Career Guidance
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!
Ever heard of a musical group called Straight No Chaser? If so, you likely didn't know about them until 10 years after they first performed. Straight No Chaser is a men's A Capella group from my alma mater, Indiana University (Go Hoosiers!). While students in Bloomington in the late 90s, they realized IU didn't have such a group so they took the initiative to create one. The group full of very talented men developed a uniquely funny and genuine musical style. They enjoyed performing during their college years, then graduated and went on to bigger and better things, inside and outside the musical world. Then, about 10 years after they first performed, one of the group members decided to post a video of an old performance on YouTube. It's a very original comedic version of 12 Days of Christmas that makes me laugh every time I watch it. The video went viral. A record company executive fell in love with it and the rest is history. Now in their early 30s, Straight No Chaser is back together, having fun making albums, performing on tour, singing at NFL games, and doing the media circuit. You can read a heart-warming, inspirational, first-hand account of this surprise turn of events here.
Some may say that SNC is just lucky...that it's just random a music executive just happened to watch the YouTube video. Perhaps there is a bit of truth to that, but this amazing group of men did a number of things that made it possible for this scenario to unfold. We can all learn quite a few lessons from Straight No Chaser.
- Show initiative and take some risks.
- Do what you love.
- Be genuine and down to earth.
- Have a good sense of humor.
- Surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you.
- Spend time honing your craft.
- Don't be afraid to pursue several different paths at once.
- Develop an online presence.
- Be open to possibilities.
- Realize that dreams can have a timeline of their own.
So...if you're feeling discouraged...remember that you never know what opportunities await you just around the corner!
Good morning, friends, and welcome to Summer Quarter!
The beginning of Summer Quarter means many things, but the thing that's most on my mind this morning is FREE HUSKYJOBS ACCESS FOR ALUMNI. Seriously. I wouldn't lie about this. If you're a UW alumni, you can have free access to HuskyJobs (normally a $60 quarterly fee) for the Summer months. All you have to do is fill out a quick online registration form, and your free access will be activated within two business days. Voila!
And while we're on the subject of HuskyJobs accounts, let's talk email addresses, Huskies. Just a friendly reminder that employers see your email address. And if it's "bigdaddy@u.washington.edu" or "justlukin4agoodtime@gmail.com", that might not be considered putting your best foot forward.
So if you have an email address that might fall a bit short of the 'professional' mark, consider creating a new, work-friendly email account for all your job search-related correspondence. You can score a free email account from Hotmail, Gmail, or any number of service providers. So don't let "Iheartbaddecisions@msn.com" make an employer's decision for them. Stay professional, and stay competitive in your job search. Good luck, and let us know if we can do anything to support you in this process! 206.543.0535 or ccs...@u.washington.edu
Graduation marks an ending…the closing of a chapter in one’s life.
Yet, the graduation ceremony is often called commencement –which means beginning. Sure…graduates will say goodbye to their favorite coffee shop on the Ave, the free entertainment that happens on campus, and the other students with whom they bonded during classes, club meetings, and various social gatherings.
But…they will also say hello to new adventures, new friends, and new (bigger) paychecks! Celebrating the advantages of change, rather than just grieving the losses, is a coping strategy that all of us should consider adopting, especially now.
The past few months have been difficult for the UW – we’ve laid people off, increased fees, eliminated many campus jobs for students, etc. It is right and proper to feel sad, frustrated, and even angry about these unfortunate changes.
But, hopefully, as a community, we can start shifting our focus to the new beginnings that accompany change. Graduates and continuing students alike are living in a new reality. Choose to adapt, to stay engaged, and to recognize the endings while celebrating the commencement of wonderful journeys yet to unfold.
And…if you need assistance mapping out a journey that excites you, start your voyage at the UW Career Center.
Yup, he said it. Best thing I've heard in a while. Google CEO Eric Schmidt, in his University of Pennsylvania commencement address, said many memorable tidbits. I especially like ...
