Tag Archives: Informational Interviews

New Kid Starter Guide

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I have been so excited to write this first blog post, and now HERE I AM.  I can hardly believe I have been at Scripps now for almost a month. If you have not read my biography, which is on our website Beyond the Elms(under Meet the Bloggers)I just transferred from NYU (Go bobcats!) So, to say that I am in a different environment is an understatement. Although, I am happy to report: so far, so good

I have only been here a month, so I can’t confidently tell you I know all the “ins and outs”or “do’s and don’ts” of the transfer process yet, but in this blog post, I am going to attempt to tell you what I think the “new kid” on the block should know about coming to Scripps, and (sort of) the 5Cs. I want to share what I wish I had known some of these small facets about the 5Cs before arriving.

Not sure how much this will interest those students already here, but…who knows? It might refresh your memory on all there is to do on our campus. It might even encourage you to be a little bit gentler to that new kid, as they attempt to navigate a whole new world.

      Theri’s Do and Don’t Guide For Scripps Beginners

  1. DO ride a scooter, skateboard, etc. around campus-

I could not stress having wheels on campus enough. During my first week, I walked to and from my classes, between the various colleges, and it was exhausting. I envied those with skateboards whipping by me.  Many of you have cleverly kept all your classes on campus to avoid the walking hassle all together. If only I had thought that far ahead. At this point, you may be asking yourself, “How did this girl survive New York City if she hates walking?” The short answer is: I am still alive but barely breathing.

On the second week, I dragged myself to Target and bought a kid’s scooter for $39.99, and MAN was it the best investment of 2018 (thus far). Instead of taking me approx. 10 minutes to walk to my daily 8am at CMC, it was now taking me 1/2 that time with my new Razor scooter! #Scootergang Although, let it be known, I know how dorky riding a kid’s scooter may sound to you, so if you know how to ride a skateboard, do that, because #Tbh skater girls are the coolest #Sorrynotsorry Bikers are cool too.

 

 

 

 

 

2. DON’T go home on the weekends if you are a local

If you are tempted to go home on weekends, like I am because I live in LA, consider not going.  Especially if home is nearby i.e., Pomona, Claremont, Anaheim, Los Angeles, etc., it can be tempting to want to go home. I came home the first couple weeks of the school year because it felt comfortable to be at home, but I realized that I was feeling some major #FOMO as I watched snap, instagram stories, etc. of various friends getting together. The next week, I nearly missed a SCORE community event on campus because the traffic from LA to Scripps was so nightmarish. There is plenty going on around campus and so many new people to meet. On a side note, I think all the beautiful Scripps study spots make doing homework actually enjoyable. Take care of yourself, but my advice is to push your comfort zone and create some new roots here.

     3. DO utilize all of Scripps facilities and resources

OK, maybe it’s over stressed, but the facilities and resources on campus are truly extraordinary. Whether you are done with studying or just need a break, I highly recommend our pool at the Sallie Tiernan Field House. I mean our field house is essentially a hotel spa, with all the accommodations you could ever fathom: yoga classes, zumba, running, walking, spinning classes, and so much more. You also have your Motley coffeehouse for your daily bagel and caffeine fix. Read the Scripps Voice since its the official Scripps newspaper on campus, and happens to be a club I just joined (so you should come, so we can become friends) If you’re thinking AT ALL about going abroad, I suggest just dropping by  Office of Study Abroad to see if you can make a meeting with one of the advisors to talk about your questions and concerns. Stay up to date on SCORE events which you can find in your emails from SAS; Finally, check in with your one of the career counselors at CP&R once in a while…

      4. DO visit CP&R

Regardless of where you are in the career journey, Career Planning & Resources is here to help. Feeling overwhelmed by different passions and just want someone to pick one for you? CP&R can help you sort things out. Whether you’re are a freshman or sophomore and still have loads of time to think about your major, study abroad, or whether or not you want to apply for a fellowship, or if you are an upperclassmen, and need help planning your next steps for internships or job opportunities – Seriously, make an appointment with CP&R as early as possible in the term to see what steps you need to take, and how to stay on track – there is no limit to the number of appointments you can have, and you can also utilize their drop in hours Monday – Friday 10am – 5pm if you have quick questions. Take a deep breath, try your best try to stay organized throughout the semester, get to know your resources, and connect with the staff on campus here to support you. Yay for small liberal art schools and a rigorous amount of individualized attention!

