So what’s next? Even Neal Sales-Griffin doesn’t know
This is the final installment in an occasional series of guest columns from graduating seniors about what they’ll be doing after graduation. Whether it’s video games, a job or anything in between, everyone’s got a “what’s next” story.
I’m going on 22 years old, I don’t know how to tie a tie and have never written a cover letter in my life. I have been giving career advice to close friends, fellow classmates and even complete strangers, but have never participated in any sort of formal recruitment process. I guess it’s time for me to take my own medicine.
Anybody that knows me will tell you there is one trademark question I ask people when I interact with them: What are you passionate about?
Answering this question for myself has led me to some difficult experiences and choices.
Figuring it out
When I came to Northwestern, I had already worked a summer in finance at a bond investment firm and I thought I wanted to be an investment banker. So I got involved in Northwestern’s investment club, then called the Nugget Group. I was an economics major because I figured most people in banking had economics backgrounds and so I spent my weekends reading through guides to finance. I was on a path to worshiping the ground Warren Buffet walked on and being able to lip sync to movies like Wall Street and Boiler Room while flexing my Microsoft Excel wizardry.
I ended up helping evolve the Nugget Group into what many now know as the Institute for Student Business Education or ISBE. In doing so, I realized that I was far better at building ISBE than I was at talking about stocks, bonds and investment strategies in the Nugget Group. I discovered my passion aligned more with being the person building the businesses that might consider the help of a banker one day. I eventually turned that interest into my new major — learning and organizational change in SESP.
From there, I abandoned raw finance and pursued my entrepreneurial interests. The turning point came when I took an entrepreneurship class in the business institutions program with adjunct lecturer Troy Henikoff. I learned the skeleton of what it takes to be an entrepreneur, and I’ve been working to put some meat on those bones ever since. This past year I landed a unique position at a venture capital firm where I screened and evaluated start-up companies that were looking for investments of $1 to 10 million to get their businesses off the ground. With these experiences under my belt, I am graduating from Northwestern wildly conflicted with what to do next, but I am thankful that I have options.
Decisions, decisions, decisions
I helped start two companies while at Northwestern and I’m debating whether to try for a third. I have a couple of business plans that I’ve written up that I think I could pursue and learn a lot in the process. I even have a couple of investors lined up for one of them. Many say right out of college is the best time to start a company because you have fewer risk factors, no mortgage, no family to provide for yet and relatively little debt. Despite my experience and the fact that I’ve written business plans, I am smart enough to know that there is always more to know.
Or I could go another route. If I try to get hired by a reputable consulting firm like McKinsey and Company or the Boston Consulting Group this coming year, I would certainly be in a great position to help organizations be better at what they do and learn a ton along the way. Not to mention I could develop a network and some capital to start something of my own one day, but I can see myself becoming so invested and passionate about the work that consultants do in the process that I may not want to leave. The downside is I’ll have to muster up the courage to tie a tie, write a cover letter and learn the art of the case interview — I hope I’m not too informal for them.
Having developed a pretty sick network over the past four years, I’ve also built relationships with CEOs, trustees, politicians, professors and other VIPs that could probably place me in some advantageous positions at a variety of firms. The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center has a new youth entrepreneurship program and they need a coordinator. That type of work is aligned with my interest in teaching and my passion for entrepreneurship so that wouldn’t be a bad place to start for an aspiring entrepreneur.
What I got from ASG
Many people have asked me where my experience with ASG fits into all this. While I was able to refine some leadership skills and apply my organizational and entrepreneurial knowledge, being ASG president was a huge sacrifice for my career pursuits. I ignored recruitment this past fall because I was serving as ASG president by nights and weekends, had four classes Tuesdays and Thursdays and worked downtown at the venture capital firm Mondays, Wednesdays and some Fridays. In the winter I decided that I was doing too much and wanted to focus on ASG to make it the best year ever for our school, so I ceased my work in venture capital and abandoned any hope at having a social life to ensure that Northwestern is striving to be the best it can be.
What ASG made me realize about myself, however, is that I have an underlying passion in social service. Many have insinuated that I have a career in politics on the horizon. I’m not so sure about that, but I do know that whatever I choose to do in life, the product or service of my efforts needs to have a positive impact on society. If I end up in politics one day because of those requirements, then so be it.
Sharing my next steps and how I got to this point has been very therapeutic for me. As a senior, it’s impossible to walk anywhere on campus without running into a friend, professor or administrator who wants to know what I’m doing next with my life. Over time I have crafted the tactful response, “I’ll send you a press release…” — a reply that gives the impression that I have something important lined up, when in actuality the only press I have planned comes from my Twitter account and my iPhone. I’ve learned a lot over the past four years, but these days, having learned to put a good spin on things from Bill Pulte has become particularly useful. People often are confused when I explain to them that I don’t have everything laid out nicely and that my life isn’t made after being ASG president. An expectation of job security and prestige is projected onto me because of my credentials, but here I am with everyone else, fighting the good fight.
