by Jake
Pandora station: Arcade Fire
Days have been coming and going in the ongoing progression toward graduation (May 1) and my first full-time job in Student Affairs (TBD). That's basically the only way I can describe it. One day ends and another begins with a new set of to-dos and a list of cool jobs to apply for. With school days approaching their (terminal?) end, at least that to-do list will begin to feature "go to a museum" rather than "type a paper about some higher ed topic".
The work doesn't stop, though. Every day I encounter a college that I hadn't thought of or considered for employment and they happen to have a job in one of my interest areas; career counseling, residence life, student activities, admissions, academic advising. With every new job discovery comes a new sense of urgency that I must apply for this job today or I will not be considered. Rarely is this actually true, but I have certainly applied for a few jobs (especially in ResLife) that have been posted for months without an end date, but have already moved forward with the interview process.
I am a nostalgic person, clearly, so leaving home, family, and friends is a difficult pill to swallow. I think I've consumed it, though. It's become clear that it is unlikely I will be in Pittsburgh this time next year (or in a few months), so I just have to suck it up and think about the benefits that come with a new experience. As I've written on my personal blog in the past, I have fallen in love with the idea of leaving on several occasions. This feeling can certainly come and go with the coming and going of actual opportunities. I think it's just easy for me to think about leaving now because I don't have any interviews on my plate at the moment, so there's no tangible thought of "what would it be like to live in _____".
It's scary to start something new. It's exciting, too. Starting over, finding new friends, creating a new life, these things are all invigorating and exhausting. On one hand, I know that I'll miss my friends, church, family, and life in Pittsburgh. On the other hand, I can't wait to check out a new music scene and hopefully be hundreds of miles away from any performance by Motley Crue or the Clarks.
The most important thing I'll say today is that you should be excited about the job and location every time you apply. The thought of moving would be a whole lot scarier if I were applying for jobs I didn't love in cities I wasn't excited about living in. Sure, 40 hours of your life is a long time so you should enjoy your job, but even the coolest job won't get me to Cleveland. I'm only applying for jobs I'd enjoy in cities that I'd love. I know that if I want a change I can always come back in a few years, but I'd rather hold on to that chance of falling in love with somewhere new.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Social Media
by Jake
Pandora station: City and Colour
Last week was the ACPA Conference in Baltimore, MD. I went to the conference with a cohort of Pitt students as well as a few co-workers from CMU. I've been thinking about something profound to bring back from the conference, but I'll just map out a few important things that have stuck out to me in the week since.
The Internet is big.
I went to a few seminars on social media to learn how we can utilize different applications in the office and in the job search. I am currently preparing a presentation for the office about the things I learned, but there are so many different applications that can be useful that are available for free online. Besides the old-reliables like Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter, there is a whole collection of media devices that can be useful in the workplace.
LinkedIn is a professional social networking tool utilized by over one million users.
Polleverywhere can be used to take polls using text messaging or Twitter that can be displayed right in a powerpoint.
About.me is a site where you can create a simple online business card. Here's mine!
Doodle is a site that can help to coordinate meetings.
Weebly is a simple web page creator.
These are all useful resources that an intermediate computer user can utilize in making their office more hi-tech, efficient, and exciting.
The world is small.
That being said, social networking has made this a very tiny place. I am currently involved in a job search and have had a few interviews, but I don't want to mention any of them with the fear of showing bias for one which might take me out of the running for the others. Social networking devices like Twitter are fun to use in sharing exciting news, but the Internet has made the world small enough that I know employers can read everything I'm putting online.
With this in mind, we must brand ourselves. Google yourself; see what comes up. Are you writing things on Twitter and Blogger that you wouldn't mind a potential employer reading? Did you remember to take down every embarrassing picture from Facebook? Do you still have that Myspace account with your high school girlfriend's pet names written all over the comments? These are some things that need to be addressed and double-checked before the job search gets too intense.
The old school hand-shaking of networking still exists, though, so you had still better be on your best behavior in the real world. These professional networks on sites like LinkedIn still have to start with the real in-person interactions of the past, so put your best foot forward. And try to wear a tie.
For more information about using social media in Student Affairs, check out the research done by Rey Junco.
