Peer Corner

Want to be a Peer Advisor for the Career Center?

Now Hiring Peer Advisors for 2009-2010

Apply ASAP! - Limited positions

Are you interested in helping your fellow UC Berkeley students?

Do you want to develop your public speaking skills?

Do you want to expand your knowledge of career related topics?

Then you should apply to be a Career Center Peer Advisor for the upcoming academic year of 2009-2010. You will be working with me and few other returning peers as well as new peers like yourself. This is a great opportunity to develop a wide variety of professional and social skills, while helping others at our school. I have learned a great deal about career and graduate school related topics such as how to write an amazing resume and how to successfully get through the entire process of applying to graduate school. This is an extremely rewarding job. Aside from acquiring new knowledge and developing important skills, you have the opportunity to work with a great team of peer advisors and staff. Below are more details about the job and how to apply. I hope you consider this amazing opportunity!

Peer Advisors are the liaison connecting students to the infinite resources offered by the Career Center. You will receive extensive training from Career Counselors on proper résumé & cover letter writing, interviewing, job & internship search, and the graduate & professional school application process.

WHY BE A PEER ADVISOR?

• Earn $12.50/hour.
• Receive training on career exploration and job search techniques.
• Strengthen public speaking and presentation skills.
• Advise other students on career-related topics.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Advise students during one-on-one appointments by recommending appropriate

   Career

   Center

   and career-related resources.
2. Arrange and facilitate career prep workshops for students around campus on week nights.
3. The position also involves special projects and other responsibilities, including: helping at Career Fairs, serving on a Student Advisory Board, writing blog entries, and planning events.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Confident public speaker & strong presentation skills.
• Knowledge of student organizations & campus resources.
• Ability to take initiative & high level of reliability.
• Great customer service skills.
• Excellent organizational capability.

REQUIREMENTS

• Must have work study & be committed to Peer Advisor position for entire 2009-10 academic year.
• Must be available for weekly 1-hour meetings.
• Must be available for a 5-day training session in August 2009.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, email your RESUME & COVER LETTER to Rebecca Christensen, Career Counselor, bchristensen@berkeley.edu.

See our job listing on Callisto/CalJobs or workstudy.berkeley.edu.

To learn more about the Career Center Peers, please visit our Peer Advisor website.

 

 

Career Values: What Are Yours?

When reviewing a job or internship offer, how much time do you spend thinking about your values? As a graduating senior, I have so many things on my plate and feel quite overwhelmed at times.  Despite my current stress levels, thinking about the future is pretty scary, but oh so necessary! As I figure out my future plans, I'm beginning to assess the happiness factor in my future career. What makes me feel good about my job? What will give me satisfaction in my future work?  It is important to assess career values because I believe it will be extremely helpful when it comes to making decisions about future job opportunities that are well-aligned with your personality, priorities, and needs.

Values are essentially things that are important to you in your life and career. They are things that you feel strongly about such as job security, financial security, flexibility, autonomy, creativity, and independence. A strong value for me is social interaction. I would hate to come to work everyday and sit at a desk from 9-5 everyday, therefore I value flexibility, and ability to work and help people in a community setting.  Others folks may value creativity, benefits, career development, and many other types of values. When you base a career choice off of what you value as an individual, you are more likely to be happy and satisfied in the choices that you make.

So you are probably asking, how do I know what my values are? Well, create a list of your top 5 values that you cannot live without on the job. Think about what is really important to you in your lifestyle and in your career.  This means that you are picking values that are absolutely necessary for you to have before you even think about applying for a job. Then you want to rank the values you’ve selected. Ask yourself which ones are the most important or essential for your happiness, because we don't live in an ideal world and most of us will not get everything that we want, at least in our first job out of college. However, finding your dream job is similar to finding your dream mate. You need to know where you are willing to compromise and where you are not, and hold true to your values and priorities.

If you still need assistance in identifying your career values, consider coming in to the Career Center to speak with a Career Counselor.  We offer a variety of career assessments, including a Values Card Sort  to help you select and define your personal career priorities and values.

Post by Erica McClanahan, Senior in American Studies.

How to Work a Career Fair! One method for success!

Although I have learned an infinite amount about networking, career fairs, and internships in my role as a Peer Advisor, talking to prospective employers and recruiters still makes me nervous. I have attended several career fairsthis semester, and I have been personally the most successful when I pre-selected a small number of employers to visit, and when I prepared notes and an elevator speech ahead of time. 

While my methods may not work for everyone, as I am sure that some Cal undergrads are quite the “power networkers”, I prefer to talk to just three employers at each career fair. I look up the list of who is coming on Callisto(this is usually available two weeks ahead of time), and then choose three employers that interest me. I look at the internships that they have listed, print out my resume, and try to find overlap between what they skills and qualifications they want, and what I have to offer.

I then look up information about the company or organization on their website, focusing on new projects or current events. I compile the information about the job listing and a few talking points from the website onto an index card that I bring to the career fair.

Once I arrive at the career fair I bring my padfolio with at least 10 copies of my resume (even though I am targeting only three employers I may hand my resume out to others). I find the map provided by the Career Centerat the entrance, and then find my three employers for whom I have made index cards.

I always write the name of the recruiter I spoke with on the map below their station. This can be a good idea while waiting in line to speak with someone. During the waiting period I also review my index card and mingle with other Cal students. I think that being friendly with other students reflects well upon candidates, as it shows that you are professional and mature.

Once I have the opportunity to speak with a recruiter I make sure to identify who I am and why I am interested. It is important to both showcase your abilities while highlighting your intent and purpose for the conversation (i.e. a well-prepared elevator speech!). While speaking with one think-tank at the Internship & Summer Job Fair on February 19, 2009, I explained that I was interested in their research internship because I had recently written a research paper about Iraq’s economy. I mentioned that I had read some of their literature regarding the subject and asked probing questions about the future of that specific issue. While discussing a personal accomplishment I was able to include my knowledge of the organization and create an interesting conversation.

Good conversations with recruiters often happen by luck. They may have been in the same professional fraternity as you are, or they may have previously worked at the place where you are currently interning. I think that this method creates a more guaranteed meaningful conversation. But by preparing thoroughly in advance, and by trying to remove some stressful, overwhelming components of the career fair experience, I think students of all majors and backgrounds can excel with any recruiter just like I did!

Post by Mary Chesus, 2nd year Economics/PEIS major.

Do not practice your dining etiquette at your first business lunch interview!

 The Career Center offers tons of workshops every semester, and most of them are career or academic related. Some of them are lecture style, and some of them give you the opportunity to interact with alumni to talk about career interests. Are you looking for something more interactive, or perhaps some “knowledge” that you can apply to everyday life? Well I recently attended a workshop that I considered to be one of the most useful workshops I have ever attended – Business Dining Etiquette! It was hosted at the Alumni House on the evening of 3/18/09 with over 80 students attending. The host was a famous etiquette certified instructor, and the 3 course meal was free!

 This type of event is extremely applicable and relevant because some employers take their interviewees out to lunch, for multiple reasons. For example, they may not be able to find a time to meet with the interviewee during office hour, they may want to see how the interviewee behaves when they are answering questions and eating at the same time, or perhaps they may wish to see how the interviewee would spend the company’s allowance simply by observing what the interviewee orders. Therefore it is probably a good idea to sharpen up your dining etiquette before going into your first lunch interview!

The workshop covered the smallest details such as how to fold your napkin, how to hold your fork and knife, when to start eating, at what speed you should eat, what to do when accidents happen at the table, what to order and what NOT to order…etc. The host walked the students through all the details throughout the meal process, and provided thorough answers to all the questions students raised. In addition, there was a representative from Philip Morris (oh forgot to mention the workshop is sponsored by them!) at each table to be the “host” of the table and to chat with students for about 20 minutes during the meal. At the end of the workshop, I felt that I was definitely much more prepared to go into a lunch interview without stressing out about my table manners, allowing me to focus on the actual interview questions!

The workshop is usually offered once a semester and RSVP’s are booked up quickly. Keep your eye on Callisto next semester, and RSVP immediately when it is available!!

 By Shirley Lau, 3rd Year, Psychology Major

How to get through the toughest interview: advice and prep tips

We’ve all been there. Those sweaty palms. The nervousness. Blanking out. You are sitting in an unfamiliar room and the interviewer just asked you the first question. It’s a fairly easy question: “So tell me about yourself…” but your mind goes blank and you don’t know what to say or where to even begin. What do you do?

After you’ve constructed a great resume and sent it in along with your awesomely-crafted cover letter, you’ve landed an interview! You feel that you are completely competent and qualified for the job position….great! Recruiters are looking for employees who are versatile, confident, and not afraid to just roll up their sleeves, lead and manage. However, you can’t get started with anything or prove your value until you’ve made it through the interview process! And believe me, you definitely don’t want to plunge into an interview with a blindfold on!

Interviewing is a definitely a learned skill. Like anything, it takes practice…and by that I mean lots of practice. I got my hands on 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions and the author mentions the many factors that should be avoided in any interview:
•    poor grooming
•    being tardy
•    inappropriate dress
•    an answer that doesn’t address the question
•    lack of knowledge of the company, orb, or industry (showing poor preparation prior to the interview)
•    dishonesty
•    lack of enthusiasm
•    differences between your resume/cover letter and the interview answers
•    no eye contact
•    negativity, especially in discussing people
•    no focus

Now that we’re through with some of the biggest no-no’s during an interview, let’s get started on what you NEED to do to have the perfect interview experience.

Most employers will probably give 10-20 seconds of their time to scan your resume to see if they want to give you an interview. The interviewing process reminds me of a transaction. Here, you are the product, and the employer is the buyer. During the interview, you have to try to sell yourself by discussing all your good qualities and unique characteristics that will make you the perfect candidate for the position. Since the employer could basically ask you about anything (mostly job-related questions hopefully), it’s a good idea to assemble all of the experiences you have ever had: previous and present employment, volunteer work experiences, activities, awards and honors, and languages. You are probably wondering, “But my resume lists all of my experiences in chronological order, why should I spend even more time crafting a data sheet about myself?” True, the resume is a great tool for refreshing your mind the night before your interview about all of your commitments and your experiences. However, the resume should only be 1 page in length, so that doesn’t leave you a lot of space to put down all of your duties, skills and contributions.

Have a specific section for every part-time, full-time job or summer job you have ever had.  For each job, note your specific duties as well as your responsibilities, including significant accomplishments, awards, special recognitions, and numbers of hours you worked every week.

You should also have a separate section for any volunteer work you have done. Employers definitely like to see people who take initiative to contribute to the betterment of society in their spare time. Include the number of hours you devoted to the activities or organization every month, your duties, specific skills, and any accomplishments and special recognition.

Under your activities section, list all of the activities that you do. For example, list all the sports, clubs and organizations you have participated in both inside and outside of school. Just like before, write down your duties, key accomplishments, awards, leadership, as well as reasons to why you did them.

After you’ve completed the previous 3 sections, make short sections for your awards/honors and your languages.

Whew! That sure was a lot of work! Now that you have all this information down, it’s very important to personalize and own them.

101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions has a list of questions for you to consider, and these are questions that you should expect to answer during interviews that get to the heart of your character, personality and work ethic:

“1. Which achievements did you enjoy most? Which are you proudest of? Be ready to discuss how these achievements relate to the position you are applying for.
2. What mistakes have you made? How have you learned from them?
3. How well do you interact with authority figures?
4. What are your favorite games and sports? Think about the way you play these games and what they say about you….Are you too competitive or do you give up too easily?
5. What kinds of people are your friends? What are some things that have led you to breaking friendships and what does that say about you?
6. What words would your friends and acquaintances use to describe you? Why would people describe you this way?”

By answering these questions, you’ll gain more insight to yourself. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to focus on your strongest skills, greatest areas of knowledge, greatest personality strengths, and most remarkable achievements.

What’s next you ask? Now it’s time to look over your most remarkable qualities and try to see how you are going to “sell” yourself to the employer.  How are you going to show him or her that you are qualified for this position?  Becoming comfortable telling stories that highlight your skills and accomplishments is a critical part of preparing for successful interviews.

Just remember, the interview process can be time-consuming and difficult.  But the more work you put into it, the more likely you are to succeed!  Ask your friends to “interview” you and do lots of practice! You want to rehearse what you want to say to the employer, yet not sound staged and trite at the same time. And lastly, definitely come down to the Career Center and take a practice run with the Peer Advisors! We hold drop-ins Monday from 12-4pm, and Tuesday-Friday from 12-5pm.  Happy interviewing!

Gender Inequality in the Workplace and How Women can Navigate it

Hello everyone, this is the third blog of the series of blogs on gender inequality in the workplace. Enjoy!

