Tag Archives: linkedin

Call Me, Alumnae

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As you may or may not know, I’m a Scripps College Phonathon manager–yes, I am Sam‘s boss. I call alumnae for six hours every week, manage a shift of other people for three and a half hours and meet with the management team for one hour. Basically, a lot of my week involves the Scripps college alumnae and parent networks and I absolutely love it! I really value my interactions with Scripps alumnae and love the Phonathon team.

Me when people don't pick up. I get at least 100 dials pretty much every shift...nbd

Me when people don’t pick up. I get at least 100 dials pretty much every shift…nbd

While Phonathon has been a part of my Scripps experience since the very beginning of my first year, I had never called an alumna outside of Phonathon before today. So I want to talk about how we as Scripps students can benefit from our alumnae network now–while looking for jobs and experiences as well as way before. I’ve emailed alumnae because of Phonathon connections and had coffee with an alumna, but today’s call was entirely my own doing.

I was looking for Scripps alumnae who are lawyers working in Chicago on Life Connections and found a couple alumnae to contact. However, it wasn’t that simple. Life Connections is a fantastic resource, but it can be out of date if the alumna gets a new job and doesn’t update her profile. The alumna I was looking to talk to about law hadn’t updated her profile, which I figured out when the email I attempted to send her could not be sent. This, however, is not the point to give up at! I then searched for her name in the Scripps College Alumnae Association group on LinkedIn and sent her a message through the group. As I expected, she was more than willing to speak with me and we arranged a time.

It was really helpful to speak with an alumna about her experience in law and to hear some of her advice. While I only received one perspective, I am currently reaching out to more alumnae and hope to learn more about what careers in the law are like from them. My conversation with the wonderful alumna was great and she was happy to speak with me. I highly recommend reaching out to alumnae, so I made a list (of course) of tips:

1. Use both Life Connections and LinkedIn to find alumnae to contact–perhaps both! Searching for these alumnae in these systems can be tricky, so try popping by CP&R for some assistance with how to find the alumnae you’d like to contact.

2. Remember that the alumnae who are on the Life Connections database as well as the LinkedIn group (to a lesser extent possibly) are looking to make connections within the Scripps community. You have an in with them–use it!

3. Don’t be overly aggressive or expect a job offer (right away). This is not to say that networking this way cannot yield job offers, but to say that you might want to first ask for advice instead of an internship. Build that rapport and relationship–learn a bit from them–and then see if you feel like it’s a good call to ask about opportunities. (See what I did there?)

4. Have a list of questions ready. It’s so important to be engaging and present over the phone, but you want to keep them talking and learn about their careers, right? So keep those open ended questions coming!

5. Remember to thank them! That follow-up email counts and even thanking the alumna for her time over the phone is important. Keeping in mind that they’re taking time out of their day to speak with you and help you is essential!

Remember to also watch out for ruff connections ;)

Remember to also watch out for ruff connections 😉

This is what I’ve been learning about networking with alumnae on Life Connections and LinkedIn and I hope that you all can use these resources to build connections and learn about potential paths too! Good luck 🙂

Unplugged

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Social media is pretty much my life. I have a really hard time being away from Facebook for too long. I often prefer YouTube to Netflix, and I probably use Snapchat to check in on friends about as often as I use messenger or texting. I also have a pretty smokin’ Pinterest—my fashion board alone has close to 500 pins.

Pinterest

I do not kid around with Pinterest.

I’m also a very political person, and I love using social media to keep up with folks doing the political work I’m interested in. I take Twitter very seriously, and I do my best to post interesting (and intelligent-sounding) tweets and articles. Even more than Facebook and Pinterest keep me in touch with my friends and beautiful shoes, Twitter keeps me in touch with the world. I love having a public profile and getting to engage with all kinds of folks in a public forum.

So when I found out this summer that I need to be cautious about what I post and say online because whatever I do might be used against my lawmaker, I was a little crushed. I need to be particularly careful about posting things that contradict my lawmaker on social media, which makes sense. But I also know the most about certain political situations in LA county, and I worry sometimes that I might post something related to LA that might get construed to reflect badly on the Senator.

Ok, Em, you say, just give up social media for the summer. Or at least make your handles more private.

That made sense initially. Sure, I can scroll but just refrain from posting, right? Or restrict my followers to close family and friends.

But then I realized that it wasn’t so simple as that.

You see, I use my social media handles to market myself. I am all about LinkedIn. My profile errs on the side of too much information. My Twitter adds extra dimension to the image people have of me after searching my name quickly. In fact, my office’s previous intern told me that part of the reason they hired me was because they found my LinkedIn, and were glad that they could know more about me than just what was on my resume.

That, to me, makes it all worth it. But maybe it isn’t really my decision. I’m not the one who comes up for election in a year or two. And I’m also not the one who makes the rules in the office regarding intern behavior (or anyone’s behavior, really) online.

