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.

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.

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?

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!

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! 

On The Blog Title..

by Christin

I’ve never really blogged before, so getting into this whole deal is new to me.  But I love writing, so I figured a blog entry would be the perfect way to plow through my Friday afternoon fatigue (side note: I obviously wrote most of this blog on Friday afternoon).  I know if I write a whole book on here Jake will make fun of me, so I’ll try not to get off track! 

Over the past month or so we had been dragging our feet about getting this blog up and running…mostly due to the fact that we couldn’t come up with a good blog name.  I was trying to think of something clever, fun, and alliterative that rhymed with “career”, “adventure”, or “journey”, but when Jake suggested the current title, I thought it perfectly described what we do here at the CPDC as well as the state of my own life.  It also serves as the perfect topic for my first blog entry EVER!

The age old question of “what should I do with my life?” is something I still continually ask myself, even as a graduate student and intern in the Career and Professional Development Center, of all places.  I’m sure you are thinking, shouldn’t she at least have some idea of what she wants to do with her life?  I do.  Sometimes.  Depending on the day and my current situation.  I’m incredibly fickle, so there are some days when I’m sure about my life and have a clear direction and other days where I haven’t a clue.

There was a time when I sincerely wished an email that told me what I should do with my life, and how I should do it, would show up in my inbox.  But over the past few years I have found, and continue to find, that the career journey is infinitely as important as the destination.  The confusion, the indecision, and the apprehension toward decisions about one’s future are all normal feelings to have.  I would venture to say not having all the answers is even good.  It forces you to be introspective, to try new things, and to step outside of your comfort zone. 

I know this has been incredibly true in my own life.  The risk-taking, new experiences, and feelings of being uncomfortable have all led to my own self-discovery, particularly in figuring out my own calling.  I am finally starting to figure out what exactly “I should do with my life”, and every experience I have had, both good and bad, had helped me to do this.

I know I risk sounding cliché, but life is a journey, and one’s career path is no different.  Everyone is at a different point on the map, and takes a different route to get to their destination.  And now time for my CPDC related shameless plug…There’s a reason that one of our office’s many resources on career exploration is called TartanGPS.  It helps you focus on your own career exploration through the lens of a journey, and it meets you where you are.  So be okay with where you are, and trust this whole process!

As you reflect on your own journey, I hope you’ll enjoy reading about mine as I continually seek to discover “what I should do with my life”.

Searching

by Jake

Today's Pandora station: Tokyo Police Club

The job hunt is in the early stages for me these days.  In putting together cover letters and revising my resume, I find nothing but stress.  For me, it gets to the point where I just give up, say "this is good enough", and pray for a response.  When all is said and done, I will be matched up with the right job and there's not much more I can do besides what I'm already doing.

Lot's of confidence coming from an intern who gives out this advice, right?  The fact is, though, that we don't have all of the answers!  I met with a pair of students today looking for internships this summer and felt those exact sentiments.  There's no simple 3-click method to magically find a pool of jobs you should apply for.  We have to get out there, do the leg work, and find them.  We have to find the institutions we want to work for and keep an eye on their job postings.  If that means that you go to Lockheed Martin's website every day starting 6 months before summer, then that's what you have to do.  If that means that I'll look on the University of Washington's website and find nothing I'm qualified for once a month for the past two years, then that's it.  No one's going to do it for us or just call us up and say "hey, I know you never applied for this perfect job, but do you want it?".

So, it takes a lot of faith.  A lot of faith in the system that your qualifications will get you the right job.  A lot of faith in yourself that you can find that job and market yourself well.  A lot of faith that some luck will point you to the right website or person on the right day.  We can't get too far without doing anything, but we won't get everywhere all by ourselves, either.

Days like today need some good tunes, which is why I pickedTokyo Police Club.  Upbeat and fun.  It's so nice outside and I can't wait to feel upbeat and fun on my bike ride home!  At the end of the day, whether I have a job in line or not, I can still ride my bike down the street and enjoy the cool breeze.  In the moment, that ride will feel better than any dental plan or 401k could.

An Introduction of Sorts

by Jake

Today's Pandora station:  The Strokes

Oh hello!  My name is Jake.  You can read about me in the About Jake section, naturally.

Today is Wednesday, the first of my three-day week as an intern in CMU's Career and Professional Development Center.  It's hard to drag myself out of bed on Wednesdays (you know, my Monday).  I don't have to get up early for anything Sat-Tues, so Wednesday is the toughest.  I also bike to work, or walk in the winter, so the single-digit temperatures today made my electric blanket seem like heaven this morning.  There's no better way to become alert in the morning than by walking a mile and a half in 8 degree breezes, though.  I think that's the main reason I can avoid coffee all day!

Today is not like normal Wednesday because my schedule is full of appointments with students preparing for tomorrow's career fair, the Employment Opportunities Conference (EOC).  I've been busy all day since my first appointment at 9am and I'll be working til the (my) bell at 3:30.  My appointments today are almost exclusively to help students prepare their resume for tomorrow's phenomenon that is a career fair.  Most of the students today met with me last week and wanted to schedule time to review their adjustments, so the second half of our appointment is usually an explanation of what tomorrow will be like.

Shake hands.  Smile.  Eye contact  Suit and tie.  What's your year?  What's your major?  Why do you want to work for us?  What are some projects you've done?  Scan the room.  Map out your route.  Make sure to do your research!  You'd better know what internships Google is offering before you give them your "elevator speech"!

It's a game, the career search.  Not only do you have to do impressive things to put on the resume, but you have to present it well, along with a cover letter, then clean up and present yourself well at the career fair.  Maybe then you'll get an interview! 

Then there's the interview.  Do it all again.  Be ready to map out your biggest strength and weakness.  Think about a time you faced adversity and overcame.  Can I talk about when I played on a sprained ankle in the state championship?  Or maybe when I was paired with the lazy kid in class for our final project?  I don't know if "not killing your partner" really counts as "overcoming adversity"...

It's all a game that we have to master.  We are all salesmen when it comes to the job market, which is why everyone has to be able to communicate well, no matter your field. 

The most interesting aspect for me is that I'm on both sides right now.  I'm telling students how to prepare for the job search, but I'm job-searching myself as graduation approaches.  I look forward to sharing part of that journey with you, so you might figure out your own path.

Give the advice, then take your own.  Hopefully I'm giving good advice.