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Landing Your First Job with Adrian Pinon

/ Adam Smith / Leave a comment



In this Origin Story session, I speak with Adrian Pinon, a first generation college grad who took an unlikely path of self-promotion to his first job: Visiting tech company HQs around California with his message on a sign, garnering attention from ABC News, CBS News and other outlets. By doing this, Adrian proved himself to be a master marketer.

We talk through the journey Adrian took to land his first job out of university: Not knowing about college until late in life, overcoming naysayers, and learning how to market himself. Adrian even founded his own events app before graduation!

Words of wisdom:
• A closed mouth does not get fed.
• Talk to a person. Don’t let applicant tracking systems hold you back.
• Attend that networking event. You could randomly meet a lifelong connection.

Check out Adrian on social media!
Instagram: @pinonxo
TikTok: @pinonxo 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianpinon

Like this session? Watch Growing Up First Generation with Jesse Meza!

Embracing Economic Opportunity

/ Adam Smith / Leave a comment

You’re not alone. In the premiere episode of Origin Story, Jonathan Saquicili and I discuss what it’s like to grow up with low economic means and climb the ladder to a prosperous life from the bottom rungs. Jonathan built his way to a Product Management career from some jarring challenges.

We find commonality in both having gone to college on a Pell Grant. There’s recommendations for mitigating distractions, how to build resilience, even how to approach dire situations like homelessness and mental illness.

WATCH TO LEARN MORE BELOW!

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