 

 In my last blog (http://careercenterpeers.typepad.com/my_weblog/), I talked about the ways in which gender inequality manifests itself in the workplace today. These manifestations are occupational sex segregation, lack or cap on promotions, recruitment issues, difficulty to find or afford child care, tokenism, punishment for maternity leave, and sexual harassment. In this blog, I will provide explanations for these gender inequalities that beset many women.

We often think of the concept of the family as natural. We take it for granted and don’t give it much thought.  However, the concept of the family is socially constructed. The family is a social unit. Within this social unit there is a gender division of labor. Women and men have different roles in the family. Often women’s roles are considered lesser. Women are traditionally the ones to stay at home and take care of the family and the household chores. The men traditionally work outside the home in the paid workforce. The notion of women’s work as lesser stems from this gender based division of labor in the family. Women who work outside the home have been subjected to domestic and service sector labor. Examples include working in hotels as maids or working for a family as a nanny or even primary school teachers. All these jobs are consistent with the gender based division of labor. These jobs are considered suitable for women. They use supposed skills that women “naturally” possess. In fact, these skills are not natural. Women have many other skills and are not naturally suited for any certain work, but have been socialized into these positions. Within our society and many others, women have been shunned out of many fields and higher education.

Here are a few theories that have been used to explain workplace gender inequality. The human capital theory asserts that inequalities between men and women in the workplace are due to differences in skills and experience (human capital), not overt discrimination. I highly disagree with this theory. The gender socialization theory claims that women and men are socialized to behave in gender appropriate ways from an early age. Therefore, women seek out jobs that best allow them to “do” their gender and so do men. This theory was truer in the past, but today both women and men are breaking out of this. More women are entering previously male dominated fields and some men are entering women dominated fields. For example more women are becoming engineers or architects or obtaining high level managerial positions. Men are becoming elementary school teachers or nurses. The last theory is gender organization theory. This theory states that organizations and everyday workplace interactions contain normative gender expectations that privilege men and disadvantage women. This was definitely true in the past and unfortunately still persists today.

Gender inequality in the workplace effects women in a myriad of different ways. Women receive lower pay for the same job with equivalent qualifications. They are often passed up for promotion, or do not get hired over men. Women are also subjected to sexual harassment. Also, they often feel the need to be overaggressive to assert competence, especially in male dominated fields. This over-aggression then reflects poorly on women by fellow workers. Tokenism places extreme pressure on the women who represent their gender at their place of employment. Being the only or one of few women at your workplace causes everyone to consider you as representing your entire gender. All these effects create added struggles that women face everyday at work. I encourage you to look for these and be aware of such issues.

In the next blog, I will discuss how women can survive the workplace and possible solutions to alleviate these problems. The next blog will be the final one in this series, so be sure to look out for it. This next entry will bring together all the issues I’ve discussed so far, and helpful, hopeful strategies will be presented in the face of such serious issues.

 

Networking and Internships: The Important Link

Feeling a little bit nervous about finding an internship?  Regardless of your academic standing (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior), the process of searching for an internship can sometimes be overwhelming and confusing.  This semester, many students have come into the Career Center with numerous questions about how to find internships, and though there are many resources that come to mind—Callisto/OCR, Careermail, etc.—the one tool that seems to be the most underutilized is networking.  Networking initially seems like a nerve-wracking task to many students (don’t worry…you’re in good company ☺), but it is truly essential in finding many hidden opportunities that are frequently missed.  This is something that I realized through first-hand experience last semester. 

In the fall, I was able to get an internship as a research assistant over at UCSF.  It was a great experience because it gave me a lot of insight into how the research process comes together and is conducted.  I got to see and be a part of weekly lab meetings, assistant in recruitment, and gain valuable knowledge about how to work both independently and as a lab team with my fellow peers, as well as with the primary assistants to the researcher.  As you may have guessed, this opportunity came to me through networking.  I took a class this past summer at Berkeley and I met a classmate who told me about her research internship that she was going to start at the end of summer.  I explained to her that I was looking for similar experience as a research assistant, and she mentioned to me that her researcher was interested in having a couple more interns join her research project.  My friend gave me her email address, I got in contact with her, and ended up joining the research team for the fall!

What I learned and what I think is important for all students out there to realize is that networking can be as simple as talking to your friends or classmates.  Many times it may seem intimidating to speak directly with people who you’ve never met before to tell them about your interests and professional goals.  But instead I would suggest starting the process of networking with your friends and family.  Practice communicating about your interests and goals, and work on developing your “elevator speech.” Not only will you feel more comfortable conversing with them, but you never know if your peers, friends, and relatives may know of an opportunity or another person who could further help you in finding that perfect internship position you’ve been searching so hard for.  Once you get more comfortable speaking about your professional interests and past experiences, my advice would be to speak to anyone you can think of that may be of some help to you. 

One of the advantages of being here at Cal is that there are so many people who could potentially be invaluable resources:  professors, GSIs, academic advisers, career counselors, club/organization leaders, recruiters, Cal alums, friends, family, and of course us – the Career Center Peer Advisors!  I think networking is an important skill that we learn to cultivate throughout our undergraduate experience, and continue to develop as we move on to graduate school and the work world.  And, once we start to have professional experiences beyond the classroom, our network will only continue grow.  Therefore, my last piece of advice would be to use your internships, volunteer experiences, and work experiences as opportunities not only to learn and gain skills, but also to expand your network.  Oftentimes, our mentors or supervisors in our internships are fantastic resources in helping us get connected with other people who can help us further our practical “real-life” experience, and also give us useful advice or guidance about how to navigate through the career field that we ultimately hope to become a part of. 

So therefore, don’t be afraid to articulate your goals (both short-term and long-term) out loud, because that’s the way others will know if they can be of any assistance to you or offer you an internship that would be a good fit.  Our networking tab on the Career Center homepage is a great place to start if you’re looking for further resources on networking and who you can network with!  Get out there and be heard!

Post by Peer Amy, 3rd year Psychology/Integrative Biology.

Summer Internships: Mariel’s Story and Helpful Tips!

I know this is a prime time for Cal students to start looking for an internship or summer job; the Internship and Summer Job Career Fair just happened last week, and I'm sure many of you went there to network with a variety of really cool employers like Microsoft, Unilever, Wells Fargo, and Target (of course!). This internship season reminds me of my own internship last summer at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, as a management trainee intern. I found out about the internship through the big Career Fair in February. I did my first round interview at the 3rd floor of the Career Center (which I now call home), because it was an On Campus Recruiting (OCR) position. I talked with Christy Clark and Carrie Leonard, who are the regional recruiters for the North Bay. They were genuinely friendly people, and I liked the interview a lot because of its casual feel.  Christy and Carrie mostly asked me questions to assess whether my personality would fit with the Enterprise culture; after all, I would be working with the same people for three months for about 40 hours a week (yes, an internship IS a real job!). Afterwards, they asked behavioral type questions to assess my relevant skill sets, which I answered in the STAR pattern (situation, task, action & result!). A few days after my first round interview, I got a phone call inviting me in for a second round.  This time I went to the branch office in San Pablo Avenue and interviewed with Emily Kent, the Area Manager for the Berkeley region. I discovered that I landed the internship a few days after that 2nd round interview, and after some deliberation I decided to go for this internship.

The management trainee program at Enterprise Rent-a-Car is a very hands-on, on-the-job learning experience. However, they do have a weeklong training course for all new hires, both full-time employees and interns, at their San Francisco Group headquarters in San Leandro. The class training comprised mostly of logistical information and “back-end office” work. I thought it was smart that they put the interns and full-time hires in the same training class, because it gave me a sense that my work as an intern would be as significant and valuable as that of the full-time employees.

The internship was unlike a conventional office job because I was always on the run, picking up and dropping up customers, delivering cars to customers with their replacement vehicles, trading cars with other local branches, and going out to our accounts to do some marketing. I think this job is perfect for anyone who wants a lot of variety in his or her internship, especially since my coworkers really made sure that the interns learn and get to do almost everything that a full time management trainee does in their first few months on the job. I appreciate that I was taught all aspects of running one’s own business, since Enterprise branch managers are a lot like entrepreneurs. I learned accounting through studying the branch’s income statement, marketing by developing strong connections with our accounts, organizational behavior through the working relationship with my co-workers, and especially business communication through my daily interactions with customers of every shade of personality. And, equally important, I was held accountable to know all the facets of this job through several employee reviews and by fulfilling a written checklist that I discussed with my manager. I think Enterprise really knows what interns want out of their experience, because besides making sure that we didn’t just do menial tasks, they also provided us meaningful with feedback that we could use to improve our skills and abilities. Enterprise also made sure to balance work and fun by having an Intern Day, when all interns for the San Francisco Group went to an A’s game, and by hosting social activities with several coworkers such as a bowling night. These events were also a good chance to meet employees from other branches, giving me an even better chance to expand my career network.

After 10 weeks of interning at Enterprise, I can truly say that I gained many valuable, transferable skills that I will be able to utilize in almost every future endeavor I take. In addition, Enterprise’s Management Training Program is well known amongst employers as a unique and successful approach to developing future leaders; this internship enriched my resume, and in my opinion, helped me in applying for full-time jobs at other companies. And, as a fun fact, it was really nice getting to drive different types of cars, from huge 15-passenger vans to the snazzier luxury sedans. And it doesn’t hurt to know how to look for scratches and dents in a car. ☺

With that, I leave a few tips about how to do well and succeed in your internship this summer:
•    Internship searches can get very hectic, so it helps having an organizational system. For me, I kept my information in an Excel file, putting as much detail about each internship as possible, such as any mutual acquaintances, contact information, documents required, and more.
•    Ask questions! An internship is a learning experience, so use this to your advantage.
•    Be clear on what your expectations are for the internship and what your supervisor expects of you, preferably established in a written agreement
•    Participate in activities outside of work; it is a great way to network, and shows your ability to cooperate with your co-workers and colleagues
•    Write down a diary of what you learn every day; you’ll be surprised how many things you develop and can possibly utilize in future endeavors. Also, it’ll help you when writing down descriptions of the internship on your résumé.

Mariel Lisud, 4th year Haas Major

Reminder: Internship and Summer Job Career Fair!

Who: Registered UC Berkeley students & 96 different employers!

What: Employers representing the private, nonprofit and public sectors recruit Cal students for summer jobs or internships - paid and volunteer, year-round and/or summer, on and off campus.

When: February 18th [Tech Opportunities]  and February 19th [Business/ Public Service Opportunities]

Why: To connect Cal students with employers!

Recruiting employers include: ABBOTT, Apple, Sandisk, Gap, KaiserPermanente, Statefarm, and CBS. Be sure to login to Callisto, click on the EVENTS tab, and then check out the list of 96 different employers.

Before the fair drop by the Career Center to have your resume critiqued!

Spring 2009 Peer Advising!

I hope that everyone is enjoying the sunshine and first few weeks of Spring semester! The same Career Center Peers will be here this semester, offering their advice and expertise. Our Spring drop-in hours will be:

• Monday: 12:00 - 4:00 PM
• Tuesday: 12:00 - 5:00 PM
• Wednesday: 12:00 - 5:00 PM
• Thursday: 12:00 - 5:00 PM
• Friday: 12:00 - 5:00 PM

Drop ins with Peer Advisors do not require appointments or online sign-ups. There are on a first come, first serve, basis. We look forward to seeing you !

Make a Positive Social Contribution with Your Career!

Do you want to make a positive social contribution? Do you want this dream to become your career or internship path, but thought this was not possible? Well the good news is…..it is possible!

Join like-minded students at a series of events and programs during the Socially Conscious Careers Month!

This February the Career Center is offering a whole month of informative workshops and panels to aid you in discovering and exploring options in socially conscious careers and internships. There will be information about a myriad of career paths such as nonprofit/public service sector, community services, green business and corporate social responsibility.

It can be difficult to research and discover information about these fields because sometimes they are not as well-publicized as other careers. We always here about opportunities for careers in medicine, engineering, business, or law, but rarely do we hear about socially conscious opportunities, especially those that have the potential to become a viable career. This is precisely why this series of events are so incredible! You will have the opportunity to learn how you can turn your positive social contributions into a defined career goal!

As a sociology and political science major here at Cal, positively contributing to my community and the communities of others is where my passion lies. I plan to engage in a career that allows me to alleviate some of the issues that beset public education. I plan to work on making curriculum and standardized tests less bias, as well as ridding the entire school environment of hidden and blatant biases. I am extremely excited the upcoming Socially Conscious Career Month events because like all of you interested in socially consensus work, it will give me an opportunity to figure out how I can start my career in a field of important interest to me.

