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.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
My Heart is in the Work
(or alternately titled, One Reason Why Internships Are Great!)
By Christin
Last week was Spring Break for both Pitt and CMU, so I was off from both school and my internship for an entire week. What in the world did I do with a whole week off you ask? I wish I could tell you that I spent it in some warm, tropical location, sipping on frozen drinks with little umbrellas and getting a nice tan. No such luck for this poor grad student. However, between watching an entire season of Lost, baking delicious coconut macaroons, and briefly cheering on Pitt in the Big East Tournament, I had a lot of time to veg and think about things.
One thing I kept thinking about was how thankful I am to be doing a job which I enjoy. I knew I enjoyed this internship, but it wasn’t until I got excited to come back after a week off that I realized it really is a great fit for me. It’s a job that I can get excited about and really dedicate myself to.
This caused me to reflect on a quote from Carnegie Mellon’s namesake, Andrew Carnegie, who said (like this blog title) “My heart is in the work”. Even a financial tycoon like Carnegie, who was surely raking in major dough, recognized the importance of enjoying what you do. I would guess that it wasn’t all about the Benjamins for Carnegie. And it really shouldn’t be for anyone.
Obviously one’s career is not the entirety of one’s life (though I suppose it definitely can be if you want it to), but we each will spend some 40-odd years in the working world. That is a mighty long time to be working for the weekend.
Maybe I’m naïve. After all, having graduated from undergrad only 2 years ago, I haven’t been working for very long. But I’ve come in contact with people who love their jobs and those who don’t, as I’m sure we all have. I’m convinced you should do something you enjoy and have passion for—something where you can put your heart into your work.
Now, you may not find what that is immediately, and my post may therefore be frustrating for you to read. Rest assured that I am in the same boat, and some of what I am saying comes from a place of hope. I’m still a student, and I am still trying to find a career where I can put my heart into my work. This process certainly isn’t easy, but it’s worthwhile.
And this is why I think internships are great—they allow you to try a certain job, gain valuable skills and experience, and see if you actually enjoy the work. If you’re open and diligent, you’ll find something you enjoy. You always have time to explore, try new things, and change direction.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Post-Spring Break Thoughts
by Jake
Pandora station: Copeland
We've entered the stretch run for the school year. All that's left in each class is a final project. The job search is in full swing with a dozen applications hitting the ethernet jungle this weekend. Spring break is over, which means back to the grind, but it also means I'm only a couple months away from big changes.
The biggest decision when interviews and job offers come along will be whether I stay in Pittsburgh or leave for a city on my short-list (Boston, Philly, Seattle, Portland, Denver, and SoCal at the moment). I've spent my whole life in Pittsburgh, which makes this an increasingly difficult decision. Everything I know is here; my family, my friends, my church, my alma mater. Looks like I should stay, but poetic justice has me leave.
"Why on earth would I want to stay even longer?" my inner-artist asks. Because it's safe? That's a poor reason. Because I want to develop the roots I've planted? Getting better. Because I love Pittsburgh? Makes sense.
Who knows where I will have opportunities when graduation rolls around. I'll be happy to get a few interviews and an offer or two. Pittsburgh has a much lower cost-of-living than the other cities mentioned, which would be great for me to build up some savings and pay back loans for a few years before re-evaluating. On the other hand, I'm young and not tied down to Pittsburgh, so now is probably the best time to leave.
I visited Seattle two summers ago, Philadelphia last semester, and Boston last week. These are three great American cities for very different reasons. They each offer different things that are attractive for the young, single, artful Christian male. In a way, each city felt like home during the visit. Each city offers a young, hip crowd of musicians and artists and beer-enthusiasts that I'd fit in with. Each city would bring along a new, exciting adventure. Each city would get me closer to the ocean.
Am I ready to start over? I don't really know. Sometimes I feel ready to try something new and different, sometimes I am terrified to leave what I love. The best part of the whole equation is that I believe in a faith that tells me God has a plan. He'll guide me to the decision and I can just be along for the ride. This thought makes everything seem simpler, but taking the decision out of my hands is a scary thing. You only live once, though, so we'd better make the most of it.
