Category Archives: Francesca

Finding the Right Fit

Posted on by
Reply

Part of the job search should consider workplace culture fit, including but also beyond what type of impression you get from the website and marketing materials. Answers to questions like “Would I wake up everyday looking forward to work?” or “How much room is there for growth over time?” are important but are not always at the forefront during the search and are usually the first things we forget to consider before taking an offer, because well, you know, employment.

I am very fortunate to have great work-life balance and really approachable, down-to earth coworkers, things I definitely got the positive sense for during the job process but fully realized and experienced after coming on board (There’s also a decent gym in the building and a trail around a lake in the neighboring residential area that I frequent often!). The job search is about employment, but it’s also about fit. You’re trying to find a good fit, and so is the company. It’s as much about your skills, work ethic, and experiences as it is your personality and demeanor. And if you’re ever in the situation where you want to make a change to a different path, more experience will help open up more opportunities.

In my search, because I thought about workplace culture fit, I ended up applying to a lot of different types of companies from performing art nonprofits, performance venues, privacy technology firms, research think tanks, and consulting firms. I used LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and the company website to get a surface level view on the company, and then tried to seek out people who worked there for informational interviews (there are a lot of no’s and unanswered queries throughout this part, and it is much easier for me to write about now because I have a job, but I’ve been there before and there’s no guarantee I won’t be at some point in the future).

Like any review site, Glassdoor testimonials should be taken with a grain of salt, but I do believe the average ratings speak for something. It is still filtered, but nonetheless a good resource to see what people are commenting on; the recruiting and interview process, on-boarding, and long-term employee satisfaction. I’ve found that people are most compelled to write reviews for really great experiences or really bad ones. So again, judge the material to your discretion. That’s why informational interviews with people who work at the company (who aren’t in HR or recruiting) are also very valuable. Regardless if you knew the individual for elsewhere or have connected with them for an informational interview, you’ll hear different insights, experiences, and perspectives. 

Finding a job and defining a working living is a hard process, to say the least, but we all ultimately want to be in a place that gives us a sense of purpose and drive, whatever that may look like. The path to that will be nonlinear, and may not start with your first job, but each opportunity can be a stepping stone to what you really want. It’s equally important to know what you want and what you don’t want. Don’t sell yourself short and decide when compromising may be more detrimental to your own goals. We deserve to be happy in our jobs!

—

Next week I will be writing about finding balance between work, creativity, and life!

P.S. Here is a little work-place video to brighten up your day (yes, I have been re-watching The Office again).

Networking, (Informational) Interviews, and Building Professional Confidence

Posted on by
Reply

I don’t know anyone here and of course the only person I recognize and would talk to right away so I don’t look like a fish out of water knows a lot of people and is really good at this small talk thing. I can’t hang around them the whole time. What do I do with my hands? This glass is is making my hands clammy — oh I have to hold it in my left hand because if I hold it in my right hand it’ll make my right hand cold and if I shake anyone else’s hand I’ll be that girl with the literally cold handshake. Ok… Just stay cool, Franny, you got this.

Oh yes, I’ve been there, the internal monologue associated with networking and talking to strangers in a professional capacity. Between caring about your first impression, talking about yourself with confidence and not arrogance, stating admiration for a company, person, or job without seeming desperate, and all the while taming nerves — I definitely envy people who are naturally as cool as a cucumber when it comes to these type of interactions. I’ve gotten better at them by preparing beforehand and also realizing that 98% of people are not judging me as much as I might think they are (I also had no job when I really revved up my networking and informational interviews, so that flamed up and burned the negative, slimy feelings I had about it out of necessity!). Whether it’s an informational interview, job interview, or networking during an event, here are some tips in preparing to help you stay quick on your toes and put your best-self forward!

1) Do your research. Be prepared to ask meaningful questions, but also be prepared to talk about your experiences and future goals.

Depending on the situation, the amount of research will vary and how you will talk about yourself will differ. If you’re at an event where there are people you do want to connect with, focus on those individuals and not the whole room (especially if you’re more introverted like me). If you don’t know anyone at the event, or know about who is sponsoring it/how it’s sponsored, try to go with a friend or talk to some of the organizers about the group.

