’m more adamant about exercising. Working out burns some of the energy I would’ve put towards thinking about my anxieties.

Happiness Jar
This last tip is a bit corny, but it really works. I’m always looking for ways to optimize my performance. But, it can also lead to a lot of stress because of all of the pressure you are putting on yourself. In my apartment I have a mason jar that I call my “happiness jar.” At the end of everyday, I force myself to write down three to five positive things that happen to me. It reminds me to not only focus on the long term goals, but to enjoy the present.

Stress isn’t always negative. It’s a great motivator and is very helpful when solving difficult problems. But, it shouldn’t be a constant thing. So, next time you’re feeling stressed try one of my tips.

Learning

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Like most good college students, I want good grades. A wise man once said, “pain is temporary, GPA is forever”.

This semester, I’m struggling. My grades aren’t bad but they aren’t where they’ve been in the past. I’m taking on more challenging classes, more hours, and more nonacademic responsibilities (Is this what being an adult feels like?). I’m used to being a 4.0 student, and this semester, I will no longer have this beautiful, perfect GPA unless some miracle happens(thanks, MPA). I am not meeting my own high expectations.

I spent the first half of this semester living in fear of these grades and numbers ruining my life (My internal thoughts: Oh no! No one will ever hire me because I didn’t make all A’s.  What if I ACTUALLY “fail” and get kicked out of iMPA? Then no one will hire me. I’ll have to live in my parents’ basement ).

All of this fear mongering, courtesy of my own brain, made me  forget why I was taking these classes in the first place. To learn.

My dad is a professor, and he’s always harped that the reason why we get an education is to… well, be educated. The reason I’m taking all these classes isn’t so I accumulate a number that defines who I am. The reason I’m taking these classes is so that I learn valuable skills that I can apply in the future. I need to remember that I actually enjoy this stuff.

Ever since this epiphany, I have been trying to ignore the grade and focus more on learning and retaining the knowledge I’m receiving. I’m going to need it. So far, it has made my experience much more enjoyable and much less stressful. Hopefully, the good grades will just follow. If not, that’s okay. I will die happy knowing that I learned the necessary skills I need to succeed in the future.

A wise woman (me) once said, “GPA is temporary, learning is forever”.

Your Professors Are Your Greatest Asset

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I must confess that by the end of my freshman year I had neglected to attend any of my professors’ office hours.

Fast forward to my Junior year, and I am wise enough to now frequent office hours. On the other hand, many of my friends mention they have yet to see their professor outside the classroom and the majority of students do not attend their professors’ office hours, even by their third or fourth year at the university. As classes become more challenging, there is a newfound appeal to finding a way to get that “A” through some sort of shortcut. Although there are no shortcuts to doing well in school, there are effective methods all successful students share. I would say that attending office hours is by far the most important step to take if you are wanting to make an “A” in any course.

office hours

The Top Four Reasons Why You Should Go To Office Hours:

  1. Your professor will no longer need your nameplate to know your name.  Unless you can name every person you have ever had a class with at UT, you probably should not expect your professor to remember your name. Once you start attending office hours, your professor will learn your name and this will help you establish a relationship.
  2. Just because they work at a university does not mean they are not business professionals! Your professors most likely got their positions because they excelled in their respective fields. If you feel stuck in your internship search, or even in determining what MPA track is best for you, your professors will likely have some unique insight. They can use your academic performance to identify your skill-set strengths and weaknesses and illuminate some prospective fields you may not have even considered.
  3. You will be more motivated to excel inside and outside the classroom. For most of us, having an attractive GPA is what pushes us to study for that “A”. We care about the information we learn and we want our grades to reflect that. The pressure to get an “A” can be very stressful and it is easy to lose faith if you bomb your first exam. At this point, it is crucial to talk to your professor. Your professors will identify ways for you to improve your performance and will not judge a low exam grade. Once you make this a pattern, you will be more motivated to do well in your class because you will feel not only a responsibility to yourself, but to your professor, too.
  4. Your professors are your greatest cheerleaders. No one wants to see you succeed more than your professor. It does not matter whether you would define “succeeding” as finishing the class with a high “A” or passing with a “C”. There is a reason why professors choose their current positions: they actually enjoy helping students learn! Let them help you and do not be afraid to ask questions.Your professors want to help you get to where you want to be.

Going to office hours may seem intimidating at first, but taking the time to attend them is a decision you will not regret. Even if you feel completely lost and embarrassed to ask questions, your professor will be happy you are reaching out and will help you get back on your feet. As you continue to attend office hours, you will be more inspired to succeed and, as a result, you will be a stronger, more confident student. At McCombs, we are lucky to have the faculty we have, so be sure to take advantage while you can!