5. DO hang in there… Fall break is right around the corner!

   Well, that’s all for now folks. Today has been a beautiful day to save lives.

 

 

 

 

 

Xx,

Theri

Networking Hacks: CP&R Resume Book

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This week, I thought I would take a little time to highlight one of CP&R’s resources that I have found helpful in the never-ending search for internships.  As I have said before, I think networking is valuable no matter what field you are going into.  Not only do personal connections give you a leg up in the application process, but you have the chance to make real, meaningful connections with professionals in your field.  It’s hard to put yourself out there to “network”, in whatever form that may take, but I have found that people are inherently kind and genuinely want to help.  Without further ado, here is one of my favorite weapons in my (not so secret) networking arsenal!

The CP&R Resume Book

Every year, Scripps Career Planning & Resources invites members of the current graduating class (and alumnae 1 year out) to submit their resume for an online resource called the Resume Book. It serves multiple purposes:

First, it is a publicly available document that allows recruiters to see the accomplishments of the graduating class and contact them about job opportunities.

Second, for first years, sophomores and juniors who may be stressed out looking for jobs/internships, it provides some wonderful ideas of internships that our amazing seniors have landed, formatting examples and a way to build a list of companies you might be interested in.

The Resume Book is organized by career interests, so all you need to do is look up professions you’re interested in and BOOM! you can see where past Scrippsies interned, what their activities they were involved in on campus, and get good examples of what a resume in your field might look like.  While I’m not saying that you need to follow someone’s exact career trajectory, it gives you a good idea of how their budding careers have evolved from student activities to professional experience.

When we think of networking, we usually think of contacting real, professional adults.  But your peers are also a invaluable resource.  For example, last year I was panicking about internships and began digging through the resume book.  I found, and reached out to, a then current senior who had interned at companies I was interested in.  When I emailed her, she warmly agreed to meet me at the Motley, we had a delightful conversation, and she then connected me to a company she had interned with.  Through a personal introduction, and subsequent calls with employees at the company, I landed an internship!  Because I have had such success with and find the resume book a valuable resource, I thought I would share this insider tip.

Beginings, Endings, and Reflections

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Hello Everyone! Welcome back for another term! Or if you are out of school, welcome to another day in the life. While it is that time of year where we excitedly look forward to what the future has in store, read for new adventures to begin, it is also a time to remember and reflect on the recent past.  Most notably the summer that came to a screeching halt with the introduction of new classes.  I think oftentimes as students we do not take the time to reflect on our summers because of excitement about what lies ahead.  But it is important to remember and digest our experiences because of the diamonds of knowledge we can glean when we reflect.  We are able to see the bigger picture now that the canvas is full of paint.  Because I had an incredibly jam packed summer where I was working on preparing for a career after college, I will spend the majority of my blog posts this summer reflecting on the experience as well as my thoughts on what lies ahead.  To start with, let me outline my experiences and how I got my internships.