While the research about a company, person, and position are very important and should not be skipped, there is equal importance in preparing to talk about yourself. Job interviewers and employers are trying to get to know you, professionally and personally! In an informational interview I had 2 years ago, I was caught off-guard when the interviewee asked me a lot of professional development questions about myself, to which I responded with awkward silences and “oh…um… well.” It was a really staggering moment for myself and that’s when I more deliberately started thinking about executing my passions, efforts, and goals.

2) Show your personality by finding a personal connection.

It is definitely easier to do this if the other person mentions a similar hobby or activity first. But after your research, you’ll have more material than you think. Even if you don’t find anything explicit (No way, you like learning random facts about state license plates, too?!), take note of the circumstance. For instance, asking “What brings you here today?” would work at a networking event and “How do you feel your previous roles have brought you to your current one” would be better for an informational or job interview. I’ve left interviews feeling they didn’t go as well as they could have, not only because I knew my nerves got the better of me, but also because I felt like I didn’t get to show them my personality. When preparing for an informational or job interview, think of a few things that you want the person to know about you before the conversation ends. This tip helps naturally integrating all of your awesome accomplishments into the conversation and is a great starting point for appropriately mentioning other hobbies.When your non-work related hobbies and activities outside do not come up, just remember you can set the tone! The way we hold ourselves says a lot about our personalities, it’s just a matter of being comfortable with yourself and that beaming into confidence.

3) Always say thank you, “pay it forward” when you can, and follow up.

For informational and job interviews, I always make sure to express thank you at 3 different times: once at the beginning of the conversation, at the end, and in an email the next day. After networking events, seminars, or meeting a fellow employee (who works at a different location), I always make sure to send a quick email to whoever I met and had a substantial connection with (don’t forget connecting on LinkedIn, too!) Writing thank you notes, have always been something I enjoy. But in the age of technology and quick turnaround times, stick to email and save your hand written stationery for special occasions.

Even at the beginning of your career, recognize opportunities in which you can give back– whether its getting involved with your company’s internship program, returning back to your college to recruit, hosting current students or recent graduates at your company (much like many of CP&R’s treks), being an alumni interviewer, or sharing job posts with friends and peers who have talked about going into something like that opportunity. I would not have been able to learn as much from Scripps alumnae and other connections if it had not been for sharing their very valuable time and resources!

Finally, follow up. After you’ve gotten your next big gig, tell the people who helped you on that journey! A quick email updating them and thanking them for the advice and information they gave you is great. Following up isn’t exclusive to professional contacts, remember to call up your family, friends, email professors, and the staff at CP&R where you are now!

—

Next week, I will be writing about finding workplace culture fit and personal working styles. See you then, Readers!

What I wish I would have known when I graduated

Posted on by
Reply

Hello, from DC! My name is Francesca Jimenez, Scripps class of 2016. This summer, I will be guesting blogging for Beyond the Elms, something I enjoyed doing in my senior year. Since the year I’ve graduated, I’ve done a lot: moved across the country, transitioned from a part-time job to an internship to one full-time career building role, negotiated a salary, bought a car, and gone from receiving zero job offers senior year to having recruiters regularly reach out to me via LinkedIn. In the year since I’ve graduated, there has also been a lot I wish I knew or heard from others. A year ago, I would have had a difficult time imagining all of this and journey to it. I will always be on a journey, but I have just come across the wide bridge that I saw at graduation — what life after college and becoming an adult means — and have done what I needed to do to truly feel determined and empowered about that journey. This summer, I’m here to tell you about all that’s happened and all that I wish I knew. I’m also here to tell you that what you want and sent your mind to, is possible — not without lows and hurdles, but at a certain point, I hope you’ll be able to reflect and see the wide bridge you’ve come across.

