“As soon as you are lazy, someone who is willing to work harder than you will take your place.”

I know I have mentioned this before, but the time in between my graduation and today seem worlds apart. It’s only been two months, but in that time span, I have worked that 7-4 so regularly that college is now kind of a distant memory. I’ve noticed recently that my interests in reading material has changed slightly. Back then, when I had a moment from all of my extracurricular activities, I would peruse my Twitter feed and gossip sites (how else do you think I get some of the material for Yow Yow!) and fashion and lifestyle blogs. These days, I still peruse Twitter feeds, but I follow very closely the advertising agencies that post articles telling me how to better utilize social media and tell me how people perceive the work ethic of my generation. I sift through the articles highlighted for me on LinkedIn to learn how to hire extraordinary employees (so that I can be one of them.)

It’s interesting how when I was a college student my day-to-day activities consisted of class, work, class, work, home,  dinner, meeting, homework and now that just isn’t the case. Today, it’s strictly business and it’s strictly work and I’m okay with that because I’ve been working since I was 16 so I’ve prepared myself with a marathon beforehand, but for some of my friends (and okay me too) this period in our lives will come as a shock. My close friend the other day admitted to me that he got by in college by cutting corners (who didn’t?) but now that he is in a work setting, he just can’t do that. I bet right now, you’re thinking to yourself – DUH, but think about yourself and your situation – growing up, we’ve all learned to take some shortcuts in one way or another. If it wasn’t in your current workplace, it was in your previous, and before then it was school.

So the point of this is hard work shouldn’t scare you. In fact, it should drive you. It’s the work that will push you to become better and put you above all of your competitors. At my previous workplace, my mentor told me that in my first job I had better be the first one in the office and the last one out. It’s a simple piece of advice,  but it speaks volumes to the person you want to be recognized as in the workplace. I’m pretty curious as to what kind of advice you all have received from your previous mentors so share your best ones below!

And also for you, an interview from Felipe Memoria – a partner at an advertising agency that I admire, HUGE Inc.