Texas Secretary of State and TCU alumnus Roger Williams spoke to students Tuesday about the realities of the business world.Williams, who is the chairman of the board of Roger Williams AutoMall, gave advice on how to get jobs and keep them. He said it is the responsibility of an individual to convince an employer to hire them.
“Life is retail,” Williams said. “No one will sell yourself like you will.”
Williams gave students tips on interviewing and respecting their elders in the workplace. He said it is important to be nice to everyone and network.
“No one is a self-made man,” Williams said. “Everyone needs someone to nudge them along. You can’t make it on your own.”
Everyone should have a friend who is more than 50 years old to give them wisdom, Williams said.
In 1972 after graduating from TCU, where he attended college on a baseball scholarship, Williams played professionally for the Atlanta Braves before returning to TCU as a coach.
Williams began his political career as then Gov. George Bush’s state finance chair in 1994. Williams is the 105th Secretary of State for Texas and said his responsibilities include overseeing state elections, increasing business in Texas and maintaining border relations with Mexico. He also has two daughters who attend TCU.
Jerret Holmes, a senior advertising/public relations major, said listening to an alumnus was inspirational.
“It’s cool whenever we hear a TCU graduate because you can see what he’s doing, you can do that,” Holmes said. “I think: He’s a Horned Frog like me.”
Williams said one of his biggest concerns is that the younger generations don’t vote in elections. Williams said only 5 percent of 18-to 23-year-olds voted and 60 percent of those 60 years old and above voted.
“The younger generations are our future,” Williams said. “You have great visions and great ideas, get involved in the political process.”
Williams said he doesn’t gear a lot of his campaigning toward young people because of their low voter turnout.
Holmes said the lack of information is the reason for the low turnout.
“I think people need to start voting,” Holmes said. “Presidential elections always have the biggest turnout, and until there’s more emphasis on all the other elections, the turnout will always be bad. I think people our age just don’t care because they don’t know.”
Professor Jack Raskopf teaches the journalism senior seminar class that Williams attended. A guest speaker is featured every week in the class and often discusses subjects not related to journalism, Raskopf said. It helps prepare students for the business side of their careers, he said.
Raskopf said he thought Williams inspired students.
“I was watching the class as he spoke, and I could see the intensity of their interest,” Raskopf said. “It looked like the students really learned something today.