New Year’s Career Resolutions

By Claire Klieger

So, in addition to the pedestrian (and come on, let’s face it, usually not very realistic) vow to eat less junk food (in my case, it’s chocolate, which I’m drawn to like a honing pigeon) and exercise more, how about giving yourself some new year’s resolutions that don’t require you to sweat like a pig or give up Ben & Jerry’s? Here are some that you can apply to your search.

1) Don’t procrastinate. This one is particularly hard for me as I’m a person that typically needs a deadline to truly get my butt in gear. So you know what? Give yourself deadlines to help you better manage your time. If that internship application is due on January 18th, give yourself the deadline of submitting your resume to be critiqued by Career Services by January 14th so you have time to have it appropriately reviewed and updated before you submit. Amazingly (or rather, not so amazingly), you’ll feel a lot less stressed about the whole process. And, if you have trouble keeping that resolution…well, that’s what walk-ins are for. Check your school’s page for details about hours.

2) Roll with the punches. The job or internship search can often be a major blow to the ego. At some point along the way, you will likely face rejection. It is easy (and natural) to take these instances as personal blows but try to see the bigger picture. Just because you weren’t selected for an interview or offered a position, doesn’t mean that people didn’t think you had valuable skills and abilities. It just means that they encountered other people for whom they thought that specific position was a better fit. Your best strategy? Be ready with a counter punch by speaking to a counselor about ways you can improve your game plan (resume, interview skills, etc.).

3) Be more flexible. I’m not talking about yoga contortionist flexible, just keeping your options open. There may be many things that you’re interesting in doing this summer or after graduation. There is no reason you have to focus on just one possible path. Explore opportunities in multiple areas that peak your interest and give yourself more options by being willing to apply for things in locations or organizations that are not on the very top of your list. Remember that every experience will give you skills that you can apply to other opportunities in the future.

Happy New Year!

Happy 2010 from the Career Services Staff

Happy New Year
Happy New Year!

It’s a new decade! Everyone at Career Services hopes you are having a wonderful holiday season and a great break.

As a reminder, we will be re-opening for business on Monday, January 4th at 9:00am. Feel free to check in with us as you enjoy the remainder of your vacation. We look forward to seeing you in the spring semester!

All the best from your friends at Penn.

Happy Winter Break from Career Services!

Careeer Services gingerbread
Career Services gingerbread staff by Michael

The Career Services office will be closing at 12:00 noon on December 24th and will remain closed until 9:00am on January 4, 2010. We will be happy to exchange e-mails and have both in-office and over-the-phone appointments with you when we return…but until then, we’re going to enjoy our break!

Have a safe and relaxing winter break.  We wish you a very happy holiday season and a very happy New Year!

Making a Difference: the goal behind the goal

by Sharon Fleshman

In today’s economic climate, the journey to employment can be like a winding road, where you can approach a turn and not know what to expect around the bend.  To seek fulfillment and meaning in your work is a worthy pursuit, though you may feel like you’re on a detour when goals you set when you started your academic program seem out of reach.  It is possible to look beyond dashed or delayed expectations to options that you hadn’t considered.  To become open to other opportunities requires that you consider the “goal behind the goal.”  In other words, what do you see as the overarching mission that moves you toward your specific career goals?  How can you leverage your skills to move toward that mission right now?

As you rest up and regroup during winter break, consider some of the possibilities:

The Federal Government is currently a major source of career opportunities.  You may be surprised at the variety of fields and disciplines represented. Career Services is working with the Partnership for Public Service to make students aware of the careers available with the Federal Government. Check out our Make an Impact website for more information.

Perhaps you are the enterprising type and should pursue some form of entrepreneurship. This could involve a number of short-term projects that will allow you to establish a track record that leads to permanent employment. On the other hand, you may find that owning your own business, whether part-time or full-time, is a good fit for you.  Take a look at the resource list from our previous workshop on creative self-employment.

If you are considering non-profit careers, take a look at the following excerpt from our recent alumni panel on the State of Things: The Impact of the Current Economy on Non-Profits. The panelists were Nancy Burd, Founder/President of The Burd Group, Nancy DeLucia, Regional Director at the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, and Katherina Rosqueta, Director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at Penn’s School of Social Policy and Practice, who noted that her career path was “never about choosing a sector, but about making a difference.”

State of Non-Profits Panel: Issues and Trends from Penn Career Services on Vimeo.