A year ago, I stood at this metaphorical bridge, it was shrouded in fog. I spent my last semester trying to prepare myself mentally for the move, planning out things I would do, but also partly expecting things to sort of “click” into place. Expecting things to click was a mistake. I will say, I am not great at dealing with change and transitional periods of life. I am not great at going all out with my life decisions and taking charge right away. I did have a plan, but the plan went wrong — I did things wrong. I was viewing this point of my life in a dragged out type of way. I felt like I should be having more arrival points or markers for what I should or should not be doing, instead of seeing it as a journey. That was one part of the problem.

I do not recommend moving across the country without a job. Usually people relocate and move because of jobs, I can see why. Even just typing that out, I can’t believe I did that. It was not comfortable.

I wish I could have known beforehand how lonely it felt at times.

I had a lot of solitary time. Aside from the part-time work, job applications, and networking, I felt aimless, like there there was no one around me who knew what I was going through. My friends had moved back to their hometowns, had opportunities lined up for themselves, and or were still in the same areas and hanging out. I felt uninspired and disconnected from everything that I enjoyed and made me, me. I lost interest in playing my viola for a bit because I hadn’t yet found or joined a group to make music with. I didn’t work out because I hated getting catcalled while running outside and a gym membership would have made me broke. I didn’t leave my apartment much because getting around would mean spending money that I couldn’t be frivolous with. My significant other had started their job on the Hill that had been lined up for 4 months and wasn’t going through what I was. I was ashamed to tell my parents what I was feeling because they would tell me to come back, and I would feel like a failure.

I wish I had told myself that I can do it.

I didn’t tell myself this enough. I had a lot of self-doubt. After all the celebrations after graduation, and the closure I thought it would bring, the same anxieties and issues I thought I had worked through fully, followed me. They compounded from an unfruitful 9-month job search, a strained social life, and a physically far and disperse support system. I had to take control of my life and I had to hustle.

To find a job, I connected with anyone I could, Scripps alumnae at all different career levels and years out of higher education, colleagues of family members, and cold calls and emails to contact information I found via LinkedIn or Google searches. To meet people my own age, I reached out to old acquaintances and made the point to my significant other I wanted to meet their friends. To find music opportunities, I found online groups via meetup.com and marked the next open rehearsals and auditions in my calendar. To get some exercise I did body-weight exercises in my tiny apartment with nothing but a chair and filled orange juice containers as weights. 

I was not always consistent, in doing these things. I’d slip, I’d get back up, and repeat it all again. The point is that I started, each choice made a positive impact on shaping my career path and how I wanted to live my daily life, and eventually they led to more opportunities and a stronger version of myself.

I wish I could have known sooner how to be the best version of myself for myself.

This will always be part of the journey. I was lost a year ago, few things held together the semblance of this fake feeling, across country, east-coast life I had put myself in. In reality, it was all on me, to do the best things, for me, to not cheat myself of opportunities and putting myself out there. The little glimmer of self-confidence that was there, shone through, at least a little bit everyday in the small steps I took to take control of my life. Three weeks after graduation, I had an informational interview that led to my first full-time role after graduation, an internship as an executive administrative assistant.

—

Next week, I’ll be writing about networking and informational interviews, specifically when I was doing them post-college without full-time employment, and how those are different. 

Till then, soak up the sun (& wear sunscreen), readers!

Being Your Own Cheerleader

Posted on by
Reply

“Cool means being able to hang with yourself. All you have to ask yourself is ‘Is there anybody I`m afraid of? Is there anybody who if I walked into a room and saw, I’d get nervous?’ If not, then you’re cool.” — Prince

With nearly less than three weeks before graduation, it has become more surreal that I will soon be leaving Scripps. After finishing my senior recital last weekend, I had a moment of static happiness and joy for something that I had put so much time and effort into. What my audience may not have known about was the callouses on my left fingers, the self-doubt of walking on staging and crashing despite the 2-5 hours I spent practicing daily, the inner reflections that emerged out of isolation in a practice room. But through this preparation, reframing the self-undermining uncertainty into positive self-talk, I have been able to become more comfortable with myself and confident in working on areas of personal growth.

