Can kindness be a liability?

Earlier today I was reading a blog post over at the Harvard Business Review that asked the question: do nice guys finish last?  This is a question that I've thought about on and off ever since my decision to pursue a career in the business world (fun fact- I used to do a bit of freelance design and very seriously considered pursuing my MFA in illustration/fine art), and I still feel conflicted about the answer.

The author's answer?  Yep.  Nice guys do in fact finish last, a trend displayed by a study showing that men perceived as having more (or larger) "nice" attributes have yearly salaries averaging $10,000 less than their not so agreeable counterparts.  Interestingly enoough, the same didn't hold true among women displaying more "nice" characteristics.

So why is it that nice guys finish last but nice girls compete well (compared to their respective counterparts)?

My Journey Back to School: 2 Weeks In

Things have been going a mile a minute and while I have a bit of free time (read: I'm forcing myself to take a break from the 100+ pages of marketing reading I have to do before I get started on accounting homework) I took some time to email a general update on school and my life to people who I've worked with, am close too, and generally think are great.

So- if you're interested in what the life of a first year MBA student looks like at the beginning - with all the insanity of class, recruitment worries, social interaction, school-involvement, and the inside scoop on NYU Stern then read on, my friends!

I'll admit that I was nervous about some of the potential students and faculty I would come across- many of you know that I'm more than a little passionate about social issues and will choose doing the "right" thing over what's best for my own pocket (be it through career choices, the way I vote, etc.).  That said, B-school isn't really known for its promotion of contributing to the greater good of our world over the greater good of shareholder's equity.  Most of this anxiety was thankfully allayed during NYU Stern Launch 2011 - Stern's completely revamped orientation program, premiered just for the class of 2013..

You Must Be True To Your Heart..

Mulan, 98 Degrees & Stevie Wonder had it right- you've gotta be true to YOUR heart!  Also: Festivals are awesome.

I don’t know about you, but I thought that peer pressure (and the need to be like the cool kids) was just an adolescent phase.  When I left high school I knew that surely college would be different- I wouldn’t feel like I had to dress or look or act a certain way, I could be completely Brittany and not apologize for it.  Well, things didn’t go the way I thought they might.

In fact, the peer pressure cycle has continued itself through nearly every major stage of my life- first in recruiting post college, next in searching for a new job after a reduction in force caused me to lose my first job...  now peer pressure seems to be rearing its ugly head again as I start school- and I haven’t even had my first class yet!  Between huge career fairs, receptions, and recruiters striking up conversation at any and every moment, there are tons of events dedicated entirely to recruitment (translation: having to be ON all the time- hello awkward networking).

This is all great, but with unlimited recruitment opportunities, and tons of unsolicited invitations to interview- how can you say no?  And beyond that- do you have the right to say no?