Patrick's blog
You are not alone. You can find work. You can find meaningful work. Job searching takes time, strategy, optimism, organization and luck. Part time / contract / seasonal / internship / co-op positions often lead to full time, career roles. Find your foot-in-the-door, do great work, develop a rock-solid reputation and be kind to others.
The Seattle Times just posted about the job market, Fortune magazine shares some useful info, One Day One Job has a super duper article for new grads, Reuters highlights using the web to mix it up, and the [free] daily updates of the Puget Sound Business Journal are key for keeping up with the Northwest economy & job market.
Some jobs are advertised. Most jobs are hidden, not visible to the public. Tapping into the hidden job market takes strategy. Network, ask for advice, meet as many people as you can, share stories & promote your strengths. Luck may play a part in your search … be open to that intangible & keep your eyes & ears open for situations and opportunities which may boost your luck. UW students & alumni can use HuskyJobs for free, year round. If you want to work on campus, go directly to the units & departments that interest you and stay in touch with their key decision makers. Other ideas are to embrace professional & alumni associations [advice & contacts!], vary up your search strategies, be patient [yet persistent!] and … surround yourself with positive supporters who can help you through this transition / potentially tough time. Believe in yourself. Go for it! Check these other posts I’ve made if needing a boost. If looking for a laugh, check out Chris Rock on Youtube and his thoughts on jobs vs careers.
Not sure what networking is all 'bout? Check this short clip out:
Excellent tips, words of encouragement and strategies from some experts:
Choices come in all shapes and sizes.
Where should I attend college? Should I sleep-in or go for a jog? Should I study abroad? Do I want sweetener with my coffee? Accounting or finance option? Should I go on that blind date? Do I want an MBA or head to law school after my undergrad degree? Internship or travel in Europe or Asia this summer?
Life, careers and yes, college, centers on all types of decisions. Choosing where to focus your energy is the ongoing challenge, and opportunity. You can pursue educational and professional endeavors that align well with your unique talents, gifts and skills you enjoy using. You can do the opposite as well – make decisions about your near and distant future that do not align well with the energizing ingredients that make you special.
My hope is that you choose the first option mentioned above, and invest time and energy in uncovering, embracing and sharing abilities / talents / core skills / activities which come naturally to you. Yes, I’m talking about strengths here. Merriam-Webster defines [strength] … as “a strong attribute or inherent asset”. Everybody has strengths. Public speaking. Active listening. Leading research projects. Creative expression. Working with kids. Persuading others. Learning new technology. Risk taking. Writing. Repairing car engines. These are just a few examples. Everybody has their own unique combination of abilities that are inner motivated, core to who they are as a person. Core strengths are motivated skills that are used repeatedly in early and recent experiences in which you have done well and enjoyed what you were doing. Placing significant strengths at the nucleus of your life and career decisions, leads to maximizing more of your potential. Trust me.
Strengths grow and evolve over time. Core strengths stay fairly consistent throughout our lives, even if the venue, activity or environment where the strength is used, changes. One key to making informed and strategic decisions about our futures, is to take action to recognize, embrace and market our inner-motivated strengths. American icon Barbara Cook once said, “if you’re able to be yourself, then you have no competition. All you have to do is get closer and closer to that essence.” Alternative rock band Audioslave sings, “to be yourself is all that you can do”. Good advice, now let’s get started.
Want to make a difference? Inspired by one's ability to affect change globally, by acting locally?
Not sure what microfinance is all about? Check out this clip:
The Career Center is thrilled to partner with some dedicated UW colleagues and Seattle organizations, to host a brand new event, which we hope you consider attending. I personally want to give a big shout-out / thank you to Emma in the Career Center and Wren in the Global Business Center, for a lot of hard work putting this event on.
Consider coming to this event!
Poverty and Opportunity: Microfinance + People-Powered Development
The Global Business Center, SeaMo, and the UW Social Entrepreneurship Club will bring world-changing organizations to UW for an exclusive look at how social businesses fosters sustainable development.
Internship Open House; October 15th, 2009; 2:30 to 5:30pm, Mary Gates Hall Commons
The first-ever Microfinance Internship Open House at UW! All current students are invited to learn about internships with leading social businesses and non-profits that improve the lives of people around the world.
Bring copies of your resumes and your passion to make a difference!
Featured organizations include:
Agros International; Esperanza;Gates Foundation;Global Partnerships;Jolkona;Kiva;Lumana;Lumana Credit;MicroEnergy Credits;Oikocredit USA;Re-Vision Labs;Save Together;SeaMo;Unitus;Vittana;Washington CASH
Co-sponsored by the UW Career Center
Also be sure to check out the awesome keynote speaker in Kane Hall!
