Using the News to Get Ahead

When I started working at the Kelley School, I didn’t know anything about business. It took me about a year to get familiar with different company names and business terminology. It’s clear: curiosity is a superpower!

One of the quickest ways to ramp up your business knowledge is to skim through the various business sections of publications that are FREE to you as a student. I try to grab a copy of the Wall Street Journal from the bins in Hodge Hall and flip through the headlines, reading a bit about companies that are interesting to me. I don’t always understand it, but I’ve found that over time things start to sink in. Learning new terminology, different issues that are facing business, all of it makes me better at explaining business careers and opportunities.

You can also access professional journalism right your phone or laptop through IU Libraries paid subscriptions to major US newspapers, including:

The Wall Street Journal  |  The New York Times  |  Chronicle of Higher Education  |  The Washington Post Each of these publications has a slightly different way of setting up access; the links will take you to a page that explains how to get set up.

So challenge yourself! Pick a couple publications to check out every week and think about how the things you’re reading about relate to the things you’re learning in your classes. Bonus points if you ask your faculty a question about something you read! Still not convinced it’s important?

You can set yourself apart by being “in the know” about issues facing business today. Go read something!