Pandora station: Copeland
We've entered the stretch run for the school year. All that's left in each class is a final project. The job search is in full swing with a dozen applications hitting the ethernet jungle this weekend. Spring break is over, which means back to the grind, but it also means I'm only a couple months away from big changes.
The biggest decision when interviews and job offers come along will be whether I stay in Pittsburgh or leave for a city on my short-list (Boston, Philly, Seattle, Portland, Denver, and SoCal at the moment). I've spent my whole life in Pittsburgh, which makes this an increasingly difficult decision. Everything I know is here; my family, my friends, my church, my alma mater. Looks like I should stay, but poetic justice has me leave.
"Why on earth would I want to stay even longer?" my inner-artist asks. Because it's safe? That's a poor reason. Because I want to develop the roots I've planted? Getting better. Because I love Pittsburgh? Makes sense.
Who knows where I will have opportunities when graduation rolls around. I'll be happy to get a few interviews and an offer or two. Pittsburgh has a much lower cost-of-living than the other cities mentioned, which would be great for me to build up some savings and pay back loans for a few years before re-evaluating. On the other hand, I'm young and not tied down to Pittsburgh, so now is probably the best time to leave.
I visited Seattle two summers ago, Philadelphia last semester, and Boston last week. These are three great American cities for very different reasons. They each offer different things that are attractive for the young, single, artful Christian male. In a way, each city felt like home during the visit. Each city offers a young, hip crowd of musicians and artists and beer-enthusiasts that I'd fit in with. Each city would bring along a new, exciting adventure. Each city would get me closer to the ocean.
Am I ready to start over? I don't really know. Sometimes I feel ready to try something new and different, sometimes I am terrified to leave what I love. The best part of the whole equation is that I believe in a faith that tells me God has a plan. He'll guide me to the decision and I can just be along for the ride. This thought makes everything seem simpler, but taking the decision out of my hands is a scary thing. You only live once, though, so we'd better make the most of it.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Career Detours
by Jake
Pandora station: The Format
There's a saying that I've heard from several of my Christian friends and that is "if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans". Whether you believe in God or not, I feel like this statement can ring pretty true because our plans rarely work out the way they are supposed to.
My high school self thought that I'd be married and working for ESPN by the time I was 26, but that clearly is not where I am in my journey! This isn't to say that I am not accomplished because I did not realize these goals, but instead that through the different trials and turns in my life I have developed a new set of goals which may not even have everything to do with a career.
In our consultant meeting today one of my colleagues, Renee, brought a new Career Success Guide to our attention from our website, which deals with "bridge year" options (link coming soon). These include a lot of short-term internships and jobs that give students experiences that may be related or unrelated to their field of study. I jokingly said that I should look through these ideas for myself, until I realized that that wasn't such a crazy idea. In the past week I have started looking at some alternative options with organizations I have a particular passion for. Unfortunately the International Justice Mission and The Mentoring Project do not have paid internships and Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) doesn't seem to pay much to anyone who doesn't know some Korean. Other options exist, though, and I have several of them spelled out on a sheet sitting in front of me.
There is a certain excitement that comes with being thrown off of your planned path. For the Js out there (Judging, Myers-Briggs Type), having the structure of a plan is what helps you sleep at night. For the Ps(Perceiving), though, your engine fires up when you hear of opportunities that are seemingly unrelated to your unintentional path.
Dear Js: This is not a bad thing! Keep your eyes open and your ear to the ground because opportunities are everywhere, you've just got to be ready to open the door when they come knockin'.
My advice is to give opportunities a shot. There's always been a part of me that wants to give it all up, move to Asia, and do whatever I can to help shut down human trafficking. This may not be a feasible option considering I don't have a lot of the qualifications for jobs that will let me do this and pay off my student loans, but you'd better believe I'll keep searching for ways to contribute.
Until then, I'll work on doing my part to raise awareness in the States. I don't really have a plan, but I've learned that making a plan isn't always the best use of time, anyways. Right, ESPN?
Pandora station: The Format
There's a saying that I've heard from several of my Christian friends and that is "if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans". Whether you believe in God or not, I feel like this statement can ring pretty true because our plans rarely work out the way they are supposed to.
My high school self thought that I'd be married and working for ESPN by the time I was 26, but that clearly is not where I am in my journey! This isn't to say that I am not accomplished because I did not realize these goals, but instead that through the different trials and turns in my life I have developed a new set of goals which may not even have everything to do with a career.