Students & alumni - listen up! Come on by the UW Career Center in Mary Gates Hall and pick up the 09-10 Gold Career Guide. This resource is full of tips, advice, resume & cover letter examples, info on grad school, strengths exploration, job search strategies and much more.
This is a free resource to all who want it, come on by! We'll have it as a downloadable PDF on our website soon. Have a great fall quarter!
I'm thrilled to share this blog entry with you all, written by my fabulous coworker Alyce. Enjoy!
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Multi-tasking has been getting a lot of bad press lately which, I must admit, pleases me no end. I don’t remember exactly when it began but multi-tasking came sneaking into our lives, assuming superiority and looking down its nose at any poor slobs who preferred focusing and completing a task before moving on to the next one. Every job seemed to require a “multi-tasking team player needed for fast-paced office!” My blood pressure shoots up just reading it. I’m already stressed and I haven’t even applied yet, but I’m sure as heck not going to tell anyone that I’m not a multi-tasker – it’s downright un-American.
If you had any suspicion that there might be a downside to all this m-t’ing you have probably kept it to yourself. You may even have boasted about being able to do 5 things at once and how totally bored you would be without at least 4 things to do. Not only could you manage all these tasks, but you did them well and efficiently! Well, the evidence from several studies suggests that the sense of efficiency is for the most part delusional.
Yes, people can do many things at once. But all of this switching back and forth in the brain results in mistakes, forgotten details, time wasted, and most importantly, stress and burn-out. It has become so integral to our everyday life people can hardly stand not to do several things at once. How comfortable are you sitting in a quiet room with just your own thoughts? Honestly, have you ever taken your cell phone into the bathroom with you? Mmm-hmm, that is multi-tasking.
Most jobs require multi-tasking – some intensely so. NPR did a program on the subject and spoke with a short-order cook – a job that would not exist unless the cook could do 20 things at once. How did the cook describe his job during rush hour? “Like you’re in an insane asylum. It’s almost unbearable.”
Every person I know, no exaggeration, talks about how forgetful they are – “I don’t know what I started to say, what I was going to do…” Usually it gets blamed on aging, but I hear young people saying the same things. I think the truth is that we are all trying to do too much, too fast.
Well, no surprise, m-t’ing won’t be going away any time soon. Just as we are not likely to go back to writing letters instead of texting, we are not going to collectively calm down as a society. But perhaps we can turn off our cell phones, sit down, and linger over lunch. Take a walk around your neighborhood, again no cell phone, and whoa, no iPod. Try to notice 3 things you never noticed before about the street you live. Pick a task - wash the dishes, water the tomato plants, call a friend - and just do that one thing all the way through until you are done.
With enough practice, you might lay claim to a little more quality of life and make room in your brain to remember what you were going to say or do!
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Read this! Ellen Goodman's "In multitasking Olympics, we all lose".
Actually, this entry reminds me of this post I enjoyed writing recently.
Cheers!
Click here to find out all the details.
Thanks to One Day One Job & HP for the hook-up!
Good luck!
This summer I created and launched a new blog [ UW Making The Difference: Federal Careers Blog ], all 'bout jobs & internships & careers with the U.S. Federal Government.
UW staff, students, alumni and federal employees and recruiters will post to this shared blog, with the hopes of generating buzz / interest around students and alumni pursuing federal opportunities.
Below is a video you might enjoy, which I added to this new blog:
Bookmark this blog if interested in federal gigs, you'll want to stay in-the-loop with what's happenin' on campus & beyond. Cheers!
This week the UW Career Center was contacted by the head-blogger for the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show. They have an intern contest and want UW students to apply for it. Nope, you do NOT have to relocate for this. You can still live in Seattle, take classes @ UW AND do this internship.
Learn more about the contest via this blog post, check out the full contest page and complete contest rules.
Tell your friends & go for it!
* This internship is only open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors. No entering freshman allowed, unfortunately. *
Contest ends on 08-21-09 so apply now!
Enjoy the Beastie Boys & The Roots, live on Jimmy Fallon:
If you are looking for internships & jobs beyond this one, use HuskyJobs!
Northwest summers are incredible. We are so lucky.
Fly-fishing season is such a great excuse for me to get on the river, learn a new skill and enjoy another outdoor activity. I’m still a total beginner. So much to learn & so many adventures yet to experience. The river at dawn and dusk is surreal. Quiet. Fish are hungry. Trout are fast, smart. They know I’m invading their home. Yes, in case you are wondering, it’s thankfully only catch-and-release [barbless flys/hooks]. Time on the river with good friends, feeds the soul. Unplugging from city life and experiencing nature this way provides ample time for reflection, rest and fun.