I’ll keep in touch
All in all, I’m taking my time and am patiently waiting for an opportunity that I can knock out of the park. None of my options are guaranteed at this point so I guess I can pursue them all and choose whichever one presents itself in the best light. My guess is I’ll be gunning for the youth coordinator gig while prepping for consulting interviews this fall. I will treat my business plan like a fine wine — let it age. I am grateful for my Northwestern experiences, as they have helped me discover who I am and what I do best. I know my place is not where many have already been, and my passion and purpose is to devise new endeavors that draw innovators in. I’ll be sure to keep blogging and keep you posted.
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For another senior, "What's next" is in a whole different country. Or you can return home.
A good read. Well done, Neal.
-your softball captain
Jimmy
May 28, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Neal–
You say you are “fighting the good fight” with us, but, in all honesty, I don’t think you are at all. Those who are fighting have been applying to jobs in this economy since September and getting countless interviews/rejections with no offers. You’ve been sittin’ pretty when people are extending job offers to you without you even have to fill out an application. That isn’t a fight at all.
You seem like a very talented and highly qualified individual and I’m sure you’ll find success in your life. I don’t think, however, that you’ve really experienced what it’s like to be in the shoes of a graduating senior trying to find a job and not being able to since September.
MAL
May 28, 2009 at 11:58 pm
What have you done, Mal? What legacy do you possibly have? Does anyone love you?
No. Not at all. NSG has many friends and admirers. All you have are your unemployment checks and your pillow-girlfriend.
Failure and envy really does bring out the ugliness in people. But you, Mal, I’m sure was ugly to begin with.
Randy V.
May 29, 2009 at 12:08 am
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE NEAL!!! YOU NEVER BEEN THROUGH ANYTHING HARD IN YOUR LIFE!!! WHY DON’T YOU GO BACK TO THE POSH SUBURB YOU BROUGHT YOUR LIMO FROM!!! YOU WILMETTE, TIE-MAKING MOTHERFUCKER!!!
Nancy Nosehairs
May 29, 2009 at 12:14 am
Oh Nancy. You clearly are a woman after my own heart.
Meet me at the street corner outside of Hundo. I promise you a night of NSG-level luxury.
Randy V.
May 29, 2009 at 12:16 am
MUAHAHAHA
Neal Sales-Griffen (LET ME KEEP THE NAME DAMN IT)
May 29, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Oh Neal.. lol, some things never change my friend :). You’re gonna be great! Southside all day.. (and these ppl say you never experienced anything). Tell them to live on the southside where GDN and BDN are written on menus…
Keep In Touch
May 30, 2009 at 8:14 am
Neal. Neal Neal Neal. It’s okay if you can’t tie a tie. We didn’t have ties back in the Bronze Age or whenever I lived. I do know that I’ll happily untie your tie whenever you want, and do other stuff.
You do know that Alexander the Great (which is me, back from the dead like that dude from the Bible), who conquered lots of land, was a flaming prancing homosexual, right?
Alexander the Great
May 31, 2009 at 10:03 pm
hate this article…ugggh
michael
June 1, 2009 at 5:22 pm
You know what else is a fun, modern-day fact?
Homophobia, no matter how much you intended it to be a joke, isn’t funny. And using homosexuality as an insult? Nope, not particularly amusing either.
To: Alexander the Great
June 1, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Thank goodness for this article! I’ve always wanted to hear Neal brag for 8 paragraphs.
Tom
June 2, 2009 at 11:10 pm
You all are just envious of Neal because he has done a lot more on campus and off-campus than all of you combined. Just live with it and pray that you can maybe be like him.
You All
June 3, 2009 at 10:12 am
He has accomplished more than all of us combined, that is very true.
That said, I really didn’t need to hear him talk about himself.
Ginger Brew
June 3, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Neal, you are one of the most arrogant people I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting and working with.
Granted, I’m sure you have a reason to be that arrogant (getting elected president of the student body doesn’t usually help you on the humility scale), but give us a break. After having seen what you produced out of ASG (or rather, did not produce), I’m gonna go ahead and take the rest of your list of accomplishments with a grain of salt.
And no, it’s not because I envy him. Trust me, I don’t. It’s because I’ve worked with him and he’s full of it
Goddang
June 3, 2009 at 7:43 pm
This just in:
Everyone should add Neal Sales-Griffin to the list of things you cannot talk about at Thanksgiving dinner.
I haven’t seen this much divisive hate since the midget wrestling scandal of ‘08.
Randy V.
June 3, 2009 at 9:07 pm
i wonder where the paragraph where he talks about his failure as ASG president went.
michael
June 4, 2009 at 12:21 am
Neal, now you know what Obama has to put up with. Keep up your good work!
Recent History
June 12, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Nice post ^^
Considering your experiences in finance and business, I have a link for you. Please visit the link and see whether you are still interested in doing all finance stuffs.
Thank you and GBU ^^
Zack
August 29, 2009 at 5:22 am