Pandora station: City and Colour
Last week was the ACPA Conference in Baltimore, MD. I went to the conference with a cohort of Pitt students as well as a few co-workers from CMU. I've been thinking about something profound to bring back from the conference, but I'll just map out a few important things that have stuck out to me in the week since.
The Internet is big.
I went to a few seminars on social media to learn how we can utilize different applications in the office and in the job search. I am currently preparing a presentation for the office about the things I learned, but there are so many different applications that can be useful that are available for free online. Besides the old-reliables like Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter, there is a whole collection of media devices that can be useful in the workplace.
LinkedIn is a professional social networking tool utilized by over one million users.
Polleverywhere can be used to take polls using text messaging or Twitter that can be displayed right in a powerpoint.
About.me is a site where you can create a simple online business card. Here's mine!
Doodle is a site that can help to coordinate meetings.
Weebly is a simple web page creator.
These are all useful resources that an intermediate computer user can utilize in making their office more hi-tech, efficient, and exciting.
The world is small.
That being said, social networking has made this a very tiny place. I am currently involved in a job search and have had a few interviews, but I don't want to mention any of them with the fear of showing bias for one which might take me out of the running for the others. Social networking devices like Twitter are fun to use in sharing exciting news, but the Internet has made the world small enough that I know employers can read everything I'm putting online.
With this in mind, we must brand ourselves. Google yourself; see what comes up. Are you writing things on Twitter and Blogger that you wouldn't mind a potential employer reading? Did you remember to take down every embarrassing picture from Facebook? Do you still have that Myspace account with your high school girlfriend's pet names written all over the comments? These are some things that need to be addressed and double-checked before the job search gets too intense.
The old school hand-shaking of networking still exists, though, so you had still better be on your best behavior in the real world. These professional networks on sites like LinkedIn still have to start with the real in-person interactions of the past, so put your best foot forward. And try to wear a tie.
For more information about using social media in Student Affairs, check out the research done by Rey Junco.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Developing as a Professional
by Christin
One of the many things we focus on here at the CPDC is fostering students’ professional development through a number of different means. “Professional development” is such a broad term, and it can refer to a number of different things: college coursework, attending workshops, informal learning opportunities, and so on. Truly, in almost every interaction with students, I am seeking to help them develop professional skills and values which they will use in their careers.
One of the many things we focus on here at the CPDC is fostering students’ professional development through a number of different means. “Professional development” is such a broad term, and it can refer to a number of different things: college coursework, attending workshops, informal learning opportunities, and so on. Truly, in almost every interaction with students, I am seeking to help them develop professional skills and values which they will use in their careers.
Earlier this week I had the opportunity to engage in some of my own professional development by attending the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) national convention in Baltimore, MD. This conference is geared toward practitioners, educators, and graduate students in the student affairs field. I didn’t know what to expect, as this was my first major student affairs conference, but I was definitely excited.
So how was it?
My response to people who ask about the conference has been pretty standard: “I learned a lot. I met a lot of new people. I had fun.” Duh. Great answer, Christin.
Really, though, I DID learn a lot. I’m a huge nerd, but since I’ve been back in school I haven’t been as excited about learning as I hoped or expected I would be. However, attending this conference and going to sessions about current research in the field of higher education re-ignited my desire to learn, think, and generate new ideas. I again felt like that undergrad I once knew (all of two years ago… I’m so nostalgic) who loved to think about the “big questions” and generate her own thoughts about them. I’ve even started to develop a possible research topic if I ever decide to get my PhD: relating Baxter-Magola’s Model of Epistemological Reflection to students’ spiritual development and religiosity…I know, you’re immediately intrigued, right?
I also DID meet a lot of new people. I’m always telling my students to network, network, network. Literally, I just say that and leave them to figure out how to do it. (Kidding). But this gave me an opportunity to practice what I preach. For an introvert like me, networking is hard! However, it’s important and totally worth it. I came home with a ton of great new ideas, contacts, and LinkedIn connections all from engaging in a little bit of networking.
In these ways, the conference was refreshing; I was reminded of why I enjoy this field, and I was able to share that experience with 3,000+ other people who feel the same way. However, the conference was also totally exhausting! Late nights, early mornings, day-long sessions, and an infection I picked up from the hotel (yeah, disgusting) really wore me down. But despite that it was such a worthwhile professional development experience. When I’m in the daily grind, I forget how important opportunities like this are, and this week was a really good reminder.
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