Just to set the mood a bit, check out this clip from A River Runs Through It:
Below are a few thoughts relating to life, careers and fly-fishing … stuff I sometimes think about while standing waist deep in the beautiful Snoqualmie River, trying my best to perfect my casting, land a fish or even just a nibble, and not get swept down the river.
- Preparation, practice and luck are key ingredients in successful life, career and fishing adventures.
- Keep a steady hand & learn from what you do well [and what you can improve on]
- Be patient. Every cast will not lead to a fish striking your line.
- Be persistent. Casting into a shady pool or active rapid, even after minutes of inactivity, could land your next fish. Deep breaths and maintaining optimistic attitudes in life and career development, helps us move forward and avoid stagnation.
- If you slip on some rocks and fall, pick yourself back up and learn from it. If you fall hard, and or get swept down the river a bit, seek out friends/support and get help from others. Life often presents minor and major obstacles. Sometimes we stumble. Sometimes we shine. It’s all part of life’s journey.
- Be in the moment, focus on what is in your control.
- Keep your eyes & ears open. You may just see a beautiful trout swim by you may want to go after, you may see & hear some incredible wildlife, or just catch a nice sunset. Life & career opportunities may find you or you may find them, simply by being aware of your surroundings.
- Realize you’ll get snagged. I’m often snagging my fly on a rock, stick or tangling it with my line. Yup, I’m still learning. Life transitions, job searches … often present us with snags and tangles. Reflection, focusing, retracing steps or reminding ourselves of strategies and then just going for it … this will lead you through that tangle and help you move forward to the next step.
- Take risks. Wade out to that deeper part of the river & hop up on that big rock for a nice spot. Or in terms of life/careers, go on that informational interview you are nervous about, apply to that competitive grad program, jump into that all day interview / site visit with a positive attitude and full energy tank. If that risk doesn’t lead right away to what you want – learn from the experience, regroup, and keep at it. Let the UW Career Center know how we can support you!
I’m feelin’ extra happy/patriotic ‘bout the United States of America these days. Mostly because I’ve been thinking about what a privilege it is to live and work in this great country. I’m so thrilled to have President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama & Vice President Biden leading us through challenging [War & Foreign Affairs! Poverty! Economy & Jobs! Education! Health Care! Human Rights! Environment! Social Justice!] & dynamic times. I’m excited about the 4th also because I recently devoured HBO’s excellent DVD miniseries John Adams, and was reminded about our nation’s violent and fascinating birth. I’ve also been reflecting a lot lately on my years studying United States History as an undergrad, diving deep into important topics like the American Revolution, the Native American experience, the Civil War, slavery, the Vietnam War, 1960s, WWI & II, history of the conservation movement, civil rights & labor & suffrage moments & American feminist history. The United States is one young-huge-messy- complicated-country. One such country I’m proud to be a part of. One way I enjoy learning about different life experiences in the United States is via the popular This American Life series [Podcasts, radio show, Showtime series] – check it out!
Two powerful songs led by two American icons:
Neil Young & Choir – “America The Beautiful”
Tracy Chapman – “Talking ‘Bout a Revolution”
In terms of life & jobs & careers … if you are wanting to “make a difference” and incorporate service into your future, check out job & internship opportunities posted in HuskyJobs; check out this Careers with Social Impact handout … and … if you are wanting to impact change from within the system, and work for the largest employer in the United States [i.e the Federal Government], check out internships & jobs via Making The Difference, USAJOBS and this website relating to college majors & federal careers. Be on the lookout for an emerging campaign @ UW, focused on federal employment, including a new blog!
Since I have your attention, I just wanted to share an opinion. I’m concerned how these 5 particular forces are affecting our country: television; video games; big box retailers; hate groups; meth. To learn more about how meth is affecting the U.S.A, watch the documentary American Meth & movies Spun and The Salton Sea. I believe people should read more, watch less TV & put down the X-Box/Wii and go play outside. Are you not sure how big-box-retailers are impacting small businesses and communities? Watch Independent America: The Two Lane Search For Mom & Pop … and … Independent America: Rising From Ruins. In terms of hate-groups in the U.S., my hope is that education, empathy, activism and time will help curb hateful and divisive initiatives, organizations and beliefs. Time has already shown, and will continue to tell, how these 5 forces truly affect individuals, communities and our nation at large.
If you are the type not wanting to work for the government to influence change, but still want to make an impact and/or shake-up-the-system … I encourage you to explore the lyrics & activism & organizations promoted by several of my favorites: Rage Against The Machine; One Day As A Lion; Tool; System Of A Down; Axis of Justice; U2; Coldplay & Oxfam; Neil Young; Pearl Jam; Jack Johnson; The One Campaign; UW Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center; Tavis Smiley.
Peace out!
