Author: J. Michael DeAngelis

J. Michael DeAngelis is the Information Specialist in Career Services and Editor-at-Large of this blog. He is also a professional playwright and actor.

Flipping through the Channels…

by J. Michael DeAngelis

Thursday nights always offer up a tough choice.  Do I watch 30 Rock or Big Bang Theory?  Did I choose to spend the night with Bones and Fringe or do I dutifully watch The Office?

Or maybe I should watch all those episodes of Psych I’ve got recorded…or just pop in an old Star Trek on DVD.

Sometimes, I wish everything I wanted to watch was just on one channel.  Today, we’re moving closer and closer to that with the ability to DVR and watch online – with media guides and search functions and TiVO algorithms that help us find exactly what we want to watch.

Here at Career Services, we’ve had the same idea – creating a Vimeo site that features our many career videos.  You’ll find interviews with current students and alumni, discussions with our career counselors, videos of past programs and helpful orientations to various services offered by our office.  Many of our videos are also viewable on your favorite mobile device!

You can check our the main channel or visit one of our specialty channels:

So tonight, when you’re flipping through the channels, why not click on over to Vimeo and see what’s playing on the Career Services channel?

International Career Fair TODAY!

The International Opportunities Fair will be held today in Bodek Lounge from 10:30am – 2:30pm.  Come out and learn about chances to work, intern or volunteer abroad!

Organizations expected to be on hand include:

  • Abroad China
  • Across the Pond – Graduate Study in Great Britain
  • AIESEC
  • American India Foundation
  • AmeriSpan Study Abroad
  • AustraLearn/AsiaLearn/EuroLearn
  • Bain & Company (SE Asia)
  • CDS International, Inc.
  • Child Family Health International
  • China Education Initiative
  • CIS abroad
  • Cross-Cultural Solutions
  • Disaster Volunteers of Ghana
  • Embassy of Switzerland
  • European Union Delegation to the USA
  • Experiential Learning Abroad Programs (ELAP)
  • Foundation for Sustainable Development
  • German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
  • Global Experiences
  • Hopkins-Nanjing Center
  • InterExchange, Inc
  • International Programs Abroad
  • International Schools Services
  • International SOS Assistance, Inc.
  • Intrax Internships Abroad/ ProWorld Services Corp
  • K.U.Leuven
  • Masa Israel Journey
  • Operation Crossroads Africa
  • Pagus:Africa
  • Peace Corps
  • Penn Botswana-UPenn Partnership
  • Penn Center for the Advanced Study of India
  • Penn Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships
  • Penn GSE International Educational Development Program
  • Penn International Internship Program
  • Penn South Asia Center
  • Princeton in Asia
  • Projects Abroad
  • RBS
  • Social Entrepreneur Corps
  • Standard
  • StudyAbroad.com
  • Volunteers for Israel (VFI)
  • Winchester College

While you’re in Bodek Lounge, don’t forget to go across to the Hall of Flags and check out the Study Abroad Fair as well!

These fairs are open to Penn students and alumni only.  For a detailed list of who we serve, please click here.

Happy Birthday, Penn & Beyond!

One year ago today, Penn Career Services launched this blog in hopes it would be an exciting new way to reach those we serve.  Penn & Beyond has succeeded beyond our highest expectations and we anticipate that it will only continue to grow and evolve in the years to come – with new features and a variety of voices from our staff, current students, distinguished Penn alumni and special guests.

courtesy of cakes-you-can-bake.com

Over the past year, we’ve had some extremely popular entries on Penn & Beyond.  Here are the top ten entries, based on individual hits (Not counting the front page or contest announcements).  A great chance to revisit an old favorite or catch up on those you haven’t seen yet.

This blog couldn’t exist without your readership and feedback.  Please continue to let us know what you like and what you’d like to see more of?  Have a favorite blog not listed here?  (Maybe one of these?) Sound off below!  Thanks for helping us make the first year of this blog such a success!

Trick or Treat

by J. Michael DeAngelis

When I was little, I had what I think was the greatest record collection a four year old could have. One of the crown jewels of my collection was a Walt Disney’s Trick or Treat, which retold one of the great Donald Duck cartoons of all time:

Oh, Donald, you irascible mallard!

“But Michael,” I can hear you say, “what does this have to do with Career Services?” Well, there’s a lot that we can learn from Donald, especially when it comes to attitude. Donald thinks pretty highly of himself. His refusal to give Huey, Dewey and Louie any candy stems not just from selfishness, but from a feeling of superiority. The unabashed glee that Donald has in outsmarting his nephews and Witch Hazel is comically evident throughout, but what’s funny in a cartoon is often destructive in real life.

Now, obviously, I don’t think that any of you are planning to stick firecrackers in your recruiter’s suitcase. Still, I have seen many people on the job hunt sabotage themselves because, consciously or un, they exude a Donald Duck like attitude. I see this not only here at Penn, but also in my second career in the theater arts.

There is a very fine but distinct line between having confidence and being smug. For example, I was recently looking to hire a small staff to work with me on a show for the Philly Fringe Festival. A young woman came to interview for a position and on paper, she seemed perfect. Her resume was good and she seemed enthusiastic about the project. Within in minutes, however, my feelings had changed. She spent the entire interview talking about how she and her friends had been “robbed” at a local awards ceremony. She began by saying that she was smarter than anyone on the awards committee and that her level of experience should have made her their top consultant. I was immediately turned off. Talk about overselling yourself. Worse, she continued by openly bad mouthing those who had won awards – including people I considered friends. If she hadn’t discounted herself yet, this sunk her. A real Donald Duck.

Be proud of what you’ve done. Feel free to speak of your talents and achievements. Wow potential employers with everything you bring to the table…but be mindful of ego and hubris. In the interview room, don’t be a Donald Duck or, as the song says, “your nightmares will come true.”