Top Employers for Global Business Undergrads – What Defines a Top Employer?

by David Ross

A recent BusinessWeek article featuring a survey conducted by Universum regarding the Top Employers for Global Business Undergrads is the latest example of another rankings list.  Today our lives are filled with lists of “Best of…” – best colleges, best graduate schools, best employers.  But this latest list of rankings focuses on another topic of great importance – what actually constitutes a top employer?

Any rankings list is based on specific criteria and methodology used to generate a numerical score or outcome that determines “the best.”  Regarding employers, how do we individually determine just who’s the best?  In some way, we all have our own criteria for deciding on where to pursue employment.  It’s not uncommon for these factors to include name recognition, prestige, and culture.  But besides these subjective elements are there other factors important to you?  What about intangible metrics such as collegiality among co-workers, geographic location, work/life flexibility and autonomy over projects?  Do you contemplate other things when deciding what organizations to consider for employment?  I encourage you to think critically about what you really look for in an employer.  There’s nothing like going to work at a place where you feel really connected and greatly enjoy the environment.  No rankings list can truly measure that.

Discussing Ethical Issues in Medicine

by Carol Hagan

It’s interviewing season for applicants to medical, dental, and veterinary school, and I’ve had several students report that they were asked to identify and discuss ethical issues in medicine.  Whether you’re interviewing with graduate schools or just beginning to consider a career in health care, learning more about ethical issues in the field broadens your understanding of medical practice and gives you the important opportunity to consider your own values and point of view.

A helpful and interesting resource for learning more about ethics and medicine is the American Medical Association’s Virtual Mentor.

VirtualMentor Edited by medical students and residents, this online journal addresses ethical issues that are likely to arise during one’s medical education and practice.  A brief glance at the searchable database of case studies reveals that ethical considerations in health care extend well beyond stem cell research and euthanasia.

The November 2009 issue is devoted to “Humanizing Physician Learning.”  Do you think your premedical education is the best preparation for a career in health care?  What effect might health care reform have on medical schools and professional training?  Is it useful for clinicians to have more than one graduate degree?  Take a look, see what some professionals have to say, and think about it.

Volunteer Abroad

by Shannon C. Kelly

I would like to dispel a myth for those of you interested in gaining international work experience – it can be easy AND affordable.  How? By volunteering abroad.  There are a TON of programs out there which you can volunteer through – many vary in their fee structure and what is included in the fee, but I promise (cross my heart…stick a needle in my eye) it is possible to find one appropriate for your budget and areas of interest. Idealist.org has a Smörgåsbord of resources to jump start your search.

Why am I willing to potentially stick a needle in my eye? Because I know first-hand it’s possible since I volunteered abroad this past summer.  The whole trip cost me under $2,000 (air fare, spending $, room & board) and I KNOW I could have done it for even less.  I found my particular program through Volunteers for Peace (www.vfp.org) thanks to our annual International Opportunities Fair.  VFP is an international volunteer exchange organization.  They have partners all over the world who help place volunteers at International Voluntary Service projects, also known as international workcamps.

I searched VFP’s directory for programs in the UK because I have always wanted to go. I found an opportunity to volunteer at a festival (Think: event management experience) outside of Bath, England – Monkton Combe in Avon. Which brings up another advantage of volunteering abroad – getting off the beaten tourist path.  I met university students and other young people from all over the world (Turkey, Italy, Poland, Japan, Greece, + more), but I also met fascinating individuals older than me who had great stories and advice to share for my own ambitions.  (Think: networking is not just for when you need a job).

So what’s the catch? When you volunteer abroad, you are not taking a traditional vacation.  You agree to work a certain number of hours in exchange for your room and board (of course specifics vary by program, location, etc).  I worked 6 hours a day and helped run the festival by setting up rooms for workshops, coordinating materials for the attendees and answering questions about specific events (Think: bullet points on a resume).  It’s not all work though. I had free time to attend workshops at the festival (lessons on Brazilian Forró) or to hang out with my new friends from Italy or Greece.  All in all, I gained valuable experience for my resume, extended my network, and got off the beaten path – even learned a new dance I know I would not have otherwise.

Whether you want to teach children, learn a foreign language, rebuild walls, help the environment, steward at a festival – there’s a program for that.  (Think: iPhone’s “there’s an app for that”).  And if you do your homework, you can find one appropriate for your budget.  I did and I can’t wait to volunteer abroad next summer.

I’ll be posting more about volunteering abroad as it relates to gaining work experience. And sharing stories from friends around the world.  If you’d like to share yours, leave a comment!

If You’re Out of Work or Think You Might Lose Your Job

by Rosanne Lurie

It seems like there is insurance for everything people value. Rumor had it that Jennifer Lopez insured her “celebrity assets,” (i.e. derierre) and musicians Liberace, French pianist Richard Clayderman and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards all are known to have insured their hands. So when we can easily put a value on our ability to be productive in the working world,  it’s hard to understand why we can’t take out protection for ourselves if we lose our jobs, or remain job-seekers longer than we planned.  The New York Times recently posted a fascinating article with discussion about why private unemployment insurance is not more prevalent.  Additionally, the article suggests how to keep your finances afloat while not working or underemployed, with important resources on housing (both rent and mortgage relief) and student loans.

Unfortunately, unexpected job loss can precipitate the kind of financial pressure that often results in hasty job choices, and increased likelihood of future job loss because of a poor match in goals and fit (jobseekers are “desperate, but not serious”).   Considering how many companies are doing credit checks as part of the screening process, getting your finances in order is crucial to your job search, and ultimately, it lets you be free to choose the best fit for you.

Forget the Want Ads: How to Use the Newspaper to Enhance Your Job Search

by Anne Guldin Lucas and Peggy Curchack

newspaper

How do you read the newspaper?  No, I don’t mean on your Kindle, computer screen, or on old-fashioned newsprint.  Rather, what are you learning from the papers you read?  Do you seek sports scores and recaps or do you anxiously study regional news for the latest Philadelphia crime reports?  The articles you choose may offer insights into your career interests, and may give you information that can get you closer to your career goal.

Business-focused Penn students have always read the papers to prepare for their interviews, noting merger and acquisition news and carefully noting the Dow and S & P numbers.

However, there are lots of other specific career-related sections or columns of newspapers that are worth reading too.  Using the New York Times as an example, the “Science Times” section in the Tuesday edition will inform you of who is doing what in a great many research areas, citing specific scientists, projects, and ongoing research both domestic and international.  The “Arts” section is a source of rich information on arts management, including names of leading galleries, managers, and fund raisers.  For those interested in the Beltway, The Washington Post is must reading, and can help identify people and organizations from whom to seek jobs and internships.

Start reading the newspaper like you’re a detective, and you’ll be amazed with what you find.  Even something like this (a postscript to an article) may offer an unexpected opportunity: “Travel expenses were paid in part by readers of Spot.Us, a nonprofit Web project that supports freelance journalists.”