Build Your Island Now; Career Advice You'll Wish You Heard Earlier | Leadership Tea

Are you preparing for your next opportunity, before you need it? Jerica Lamar calls it “building your island now”: developing the skills, relationships and opportunities that give you options when life or your career takes an unexpected turn. Jerica is a diplomat, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, entrepreneur and founder of The New College Perspective (‪@thenewcollegeperspective‬) where she helps students navigate college, careers, scholarships and professional development. In this episode of Leadership Tea, Jerica joins Shelby and Belinda for a conversation packed with practical advice for students, parents AND professionals. We talk about: ☕ Why you should “build your island” before you need a career pivot ☕ The three R’s of career growth: reflection, risk and relationships ☕ Why students should negotiate their financial aid offers ☕ Where families may be overlooking scholarship money ☕ How students can use AI without giving up critical thinking ☕ Why LinkedIn matters BEFORE you have an impressive résumé ☕ How to figure out your “LinkedIn why” ☕ Why mentorship and relationships matter at every career stage Whether you’re applying to college, starting your career, considering a pivot or helping someone else navigate what comes next, this conversation is a reminder: you don’t have to know exactly where you’re going to start preparing for it. 00:00 – Build Your Island Now 03:23 – Why Side Projects Matter 06:04 – How to Avoid Getting Boxed Into a Career 10:21 – The Biggest Scholarship Mistake Students Make 15:23 – Is It Ever Too Late to Apply for Scholarships? 18:35 – College Students, AI & Critical Thinking 25:23 – Why Students Need LinkedIn 30:12 – What Is Your “LinkedIn Why”? 33:05 – What Jerica Would Tell Her 18-Year-Old Self And as promised in the episode, here are some freebies: LinkedIn Checklist + Content Plan for College Students: https://www.thenewcollegeperspective.... What to ask during a college tour: https://www.thenewcollegeperspective.... Video on LinkedIn Mistakes to Avoid as a College Student:    • How To Improve Your LinkedIn If You're A C...   Website: www.thenewcollegeperspective.com 💬 Tell us in the comments: What are you building now that your future self may thank you for? 👍🏽 Please like this video and subscribe to our channel and never miss an episode!    / @leadershipteapodcast