It is very important to be socially conscious in our lives, and it is even more powerful and rewarding if we can make a career of it. Creating positive change and establishing positive contributions is some of the most rewarding lines of work.  I encourage all of you to stop by one or more of these exciting events this February and begin your journey of positive and socially responsible contributions.

I hope to see you all there!
Rena

Here is a list of events and programs happening throughout the month of February:

Nonprofit & Public Service Career Fair*; Wed 2/4, 12pm -- 4pm; MLK
Jr. Student Union, Pauley Ballroom, 3rd floor

Socially Conscious Careers & Internships*; Wed 2/11 4pm -- 5:30pm;
Maude Fife Room, Wheeler 315

Law & Public Policy Internships Panel*; Wed 2/25, 4pm -- 5:30pm; MLK
Jr. Student Union, Tan Oak Room, 4th floor

Green Career Fair*, Thurs 2/26, 4pm -- 7pm, MLK Jr. Student Union,
Pauley Ballroom, 3rd floor

To RSVP and get details about these and other Career Center events and programs, please login into Callisto.

Napa State Hospital Mental Health Internship

How did I obtain my Internship?

 Luckily, landing this internship was extremely easy for me. I am a Psychology major and I have been able to create close bonds with many of my Psych peers.  I consider them my “psych” friends. We work together, we study together, and we help each other out. Last year several of my friends signed up for this internship at Napa State Hospital and told regularly shared their experiences with me. At the time I had no idea how important and valuable internships were. One close friend of mine would have great stories to share about working/volunteering at the hospital and how valuable of an experience it was. She also explained to me that she can get a recommendation letter from her internship supervisor, which is very important for future endeavors. So this year when I was ready, I was lucky to obtain an awesome, rewarding internship at the hospital through networking with my peers.

 Hospital Mission Statement:

 

Napa State Hospital is classified as a medium security inpatient hospital. The facility admits individuals on referral from County Mental Health Agencies and other state facilities. The majority of the individual receiving services here judicially committed from State Superior Courts.

 The Service Delivery System at Napa State Hospital is based on a recovery model of treatment using biopsychosocial rehabilitation principles. It is a person-centered strength based approach that incorporates a holistic and comprehensive view of an individual’s wellness and recovery needs. It embraces the notion that people with disabilities need skills and support to function best in the least restrictive environment possible.

 The mission of Napa State Hospital is to provide hope to adults with a serious mental illness and support each individual to achieve personal recovery.

 What I do in my Internship?

 Interns work once a week every Tuesday night from 5-10pm for a two semester commitment. There is a pre-arranged carpool schedule to facilitate easier and more affordable transpiration. I am receiving two units from a class titled as a 197 internship through the Psychology department. At the hospital, we work closely with the residents (another name for in patients), in various pro-social activities. I have played dominoes, I have lost at the game of Jenga (the block tower that eventually falls), I have sang Karaoke, played basketball, I have baffled and entertained them with card tricks, we have danced around, and have had great conversations about our favorite television shows. My internship enables me to have fun and it feels great to support the residents!

 My recommendation/tips and advice on how to obtain an Internship?

 There are various ways one can obtain an internship. Talk to your peers and I am sure someone is bound to have insight on something related to your major or career paths of interest to you. Networking is a big component in the process of obtaining a job, connections, friends, and internships.  For example, all students can start networking with employers and alumni at internship and career fairs. The Career Center holds several career and internship fairs each semester and there is something for everyone.  Also ask your Graduate Students Instructors (GSI) and professors if they have any recommendations of possible internship sites, or if they know where past students have completed internships. Research Assistant (RA) positions are a great way to start on getting experience and you can do it right here on campus.

 If you are shy, uncertain about how to network, or simply don’t know where to begin, visit the Career

Center (career.berkeley.edu). We have great tools, services, Peer Advisors and counselors that can help you on your path in obtaining the internship that is right for you. Attend workshops and familiarize yourself with all your resources and choices.

 Good luck on all your adventures and make the best of your time here at Cal!

 Lisa Fojo, Peer Advisor, Psychology Major, May 2009

Interviewing with an Advertising Firm – McCann WorldGroup

I went through a number of interviews during Spring semester earlier this year for a summer internship. One of the most structured and most competitive interviews was probably with McCann, one of the biggest advertising firms in the world. Before I elaborate on the interview process with the company, I would like to briefly talk about the different positions that they were hiring for. After all, advertising is not only about drawing pictures!

There were several positions the company was hiring for last summer, and the main ones were Creative, Account Management, Account Planning, Production, HR, and others. Creative department is of course creating the actual advertisement product, from still pictures to TV commercials. Account management department is the liaison between the client and the company, from planning the budget to negotiating terms with the client, and making sure the other departments are working according to the client’s request. The Account planning department collects information about the targeted audience and gives that information to the creative department to make the advertisements more effective. The production department works with the final product of the advertisement and makes appropriate changes such as editing the video of TV commercials. The HR department is just like any HR in big companies. McCann has its own recruiters in the HR department as well as other aspects such as employee training.

The applying process is divided into three portions. First, there is a long online application that you need to complete that requires a Resume, a Cover Letter, a short Essay, and 2 Letters of Recommendations. Everything is sent via the online system and in a week or so, a recruiter will be in contact with you for the first screening. This screening is done through phone and asks basic questions to see what your interests are and whether your summer schedule is a good fit to their program (refer to an earlier article about phone interviews!) There are hundreds of applications each year and the program is highly selective. Specifically, the Account Management department only invited 20 applicants for an on-site interview, which took place in their

San Francisco

office.

So finally the actual Interview arrived! I do not know much about the other departments’ interview process, but I am going to talk about the Account Management Interview. There are many different account managers in the office, and you will be meeting with about 2 or 3 of the managers individually to see if you are a good fit of their teams. It is hard to say what kind of questions they will be asking for, but make sure you show interest and knowledge in their clients! Some of the common questions include:

• “Why are you interested in the Advertising industry?”
• “Can you tell me about a time when you demonstrated team work?”
• “Why did you choose your field of study?”

Such questions are common in any interview. I did not get any super hard or surprising behavioral questions for my interview last time, but one thing that I always suggest to students for interview prep is: Think of all the possible questions the employer is going to ask you. Write down your complete answer for every question to make sure you have thought about your answers to all the questions. This does not mean to memorize all your answers word to word, but instead, thinking through and writing down your answers in advance will prevent you from scrambling to think of the best word choice during your real interview.

I hope this gave you a good sense of what McCann’s interview process is like! Make sure you can devote 10 weeks of full time work when you apply for the program. The internship program is highly structuralized and has “classes” that all interns attend during the summer.

 Good luck!

Post by Shirley Lau, Psychology Major, Class of 2010.

INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS: An Untapped Resource

    I know many of us who come to Cal as an undergrad have not yet made up our minds about what career path we want to pursue.  But what about those die-hard students sitting at the other end of the spectrum?  Those who know exactly what they are going to do after they graduate from Berkeley?  Well, whether you’re the former or the latter, you can rest assured that informational interviews are both useful and valuable ways to get a better and more practical idea—from a primary resource—about what it would truly be like to work in a particular career field. 
    I recently sat down with a nurse practitioner, and asked her some questions about her experiences.  It was actually quite interesting hearing her speak about the education process (both theoretical and practical), working in both a clinical and hospital environment, and her overall perspective on being a professional in the healthcare world.  I should mention that since day one at Cal, I was almost certainly sure that I would be on the pre-med track.  I still am—but during my time here I’ve come to realize that there are so many different fields in medicine that intersect with each other, and that providing healthcare is truly an interdependent, joint effort.  I began wondering if I was overlooking other professions in healthcare that I may be more satisfied with.  So, after getting in contact with this nurse practitioner, I took the opportunity to learn a little bit more about another, and as it turns out, quite different healthcare profession. 
    What did I get out of this experience?  Well, as you might imagine, I did come away with more knowledge of what other healthcare workers do, but more importantly, I was reassured that I would most likely be more content practicing medicine as a physician.  This is why informational interviews are beneficial for students who lie essentially anywhere on this “what do I want to do?” continuum.  If you’re unsure or feel perpetually undecided, and are looking at a million different possibilities, getting some insight from people in those fields of interest would be useful in narrowing down the options, or at least help sharpen your focus on some career fields over others.  If you’re 99.9% sure about your career path, then informational interviews can be a way to clear up that pesky or nagging 0.1% that may have you occasionally doubting your plans for the future.  In the event that you should find the career path you were “so sure would be right for you” may actually not be the best idea, well look at it this way:  you’ve just opened the door for exploration into fields that may never have crossed your mind before.  Take it as an opportunity to re-evaluate yourself, your interests, your goals, and your values.  In the long run, I think most of you will be thankful that you found this out during college when there was still time to get on the track you actually wanted to be on, especially for those of you who are thinking of pursuing higher education.  You’ve just saved yourself anywhere from 2-12 years of rigorous education and thousands of dollars, among other things!  Either way, informational interviews will give you a chance to get a “real-life” peek at a certain career field—something that few other resources for career exploration can offer you.
    So, how do you get an informational interview?  Often, it’s helpful to see if you can think of any personal contacts who may be in your career field of interest, or who may be able to connect you with somebody who is in that field.  Or you can even just “cold call” someone you find in the phone book or via an online search!  Getting in contact with them can be accomplished in several ways (email, phone call, letter), and the interview does not have to last a long time (usually 20-30 minutes is sufficient).  The Career Center also has some great resources.  Listed below are a couple of places that may help you get started.  Remember, the information is out there for you to access—you just have to ask!  Most people are usually very willing to take some time to speak with someone who is interested in hearing about their experiences and outlook on their career field, and it’s a great way to jumpstart your networking!

Under “Networking” tab on Career Center homepage
@Cal Career Network:  connects you with Cal alums in your field of interest http://career.berkeley.edu/Plan/InfoInterview.stm:  informational interviewing page

By Amy Li, 3rd year Psych & IB Major

Second Round Interview at the Target Corporation

So, after a successful online assessment and phone interview with a Target recruiter, I was invited to for a second round interview day at the Target headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company covered my travel, lodging, food, and miscellaneous expenses, and I flew out to Minneapolis on September 11, which coincidentally was the last day of the Career Fair at Cal.

 The day of the interview I woke up at 8:00 AM to get dressed, and headed down to the lobby, where about 20 other candidates where milling around. The candidates were from all over the country; some were from the west like me, others from places like North Carolina, Kentucky, Florida, and some were local as well. At around 9:00 AM, two Target employees met with us and walked us to the Target Headquarters, which was only a couple of blocks away from the hotel. By the way, instead of walking in the sidewalks, Minneapolis has these really cool walkways attaching a few buildings around downtown; since it gets unbelievably cold in the winter, they need these Skyways to get people around. Pretty neat, eh?

At the Target headquarters, we met up with a lot of the HR personnel, including the
recruiters who invited us. The first part of the day was an introduction to the
company and a chance to shadow for the position we were applying for. In my case, I
met with a Business Analyst for the Sourcing Services. It was super interesting and
helpful to get a clearer idea of what I will be doing if I get accepted for the job.
I found out that as a Target Sourcing Services Business Analyst (or TSS BA), I would
be working with a team of other BAs and product managers to align our vendors all
over the world so we can ensure timely delivery of Target-owned brand products. It
involves a lot of communication with international businesses, which has a great
appeal for me. It also involves paying close attention to detail like deadlines,
shipping dates, and such, as well as a strong emphasis on teamwork, which I also
like. Afterwards, we headed back to the conference room for some lunch (Archer Farms, of course) and a chance to talk with some more Target
employees. 

 After lunch, we had time to mill around the Target Hall, which had all these beautiful artwork (apparently, former CEO Bob Ulrich was an art aficionado), plus the NASCAR Target team drivers were there, so a lot of employees were lined up to get their autographs. After that, each candidate had a sponsor to direct us to our interviewers. My sponsor happened to be from California as well, so it was a great time for me to ask questions about transitioning to the Midwest and such. Honestly, everyone at Target made me feel so comfortable and welcomed that the two 30-minute behavioral interviews turned out less daunting than I thought initially. I interviewed with two senior product managers of different Target lines, and they asked all behavioral-based questions.

 After the interview, we did a bit of paperwork and one of the recruiters took us to a short tour of the headquarters; we got a great view of the Minneapolis skyline from the 27^th floor, and a look at the other amenities for Target employees, like an office to get marriage licenses and dry-cleaning (I know, totally random, right?). We ended the big day around 5:00 PM with a reception at the Orchestra Hall across the street. There were some pretty awesome h’or dourves, and we met even more Target employees. The highlight of that reception, though, was when Gregg Steinhafel, the CEO of Target, stopped by to chat with us. I thought it was very modest of him to introduce himself as Gregg; it also confirmed my notion about Target’s fast, fun, and friendly culture.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thus ends my saga about the 2^nd round interviews at Target Corporation. Just a few tips for that 2^nd round interview:

1)      Develop your stories in a STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to answer the behavioral questions

2)      Research the company well, as well as industry news to bring up relevant questions after the interview.

