When you speak to college students, what career advice do you give them?

University presidents and keynoters are putting the final touches on their speeches offering advice for this year’s graduation class. But what do the CEOs of companies from technology to consumer packaged goods to nonprofits say when asked, “When you speak to college students, what career advice do you give them?” Adam Bryant in his column the Corner Office often ends his interviews with that very question. Here’s what CEOs say.

Do what you love…maybe

Many students are worried that if they make the wrong decision coming out of college, their whole career is going to be in the tank. Nothing could be further from the truth. “Find what makes your heart beat the fastest because that is what is going to give you the most energy to get up in the morning, and then you’re going to learn.”

But, if you don’t know or can't find what you love….it’s okay to be practical and reasonable.

“It’s O.K. to be safe out of the gate, to start building a foundation to get where you eventually want to be. Don’t worry that it doesn’t make your heart sing. Don’t worry that you don’t get up every day and think, “Wow.” You’ve got to learn things and make mistakes and pay your dues and do different jobs. Sometimes those steppingstones teach us the best lessons.”

Just start meeting people

Always, always, always, “Build a web around you for networking for jobs by doing informational interviews, even if there’s no job. With the Internet, it’s so much easier. You don’t have to just get someone’s business card. There are so many ways to connect with people. Who do you want to know?"

Care about the experience

Get into an organization that you feel good about and just work hard at that first job. Don’t care about the money so much or the title; care about the experience you’re going to get.

“Don’t always ask for title changes; ask for opportunities to build your skill set.” Titles are meaningless unless you have the experience to back it up on your resumé, and you can actually talk about the challenges and strengths. “Recognize that at every twist and turn you’re going to have opportunities to expand your horizons, and you should take those. You shouldn’t be looking just to climb the ladder, but be open to opportunities that let you climb that ladder.

“Find the voids and fill them. There’s no shortage of things that are not getting done. In large organizations and small ones, there are always voids. Go fill them.”

“… you have to do two jobs before you get the next job. You have to do your job really well and start doing the next job a little bit by, say, raising your hand for a project.”

Don’t try to overthink things

“It doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, there are very few decisions that actually matter. So make decisions reasonably quickly. Follow your heart. Don’t try to overthink things, because one way or another, it’s probably going to work. You will end up in a good place as long as you let what you truly care about — not what you think you should care about — guide you.”

Listen

“… the ability to listen will make a difference in people’s lives, because listening is the key for everything that has to do with the environment and society around us. Problems start when we are not listening enough and respectful enough to what is going on around us.”

The best advice, “Ninety-five percent of the worst thing that ever happens to you ends up being the best thing that ever happens to you.”