- "You need to live for the future, and for the things you really really care about" ... "so what are those things?" ... "in order know what those are, you are going to have to turn off your computer, turn off your phone, and discover all that is human around us... you'll find that curiosity, enthusiasm and passion are contagious"
- "Information is power... and is a tremendous equalizer"
- "Rewards will gravitate to those who make mistakes and learn from them"
- "A mind set in it's ways, is a life wasted - don't do it."
Speaking of Google: Briana posted about neat Google tools you can use in your job search ... I like this article via Willy @ One Day One Job about How to Use Google to Find a Job ... here’s a post about interviewing with Google … and recently I've learned about the "giving back" arm of Google.org and their neat Google.org BLOG.
Check out Eric Schmidt's 10 min speech, here:
Speaking of what people [I admire] have recently said ... Spike Lee, recently honored at the Seattle International Film Festival, said "I don't twitter, I don't do MySpace, Facebook," he said. "My children do. My daughter, she can be doing her homework, watching TV, have the iPod and the computer all at the same time." Seattle Times writer Jerry Large interviewed Lee, and mentioned in this article ... "And now, as a father, (his daughter is 15, his son 12) he worries about the effects of too much media on his kids." I sometimes worry about our media & information saturated world as well. I wonder ... what's Twitter's shelf life? When is enough-is-enough-already? Twitter & Facebook, in my opinion = too much information. There, I said it. I've been Facebook-free for months now, and loving it. This article pretty much captures my thoughts on Facebook and it's value. Don't get me wrong ... I think "connecting" is important. I just wonder how this growing online social networking phenomenon, has and will affect individual's ability & motivation to connect actually, in-person.
Speaking of graduation speeches ... check out Conan O'Brien's speech to Harvard, waaaaaay back in 2000. Did you notice his references to the 1st 'face book'? Weird. Yup, Facebook started @ Harvard.
Themes expressed in the commencement speeches mentioned above, remind me about the concepts of success and happiness. One post I made years ago on the success theme, one recent post by Emma, and themes expressed in our myStory project... all relate I believe to two quotes - one by a fictional character in a TV show, one expressed by a young person in their journal.
One of my most favorite characters ever, Chris Stevens, in one of my most favorite shows ever, Northern Exposure, said: "happiness is not having things, it's being a part of things".
And finally, Christopher McCandless, the charismatic young person who wrestled with the dynamics of identity, family, reality and human/spiritual connectedness, as expressed in the true-story film, Into The Wild, proclaimed as he neared death: "happiness [is] only real when shared". Excellent soundtrack by Mr. Ed Vedder, check it out!
So finally, I turn to you reading this post. What is happiness to you? How do you, or will you, define success? Can dreams change and shift as life "happens"? What mark on the world, or on your community, will you make? Am I missing something by not embracing Facebook & Twitter? Is Microsoft going to rival Google's search dominance? When a group of 5 individuals are hanging out [gasp!] in–person, yet only really playing with their iPhone & texting each other & updating Facebook pages … how “connected” do those individuals feel? I know I'm being random here. Thoughts?
* Need a break from finals?
* Freakin' out about graduating?
* Tired of your parents, advisers and friends offering advice about life/careers?
* Not landing that "get-paid-to-travel-the-world-and-have-fun-and-meet-people-and-live-like-a-rockstar" job you've been hoping for?
Consider coming to this event...which features a recent graduate offering advice, a live DJ, celebrity guest appearances and food! Find more about Hoan via via this article, Facebook & YouTube.
Below is info from Hoan’s website – check it out!
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On Thursday June 4th , 2009 Hoan Do, college speaker, accomplished author and student success coach, is coming to the University of Washington to celebrate the launch of his highly acclaimed book, Succeeding in the Real World: What School WON’T Teach you.
In this exciting and entertaining evening, Hoan will share straight forward advice from his book that will help current students to excel in life and soon to be graduates to succeed in the real world.