3)      Take the opportunity to talk to as many employees in the site as you can; the more people you network with, the greater the chance you leave a great impression on someone who works there…might not be the decision-maker, but could be an influencer!

4)      Thank you notes always add a special, thoughtful touch to your interview experience. I recommend handwritten notes to each of your interviewers and your recruiter, because it just makes it more personal.

5)      Visit the Career Center website and search our VERY HUGE selection of interviewing tips, and Vault and Wetfeet guides on interviewing for certain industries.

6)      Stop by the Career Center for any additional questions regarding this exciting process!

Blog by: Peer Mariel, 4th year Business Administration Major.

Career Assessments: Discover what Career Paths are Good for You!

Happy Thursday blog readers! Bay Area rain has finally arrived, and so has a new series of great workshops all focused on Career Assessments. Career Assessments are a great way for you to find out more about yourself: what strengths you have, what career paths are a match for you, the ways you learn best, and much much more. Next week, on November 5th, there will be a workshop called "Career Assessment Series: Creative Approaches" specifically for L&S students. This is going to be a very valuable and interactive workshop, so I definitely recommend that you check it out. 

Who: Cal Career Center

What: Career Assessment Series: Creative Approaches

When: November 5th, 5:00-6:30

Where: 107 Genetics and Plant Biology (GPB)

Why: To give you more tools to plan and pursue a career by better knowing and understand yourself!

Log into Callisto to RSVP!

If you can't make it to this week's workshop be sure to check one of the other Career Assessment workshops!

• Career Assessment Series: Discover your Interests. November 12th 4:00-5:30, Barrows 140.
• Career Assessment Series: Discover your Values. November 13th 4:00-5:30, Wurster 102.
• Career Assessment Series: Discover Your Skills. November 20th 5:00-6:30, Barrows 110.

Early Bird Career Fair

I just wanted to drop a quick note mentioning the upcoming Early Bird Career Fair! This is going to be an awesome fair with lots of different opportunities. As of right now there are 62 employers listed, including Cisco, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft and Walt Disney. To access information about the fair and to see the list of employers log into Callisto and click on the Career Fairs sections.

• Career Center tip: If you are very serious about a few positions are companies be sure to read the job descriptions on the website, bring your resume (there is a Speed Resume Critique on Monday, October 28th in Pauley Ballroom - Drop by!!), and be sure to network with the recruiter!

Recap:

• Who: Career Center with Engineers' Joint Council, Partnership for Pre-Professional Filipinos & Phi Beta Lambda.
• What: Early Bird Internship Fair
• When: October 29th, 2008
• Where: Pauley Ballroom, 3rd Floor MLK
• Why: To help you land a summer internship!

Gender Inequality in the Workplace and How Women can Navigate it (Part Two)

Hello everyone, this is the second blog of the series of blogs on gender inequality in the workplace. Enjoy!

What is gender inequality in the workplace? Does it still exist today? How does it affect women?

Part II: Contemporary Problems of Gender Inequality in the Workplace
    Gender inequality in the workplace is not an issue that has disappeared. Today it may be less blatant, but it definitely still exists. Gender inequality can manifest itself in ways that are less obvious and difficult to contest. Occupational sex segregation is one form of contemporary gender inequality in the workplace. Certain fields have a higher concentration of one gender or the other. Engineering, technical, and scientific based careers often have a higher concentration of men as well as leadership positions in most fields. Female concentrated careers tend to be education and clerical work. Some people try to attribute this to the fact that men and women have different interests, but in reality this is socially constructed. Men are encouraged to pursue education and a career in these highly technical and scientific fields, while women are often not.
    Another problem is the wage gap. On average men earn higher pay for the same position than women, while they both possess comparable education and qualifications. In 2002 women earned 78 cents for every $1 men earned. Additionally, female concentrated occupations on average earn less pay than male concentrated fields. Promotion discrimination is yet another issue besetting women in the workforce. Women experience a cap in how far they can ascend in a company or are more likely to be hired into a dead end position such as a secretary. Men experience the opposite. They get promoted without intention of being promoted, especially if they are in a female concentrated field such as teaching primary school. Women also experience discrimination in recruitment. There are many networks that are only open to men. They network through sports and going to bars of which women are often excluded from. Women are penalized for being mothers or when they are of the typical age when women start having children. Mothers or women of that age are often passed up for promotion or not hired. Employers are not sympathetic to their position because they feel it will inhibit their ability to perform their job to the fullest degree. There is no fatherhood penalty. Men are often rewarded for being fathers because they are thought to be more committed.
    Child care, maternity leave, sexual harassment, and tokenism are more issues women face in the workplace. Sexual harassment is not always direct, but can consist of a hostile work environment. This gives women one more obstacle to navigate while trying to be successful in their jobs. For women who are breaking into male dominated fields, sexual harassment is especially common. Instead of these women being rewarded or respected for their achievements, they often face sexual harassment or tokenism. Tokenism in this sense is being the only or one of a few women in a field and thus being forced to represent all of women. This can reaffirm stereotypes or create immense pressure on women in this position. Not all women are the same; therefore this creates unreal depictions and understandings of women in general.
    Many people are unaware of the seriousness and degree that gender inequality is alive today. The above issues are only some of the multitude of inequalities that women endure daily. Feminists and women have organized for many years around these issues, but still a lot of work needs to be done to advance women in the workplace. This blog is not meant to be depressing but quite the opposite. The purpose of explicating these problems is to inspire and enlighten.

The next blog will provide explanations for gender inequality in the workplace. Continue to check the peer advisor blog for new blogs on this issue, in addition to fun and exciting opportunities and resources that our Career Center offers.

Post by Peer Rena, 3rd year Political Science and Sociology major.

Externships: Test drive your career possibilities!

What is an externship? An externship is the opportunity to shadow a Berkeley alum at their place of work over winter break! The Career Center has provided a list of friendly alumnus from varying fields who are willing to host a student(s) at their work place for a short time period, ranging from one day to one week.  This is an excellent opportunity to network and to gain a better understanding of a career field you are considering. Some of the externship hosts include: a public defender, TV producer, doctor, architect, engineer, teacher, CEO, social worker, writer, scientist, consultant, attorney, IT analyst, professor, youth center director, financial advisor, and many more!

Most externships are in and around the Bay Area, along with a few in Los Angeles and other large cities around the U.S.  Students are responsible for their own housing and transportation. This is a great opportunity to have a “hands on” experience, ask important and valuable questions about jobs and career fields, and to network! Externships definitely add to a resume and can be a great talking point during interviews. You can also use your externship to “test drive” a career possibility to see if you are a “fit” for the field!

Key details:
    • Only Freshman and Sophomores are allowed to apply until November 3rd, after that all undergraduates are allowed to apply   
    • Go to the Externship webpage to get two of the three application components: an Externship Program Application Form and a Statement of Interest Form. The last piece is your resume. Be sure to drop by Peer Advisor Drop-in hours and have us review your resume!

Important dates:
• October 14th : List of externships was posted
• October 14th  – November 3rd: Only Freshman and Sophomores are allowed to apply
• November 4th: All undergraduates are allowed to apply
• Late November/Early December: Externs selected and notified
• Early December: Externship orientation
• January 2nd – 16th: Externship period.

Post by Mary Chesus, 2nd Year International Political Economics Major. 

This Phone Call Will be Monitored for Your Quality Assurance (as a Job Candidate): How to Ace that Phone Interview

    So, the phone rings, and you nearly tackle your mother as you dash to grab the phone; after all, it’s the phone call you have been waiting for. You cloister yourself in your bedroom and exchange pleasantries with the person on the other line.  The voice on the other end then asks you to talk about a time when you “had a project that turned out differently than you expected, and what you did about it.” No worries; you have the answer right in front of you, written in your notebook on page 4! You look at a few key words from your notes and answer confidently, and after 30 minutes of grilling you with questions about your past, your phone buddy informs you about the next steps for your relationship and bids you “Adieu”; you hang up the phone and breath a huge sigh of relief.  Congratulations, you’ve just gotten through a successful phone interview!
    The scenario I talked about actually happened to me about two months ago, when I interviewed for a company outside of California.  Phone interviews are used by many companies to save time and costs to screen as many candidates in a short period of time. Recruiters often ask the same questions that they do in face-to-face interviews, which can range anywhere from a resume walkthrough to behavioral questions. While some people think of phone interviews as a walk in the park, others are nervous about this unfamiliar type of candidate selection. I see phone interviews as both a great benefit and a challenge. It is advantageous over a face-to-face interview in that you can have the answers to possible questions right in front of you, which you can compose in a succinct and effective manner ahead of time. Also, you don’t have to go through the trouble of dressing up for the interview; you can be in your pajamas if you want (although this is not actually recommended)! And, you don’t have to be conscious of your body language, because the interviewer can’t see it and interpret it (unless you’re videoconferencing, which is ever so fancy…and expensive). However, the absence of body language puts all the pressure on you to sound enthused and capable of doing the job you’re interviewing for. You also run the risk of sounding like you’re reading from a script and not sounding conversational. The wonderful news is that all these problems can be overcome by just following a few tips and a good amount of preparation, making the phone interview a positive experience for you.
    Getting ready for the phone interview is no different from preparing for a regular sit-down interview. Usually you can ask the recruiter beforehand to give you an idea of the types of questions they will ask. Then, you can make a list of questions that you might encounter during the interview, write down your responses in a concise and results-oriented manner, and learn them well. Don’t forget to study your resume carefully, too, so you can talk about it confidently during the interview. Also, have a full understanding of the job description you’re applying for, as well as do a thorough review of the organization website. Nothing says unprepared like a lack of knowledge about your recruiter and their company.
    Make sure that you minimize all possible distractions before the interview begins. Wherever you are, let everyone know that you have an important phone call and that they are not to interrupt you for the duration of your interview. If you’re using a cell phone, make sure that it is fully charged (or keep it plugged in to be safe), and that you’re doing the interview in a room with good reception. If you’re outside and the interviewer calls, find a quiet place! The last thing you want is to have any disturbance around you. Just think, if you were doing a face-to-face interview, the recruiter wouldn’t appreciate it if you answered your cell phone or a random guy walks into the office in the middle of your conversation, right? You shouldn’t allow anything or anyone to disrupt your phone interview either. 
During the actual interview, make sure you have the following things in front of you:
•    A pen and paper
•    A copy of your resume
•    A “cheat sheet” of potential interview questions and their answers
•    Your planner
•    A short list of thoughtful questions for the company

    Try not to look down when you’re answering interview questions, because you might end up sounding different than your normal voice—the one you want your recruiter to be familiar with should you go to the next round and actually meet them in person. Here’s a trick: post a picture of your favorite person up to your eye level when you’re standing up so your voice is stronger and is at its normal pitch. Watch the filler words like “ums” and “ahs,” because they’re more noticeable over the phone. And lastly, if you are asked a question that is on your cheat sheet, don’t read off the paper like it’s a script; it’s just a useful tool to trigger your talking points, kind of like big flashcards during a class presentation.      
The same regular post-interview basics apply: ask meaningful questions that show your interest in the firm, ask about the next steps in the recruiting process, and send a thank you note (e-mail is acceptable) no more than 24 hours after the interview.
    So, use these tips to take advantage of an “open book exam” –the phone interview—and pretty soon you’ll be getting another phone call, this time inviting you to their offices for that second round interview! 

Post by Peer Mariel, 4th Year Business Administration Major.

Want to get away? What to do after graduation...

I was always unsure about what exactly I wanted to do after college.  I knew I wanted to go to professional school, but not directly after leaving Berkeley.  So, I played around with different ideas, looked through the Career Center web site, did informational interviews and talked to people, but I still could not really settle on a specific program.  Then I heard about the Fulbright program!  Fulbright is a program through the Bureau of Education and the Cultural Affairs section of the Department of State.  The U.S. student program provides bachelor degree students with the opportunity to do a 10 month research project in any country from a list of over 155.  What appealed to me the most about the program, besides its prestige and cultural exposure, was the fact that it pays for ALL EXPENSES.  I couldn’t believe such a program existed that I hadn’t know about before.  So I went to the website:  us.fulbrightonline.org and discovered that we have a Fulbright representative here on Berkeley’s campus to provide information and answer questions.  Her information is: 

Gina Farales
Fulbright Program Adviser
Graduate Services: Fellowship Office
318 Sproul Hall
Berkeley, California 94720-5900
510-642-0672
gfarales@berkeley.edu

While I realize this is a competitive program and that I may not get in, I find satisfaction in knowing that at least I’ve tried.  So, if you want to have great cultural experiences while doing research after college, try looking into the Fulbright program.  It may be just the perfect opportunity that you are looking for.!
For more information on post-graduation programs try looking on the Career Center website or the Berkeley website

By Kimeshia Thomas, ISF 4th Year

Gender Inequality in the Workplace and How Women can Navigate it

Hello everyone, this is the beginning of a series of blogs on gender inequality in the workplace. I am a third year sociology and political science double major at Cal and am interested in this topic and ways to alleviate it. This is an important issue and I thought it would be beneficial to spread a little awareness to those of us who are going to enter the workforce soon.

