This post was originally published in 2016. In light of the recent college admissions scandal, I felt it needed to be republished with minor updates. David Singer, the parents who hired him, the coaches who sold their reputations for money, the proctors who helped students cheat on their ACTs and SATs have destroyed their reputations and quite possibly those of the unknowing students who benefited from their actions.
In life, there are very few things that you do where you can’t get a second chance. There is, however, one notable exception: your reputation. Creating a great reputation takes practice, hard work, consistency and time. Seth Godin, author and branding guru, said it well in a recent blog post: “Early assumptions about you are sticky and are difficult to change.”
Because a great reputation may be the single most valuable asset you can possess, you need to be diligent in your choices and actions. A positive reputation is important at all stages of your career, whether you are just embarking on your post collegiate job search or are well into your career.