When: Thursday June 4th 2009 from 6:30PM – 9:00PM
Where: University of Washington - Kane Hall 130
* Pre-Sale Student $20 (At the door $25)
* Pre-Sale General Admission $30 (At the door $35)
* General Admission and Sponsor a Student $45 (Receive a regular ticket and a ticket for a student which can be used or donated back to organization to give to deserving student)
* VIP $45 (Guaranteed seating within first four rows, Early entry, and VIP Reception with Author Hoan Do prior to the event)
- All tickets include a copy of Succeeding in the Real World: What School WON’T Teach You ($14.97 Value) and also food and drink. If for some reason you feel that you didn’t receive value from this event and from reading Succeeding in the Real World, mail us your book and we will give you a full refund.
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So maybe my first "spice up your job search" post didn't encourage you to log into HuskyJobs. That's alright - we all get busy. Sunshine, finals, papers, first dates, whatever. It happens. I understand :)
But here's the thing - you gotta get in there. Sooner rather than later. For 20 minutes or 2 hours - you've gotta check it out. HuskyJobs is a job and internship board exclusively for Huskies, which makes it way better than Monster.com or Craiglist, and which makes those sites shake in their boots. That's right - exclusively for you. And right now, in the midst of "none of us have a chance at landing jobs, let's just delay graduation or go crawl under a rock for 2.5 years", there are 1000s of jobs and internships posted to HuskyJobs. That's right. Thousands.
So what are you waiting for? Log in today - access to HuskyJobs is always free for matriculated students. And if you're graduating? Never fear, we've got you covered - this summer, new grads and experienced alums alike can access HuskyJobs for free. Register for free alumni access to HuskyJobs today (access period begins June 22nd).
Need even more incentive? Keep reading for examples of some of the great opportunities waiting for in HuskyJobs.
How many among you have seen Lion King - the movie or musical? The Lion King is special to me for a lot of different reasons. One of my favorite songs is Hakuna Matata. Here's a clip that makes me laugh.
Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase. Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze. It means no worries for the rest of your days. It's our problem-free philosophy. Hakuna Matata!
Hakuna Matata?
Yeah. It's our motto!
What's a motto?
Nothing. What's a-motto with you?
Those two words will solve all your problems.
The song got me thinking about personal mottos and mantras - little sayings that help us get through the ups and downs of life. My dad used to say "Do Your Best and Have Fun" (along with other things like "To Make Little Girls Like You Ask Questions and It Worked Too, Didn't It") but I digress. Anyway...a few of my other favorites are:
Positive, Professional, & Proactive
Tomorrow is Another Day
It Is What It Is
It's Not About What You've Done, But About What You Do Next
So my question for readers is this:
When you are worried about passing an upcoming test, getting all your projects done, making a good impression in an interview, going on a first date, playing in the big game, or just getting through another day during a stressful time in your life, what mottos or mantras help provide comfort for you?
What has brains, humor, a Big Easy upbringing, a courageous coming out story, and a knowledge of Pussycat Doll lyrics?
If you said Ellen Degeneres, then you hit the nail on the head, Huskies. And Ellen gave one heck of a commencement speech at Tulane University. And what was the morale of her story?
I went for a walk on my lunch hour and, coincidentally, the song One Step at a Time by Jordin Sparks came on my iPod. I happen to love the song and, therefore, I listened to it over and over during my drizzly walk. The song talks about having big dreams but, more importantly, being patient and persistent as you try to achieve them. The lyrics pretty much sum up much of the advice I give to students who happen to walk through the doors of the UW Career Center. Sometimes I'm trying to convince students they should be dreaming bigger than they are because I believe in their potential more than they seem to believe in their own capabilities. Sometimes I'm trying to convince students that accepting a position with a salary or title that are less impressive than they were hoping doesn't mean they have failed. And right now, I'm trying to convince them, not to take One Step at a Time, but simply to take a step! It seems students have lost all hope of finding work...and have resigned themselves to spending their days eating ramen noodles and staring at the ceiling in the bedroom they occupy in their parents' basement. Jobs for college graduates ARE out there. The key to finding them is simply taking a step in the job search. Don't let fear...or the media...or your friends' horror stories - paralyze you. Put one foot in front of the other, feel proud of your accomplishments, muster all the optimism you can, and face your job search with renewed energy.