What is gender inequality in the workplace? Does it still exist today? How does it affect women?

 Part 1: Historical Perspective
Throughout history women have experienced discrimination in the workplace, especially in the fields that are dominated by men, such as engineering and construction. This is a serious problem that still plagues contemporary society and often remains ignored. More and more women are entering the workplace, but are facing obstacles in their work environment and are overwhelmed by balancing work and the home.
During World War II the work experience for women was extremely different than at any other point in history. Women were encouraged to work outside the home for the first time in factories, sea ports and many other industries in order to help the war effort. Propaganda was released that equated these industry jobs to household tasks such as sewing or operating home appliances. They thought that this propaganda would help women better relate to these types of jobs, but in actuality this worked to reinforce gender stereotypes. Men were overseas fighting the war and their jobs needed to be filled so women came to the rescue. However, after the war ended men returned home and women were forced out of their jobs back to their work at home.
Women’s work traditionally was comprised of domestic labor, teaching small children, and textile work. In our society, these types of work are often considered less important as compared to the realm of work that men predominately hold. Sex segregation in career fields stem from this. The sexual division of labor in the family also contributes to gender inequalities in the workplace today. Traditionally women stayed at home and took care of the children and the household chores, which is free unpaid labor. This labor allows men to work in the paid workforce outside the home. The labor that women perform in the home is called reproductive labor. This labor is underappreciated and free, yet crucial to a patriarchical-capitalist society. Today things have shifted drastically.  Most women work outside the home and then have to come home after a long and exhausting day of work and begin a “second shift” by taking care of the children, preparing dinner, and cleaning the house as well as giving emotional attention to the children and the husband.

Stay tuned for more to come on contemporary problems and explanations regarding gender inequality in the workforce!

By Peer: Rena Sepulveda, 3rd Year Sociology and Political Science double major.

What Type of Impact Do You Want to Make?

This summer I interned at Community Clinic Consortium through a program called Health Careers Connection in Richmond, CA. The consortium is a coalition of nonprofit community health centers connected by the common goals pertaining to increasing access to healthcare. I applied for this internship to further my understanding of the Health Policy and Management field. My background in the University Health Worker Program helped me to realize that I really enjoy interacting with people and having that direct contact, however, I wanted to know more! I wanted to explore how decisions are made on the macro level on issues such as insurance, health programs and health education.

The first thoughts that came to my mind were examples such as: how the decisions are made to run anti-drug commercials, or how decisions are made regarding access to health insurance. At the consortium, I spent a few days in Sacramento where I learned about the procedures required for bills to pass and become implemented.  In addition, many of the staff members I worked with had direct experience in community health centers, so they knew firsthand what it is like and were able to make significant change because of that experience.  Ultimately my internship was a wonderful opportunity for me to get a better sense of what type of impact I want to make in my future career. Impacting individuals lives directly at the clinic is just as important as making policy decisions, but I needed to know what would be the best match for me.  My internship helped to solidify this for myself and I feel confident entering the work force with more direction and purpose

Want to know more about internships? Visit the Career Center webpage! Be sure to check out some of our "Internships: The Tour!" events on campus! October Events include:

• How to get a Summer Internship in High Tech - October 23
• Internship Tips for Transfer Students - October 27
• Engineers: Resume Writing and Internship Fair Prep - October 27
• Speed Resume Critique - October 28
• Early Bird Internship Fair - October 29

Log into Callisto for more details and to RSVP!

By Peer: Erica McClanahan, 4th year American Studies major.

Don't Miss Out: Internships with Early Deadlines

Some of the best internships for the summer have early November deadlines! Tomorrow night there is a panel describing some of the awesome opportunities:

Take advantage of some of the unique and prestigious internship opportunities that are available to you at Cal. Come to this program to learn more about internships abroad with the State Department; public service internships in New Orleans; NGO & government internships in Washington DC; internships in state government through Cal in the Capital; and InRoads.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, night 219 Dwinelle 5-630 PM.

Info-Sessions: Not a Senior? A-Okay!

Welcome to the Peer Corner! Now that the Fall semester is going full blast be sure to check back every week to hear from our diverse and experienced peer advisors.

Info-Sessions are a great way to learn about a company and see if you are a fit. Most info sessions are at the beginning of the semester (they started during the first week of school!) and seem to be geared towards 3rd and 4th year students, undergraduates who are looking at full time positions. Although much of the talk and discussion may be about full-time work, it is still useful information for students who are either looking for an internship with this company or trying to decide if this field is correct for them.

Often at info sessions there will be a handful of employees, some of which are Cal grads. These alums will be frank with you: they will tell you how prepared they felt after Cal, what the field is like, and what they do on a daily basis. It is an opportunity to have an informational interview for you to personally evaluate a field. How long are the hours of an investment banker? Do I really want to do that?

Aside from evaluating a field, employer info sessions are a chance to network. Even if the information does not pertain specifically to your desired internship, you can still get a card from an employee and ask if they know anything about your intended position. During the application process you can mention that you intended an info session, (this shows substantial interest and commitment) and mention the employee you met along with a few detail such as to what kind of insight the employee gave you.

Don't be afraid to get out there and become more informed! It's great practice for an interview or a career fair!

Upcoming Info-Sessions:(Check on Callisto for more info!)

• - Bain & Company: September  29
• - Cisco: September 29
• - Yahoo! : October 7

Introducing.....the 2008-2009 Career Center Peer Advisors!

  Hello Fellow Cal Students!  Welcome back to the 2008-2009 academic year - we hope you all had a fantastic summer!

We are excited to serve you, our fellow Peers, through drop-in appointments at the Career Center and during customized workshops for your student organizations and departments.  We anticipate that these services will begin about the 3rd week of classes, one we've all settled into the new semester.

So keep checking back for updates and announcements - we will begin writing regular blog posts once the semester is underway.

Cheers,

-The Career Center Peer Advisors!

Enjoy your summer! The Peer Blog will return in Fall 2008......

Thank you for your interest in Peer Corner!  The Career Center Peers do not work during the summer months, but we'll return in early September 2008 with new informative and interesting blog articles and stories from our summer adventures!

Stay tuned......

How to go about getting that Letter of Recommendation

Just realized that you are going to need a letter of recommendation? Or are you anticipating that a graduate school or job will ask you for one down the road? No Problem!  First thing’s first – you will need to become informed about what the program expects and hopes to learn from your letters of recommendation. This can vary depending on if it is a grad school application, a scholarship, or maybe a job application.

There are generally 3 different types of Letter of Recommendations:

Employment recommendation: Usually from a past supervisor or a professional acquaintance for a particular job

 Academic recommendation: From a teacher or professor when applying to a college or graduate school, or receiving a scholarship or fellowship

 Character reference: An assessment of your personality and character from a friend or relative when applying for a job, winning an award, child adoption, a court hearing, etc.

Now remember that when choosing the individual to write your letter, you might want to reflect on a few things first.  Here are a few key factors to assess in determining if the letter writer is a fit:

· Is the person comfortable writing a letter for you?

· Can they write well and write easily?

· Do they have experience writing letters of recommendation?

· Is she/he familiar with your work, and YOU?

· Do they know you well enough to be able to include personal anecdotes or specifics in the letter?

· Do they have the highest and/or most relevant job title?

Being a college student, your options for letter writers may revolve around asking a Professor, a GSI, or your current employer/supervisor. One key tip is to remember to attend your professor’s office hours and build a strong student-teacher relationship. This will allow your letter of recommendation may reflect who you are as a student and as a unique individual, not simply as a letter grade. If you choose to go with your GSI, your professor does have the option of co-signing the letter.

When approaching your letter writer, it is best if you first ask them whether they would feel comfortable writing you a letter. You should also attempt to ask your letter writer to write you a recommendation 2-3 months in advance if possible (at least one month!). You never know how busy they might be, and similarly you always want to give them a reasonable deadline.

After choosing your letter writer, you should provide him or her with as much information about yourself as possible. You definitely want to give them a brief description of the organization, group, individual, or cause to whom they are writing to, i.e. a website or program/company description. Also be sure to include your resume, possibly a short summary about yourself and your goals (or a draft of your personal statement or application essay). If approaching a professor, it is also helpful to give them a copy of your transcripts and a sample of high quality work that you completed in their class, i.e. a research paper, assignment, or midterm that you scored well on. Basically, provide them with any information that could assist them writing a strong letter that properly matches your personality and experiences to the context of the program or position you are applying to. Last but not least, don’t forget to thank your letter writer for their precious time!

Check out more tips at the Career Center Website Here!

By Peer: Ariana Torres: 2nd Year, Interdisiplenary Studies Field and Dance

Evaluating your Skills

One of the best ways to seek different career options is by assessing and evaluating  your own skills. By doing so one can explore various careers while at the same time learning more about yourself. You may be surprised when you realize that you actually have developed certain skills which you didn’t know you already possessed! These surprising discoveries can open the door to different industries and jobs.

There are a few ways to begin assessing yourself. One of the first is to:

**Identify Accomplishments
We all have numerous accomplishments which we have gained through jobs, clubs, hobbies and even classes. Do not forget that these accomplishments can be both educational and extracurricular. Reflecting on our accomplishments allows us to possibly see where we were headed and where we might want to go. When attempting to find these accomplishments one should also list responsibilities, identify tasks, and mention awards. If you are not satisfied with your initial list, think of opportunities where you can gain new accomplishments. It is never too late to join an on-campus club, begin a project at work, apply for a conference, or find other opportunities which will allow you to develop skills and enhance your resume.

By reviewing your resume you may be able to discover many of these accomplishments. If you do not have a resume, list your volunteer and community involvement in reverse chronological order, starting from your most recent job and working backwards.After composing this list one can log onto the Career Center website  and take one of our very own Self-Assessments. Keep in mind that these resources are not “tests” with right or wrong answers, and they are not meant to tell you what you should be or what career you would be “good” at. However, they are meant to give you some direction, to narrow down your choices, and to help you explore different career options. These assessments include:

Interests - Strong Interest Inventory
The Strong Interest Inventory measures your interests in a wide range of jobs, work tasks, leisure activities and school subjects. It includes information on how your interests can be linked to majors, campus activities, internships, and part-time jobs. It also provides tips for choosing a:

• Major
• Graduate program
• First job out of college

Skills - SkillScan
SkillScan helps you identify your inherent strengths and skills that are transferable across careers. It will help you to:

• Identify career options that utilize your skills and talents.
• Prepare strategies to move your career in the right direction.
• Gain a skill-based language that will help you market your strengths on a resume and in interviews.

Values - Career Values
Career Values enables you to explore factors that are important to you in your work life. Working in a career field that conforms to your preferences for such things as time freedom, prestige, service to others, etc. will increase the likelihood of satisfaction with your job. Career Values will help you:

• Identify your work values
• Explore the intensity of your feelings about some values
• Determine if there are any conflicts between your values that make career choices difficult

These Self-Assessments will help you think about your interests and skills, some of which you may not have thought about before. These assessments can allow you to consider new goals which will ultimately broaden your career opportunities. When you begin to think about new occupations, you might want to begin researching them and further exploring different positions along with the skills and tasks provided in the job description. One great place to start is O*Net, a career information database managed by the US Department of Labor. Experiment with different options before settling down with just one career goal. Remember that the best way to familiarize yourself with a profession or career is by taking a class, job shadowing, volunteering, or setting up an informational meeting, or even interning!

By Peer: Ariana Torres: 2nd Year, Interdisiplenary Studies Field and Dance

Work-Life Balance

Now, let’s take a minute to review your day-to-day schedule.  Does it involve class, studying into the wee hours of the morning, tons of meetings, work, and maybe a few hours of sleep? Despite the fact that this schedule looks like the ordinary college student schedule, its time to reflect on whether or not this type of lifestyle is balanced and healthy. Have you ever heard of the term “work-life balance”?

First let’s define what work-life balance is NOT.  Work-life balance does not necessarily mean that you MUST try to maintain an equal balance at all times between all of the many parts of your life; this may be impossible. Attempting to have an equal amount of time for each of your daily activities is unrealistic and may actually increase your stress.

