Category Archives: Lauren

Professional Online Presence

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Ever since social media became “a thing” experts and parents alike have been telling us to “watch our online image.” There’s so much information getting put out there on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, WordPress, Instagram, and LinkedIn. But where’s the line between fun and professional? While I wish to explore the “professionality” of all of the social media sites, I think the most important at this point is LinkedIn.

When you start coming into CP&R on a somewhat regular basis, they’ll ask you about your LinkedIn profile. What does it mean to update that? What’s the conduct for connections? That dreaded LinkedIn photo? That’s what I want to explore.

LinkedIn helps to keep track of people you meet after attending networking events. It’s like an online folder for business cards. It can also be used as an informal and casual way to get advice from alumnae or other connections. It can also be used for your friends and colleagues to connect your with their connections for networking and getting internships and jobs. (If you don’t know how important these are, look back at my previous post.)

In my Core II class about gender and economics, we read a study that explored the implications of sending a photo along with your resume. The results explain that you should not submit a photo because women who are making decisions often feel jealous of an attractive woman and men who are making decisions feel that attractive women are less credible. As a result, when CP&R told me to start a LinkedIn I didn’t want to have a photo. Here’s why I finally gave in:

Despite my qualms about sending a photo with a resume that could potentially have employers make implicit judgments one way or the other, I realized that it’s also unprofessional to have a profile without a photograph. Even though they have the same implications for employers and employment, it is appropriate to include a photo on your LinkedIn page (almost inappropriate if you don’t) while I would highly suggest not including a photo with your resume at it seems as though you are trying to get by on your looks. On a more personal note, picking a LinkedIn photo is really important. You need to pick a photo with good lighting, you shouldn’t be making a weird face, you shouldn’t be sweaty and in work out clothes, etc. This may sound fairly obvious, but I can’t even tell you how many photos I’ve seen like this and it makes the rest of your profile seem less credible.

In terms of connections, don’t treat LinkedIn like Facebook and become friends with someone you were friends with at camp or in middle school or had class with last semester. You should only connect with friends who you can talk about in a professional capacity, speak to their character, work ethic. Think about it this way: connect with someone on LinkedIn if you feel comfortable being a reference for them during the job search process.

LinkedIn is an important aspect of your professional image and development and should be taken seriously, more seriously and with more intentionality than the other social media sites.

The Questions. The Future.

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Where are you going to college? What are you majoring in? Where do you want to work? What do you want to do with your life? How’s your thesis? What are your plans for the summer? What are you plans after graduation?

I don’t know about you, but I hear these questions asked almost daily. From professors, parents, family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, etc. There are a lot of things wrong with these questions, besides the fact that they are stressful to answer. They don’t really get at the heart of who I am as a person. My self worth is not based on what job I have or what company I work for, and these questions imply that is.

Not only do I plan to analyze the type of society that asks these questions (of course I will because I go to a liberal arts college), but I will explain the problem of the content of the questions themselves and how they deter for the development process of an individual.

First, the problem with these questions is that they are “fluff” questions. They are asked when you don’t really know someone and you are trying to get to know them. But in our formative high school and college years, these questions are asking you exactly what you do not know. They also imply a specific direction that we are all supposed to go to reach a specific achievement. It implies that we are all going to college, that we will have an internship, that we will have a job and at least a 5-year plan upon graduation (or the semester before). It assumes that this formula works for everyone. When in fact, college isn’t for every one, a plan (especially 4+ years ahead) isn’t for every one and isn’t always possible, an internship isn’t for every one, etc.

Second, the questions themselves are more stressful for the receiver because they assume a level of planning and personal understanding that hasn’t happened yet. College is supposed to be a place to grow, expand horizons, learn about yourself, what you like, what you don’t like, who you are, and where you want to go. But all that doesn’t happen the moment you step on campus; it’s a gradual process starting from then through graduation, and even then, some people still aren’t sure. Because these questions are asked on a somewhat regular basis, I have to keep reminding myself that the first job I get after graduation isn’t where I will end up for the next ten years, and definitely not for the rest of my life.

It’s because of these questions that I didn’t take a gap year before going to college. I wanted to, but I didn’t want the added stress of not following crowd. I didn’t want to be that one girl who didn’t go straight to college after graduation. Looking back, that was a pretty dumb reason for me not to do what I wanted. But in high school, I didn’t want to stand out, I wanted to fit in. In contrast, my three years at Scripps has taught that it’s good to stand out because it makes you a better and stronger person and it makes change happen.

These questions make me so focused on figuring out my future, that I forget to take time for the present. I forget that I actually came to college to find myself and what I want, what I love, what my passions are, and that only one part of that is finding a job you like and having a “successful” career. It’s because of these questions that I have to keep reminding myself that the first job I get after I graduate doesn’t define the rest of my career. But these questions do assume a specific definition of “success” that doesn’t belong to every one.

Scripps is in the process of creating a leadership center. These questions assume a specific kind of leader: a CEO, CFO, captain-of-her-industry, game-changer sort of leader. But there are community leaders, non-profit founders, and other “successful” leaders that may not fall into the preconceived notions (as defined by these questions). We all need to remember that some times.

These questions, while seemingly neutral and inconsequential are actually the opposite. So next time you think about chatting with a propsie, or a senior, think about how loaded these questions are. They get it enough from their parents and family friends, make sure you don’t fall into the perceived structure with an upward trajectory that grounds these questions.

Because, let’s be honest, I put enough pressure on myself to succeed. I don’t need it constantly coming at me from all sides on a regular basis from loved ones and strangers alike.