In our consultant meeting today one of my colleagues, Renee, brought a new Career Success Guide to our attention from our website, which deals with "bridge year" options (link coming soon). These include a lot of short-term internships and jobs that give students experiences that may be related or unrelated to their field of study. I jokingly said that I should look through these ideas for myself, until I realized that that wasn't such a crazy idea. In the past week I have started looking at some alternative options with organizations I have a particular passion for. Unfortunately the International Justice Mission and The Mentoring Project do not have paid internships and Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) doesn't seem to pay much to anyone who doesn't know some Korean. Other options exist, though, and I have several of them spelled out on a sheet sitting in front of me.
There is a certain excitement that comes with being thrown off of your planned path. For the Js out there (Judging, Myers-Briggs Type), having the structure of a plan is what helps you sleep at night. For the Ps(Perceiving), though, your engine fires up when you hear of opportunities that are seemingly unrelated to your unintentional path.
Dear Js: This is not a bad thing! Keep your eyes open and your ear to the ground because opportunities are everywhere, you've just got to be ready to open the door when they come knockin'.
My advice is to give opportunities a shot. There's always been a part of me that wants to give it all up, move to Asia, and do whatever I can to help shut down human trafficking. This may not be a feasible option considering I don't have a lot of the qualifications for jobs that will let me do this and pay off my student loans, but you'd better believe I'll keep searching for ways to contribute.
Until then, I'll work on doing my part to raise awareness in the States. I don't really have a plan, but I've learned that making a plan isn't always the best use of time, anyways. Right, ESPN?
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Thinking like an Interviewer
by Christin
(Am I supposed to add a Pandora station, too? Right now it's "Celtic Woman". That's potentially a little bit embarassing..)
Lately, I've had interviewing on the brain. This is almost certainly a result of spending at least 50% of my work time over the past two weeks doing interview-related things. I participated in a few days of interviewing for new interns and student staff, gave a presentation on interviewing skills, met with students for mock interviews, and had Career Counseling Intern (henceforth referred to as CCI) training on interviewing. It’s that time of the year, I suppose!
(Am I supposed to add a Pandora station, too? Right now it's "Celtic Woman". That's potentially a little bit embarassing..)
Lately, I've had interviewing on the brain. This is almost certainly a result of spending at least 50% of my work time over the past two weeks doing interview-related things. I participated in a few days of interviewing for new interns and student staff, gave a presentation on interviewing skills, met with students for mock interviews, and had Career Counseling Intern (henceforth referred to as CCI) training on interviewing. It’s that time of the year, I suppose!
What is most interesting is that in most of these experiences I have been able to get a view from the “other side of the table”, if you will. This opportunity has been incredibly enlightening and has given me a new perspective, both personally and professionally, on interviewing.
I always used to think I was a good interviewer. I suppose that’s because almost all of the interviews I have had produced favorable results, and because I felt positively about them once they were over. In fact, I distinctly remember a time when I told my college roommates, “I love interviewing! It’s just like having a good conversation.”
Not quite.
Contrary to popular belief (or maybe just my belief) interviewing is not a completely intuitive process. While the interview is your opportunity to show the employer who you are as a person, there’s also a formula you ought to follow, and a way interviewers are looking for you to both act and answer questions. You need to make them want YOU over all of the other applicants, and doing this takes a certain amount of preparation. There are a number of things to consider, and it can seem bit overwhelming to think about! Am I dressed right? How is my body language? Are my answers to their questions strong enough? Am I really qualified for this job? Do they like me?!
Our Career Success Guide on Interviews has a lot of good information on how to approach interviewing. However, the most important advice I can give would be to practice, practice, practice. Get a list of common interview questions and literally write out your answers to them. Practice those answers. Know yourself and what points you will want to make about your strengths and successes ahead of time. Know the company as well. (Don’t just take a quick glance at their home page, either. Do some thorough research!) Doing this will cut down on a lot of that crazy pre-interview stress and anxiety.
I am not saying to be someone who you aren’t just to nail an interview. Above all things, be yourself. But be yourself in a professional manner. Interviewers want to see the kind of person you will be when you come to work every morning!
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