However, what you must do is realize that we are all unique individuals whose work-life balance is and should be different. We each have distinct forms of relaxation which may require different amounts of time. Now keep in mind that our schedules and ability to “relax” and have a clear balance can change from week to week depending on events, projects, etc. The purpose of an effective work-life balance is to seek a balance in your daily “achievement and enjoyment”, which leads to a sense of overall well-being and happiness.

Finding work-life balance is vital to any college student’s career. Work-life balance allows us to gain a clear mind and reduce stress.  If your personal life and your work life are not balanced, you may be headed towards a high-stressed life which may interfere with your ability to work up to your potential. Although some of us may be engulfed with school work because it remains one of our top priorities, you may want to reflect on whether it is invading in your social/personal life. Whether your problem is too much work, or too much of a personal life, finding a balance can be negotiable.

Let’s take control of the situation and reevaluate our lives. What is it that we need in our lives and what we are avoiding can allow us to develop options for a healthy balance.

Here are 5 easy steps we can follow to seek this mental and physical balance that is critical to any college student’s fast paced life:

1) Figure out what really matters in your day/life (i.e. your personal VALUES): Personal coach Laura Berman Fortgang, author of NOWWHAT? 90 Days to a New Life Direction, says getting your priorities clear is the first and most essential step toward achieving a well-balanced life. Fortgang says a typical top-five list might include some of the following:
Children
Boyfriend/Girlfriend
Satisfying career goal
Community service
Religion/spirituality
Health
Sports
Art
Hobbies
Adventure/travel

2) Drop any activities that are unnecessary such as those that may not be career related, those which are not enhancing your personal growth, or those that do not serve as a form of relaxation. By reviewing your last list you may notice that you are making certain activities your priority despite the fact that they are not promoting a healthy and balanced life which may be keeping you away form things that actually do matter the most to you.

3) Respect your “me time”: Do not let your work life interfere with your personal life and vice versa.  Maintain your boundaries and realize that both are equally important and deserve your respect and attention. You will feel a greater satisfaction if you know that you have satisfied both of these elements. A healthy mind equals a Healthy body!

 4) Seek others to assist you in creating a greater balance your life: Getting a friend or family member’s opinion and allowing someone to help you reevaluate your schedule and various time commitments can allow you to view things from another perspective. We tend to overlook things and may need a second opinion to help us realize what other alternatives and options exist in order to restore or enhance our work-life balance.

 5) RELAX! This is an essential part of living a healthy well-balanced life. Whether your form of relaxation is going to the gym, taking a yoga class, going on a date or having a night out with some friends, you can ALWAYS seek out activities which allow you some work-free time. Realize that the most important thing in college is to be happy! So make it a habit to stop, think and ensure yourself that you are making time to participate in some stress-free, enjoyable activities.

 Lastly, remember that YOU are the only individual that has total control of your own schedule—it is all entirely up to you to take initiative and implement necessary changes to help you achieve work-life balance!

By Peer: Ariana Torres: 2nd Year, Interdisiplenary Studies Field and Dance

Why Being a Peer Advisor is the Best Job on Campus!

As I finish my third year of working as a Career Center Peer Advisor, I have decided to return to the Peer program for my 4th year in 2008-2009!  I know that to some that may seem like a long time to stay at one campus job, but I am so happy that I became a Peer Advisor and I wouldn’t want to leave!  Serving as a Peer has helped me to develop a wide range of skills and talents, as well as given me the opportunity to help out my fellow peers.
Here are the top three reasons why I love being a Career Center Peer Advisor:

1) Knowledge!!!
As a Peer you learn so much about career-related resources, as well as how to put together and conduct professional presentations. I definitely benefit from the all the knowledge that I have to learn in training and through my position. You not only get to help students, but you help yourself in the process! I am happy that I know how to use important resources such as Cal Jobs, OCR, and the Letter Service.

2) Building great relationships/Great Recommendations
My supervisors are very supportive and knowledgeable. I get to build great relationships with them and thus in return they have no problem writing me letters or recommendations or serving as a reference when I apply for internships, scholarships, and jobs.

3) Flexible Hours
You pretty much get to set your own hours here at the Career Center , and the schedule is very flexible every week. You only have to sign up for assignments and presentations that you are able to do, and you are rarely forced to work at a specific time. Since this is a Work Study position, the Career Center is very understanding of that fact that we are students who have demanding schedules and shifting priorities.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg! Stay tuned for more reasons why you should apply to become a Career Center Peer Advisor…..

by Peer: Erica McClanahan: 3rd Year, American Studies

Looking for a Great Job: Career Center Hiring!!!

 

CAREER
CENTER

NOW HIRING PEER ADVISORS!

 

+ Earn $12.50/hour

+ Create your own work schedule

+ Receive training on career exploration and job search techniques

+ Conduct presentations and advise other students on career-related topics

 

See the job listing at

career.berkeley.edu/Jobs/CalJobs.stm 

or workstudy.berkeley.edu

 

This is a work study position. To learn more about the

Career Center, please visit: career.berkeley.edu

 

 

Weighing Your Options…

With summer quickly approaching, many students are now thinking about what they are going to do with their break.  For some summer will be a time to travel abroad, for others it means hanging out with family or friends, and with others it means summer school.  However, for a large amount of Cal students, summer equals internships.  Yet a common question that the Career Center Peer Advisors here is that students never know where to start looking.  Well I’m here to tell you that there are many options out there (Yes, there really are!), one of which is interning with the Department of State.

When I started looking for internships I never considered working for the Department of State.  I wanted to go abroad and besides that I thought I wasn’t interested in government or public policy.  However, I soon learned that working with the State is a great way to get an internship!  I started looking up more information and discovered that the Department of State offers an internship to Africa, which is completely paid for!  This fact surprised me (probably like it just surprised you!) and I started to do more investigation.  I found out that UC Berkeley is the only other school besides UCLA in California that has a Diplomat in Residence at our local university.  Our Diplomat’s name is Anne O’Leary and she knows a vast amount of information about careers with the Department of State, specializing in the Middle East.  With Anne’s help I was able to learn more information about the summer internships with the Department of State, and working with her I eventually got an internship at a US Embassy in Pretoria, one of South Africa’s capitals.  Ultimately what I learned is to never overlook any opportunities based on face value – if you dig deeper you just might be surprised to learn about the plethora of options out there, just like how I discovered all that the Department of State has to offer.

by Peer: Kimeshia Thomas, 3rd Year, Interdisciplinary Field Studies

Negotiating with a New Employer:

We’ve probably all been there - the phone rings, we hear a voice tell us that we got “the job”, and we automatically want to say “YES!” and accept the position. Often we don’t even listen to the details (i.e. the start date, the hours, the pay, etc.), but instead we just want to say “yes” as quickly as possible to seal the deal. Our instinct is to secure that job/internship we’ve been searching for and to get the uncertainty and the hours of worrying about never getting a decent position out of our heads. However, the important thing to remember during these great moments of joy is to slow down, pay attention, and to be prepared before giving a final answer to the employer.

Before you get that phone call know what kind of “specifics” are important to you in deciding whether or not to accept a position. Do you have a certain date before which you cannot start, or before which you must finish that internship? If the position is far away, do you need financial relocation assistance? Where will you live? What kind of help can you get in financing your move and your new place? If the position is full time, what kind of benefits will you have? Are there perks that you think would be nice to have, but that aren’t offered up front such as a bonus?

For many summer internships, the questions of start/finish dates, as well as possible relocation assistance, are usually at the top of the list for many students. Salary is often not very negotiable at this point, however doing some preliminary research can let you know what your expected range can be. There are lots of discussion sites out there where college students exchange their proposed salaries and give opinions as well (just Google: “how much pay for internship?”)

For full time positions you have much more to think about salary, location, benefits, and future mobility, all negotiable items that are on the table. Check out Salary.com for possible salaries in your offered position and geographic location. The name of the game is that it never hurts to ask before accepting any offer.  If you’ll have to move, ask if there is relocation assistance. If you don’t see any talk of medical/retirement benefits, ask if they offer these to new employees. Good medical coverage and a solid 401k plan (with employers matching your contribution for example) can go a long way beyond your base salary.  If you don’t understand your vacation/sick day time, ask specifically what the policy is.  Also ask if there is some sort of a profit sharing plan available. Bonuses are always nice too, so if it’s not mentioned be sure to ask if you get an end of the year performance bonus. Promotions are even better! Ask about future common career tracks in their company, professional development opportunities, and performance evaluation procedures - these are the things that signal possible promotions.

A lot of companies start all of their new associates at a similar pay rate, so pushing hard on the employer for that extra few dollars might yield little results. If you feel you are being undervalued, do some research and see what the average industry rate for your level of education and position is.  This way you’ll have some legitimate standards to bring to the employer’s attention during the negotiation process. Just thinking that you’re worth 30k more for no apparent reason is not a convincing position; but letting them know that you have advanced skill sets or that other competitive companies in the industry pay 30k more that what they offer can make a difference.

There is a lot of information about negotiating with employers out there, check out the Career Center HERE for more info. The best thing to remember is to slow down, and take the time to think the offer over. You can even stop by the Career Center and chat with a counselor about it, and ask more questions.

by Peer: Andrew Neginskiy: 4th Year, Psychology 

 

 

Phone Interviews: Piece of cake right???

For some students, phone interviews can initially seem to be a load off your shoulders if you are worried about what nervous habits you might display during an in-person interview. Twiddling your thumbs or staring off into space is something that you definitely don’t have to worry about.  However, a phone interview carries the same weight as an in-person interview and all of the same “rules” apply. You still should spend time preparing for the phone interview ahead of time and be ready to provide specific examples of HOW and WHY you are qualified for the position. Remember, the sound of your voice is also very important. I remember when my co-worker and I conducted a phone interview for the first round screening for new peer advisor applicants. This person sounded very unenthusiastic, like they had just rolled out of bed. Their lack of excitement and professionalism gave us the impression that they did not have much interest in the job.

In order to be successful in a phone interview, one must be aware of how they are sounding to the other person. Here are a few tips to help you ace the phone interview!

1) Make sure you are awake, prepared, and focused for the phone interview. Schedule the talk for a time when you will be free of interruptions.

2) Be sure to use a land line because cell phone service can be spotty – and it would be very unprofessional to have a dropped call during an interview!

3) It can help to dress in business or business casual attire to help you get into a professional mode.

4) Stand up straight to maintain a good posture so that it will reflect in your voice. Also be sure to smile as you talk!

5) Have copies of your resume and the job description in front of you.

Just like an in-person interview, you want to leave them with a good impression of you and your abilities and talents. Be smart! Be enthused! And Prepare! Follow these tips and you will have a better shot of making a great first impression that will help you nail that phone interview! Also check out these tips from the Career Center website: CLICK HERE

by Peer: Erica McClanahan: 3rd Year, American Studies

How to find the right summer program or internship!

So as I am in middle of the second semester of my junior year, I realize it is now time to secure a job or internship for the summer. I also imagine that many of you are in the same boat! While there are endless opportunities, my dilemma is related to finding the right one that is suited to my interests at this point. I want to find a program that will allow me to explore my interest in public health, so I started with the internet which included conducting a Google search and of course utilizing CalJobs.  Networking and attending career fairs are other great internship search strategies that may present some opportunities for you. By conducting my own search, I found that there are many different types of programs ranging from paid to unpaid, local to non local. There are several factors to consider when selecting the right summer program, however, these are choices that each of us must make based on our current needs and goals. If you are fortunate enough to be able to volunteer or pay for your stay in another geographic location, then you may be broadening your search for opportunities. If not, don’t sweat and keep looking locally. Ultimately this process is about finding the best match for YOU. Although my internship search has been time consuming thus far, I have discovered three public health-related programs that I think I will benefit, learn, and grow from. Applying to a variety of different programs and positions will allow you to have a choice and a backup if needed to ensure you can land an excellent internship. With this said, I’ll be finished applying soon, so wish me luck!

For those of you who are seeking assistance with your own internship or job search, you can stop by the Career Center to meet with a Peer Advisor for drop-in counseling. Our hours are from 12-4pm Monday-Thursday, and 12-3pm on Fridays. We look forward to helping you find success!

by Peer: Erica McClanahan: 3rd Year, American Studies

 

Highlight: @Cal Career Network

        While the Career Center offers many great services to students, I wanted to specifically highlight the @ Cal Career Network because many of you may not be familiar with this helpful resource. This network is a database of Cal alumni who have volunteered to be available to share their career experiences and give advice to students and other Cal alumni. The @ Cal Network allows you to gather information about specific occupations or industries as you develop and explore in your career path. This is a great way to explore career options and gain insightful advice about career choice, job searching, or graduate school. You can search through the database to find someone that matches your interests, and then contact that person to set up an informational interview.  It is important to note an informational interview is not an actual job interview, and similarly the Network is not meant to be used to ask for jobs.  However, these conversations with alumni can help you to explore options and understand what particular positions and fields entail.