At any rate, here are my thoughts so far on how to use social media when you’re working for a high-profile person who may be harmed by what you post:

1. Assume anyone you’re working for could be hurt by what you post. Always.

2. It’s easy to stick to news items to tweet. Find someone who’s not a regular headline news source and retweet them. I like to find White House press reporters on Twitter and retweet the quotes they get from media briefings with the President and other officials. It’s an easy way to post something with a little more substance than CNN’s main profile. News = no opinions (just make sure the news doesn’t make your employer look bad) AND White House press team = ooh look how savvy you are.

Danny Concannon

Reason 2.5 to follow a White House reporter on Twitter.

3. Use your presence to hype up what your employer’s doing. This earns you brownie points with your employer and also might tell future employers that you’re loyal and enjoy the type of work you’re doing.

Still, do these benefits and good ideas outweigh the problems inherent to a public forum system?

So what do you think? Is social media too dangerous to do any good? Or is the leap of faith worthwhile and exciting? Let me know your thoughts on this! I could use a little advice.

Sharks, Embarrassing Moments, and Networking…

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Networking is the most terrifying thing ever. (And I scuba dive 100 feet below sea level with sharks, which aren’t even the most dangerous part of that scenario. Needless to say, I know scary.) It is also awkward. (I’m also an expert in awkward. I fell on my face, for no apparent reason, on to concrete in front of the library the other day in front of at least 40 people. I wish that was the first time that happened. Again, trust me. I know awkward.) There have been quite a few times in my life when I have blatantly refused to do it. However, we’re more than halfway through March, and I still don’t have a job for the summer. So, I’m wishing I started this networking thing a little sooner.

Since I started to connect with friends and family to ask them about job opportunities, I’ve had two interviews. I would NEVER have had those interviews if it weren’t for networking. In fact, I’m not sure I would have gotten my internship at the St. Louis Zoo if it weren’t for networking. (And I was VERY reluctant to do it when I was applying two years ago.)

Now I’m older and wiser, and I’m lucky enough to have other older and wiser friends who want to help me find opportunities. As I said, it’s now March and I still don’t have an internship for the summer, so I’m very willing to accept, and even ask for, help now.

I’m starting to see the benefits too, even more than the getting-my-foot-in-the-door perk. I’ve been denied from four jobs so far because I “don’t have enough experience.” WELL OF COURSE I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE, I’M 21 AND I ONLY DECIDED I WANTED TO WORK IN THIS FIELD LAST AUGUST. This internship is supposed to be my opportunity to start getting experience! People say that, in college, you should explore all your interests and not pin yourself down immediately. Subsequently, you’re punished for doing so because you don’t have the requisite experience for any careers you finally decide to pursue…

The point of this rant is that networking has helped me sidestep that particular obstacle. Because of this connection, I’m no longer just a resume that lists everything from “Admissions Ambassador” to “Zookeeper.” Through networking, I become a person. Someone can vouch for my work ethic, my people skills, and my OCD-like organization. Then I get the interview and I can explain how being a Peer mentor, an Advocate, and a member of leadership for a dance company led me to where I am today. I can connect the dots for them and explain how, because of these experiences, I can contribute to their company. Without someone to point me out and say, “Hey, let’s give her a chance!” I’m just a list of mismatched experiences on a piece of paper.

So, as we get closer to May, I’m talking to anyone and everyone. I’m constantly making new connections on LinkedIn. I’m looking for a Scrippsie or 5C grad in every company I apply to, hoping at some point, someone will notice me and help give me a chance. I know if someone does decide to stick their neck out for me to help me land a position, I won’t let them down. I will work hard and do any menial intern tasks happily, because I know how much it took for me to get this opportunity, and I’m not going to let it go to waste. In the end, the awkward and terrifying conversations will be worth it. I’ll keep trying this networking-thing, and hopefully it will be less scary and uncomfortable if it means I get a job. Until then, I’ll keep diving with sharks and falling in front of strangers though, just to keep things in perspective.

Must… Get… Job…

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This week will forever be referred to as The Week of Application Domination. After a few sad months of getting my hopes up as I applied for one job at a time, I decided to go for it and apply for all of them at once. Because, it’s March. Then it’s April. Then it’s May. And I’m starting to get terrified that I won’t have a job by the time Scripps asks me to move out. However, Application Domination came with a few interesting consequences. I’ve included a checklist to help you know if you’re life is being consumed by your job search. I’d love to provide suggestions for how to escape this domination, but I’m pretty sure the only escape is getting the job. So if this list describes you, congrats! And my fingers are crossed for you, because that’s the only thing left to do…

  • You have at least 5 different versions of your resume: I have HR operations, HR recruiting, Communications, Business, Business and Communications, Blogging, Social Media Expert… But really, they all look the same. (Though I’m convinced that one sentence change makes all the difference.)
  • Your desk is covered with company brochures and business cards.

    This isn't overwhelming...

