By Bobby Winner

Tuesday, Feb. 27, Thiel College and the National Society of Leadership and Success presented speaker Kathryn Minshew, CEO and co-founder of The Muse, a popular career advice website.

As is the case with all NSLS presenters, Minshew was not on campus, but was presenting remotely to many colleges across the country.  Students, both members of the society and guests, were invited to watch this lecture in Stamm Lecture Hall if they were interested in learning how to become better leaders and to succeed in the business world.  Many students were in attendance as she gave the speech where she displayed confidence and knowledge about the subjects.

Minshew presented her thoughts on how to become a better leader and how to find a job post-graduation, citing her past experiences and the articles on her website, The Muse, as talking points.  She emphasized the importance of the basic things, such as cover letters and resumes.

“I always encourage people to learn the basics and nail the basics,” says Minshew.  “Take the time to customize your resume and cover letter to reflect your qualifications, your research on the specific company and position, and how you believe you can add value.”

Minshew also emphasized the importance of being persistent and sticking to what you believe in.  “My first company failed completely. And it failed in about ten months old,” Kathryn said.  “I had about 12 months of savings, so when it failed I was thinking: ‘Do I go back to work?’ And at that point I believed so deeply in what I was doing that I couldn’t imagine anything else other than trying to make this business work.”  She did not let this get her down as she continued to persevere, she pursued what she believes in and is now a successful business woman.

“As a business major, I thought this lecture was important and taught me many things that are relevant to my post-graduate life,” says sophomore Elijah Sklack.  “Kathryn seemed to really know what she was talking about, obviously due to the success of her website, and was also very passionate about helping others succeed in the professional world.  I personally thought that her opinions on resumes and cover letters would be extremely helpful.  Resumes help get your foot in the door, and if you can’t get your foot in the door, you’re going to have a hard time getting a job.”

Minshew was the second speaker presented by the NSLS this semester, following Thaddeus Bullard, WWE superstar and philanthropist, better known as Titus O’Neil, earlier that month.  She will be followed by the next NSLS speaker, Scott Hamilton, an Olympian and philanthropist, a few weeks later in the semester.