          After you find an appropriate match on the Network, note the method by which the alumni wishes to be contacted, and be clear about the information that you will be requesting in the informational interview. Remember when you are introducing yourself to mention your interests and your current activities, whether in school or at work.  You also want to be enthusiastic and professional! During your interview be conscientious with the person’s time (usually 20-30 minutes is good), and do your homework and prepare questions beforehand so you can be efficient with the time allotted.  Let the person you are interviewing guide the length of the interview.  In respect to the preparation of the interview, make sure you research the person’s organization and the questions you would like to ask. These questions can range from hearing this person’s individual career path, gaining insight into tips and steps for the job search, learning about career fields and industries, as well as gaining insights into specific job positions.

A couple of other things to keep in mind are the following:

• Have a resume prepared   so that you may be able to provide a copy to your contact to give them   a good sense of your background.
• Generally business   casual will be the attire of choice when meeting someone in their workplace.   However, be mindful of the work environments you will be visiting as   some places will be more formal and others more relaxed. To be sure,   you can ask your contact what the dress style is at their office.
• In terms of confidentiality,   make sure to respect the information your contact will be giving you   and reflect on the appropriateness of disclosing information to others.
• Express your gratitude   for their time and send them a thank you note afterwards!
• Follow up with your   contacts so that you may be able to build a relationship and possibly   use them in the future as they are now part of your professional network!

Hopefully these tips will help you feel confident to start using the @ Cal Career Network!!!

by Peer:
Jessica Parra-Fitch: 3rd Year, International Political Economy and Anthropology

The Importance of Taking Initiative

For some people, applying for a job or into a volunteer program can be intimidating.  As undergraduates, we often underestimate our qualifications and abilities to interact in a professional setting.  In addition, application processes can be rather competitive, stimulating a sense of fear that inhibits some of us from even taking a chance to showcase what we have to offer to a valuable employer.

In my experience, I have found that taking initiative relives the pressures of competitiveness when applying for any type of position.  For example, when I discovered my passion to become a pharmacist, I quickly found the opportunities available to gain hands-on experience in a retail setting.  When I found out that Elephant Pharmacy had an opening for the summer, I applied immediately, but was turned down due to the high volume of applicants.  Although I was stressed and disappointed over this rejection, I continued to visit Elephant Pharmacy throughout the fall semester.  Even though there were no openings at the time, I would drop off an updated copy of my resume and happily speak with the pharmacist, expressing my interest in their volunteer program.  By having this personal interaction, I was able to put a face to my resume.   In addition, I knew a couple of volunteers at Elephant Pharmacy and used my networking skills to ask them more about the program.  I would ask the volunteers for tips about qualities that the pharmacy manager looks for in their candidates, updates for further openings, or even to possibly recommend me to the program and put in a good word for me to the pharmacist.

When the spring semester arrived, I applied once again.  This time, the pharmacist immediately exclaimed, “Hey I remember you, you look really familiar! I think I’ve seen you here before…”  Before I knew it, I landed my volunteer position at Elephant Pharmacy and stayed there throughout the summer.  It was an experience I will never forget, and I was happy to know that my patience, persistence, and initiative paid off in the end!

by Peer: Pam Mendoza: 4th Year, Molecular Cell Biology

Internship Etiquette!

Well some of you are probably thinking that once you have landed the perfect internship, that the hard part is over. Although this may be partly true, you want to shine during your entire internship experience and maintain a positive, professional momentum. When I held my internship at Kaiser Permanente my summer entering Cal, I tried my best to go above and beyond what might have been expected of me. Whenever I was asked to do a task or project, I made sure that I fully understood the task and completed it within a fair amount of time. I also took opportunities to share my ideas and input when I thought my perspective could be valuable or needed. Let’s face it - many employers and professionals may identify us as the “You Tube generation”, and we have unique skills, perspectives, and insights to offer companies!

Here are some tips to help you excel and standout in your internship:

1) Dress for success! If the company you are interning for has a casual dress code, kick it up a notch to standout and to reinforce how serious you are about the position.

2) Avoid Slacking! You want to show that you are just as capable of completing projects and tasks as the regular employees (i.e. opening up the door for a potential job offer in the future!)

3) Be on time! Enough said about that. Nothing is worse that a late and undedicated intern.

4) Ask for extra projects and opportunities to get involved! The best internships are those that allow you to job shadow other professionals, get deeply engaged in the activities of the company, and get a true sense of what employment is like in a given profession. Don’t be afraid to ask for opportunities to get involved with projects and experiences that will enhance your internship experience and professional development!

If you follow these suggestions, along with incorporating your own ideas of what a “perfect intern” looks like, I assure you not to worry; even if it feels like your hard work may go unnoticed, it could very likely pay off in the future when you may be extended a permanent job opportunity! Happy Interning!

For additional assistance, check out http://internships.berkeley.edu

by Peer: Erica McClanahan: 3rd Year, American Studies

It’s ALL about who you know

Ever since I was a freshman, I was always told that networking was crucial for my professional and academic development. Basically when it comes down to it, networking is all about who you know. I have to say that I deeply underestimated the value of networking until I actively experienced it and its benefits this past summer during my internship in Washington, D.C. I was working in the Organization of American States (OAS), the oldest international organization, under their Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) which strives to improve the social and economic development of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Aside from the fact that I had an amazing experience working with professionals from around the world and making a difference at the same time, I found myself in the midst of networking every single day. YABT has many programs it undertakes in countries all over the Americas and many times works in conjunction with other international organizations, banks, non-profits, private companies and governments to implement them. Therefore our office constantly experienced visits from members of our partner organizations, as well as ambassadors and interested investors. Fortunately, YABT did a great job in incorporating interns in almost all aspects of its inner working and I was able to meet people every single day. Furthermore, the OAS, along with the organizations within their network, held many special events, fundraisers, parties, and celebrations. This was another opportunity to extend my network.

Through these experiences I not only met interesting people but also learned the ins and outs of the working world and the many opportunities that are out there. At the end of my internship I was very well aquatinted not only with my staff but with many of our partner organizations as well. It’s funny too because even when I did not want to network and just have a good time, I was still in the middle of networking partly because I had my own Berkeley network in Washington. I was there as a Cal in the Capital student and knew my fellow students really well. I had a good group of friends and we took every chance to explore the city and have fun. Almost every day after work we would head out for happy hour before going out, by the way happy hours abound in Washington especially in the summer when it is full of interns so it gets really fun! Even when we were out of work and were trying to enjoy our free time, we would meet people and the typical questions would arise. Where do you work? Oh, and what do you do there? You’re a student, where and what do you study? Etc.

I have to admit at times these questions got old, especially when my friends and I just wanted to have some fun after work. However, these pseudo networking events became so normal to us it was like I had my professional “on” switch all the time. Through all of this, not only did we get the occasional “ins” to the best clubs, but most of my friends and I met people who were working in our dream jobs. The best thing is that they were all happy to tell us how they got there and what to do and not to do in order to get there ourselves one day and be successful. Overall I came out of my Washington experience almost a pro at networking and with valuable business cards that I have already used and will use in the future. So now that you have an illustrated idea of the benefits of networking here are some tips on socializing to get that job you want:

• It’s not scary because you are basically making light conversations to foster connections with people in order to have them as contacts and leads.
• Take the initiative and introduce yourself to people. Remember to be attentive.
• Create and practice your self-introduction. Think of it as your mini commercial, remember, you are selling yourself.
• Be yourself and relaxed. I like to think of it like a conversation with that cool aunt I haven’t seen for a while but that still doesn’t know all my business. You don’t want to come off uptight or nervous just cool, collected, and interesting so that they remember you.
• Be polite and respectful. Although I never thought I had to be professional at a bar, you really need to remain professional at all times. You never know who you might meet (I actually started going out with my supervisors a lot at the end of my internship), so you always want to maintain professionalism even when having fun.
• Keep a good sense of humor!
• Network with everyone! Classmates, GSI’s, faculty, roommates, neighbors, co-workers, family members, former teachers or advisors, really anyone and everyone!
• Use Berkeley as your starting point. There are many great resources on our campus, including the Career Center’s @Cal Career Network
• Keep a positive attitude and it is likely that your networking will pay off!!!

by Peer:  Jessica Parra-Fitch: 3rd Year, International Political Economy and Anthropology

Getting the Most out of an Internship

It was my first day on the job at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, setting up for the first home game of the season. I was 18 years old, the youngest intern for the Golden State Warriors Community Relations Internship. I made sure to arrive early in order to make a good impression. If there’s anything important about the business world that stuck with me, it is the rule that arriving on time is actually considered late, while arriving early is actually on time! After getting off BART, I placed my media pass around my neck and walked through the back entrance with confidence. My polo shirt looked fresh and I was looking presentable for any situation. As a curious individual, I quickly had the urge to explore the entire arena and figure out how to get around. Luckily, I had time to spare and I even made a few friends with some of the employees and guards. When my supervisor walked up to our event table, she was glad to see I was ready to go with no hassles or late excuses. Another important key to a successful internship is making a good first impression. The first impression is the one that usually lasts the longest and sticks in people’s minds. 

With any big internship, the new people often must start from the bottom and work their way up. My first set of tasks seemed remedial and included carrying boxes, making runs, and watching the merchandise we were auctioning. After proving myself during the first couple weeks, I was easily completing all the tasks they had given me with ease. My hard work paid off when my supervisor asked me to start doing outreach. This is the time where my true talent was able to shine. It was my job to get fans interested in our auction table and getting them to bid on items. With signed jerseys, team balls, and historical memorabilia, it was an easy sell. My enthusiasm and consistency with bringing new fans to the table really showed my supervisor and the other interns that I was serious and eager for success. The third key step for a great internship experience is to go above and beyond what is asked of you so that it doesn’t start to feel like clockwork. With an unwavering work ethic, it is almost as if you can shape your internship into the unique experience that you desire it to be. A successful work history gives you leverage to ask for new challenges or to get creative with your internship by breaking outside the mold. 

Even though I was the youngest intern, my confidence, timeliness, and hard work set me apart from the rest of the interns. Just following these simple steps allowed me to create a good rapport with many advisors and managers – the individuals that had the potential to hire me in the future, or to connect me further with the Golden State Warriors or with the sports world in general. My last, but probably most important step into getting the most out of your internship is networking. All of your hard work won’t mean anything unless you leverage it and use the experience to create strong connections. Be assertive; introduce yourself with your first and last name, your school, and which department you are interning for. Employers and supervisors like to see these kinds of professional gestures, which will help to open new doors and future opportunities. When you meet influential figures within the company, ask for a business card and make sure to follow up with an email.

Here is a review of the key steps to getting the most out of your internship:

1. Timeliness/ Make a good first impression   
2. Explore opportunities and meet new people outside of your department
3. Go above and beyond what is asked and get creative 
4. Be assertive and network/Make important connections

by Peer:

Charlie Fyffe: 2nd Year, Undeclared

 

Job and Internship Interviews: Preparation Should Go Beyond Just Behavioral Questions

If you’ve ever prepared for an interview, you have probably rehearsed responses to the inevitable inquiries: “What’s your greatest strength?” or “Tell me about a time when...”. When I interviewed for an internship with an interactive advertising agency in San Francisco last year, I did just that.  I had well-constructed answers with specific examples and measurable successes. I abided by C.A.R.E. (Context, Action, Result, Experience) and used every response to explain why I felt I was perfect for this particular position.

When I arrived at the red brick office for my final interview, however, all of my preparation went out the window (along with my chances of landing the internship). The interview was nothing like I expected! The receptionist put me in an office, which is where I spent the next two hours talking to four different Account Managers. Not one Account Manager asked me about my “greatest strength”—I was horrified! Instead, three of them struck up normal conversation with me. They asked me what I did in my spare time, what I knew and liked about the online marketing industry, and how I was enjoying my coursework at Cal. Caught off guard by their lack of formality, I gave brief, stiff answers and did not demonstrate my passion for the industry. I told them that I eventually wanted to start a magazine, but I did not tell them that I knew the basic principles of search engine marketing. Two weeks later, I got word that I didn’t get the position.

