An Unexpected Learning Opportunity

Posted on April 3, 2018 by Claire

As I reach the final week of classes here at Queen Mary University of London, I can’t help but feel like this chapter is coming to a close despite the fact that I still have another month and a half before I return to sunny California. Speaking with my professors has increased that sense of finality. I still have final papers due over the course of the next month but I will not see some of these amazing, inspiring people. My professors here have truly been some of my favorite ever and I believe that each one has fundamentally changed the way that I view Media, Theater, and the world. I could not be more excited to bring these new ways of thinking back to Claremont.

But my end-of-term discussions with them has also inevitably turned to the fraught nature of this semester. This term saw the largest academic industrial strike action the UK has ever seen. Because of a significant cut to academics’ pensions, the University and College Union (UCU) called for an unprecedented strike action from its members. Classes that unfortunately fell on strike days were canceled for three weeks. Two of my classes were affected and I lost out on almost a month of instruction time. While I cannot help but be sad, and a little bitter, that I missed out on time in classes I loved so much, I am also extremely grateful that they had the opportunity to strike. I am extremely grateful that professors exercised their right to fight for themselves because you can’t do that in all parts of the world. So while I have personally mixed feelings on the strike, I’m thankful that I live in a world where that right exists. Its fascinating to think how much I have learned over the course of the semester, both inside and outside of the classroom. Here’s to some more London adventures ahead!

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/tensions-mount-campus-uss-pensions-strike-looms

For more information on the UK Universities Strike, visit the following:

https://www.ucu.org.uk/strike-action

http://bright-green.org/2018/03/24/the-ucu-strike-a-tale-of-student-staff-solidarity/

Job Interview Tips

Posted on March 29, 2018 by Claire

Its that time of year again! Time for the stress that is job interviews! You’ve finally sent off a decent amount of applications and successfully gotten to the point where a company is interested in you. Here are a few tips to nail that first impression!

Do Your Research

I can’t emphasize how important this is. Make sure that you have done your research into the company by looking through their website and recent news articles on them. Research not only the company itself but also your interviewers if you know who they are. Knowing what their role at the company too shows you have done your work. You can only control so much in an interview and knowing background information is something that you can be proactive about.

Breathe

Try to schedule some time before the interview to decompress. Interviews can be very stressful! Remember, it is a conversation not an interrogation. You are trying to see if this place is a fit for you as well.

Be Prepared to Talk about Yourself

Come into the interview with a goal of conveying a few things about yourself. You know your experiences well. If you think there is a skill from an old position that makes you perfect for some aspect of this new role, touch on that at some point!

Prepare Some Questions For Them

Don’t let it get to the end of the interview where they ask “Do you have any questions for us” and stare blankly. Prepare some final questions about things that they may not touch on during the interview. And they should not be things that can be easily googled! That is part of doing your research. A standby of mine is asking about company culture or what they like about working there. It can give valuable insight about what it is like to spend 5 days a week in one place.

I know interviews can be extremely intimidating but, armed with these tips, feel confident you can go forth and conquer!

An Intersection of Interests

Posted on March 15, 2018 by Claire

Looking back, it seems like things just fell into place. It makes sense that I should work in entertainment or the arts but that wasn’t always that clear to me. It was really a long path of discovery that started with my extracurricular interests.

I have always been a lover of the arts and since I was young I have participated in a variety of ways. I have been in bands, plays, choirs, musicals, operas, and more. I will always be grateful to my parents for being supportive and my community for supplying the opportunities. Though I was primarily a performer, I also found that I could be a leader in these fields. Through being on leadership in my arts clubs in high school, I found that I enjoy organizing, especially within the arts. Being in leadership and doing administrative work kept me within the community and allowed me to apply another set of talents I had beyond preforming. This was further cemented by my time on Scripps Associated Students when I organized large 5C events for the community.

It was by combining my interests in the creative fields and organizational management that I discovered a career path that made sense to me, working in entertainment to bring films and tv shows to life.

If you are struggling with what you might want to do, looking back on the things in your life you have enjoyed can be a great starting point. Something fulfilling might come from one aspect of your life but it might also come from a combination of interests, finding a path that lies at an intersection of what brings you fulfillment.

Time’s Up

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Claire

While I enjoy writing lighthearted posts filled with glorious gifs, something more serious has been weighing on my mind. Even though disturbing allegations have been made against powerful people have in multiple industries, the entertainment business has been hit hard, with many previously seeming untouchable individuals falling under scandal. As a young woman who wants to work in entertainment, it has been both inspiring and concerning to see all that has happened so far.

I count myself lucky that I have had very positive experiences so far because not everyone has. This is an industry that prides itself on having people start from the bottom so they can work their way up. This culture has bread unhealthy power dynamics between superiors and employees. This has led to people being put in unacceptable situations and has foster a culture of silence. You constantly hear how hard it is to work in this industry like it is a badge of honor. But why do we have to go into this business expecting long hours, initial low pay, and uncomfortable situations?

I am not exactly saying anything new here but I wanted to comment from my perspective. I am worried and I am scared. I often question why I am choosing to enter this business, now of all times. But it is the wonderful and supportive people I have met that, at least for now, make it seem like something I want to keep trying to do. To all that work tirelessly in this business and beyond, thank you for your work and your courage. I hope to join you soon in making this industry with a checkered past more equitable for all.

Cover Letter Tips

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Claire

A tried and true blog topic but one that always merits revisiting. I have written at least seven cover letters in the last week and at this point I very much identify with this little girl.

Despite my cover letter fatigue, I thought I would give a few things I keep in mind when approaching these daunting documents.

DON’T SEND IN THE SAME COVER LETTER TO EVERYTHING

Recruiters can sniff out a generic cover letter in five seconds flat. A cover letter that does not speak to the company you are applying for or why you want that specific position is a waste of time to them. Even if you very much want the position, they’re not going to know that from a generic cover letter. Where else can you interject a little personality into your otherwise cookie cutter application? My strategy is to copy/paste the job description into a blank word document. I then go through the description and highlight two types of things. 1) I highlight the responsibilities of the job and I make sure I can identify an ability to compete that task. 2) I highlight the soft skills that they ask for like positive attitude, professionalism, and reliability.

But you can reuse some material…

Although I very mindfully make sure that my cover letter meets the job description, I do have sentences/paragraphs that are standards across my cover letters. After all you can’t really write everything from scratch. Remember that cover letters are living documents, you can touch up these sentences/paragraphs as you send in more applications, making the wording better as you go.

Above all, remember your audience:

Your goal is to make at easy on a recruiter as possible to find the information they need in your resume. Clearly identify how you are a good fit for the position and back it up with evidence/relevant experience.

That being said..

Beyond the Elms

Exploring Careers with Scripps Students

Category Archives: Claire

An Unexpected Learning Opportunity

Job Interview Tips

An Intersection of Interests

Time’s Up

Cover Letter Tips