Senior year has taught me a very important lesson in being my own cheerleader, striving to relentlessly love myself through hard times and celebrate myself after completing amazing (big or small) feats. My support network has been nothing but compassionate, caring, and always there when I called upon them. At the end of the day, all the advice, guidance, mentoring, suggestions, and affirmations that I was told by others, could only do so much. All these words, while important and I am immensely blessed for, would only push me to take initiative if I believed them fully and truly, telling them to myself as well. I have always been a huge self-critic. This semester, my inner cheerleader has really had its challenges, through numerous job rejections, unanswered phone calls and emails, feeling isolated from people I love the most simply because we are not in the same situations.

As I prepare to move across the country, I have been reflecting about this transitional period, this crossroads of my life. I am lucky to have arranged an apartment, two temporary and part-time jobs, and a support system in DC. But this has all been an immensely circuitous process, for many reasons out of my control, despite having done all I could do in the proper moment and time. Never have I ever felt so much hard work without any payback or relief of it all “being worth it.” One of the most difficult things has been to talk to my inner critic by also being my biggest cheerleader, especially when I needed to withhold my feelings inside myself for fear of them not being received fully by another person. To anyone who is in limbo about a summer internship, post-graduate opportunity, or simply feeling the flux and vitality of a changing environment during this busy time; You are not alone, your thoughts and feelings are valid, and you are strong.

Congratulations, seniors, on turning in thesis and rounding the final lap of our college careers. The future isn’t just bright, it’s blinding, and I hope whatever the next steps are, you are wildly excited, celebrating yourself, and being your own cheerleader.

 

Staying Grounded

Posted on by
Reply

Happy April, everyone! Summer is definitely upon us, but the sheer volume of things that are going to have to get done and happen between now and them is quite a lot. Seniors, I’m rooting for all of you in finishing up thesis and for figuring out what’s next (speaking of thesis, my senior recital is coming up on April 24!). With the last few weeks of my Scripps career, there’s been a whirlwind of conflicting feelings. I am mentally ready for the next step, but logistically, the next step is still out there for me (in other news, I am officially moving to the east coast!).

Here are a few things that have kept me grounded and in the present as I simultaneously manage school while also preparing for the next step.

Explore!

Being in my final month at Scripps doesn’t mean I’ve seen it all. In fact, it makes me realize how much there is that I haven’t been a part of and just how awesome this place is to have so many opportunities and resources readily available. If you don’t know what you want to do, or have a general idea, keep exploring those interests and areas! The amount of classes, clubs, organizations, and resources at the 5C’s are staggering, but that also means there are so many opportunities to find something you’re passionate about. I found that a great way to gain insight into a field, major, particular program, etc., is to reach out to individuals who did or are doing what you are interested in. Since applying for jobs, I’ve become much more comfortable with networking, requesting informational interviews, and exploring multiple different roles, that I most likely wouldn’t have know if it weren’t for exploring.

Always write for an audience!

Treat all of your writing assignments and projects as if they could be used as a writing sample on a job application. Even if the role isn’t explicitly in journalism or editorial work, the organization might call for it! For instance, I applied to a Program Coordinator role and was contacted directly by HR asking for a writing sample. Luckily, my thesis was relevant to the field of the organization. I was able to make a few, quick layout revisions and send it out to HR. Your cover letter and resume are probably the first interactions a company has with your writing. Sometimes the abstraction of “Dear Hiring Manager” is isolating, but remembering that it’s a human on the other end can make the letter more personal and genuine.

Check in!

Check in with those around you, friends, family, professor or other mentors who you have been working with. I know with a busy schedule, I’ve gone days without seeing my own suite mates. It’s important to reconnect with friends, over a meal, a visit to their room, or as a break from homework or studying. Making time for my friends has helped in remembering many others are in a shared experience and that I have an understanding support group. The same goes for family. For me, my parents live 20 minutes away and I have been deliberately making the time to see them before I graduate and move across the country. Your professors also want to know how you are doing! I am thankful for my professors who have asked me how I am doing (REALLY doing) and who express concern if I do not seem like myself.

Regardless if you’re a senior or finishing up your first-year at Scripps, there’s always something more at the end of the semester, after all the studying, homework,late nights, remember what you’re doing it for.