So, how do you prepare for interviews of this nature, i.e. ones that are more unstructured and casual?? In this particular case, the company initially conducted a phone interview to screen me as an applicant. It was during the phone interview that the recruiter posed the typical behavioral questions. The next round (in-person) interview was merely to see if my personality was a match for their company culture. They knew that I was qualified for the position, based on my resume, cover letter, and phone interview. Therefore, the goal for the final, in-person interview was to see if I was mature and confident, a good communicator, and knowledgeable about and genuinely interested in their industry. The way I look at it, in that stage, I was applying for the position based solely on my personality.

Having used that first interview as a great learning experience, I applied to the same company six months later. I prepped myself to be friendly, to make the interviewers feel comfortable, and to be talkative and open. I also: (1) learned the specific functions of the different departments of the company, (2) familiarized myself with the work they completed for their clients, and (3) studied the latest trends of the search engine marketing industry. As a result, I was able to ask intelligent questions and helped the conversations to thrive. My natural, genuine personality showed through and they loved me! This time around I got the position, just be being prepared to be myself.

by Peer: Danielle Leslie: 5th Year, Rhetoric

At the Career Fair: Approaching Employers

After celebrating with friends and family, and gaining 5-10 pounds after the holidays, it soon will be time to get back to Cal for yet another semester. On the docket for this Spring are numerous Career Fairs that present great opportunities for finding that perfect job, internship, or simply more information about your interests from various industry professionals. However, Career Fairs can be quite tricky and intimidating for many. You walk into a room to find dozens of employers, hundreds of Cal kids in full banquet attire running around from table to table, and lines that look like there is a bread shortage in the country. Don’t be alarmed – the Career Center is here to help you prepare for a successful Career Fair experience! Here are some personal thoughts to keep in mind to help you successfully navigate these events:

First off, completely forget about all the other Cal students; none of them are going to give you a job/internship, so worrying about what they do is completely irrelevant to your objectives. Come prepared, bring resumes, dress reasonably (no sports attire, but full prom regalia is not necessary either-you’re in college after all!). You can go online in advance to sneak a peak at the employers who will be in attendance, which will save you time so that you can approach those you are interested in first. For those individuals who have specific interests in terms of what they are looking for, zero in on those employers. Assuming you have specific interests for a valid, well-developed reason, you should have no problem initiating conversation, “Hello, my name is X, I am extremely interested in Y.” This is usually enough to get the ball rolling. If you are not sure of your specific interests, you can go the route of asking the employers about the kinds of opportunities they offer. Always inquire if the employer will be wiling to look/take a resume. Some will refuse due to their policy (don’t take it personally), but some will happily accept them. Employers accepting resumes usually make notes about your conversation on the resume so they can remember you. This is a great way to leave a personal impression, but also make sure to grab a business card as well to follow up with a brief “thanks for chatting with me at the career fair” note.

It is always important to remember that the employers are people too, and chatting with them as such is a big plus in your exploration process. Ask them what they do for the company specifically; some may hold positions that will give you more material for conversation. I once started a great conversation with an employer because of the free umbrellas they were handing out at their table……I mean who doesn’t want a free umbrella? If you stand there and list off questions as if you were a futuristic automaton devoid of any pretence at a human conversation, the employer might be put off. If there is a gigantic line to speak with someone popular, and of interest to you, try and wait it out or arrive early in the morning because as most of us know, Cal students are definitely NOT morning people.  Bring your resumes and your smile with a touch of human conversation, and you’ll be able to get the information you need and your name across which will hopefully get you to that next step. This next step is also something which you should ask about, as in “I’m really interested in the position (which we just talked about), what are the next steps?” Also check out this great ARTICLE and these general TIPS as well!

Good luck to all of you! Don’t forget to look at the list of upcoming Career Fairs for the Spring and mark your calendars now! And remember, if you have any questions at all, please post them in “comments”. We Peer Advisors are here to help!

by Peer: Andrew Neginskiy: 4th Year, Psychology 

 

 

Second Round Interviews at the Googleplex

It was 7:30 on a Friday morning when we piled into the Google shuttle and were off to its headquarters in Mountain View for the second round of interviews. This was extremely convenient given that it’s quite a way from UC Berkeley campus, and their shuttle service takes all of its employees to and from work from all around the Bay Area. After the comfortable ride and dozens of worried and chatting hopeful students discussing their strategies for successful interviewing, we arrived. The day basically consisted of some presentations about the company, its benefits, specific position details, a round of interviews, and a great lunch.

In the past Google has been famous for an extremely grueling interview process, consisting of upwards to 16 interviews! Luckily, these days they have cut it down quite a bit, to around 4. Honestly, having to have to get up at 6:30 in the morning for the first time in 4 years, I was extremely happy about this development! I was interviewing for a People Operations Associate position, so the interviews were behavioral. In these types of interviews be prepared to talk about your experiences, professional and academic, and site specific examples of situations that demonstrate the qualities that the position demands. It was very similar to the first interview I had on campus, and the people were extremely friendly, open, and easy going.

To top off the day we had one of those famous Google meals, and it was simply delicious. But more importantly, at each of our tables were recent Google employees who were there to answer any of our questions and give us insights into the company we couldn’t get anywhere else. In fact, any time you have a meal in a professional setting, especially with recently hired representatives, it’s a great opportunity to network and get all your questions answered at the same time. After the meal and a tour of the Googleplex, which includes kitchens on every floor, a volleyball court in the courtyard, pool tables and video games spread out conveniently around every corner, it was time to head back.

The important thing to remember is to always ask when you will be hearing about the results of your application, and feel free to contact the employer after a period of time they specified. After a couple of weeks and no word, I contacted the recruiter and was happy to learn that I was offered a position!

My top 3 tips for preparing for behavioral interviews:

1) Do your research: Know the company, their culture, the position & its requirements, how your experiences match them and be prepared with specific examples.
2) The whole process is an interview: all of your interactions with recruiters, from greetings to conversations about the position to the actual interviews, should be considered part of the interview process. Always put your best foot forward accordingly.
3) Ask a lot of questions: The interview process goes both ways, you must evaluate the employer just as you are being evaluated by them. Get a really good impression of what working for a company will actually be like, day to day-if you get the position it will be a big part of your life for its duration, so you want to make sure you will enjoy it.

by Peer: Andrew Neginskiy: 4th Year, Psychology 

Interviewing with Google

I had to double check my screen on CalJobs a couple of times before I believed it. I had recently applied to several positions at Google through the Berkeley On-Campus Recruiting (OCR) system and was invited to the first round interviews at the Career Center for one of them! Now keep in mind that I am a Psychology major, so the position I was interviewing for was a non-extremely-genius-technical one, and having grown at an immense rate over the last few years, Google has plenty of those. However, I was still going to be interviewing at one of the toughest places in the world to get a job, known for their eccentric interviewing processes; therefore I had to get prepared!

One of the key aspects to the process of interview preparation, for a position at any company for that matter, is to do some research online! I browsed the site, especially the ‘about us’ section and jotted down all of the things that made the company special, interesting, successful, etc. Also, knowing exactly what the place you are applying to does,i.e its products, clients, competition, etc., is always a plus. Lots of this information can be found on the Career Center website, through industry catalogs, or by simply taking a look at the books available at the Center’s information lab library.

My interviewer turned out to be extremely easy going, friendly, and personal-albeit a Stanford graduate! The position I was applying for was in the People Operations Department (aka. HR department) and the interview was mostly behavioral, so we chatted about academics, work experiences, etc. Having done research about the company and given lots of thought about my academic/work experiences before hand, I was able to engage the interviewer and really have a positive two-sided conversation about the position. I must say it definitely paid off in the end-a week later I was invited for the last round of interviews at Google headquarters in Mountain View!

Stay tuned, next week I will take you inside the Googleplex for a first hand look at the second round interviews with Google…

by Peer: Andrew Neginskiy: 4th Year, Psychology 

Cal Transitions Blog!

Cal Transitions, UC Berkeley's WorkAbility IV program, represents a select group of students and recent Cal graduates who have disabilities. Cal Transitions connects qualified, experienced and diverse candidates with employers interested in enriching their workforce by hiring the best.

Check out this great blog run by our colleague peer Katherine who works with the Cal Transitions Pro gram!There's also a Facebook page to look at if you're interested.

Katherine's Corner!

Internships: What a perfect time to conduct informational interviews!!!!

Informational interviews can be conducted anywhere, anytime, and with anyone.  Yes it’s true! They can happen at your very own convenience without the jitters and nervousness that you may get in a formal job interview.

Informational interviews serve to help you get more information through asking all the questions(This can be link to the career center website info interview questions) that you search endlessly for on the internet. An informational interview is an informal conversation with someone working in an area of interest to you who will give you information and advice. It is an effective research tool in addition to reading books, exploring the Internet and examining job descriptions. It is not a job interview, and the objective is not to find job openings.  “Interview can be a scary word, but don’t fret! With a little research and preparation ahead of time, you can set the stage for a fun and beneficial interaction with a key contact in your targeted field.  You only have to ask the questions that you want and that would be beneficial to you. What better place to do this than in your current place of work or internship/volunteer setting! Hopefully you will be working in a setting that you’re interested in, but if not then you have the freedom to contact anyone that is working in a field or organization that you’re curious about.

In my case, a hospital was the perfect place. There were so many different positions to learn about and explore; sometimes positions that I wouldn’t have even thought existed in a clinical setting.  There, I was able to conduct informational interviews with a doctor, pharmacist, nurse, and public health educator.  Through conducting these interviews I was able to find out all the information that I ever wanted to ask a doctor or pharmacist to gain a better understanding of their responsibilities, educational paths, and the pros and cons of their career.  And as a result, I was able to find a path that is well-suited for my interests – working as a public health educators in the clinical health setting.

Looking to connect with individuals in a field of interest, or seeking opportunities to explore career options?  Then consider applying for a Winter Break Externship!  Externships are a perfect opportunity to network and conduct informational interviews.

Read more about this great opportunity here:  http://career.berkeley.edu/Externships/Externships.stm

by Peer: Erica McClanahan: 3rd Year, American Studies

Dilemmas, Dilemmas!!!: How an internship can help you find your purpose

As I mentioned in my last blog entry, going into my first internship at Kaiser I was "absolutely sure" that I wanted to be a pharmacist. Now looking back on my experience, I'm so lucky to have had this internship, otherwise I wouldn't have found out what where my true passions lie.

My previous plan had been that I would go to Cal, major in some type of science and then become a pharmacist! Yay! Boy, was this an eye opening learning experience for me! While at my internship, I had the chance to interview doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and public health educators. While interviewing the pharmacist there, I realized that being a pharmacist was not a good fit for me. Through my internship I realized that a great deal of the work pharmacists are responsible for involved independent and isolated activities, such as counting and organzing prescriptions, and checking to make sure that the right medicine is given to each patient. Overall, I realized that pharmacy wouldn't allow me to interact with people as much as I actually would like, a value that is very critical to my career happiness and success. I am an extroverted person who loves working with people, so it was here that I decided that pharmacy was not the best fit for me. I would much rather love to have that one-on-one interaction with people everyday, which I why I made the switch to the field of public health.

I believe that public health will allow me to work with people as well as use the counseling skills that I have gained from being a peer advisor here at the Career Center. So, in the same way that my internship helped me to find my purpose and clarify my interests and goals, having a unique internship experience of your own can help you to find your purpose too!

by Peer: Erica McClanahan: 3rd Year, American Studies

Mentorship: An essential component of an Internship

So you're looking for an internship? You might be wondering why you need one. Well, my experience with internships has been pretty awesome. My eyes lit up as I saw the application for the Kaiser Summer Youth Program available here in the East Bay. I was so excited to apply for it. I was thinking of going into Pharmacy and I was motivated to find more out about it. When I was accepted into the position, I was ecstatic to be getting paid to learn about the healthcare field. This was everything a girl could ask for!

I began going to this program everyday and working with a registered nurse who mentored me, which is a necessary component of an internship. She made sure that I learned about everything I wanted to know related to health care, such as the stress of being a doctor and the dynamics of the clinical setting. I also had the opportunity to conduct informational interviews with clinic staff, and I was positively challenged in my work setting.

I can't express how important mentorship is when having an internship because it plays a great deal into, first, networking! The mentor may be able to help you out in the future if you maintain a good relationship with them. Also I still talk to her this day and she advises me on what to do regarding school as well as my personal life. She was really a person that I could call my mentor and this was one of the reasons why I am so glad I took the opportunity to do this internship. In addition I learned that the clinic staff is a team that works together to ensure the patient's optimal care and that the hospital setting can be very stressful, yet rewarding. 

Looking for assistance with your own internship search?  Then please visit http://internships.berkeley.edu, and also drop in to see a Peer Advisor at the Career Center! No appointment needed - we are here to help you Monday-Thursday from 12-4, and Friday from 1-4. Good luck!

by Peer: Erica McClanahan: 3rd Year, American Studies