Ron Kitchens: I launched my first company at 19, now I’m a CEO. Here’s my advice for new college grads

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How did I get to be a 19-year-old business owner after being told by my own guidance counselor that my best bet was to become a furniture mover? By not letting the labels of the world define me.

From an early age, I was told to set my expectations low. I was poor, fatherless and dyslexic. My school counselor advised me not to pursue college, but I have never been one to give up. I proved her wrong by getting accepted to a good school.

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I was given a college football scholarship, which helped offset the enormous financial load, but sadly, I lost it when a sports injury disqualified me from playing.

Again, I found myself facing steep odds. With no financial bandwidth, I came home at the end of the school year with no intention of returning. But this disappointing turn of events turned out to be one of the best things to happen to me.

That summer, I realized my friends weren’t coming back home because they all needed jobs, which were in short supply in my hometown. Recognizing a need, I looked for solutions. If my friends couldn’t find jobs, then I would help create some for them.

I convinced a local bank to give me a loan, and I started selling small automotive parts and materials to local mom-and-pop shops. That first business of mine eventually grew into a small chain of convenience stores.

But despite my early feats as a businessman, I knew that education would equip me even more. After returning to complete my bachelor’s degree, I went on to complete three executive programs at prestigious universities.

I started working at a company of which I am now CEO, and it was recently named one of the best places to work at by Inc.

I’ve seen a few moons since starting that company at 19, and the lessons I gleaned along the way have continued to help me grow and improve throughout every career milestone.

For new college grads seeking to start their career in today’s competitive job market, which is now at full employment, the must-dos that I’ve gathered on my journey could be exactly what’s needed for you to stand out from the crowd as you try to get hired.

That’s why I always say that the first thing you need to do is…

Set the right expectations. Look, the chances of you getting a request for an interview after submitting five resumes online and immediately being offered a full-time position at $100k a year is slim, to say the least. Know your worth, but don't expect to be handed a salary that warrants regular steak dinners and stays at five-star hotels. In fact, if you can get a position in your profession or industry of choice, be willing to take whatever they can give you, even if that's a part-time position or internship. The good news is that you don’t have to stay in such a position forever, and you shouldn’t! The way to break out of the mold and prove your worth is to…

Become a lifelong learner. If you expect your bachelor’s or even master’s degree to contain all the information you will ever need to rise to the top, think again. Getting where you want to be means being a student for life and that includes doing your research on the job process. If you had an interview but didn’t get an offer, ask questions of professionals and browse online to find out what may have hindered you from getting the position. Learn what bosses look for on resumes these days. As we see in the current unemployment rate, the job market is always changing, so you need to figure out how to stay relevant. And no matter how long you’ve been submitting resumes or how drawn-out the search process seems, the most valuable thing you can do is...

Be persistent. Expect to submit hundreds of resumes before getting a bite. Be ready to follow up with companies via phone calls, emails, and even in-person visits, if appropriate. If there is a position that you are seriously interested in, give it a week or two, and if you haven’t heard anything, find any email or phone number that could put you in touch with the right person and let them know that you are interested. People are busy, and you are going to have to work to make yourself stand out.

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Each of these tips not only helped me start my own company, but they enabled me to go above and beyond both in my career and education to achieve more; that’s what I want for you.