I'm an advertising major and public relations minor. I am in the College of Communications, everyone jokes that it is the easiest coursework of any major. First, don't tell me my major is easy when you've never tried it. Sorry, I don't want to be a doctor but please don't say I took the easy way out. I digress.

I've had numerous guest speakers speak in my classes this semester. They all have the same pitch: they give their title, what they do in a typical day, what we should do to improve our resume, and how to contact them for internship/work applications. Some speakers can drag on and put you to sleep but if you pay attention, you'll realize that they are giving you an in-depth look into the field that you're interested in.

My advertising and public relations classes are filled with lectures from professors who have minimal work experience about the history of advertising, or what specific words mean in the field.

When a guest speaker comes to my class, I open a new document on my laptop and take extensive notes. Not because I want an internship with them but because I want to learn how to succeed in the advertising field. I ask questions about how they got to the position they are in today and how they complete the projects given to them.

I couldn't care less about some guy who wrote a book about advertising and psychology in the 50's. I want to learn. I want to be taught how to succeed and how to create fantastic things that draw people in. When I learn that my professor has just about the same amount of advertising field experience as I do, I feel cheated.

I pay to be taught how to succeed, not to learn how to pass exams from certain professors. So when a guest speaker with actual experience takes the time to come to my class and tell me about the path they took to get where they are today, I feel the need to ask questions and follow up with them.

It all comes down to the amount of effort you put into your career path. Experience is everything in the advertising and the business world, and guest speakers help you understand that. They preach about broadening your network and meeting as many people in your field as possible.

It really is all about who you know, and once you get your foot in the door it's your time to shine. Show them that you know how to succeed because of the time you took to learn the trades of the craft. Pay attention to guest speakers and try to spark a relationship, they might just be the most influential person you meet in your career.