Yes, I did get the grammar right.  I indeed had two internships this summer, both in the entertainment business at two small Film and TV development/production companies.  What scares people so much about the entertainment business is the idea that you need to know people to succeed.  And while it is true that connections are VERY important (as I found out) it wasn’t nearly as hard as I would have thought to start building them.  You just have to put yourself out there.  It helps that Scripps is in the LA area so there are quite a few alums working in the business but I bet that students of basically any college have gone onto working in entertainment.  And you never know, you family may know someone who knows someone and you can make connections that way.  But I found that once I started voicing my interest to people, they were more than happy to connect me on to people in the business.  After tons of informational interviews, mostly with Scripps alums, I managed to secure my internships.  First at Endgame Entertainment.  Last fall I connected with a senior who had done several entertainment internships.  I asked her to coffee at the Motley to hear about her experiences and she connected me to a Scripps alum there.  I spoke with that Scripps alum who encouraged me to apply to their intern program (they had taken Claremont people before).  From there I went through the regular application process, bolstered by that connection, and got the internship.  My second internship at Oddlot Entertainment, I got more directly through participation in CP&R events.  I went on the Media Networking Trek in Fall of 2016 and we visited the Oddlot office.  I stayed in contact with the Scripps Alum who actually runs their intern program.  I was eventually able to apply from there and got the internship.  I had a really fantastic time at both and I can’t wait to share more about my experience over the summer.  Hopefully sharing my experiences in entertainment can dispel some of the myths and mysteries about it as well as help anyone who thinks a career in storytelling might be for them.  Happy Fall!

Networking, (Informational) Interviews, and Building Professional Confidence

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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!

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

Tales from the Trenches: Interview Stories

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It’s that time of the week again: story time with Emily! This week I want to share a couple of tales of the infamous interview processes that plague young adults today. Let’s just start this off by saying that I actually really enjoy interviews. I like meeting new people, I would like to believe that I’m fairly in tune with my workplace habits, and I can think pretty quickly on the fly. But just because I like interviewing, does not mean that I’ve consistently had an easy go of it. The following are a few of my favorite interview moments. I learned a lot from them, and I hope that you can too!

The Interview that Never Was
One of my first jobs was at a creative center that I had no previous experience working in. I was interviewing for an administrative position, but at the last minute, the job changed. I received an email saying that the position that I was originally applying for had been filled, but I was welcome to come in and “have a chat” about a secondary opening that they had. I needed a job, and wasn’t going to be picky, so I proceeded to schedule a time to “have a chat” with the director of the center. I arrived early at the office in interview attire, ready to sell myself and my work ethic, only to discover that the director had already offered me the job and wanted to meet to set up my schedule. I was relieved and excited, but the experience taught me to always clarify what meetings are for and what is expected of you. I could have saved myself a whole lot of time, energy, and worry but just sending a simple email.

When Personalities Collide
This experience is fairly unavoidable unless you can be friends with everyone, but it is still absolutely worth talking about. I was applying for a position in a gym, and I had experience up the wazoo. I’d worked in my dance studio, assisted in fitness classes, been a dancer and a runner for years, and had a personal interest in wellness, just to name a few of my talking points. However, I knew almost immediately that I wouldn’t be getting the job. The interviewer and I had very different personality types, and she seemed thoroughly unimpressed with every answer that I provided. I kept smiling throughout the interview, but I never received a phone call regarding the job, even after I followed up. Interview and application experiences such as these are (unfortunately) not few and far between. In this situation, I still encourage you to be yourself. If nothing else, a bad interview is just good practice for the next one!

Family Business 
My first job was the summer after high school. I was working as a camp counselor, and the camp was held in the park that I’d grown up playing sports in. My dad was then the head of the youth soccer organization and knew a lot of the people that I worked with. This didn’t even up effecting my work environment that much, but it makes things considerably strange during the interview for this job. On a couple of questions, the interviewers made comments about the nice things my dad had mentioned about me, how great my dad was, and how if I was anything like him, they knew that I would be a great addition to the team. This whole thing made me feel pretty weird, and I was honestly quite disappointed. I’d applied for the job all on my own, and it was really disheartening to feel like my merits and achievements were being looked over. Now, of course, I understand the importance of networking and using your contacts, but it’s equally as important to make sure that your work is being appreciated for you, not for your relationship with another person.

Those are just a few vignettes from my job experiences. Interviews are crucial learning opportunities, and I hope that these have provided some insight into the odd things that can happen during a job search. Do you have any funny interview stories? I’d love to hear them, so please share in the comments below!!