    This isn’t overwhelming…

  • You try to apply for the same job for the second time because you forgot that you already applied for it. (Yes. This really happened.)
  • You already know what jobs you’ll apply for during senior year because you’ve come across them as you desperately search for something you can do THIS summer.
  • You could write a networking-email in your sleep.
  • You spend what little downtime you have searching through your favorite companies’ career page to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
  • The rest of your downtime is filled with the most mindless of activities:
    • You’ve taken every Buzzfeed Quiz. Even the weird ones.
    • There’s nothing on your Facebook newsfeed that you haven’t already seen.
    • For that matter, there’s nothing on your LinkedIn newsfeed or Tumblr dashboard that you haven’t already seen.
  • You daydream about getting the call or email saying you got the job.
  • You only want to talk about jobs and the companies/internships/ideas you’re in love with.
  • Your friends are forced to take drastic measures to attempt to get you to talk about something else… “Did I tell you about the new technology they created to make the process more efficient?” – Me. “Yeah, it is surprisingly warm out today…” – Everyone who is sick of hearing me rant about the companies I love.
  • You’re able to recommend jobs for other people because you’ve come across so many during your search: “Oh, you want to be a project manager?! Have you tried A, B, or C? I know D and F have internship openings as project managers!”
  • You know how to find any program director, recruiter, CEO, etc. by using a combination of LinkedIn and Google.
  • You jump every time you get an email. “WHAT IF IT’S AN ACCEPTANCE?!”
  • You feel kind of lost once you’ve applied to everything on your list because you’re not sure what to do when there are no applications to send. Because now you’re supposed to just… wait?!?!?!
  • You search again. You try new sites. You refresh ClaremontConnect. You continue this until you find another job, then you choose 1 of the 5 resumes, and start again.

 

I’d continue to make the list, but I’m going to scroll through ClaremontConnect again. New jobs could’ve been added since I checked this morning. Here’s hoping one of those emails is an acceptance so this madness can end soon!

Grown-up? There’s an app for that…

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I’m incredibly lucky to have my parents. I never had to read a map, because they are really good at directions so I could always call them to ask how to get to places. My mom keeps track of ALL THE PLANS when we travel. My dad knows way too much about stocks and investments for someone who doesn’t work in business. However, I’m pretending to be a grown-up (not “adult,” because it sounds scary) now, so I’m trying to learn these skills. But I’ve realized that my parents make it look way easier than it actually is.

But it’s ok, because I discovered that, there’s an app for that. (Actually, there are several… And they are hyperlinked below to help you find them!) With the help of these apps, I’ve found that I can pretend to be half as competent as my parents. (Unless my phone breaks, then I’ve got nothing, because then I can’t even call them!)

1) Mint keeps track of all my money things. I have it synced with my bank accounts, investment accounts, and credit cards. I can set budgets and keep track of my income. Plus, it sends me a weekly financial summary as well as articles relevant to my financial situation!

2) 1Password lets me make up the craziest passwords, and remember them. *GASP* All of my accounts got about 10,000x safer when I downloaded this app because I didn’t have to use passwords like my birthday, since I knew it was probably the only thing I would remember.

3) *Insert your bank name or credit card company here* and get their app. You can deposit checks, look at your balance, find the nearest ATM, receive credit limit and fraud alerts, and probably so many other things I don’t even know about.

4) Tripit plays Mom’s role whenever I’m traveling without her and keeps track of all of my travel plans. I can save all plane, train, hotel, restaurant, etc. reservations under one trip and then all I have to do to find them is open the app! No more searching through emails to find the flight confirmation number 1 minute before you have to check in for your Southwest flight!

5) Yelp finds all of the delicious places I want to eat, and I can set ideal price ranges so that I don’t upset my Mint app’s budgets. Plus, it’s great if you’re moving to a new city and need to know the closest and best places around, from markets to salons!

6) Google Maps does its best to keep me from getting lost when I’m trying to find the places my Yelp app recommended; although my spatial reasoning still leaves something to be desired. It’s particularly helpful when navigating public transport in new cities! Also, it can do traffic updates for you for those who like to drive.

7) LinkedIn accounts should be acquired as we consider entering “the real world” and if you have the app, you can receive notifications on your phone, so you’re always networking!

8) Evernote is a helpful note-taking app because it syncs with all of your devices. This way you don’t have to worry about finally making it to Target, only to realize you forgot your list at home.

9) Dropbox has saved me countless times since I downloaded it last summer. There’s no worse feeling than walking into your class and realizing you forgot to print out your paper. Luckily with Dropbox, I just had to run up to the computer lab, open my Dropbox, and print it there! Also, if you have the app on your phone, it can put pictures from your camera roll into your Dropbox, so you don’t have to plug it in to sync your pictures!

10) Zooborns (iOS, Android) is crucial, because who doesn’t like cute baby animals? (And we don’t wanna grow up too quickly…)

Are there any apps that I’ve left out that have helped you fake-it-til-you-make-it-to-adulthood? Put them in the comments!