 

Connections, Connections, Connections

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12 weights were lifted off my shoulders this week.

After a Skype interview last Monday with two different departments of a major online music website, I received an offer the next day! I will be interning with the Client Services department. Not only is it full time in Oakland, but it is paid! A rare commodity in the internship world.

Here’s what interesting/funny about this internship: I never actually applied. You’re probably thinking, What? How can you get an internship without ever applying? That’s what I thought too. Let me explain.

After my mom bugged me to call a family friend, who has been working in PR, marketing, and advertising for almost ten years. She put me in contact with a previous colleague who currently works at this website. After emailing her my resume, she said she would look out for intern opportunities. Two day later, I received an email from the recruiter. “Thank you for your application to the Ad Operations team,” it read. I’m thinking, what? I never applied. She wanted to set up a phone interview. A few days later, they wanted to schedule a Skype interview with me for two different departments. Two days later, I received an offer.

Mostly what I want to share by telling this story, is that in the job world, the intern world, it’s all about connections! Even though, I had talked to current employees (and they either put a good word in for me or passed along my resume) at numerous companies for which I applied for an internship, the way I got my internship this summer was through connections. That being said, not all connections end up in an internship. But for the past two summers, I have gotten an internship through connections.

Yes, they’re awkward. To call up an aunt, uncle, family friend who you’ve never met, a friend’s dad. But they get results. In such a tough job market, (because let’s not kid ourselves, it’s really hard out there) you need all the help you can get to stand out. And that doesn’t mean you aren’t capable and qualified in your own right. It just helps you get your resume in from of the right people and brings it to the top of the stack. Because let’s be honest, how often do employers read all 800+ resumes? Probably not very often, they don’t have time for that.

Don’t be afraid to advocate on your behalf! Because if you don’t advocate for yourself, how can you expect others to do it for you?

The Waiting Game

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It’s Mid-April. Do I know what I’m doing for the summer? No. Was I lazy and just started applying in March? No. I started over winter break (in January!). 3 months later, nothing.

I know that this is what happens when you decide to apply for internships are large corporations and businesses, but I need to know where I should start making housing arrangements, if my internship is paid or not, etc. Do I need a grant to cover those costs? Well, I guess it doesn’t matter…applications were due last week.

Ok, I’m done being sassy. Really, I’m just frustrated that with all my hard work, countless, tireless hours staring at my computer screen reading and rereading my resume, editing and reediting my cover letters, writing and rewriting my essay responses that I still don’t know what my summer holds.

After last summer’s internship with a super small nonprofit, I chose to apply to large companies. That’s the risk you take, I guess. After being so proactive, and applying to over ten internships, I never expected to still be waiting to know where I’ll be at this point in the semester. I can’t tell you in I’ll be in Oakland, Washington, DC, or Los Angeles. For a planner and organizer, like me, it’s just a hard thing to cope with.

Granted, I’ve been lucky to have heard from a number of companies already, and had numerous phone interviews. But after each interaction, it takes at least 2 weeks to hear back. I know I’m not the only student in this situation, but it’s frustrating. Because you’ve spent the time, effort, and investment in them, and now you’re stuck in a holding pattern.

I’ve been told it only takes one offer. You just need one. But how many does it take to get to that one? Should I be applying for more internships in case my leads (that are slimming by the day) run out. (Didn’t get that internship I went to Seattle for last week.) Or should I just hope that one of the three leads I have left will be the one? Only time will tell.

Still waiting. Still playing. Here’s to hoping I don’t lose the game.

The Realities of an On-Site Interview

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Last Friday, I spent all day at a PR firm in Seattle.

The entire day was an interview. I walked in with ten other candidates bright and early, met some staff members and met each other. From 9:30am until 4:30pm, we met with staff, were given group challenges, and had the rounds of interviews. The interviews were odd, two candidates were interviewed at the same time, and we just went back and forth answering the questions. As a result, I got to hear how qualified the other candidates were for the same position.

It was a new interview experience for me. In groups of three or four, we were given a scenario, asked to come up with a PR plan in 20 minutes and then present it to a team of staff members.

We spent lunch networking with staff members, the people that were going to make the decisions about us. After lunch, we got back and had a few more group challenges, this time we were given 5 minutes to determine who the audience was, what media we would use, what the story would be, and how we would pitch it. Again we presented our ideas to staff members.

We were given a final written challenge where we had forty minutes to create an online and offline campaign for a client.

While this entire day was stressful, it was also exciting, fun, and challenging. I spent all day with ten other students my age studying at colleges around the country doing exactly what we love. The energy in the room was exciting. I worked collaboratively with my peers to come up with innovative concepts, putting a spin on a tired product, presenting our ideas in a professional manner. Not only was this the sort of company that I want to work for, but these are the sort of people I want to work with: qualified, motivated, passionate, charismatic, innovative, creative, intelligent students.

We all knew they would only pick two (maybe three of us), yet none of us made it into a competition. We embraced the collaborative environment that was set up for us, used it as a time to network amongst ourselves as well as with staff members.

This experience not only got me excited about working in a PR firm this summer and hopefully after graduation, but I’m excited that these other candidates and students are to be my future colleagues.

That being said, it definitely took its toll on me. I constantly had to be smiling and introducing myself. The balance of advocating for yourself versus letting your fellow candidates speak is hard to find. You want to stand out, but blend in; shine, but not outshine everyone else; answer the question, but also letting someone else answer. It was taxing, yet rewarding nonetheless.