Be Fearless About Your Career | Pedro J. Rivera on Failure, Growth & Opportunity

In this episode of The Way to College Podcast, I sit down with attorney Pedro J. Rivera for a powerful conversation about education, career transitions, resilience, self-advocacy, and learning to make yourself visible. Pedro’s career has been anything but linear. His journey has included law, public defense, corporate litigation, legal recruiting, wealth management, fundraising, consulting, and nonprofit leadership. But one lesson runs through all of it: Doing good work matters, but sometimes you also have to make sure people know what you can do. Pedro first began considering law school after a college professor saw potential in him that he did not recognize in himself. That conversation changed the direction of his life. In this episode, we discuss: Why students should stop eliminating themselves from opportunities The role mentors can play in changing a life or career Impostor syndrome and the search for belonging Why good work is not always enough to get noticed How to advocate for yourself without becoming arrogant Pedro’s experience failing the bar exam and passing on his second attempt Why career paths do not have to be linear The importance of pursuing scholarships, internships, and fellowships How rejection can build resilience The skills Pedro carried from law into multiple careers His current work supporting Latino-led nonprofit organizations Today, Pedro leads a consulting practice focused on fundraising, planned giving, board governance, leadership, and strengthening Latino-led nonprofit organizations. He is also committed to helping build the next generation of Latino fundraising professionals. You can learn more about his work below: https://pjrconsultingllc.com/ https://www.somoselpoder.org/ At the end of our conversation, Pedro leaves listeners with a simple challenge: “Be fearless about your life and your career.” 🎓 For Students What opportunity are you hesitating to pursue because you’re afraid you might not be selected? A scholarship? Internship? Leadership position? Research opportunity? Graduate program? Take one step toward it. Raise your hand. 👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents and Educators Pedro’s story is also a reminder of the impact adults can have when they name potential in a young person. A professor once told him he should consider law school. Another later told him: “You belong here.” Pedro transcript Sometimes a student needs someone else to see the possibility before they can see it themselves. 📘 For the First-Year Student in Your Life This conversation connects directly with the ideas behind my book, Doing College. College is not only about completing courses. It is also about learning how to recognize opportunities, ask for help, advocate for yourself, recover from setbacks, and discover what you are capable of becoming. Ask the student in your life: What opportunity would you pursue if you weren’t afraid of hearing no? 👍 Like this episode 💬 Comment below: What helped you learn to advocate for yourself? 🔔 Subscribe to The Way to College Podcast for more conversations about education, careers, purpose, resilience, and the journeys that shape who we become. #TheWayToCollege #CareerAdvice #SelfAdvocacy #CollegeSuccess #StudentSuccess #CareerDevelopment #LatinoLeadership #Mentorship #Resilience #CollegeAdvice