The Quarter-Life Crisis

In case you haven’t been able to tell from my many obscure references, I love TV. Specifically, I love sitcoms that feature a ridiculous, exuberant ensemble cast and their misadventures through life. Friends, 30 Rock, The Office, The Big Bang Theory – you get the idea. One of my favorite shows that’s still actually on TV (*cries over the fact that there has yet to be a Friends reunion*) is Parks and Rec, and while I was catching up on the current season over the weekend, I watched as April Ludgate, the sardonic, deadpan intern-turned-government-bureaucrat, struggled with the realization that she wasn’t satisfied with her job or where her life was headed. April was experiencing the beginnings of a quarter-life crisis, an ever-growing phenomenon being observed in twenty-somethings during or after their college years.

Most of you have probably heard of the mid-life crisis, where the sudden confrontation with mortality and reflection on the “first half” of life prompts 40 and 50-year olds to change careers or buy a sports car or start painting pictures of seashells. But the quarter-life crisis is less studied and less well-known, despite the fact that the only major difference between the two crises is that one precedes the other by a few decades. Young adults in the throes of a quarter-life crisis become unsure of what direction their lives should take as they transition from a teenager to a full-fledged adult. Our millennial generation has become infamous for these attitudes – we’re also referred to as the Peter Pan generation because of our hesitancy to grow up and enter the real world. (For more signs you’re having a crisis, turn to BuzzFeed’s “10 Signs You're Having Your Quarter-Life Crisis” article – because you know, of course they have that.)

If you ask me, the uncertainty felt in the quarter-life crisis is far from an unknown phenomenon. I still question my life on a daily basis. I declared two incredibly interdisciplinary majors mostly because I couldn’t make up my mind. I once held up the line in Carm for five minutes because I couldn’t decide between peas and carrots, and I eventually just took both. There’s no doubt that college is a time to question yourself, and eventually, to come to a conclusion about a career and a life and be confident that you made the right choice. So how do we deal with the fact that there is now a socially-accepted quasi-diagnosis for our indecisiveness?

To be honest, I really don’t know. My past blog posts may make me sound like a career planning expert, but I’m far from anywhere close to knowing my real path in life. I’m not about to pretend I’m some wise-beyond-my-years college student who’s seen and done it all (unless “it all” means every episode of Parks and Rec, in which case I have, in fact, seen it all). So, fulfilling my membership in the millennial generation, I did what any reasonable person living in 2015 would do: I Googled “how to survive a quarter-life crisis”. Naturally, I found article after article telling me to “relax” and “do what makes you happy”. As much as I appreciated the good vibes, I’ve said before how empty and abstract these tips can be. I did, however, find one HuffPost article that provided some small and feasible lifestyle changes that can make the quarter-life crisis bearable. One of these tips that truly resonated with me was the suggestion to limit the use of social media—and with it, the tendency to compare yourself to other people. Behaviors like this can distract from your own goals and accomplishments.

I also came across the work of Erik Erikson, a 20^th century psychologist who studied the process of human psychological development. Erikson acknowledged the quarter-life crisis before it was even named; one of his eight stages of development occurred around the transition into adulthood. The quarter-life crisis has been noted in the media as well; the movie “The Graduate” is known for its accurate depiction of the confusion and anxiety felt by recent college grads (and for being the origin of the “Mrs. Robinson” persona). Clearly, the quarter-life crisis is not unusual; in fact, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest the opposite.

When it comes to career development, it seems that a little anxiety and self-doubt is more than commonplace. When I confessed to my pre-major advisor that I’d been having doubts about whether or not my planned career was right for me, she explained to me that this questioning is welcome. According to her, focusing on one singular career and never exploring any alternatives is like marrying a person just because you’ve dated them for so long. Perhaps the quarter-life crisis should be renamed to make it sound less like a psychotic break and more like a well-grounded period of investigation and self-assessment.

I hope that, after reading this, you’ve realized that you’re not alone in your quarter-life crisis. April Ludgate went through it, Dustin Hoffman went through it, I’m still going through it. I also hope you now understand that as much as you’d like to fast-forward to the part of life where you’re employed and emotionally stable, this crisis is really a good thing. It’s something we all need to go through to make sure that we’re happy later in life, and isn’t that the long-term point of career development and the Career Center?

If you’re still feeling conflicted or unsettled, here are a few pictures of puppies and kittens to make you feel better. Sometimes when life feels overwhelming I Google phrases like “puppies being cute”, and I’m never disappointed.

Until next time,

Sean Boyden

Class of 2017

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Why do I have to be professional?

Real adults are adamant about teaching us Millennials what it means and how to be "professional"--After all, we do have a bad rep...

Uh, I think that last link says "professionalism-dead"

It all seems to go in one ear and out the other... "Don't do ___, or else!"; "This is how you should ___."; "If you ___, you'll definitely be fired." These caveats can be disheartening and might make you want to do more yoga instead of doing your homework... OR act like this:

"Why do we have to be professional? Can't we just be ourselves? Be human? Aren't companies chiller than they used to be? Don't people wear jeans to work, play ping pong all day, and drink out of beer-fridges? Doesn't my Tufts degree give me the freedom to run rampantly through the job market (NQR-style), expressing my individuality?"

Well, friends and colleagues, I, Nirvanna Lildharrie, your Tufts Career Center Student Ambassador, am here to tell you, the answers to your questions are: No, not really...

Professionalism is important. And it doesn't mean that you have to be a slave to the system or a robot in an Armani suit... 

(#productplacement #notreally #buttheyshouldpayus)

All professionalism really entails is: Creating a positive reputation for yourself in the work world.
To be "professional" means:  You have a purpose, are important, and are serious about what you do.
Being professional is good because: 

1. It'll make you feel good about yourself and boost your confidence which will make you more likable (which are essential needs in all humans, says Social Psychology)!

Who knew avoiding social stigma could get you hired?!

2. You'll have your work life organized and attract clients, increasing your success! 

And 3. Making "professionalism" a part of your demeanor is super HOT to future employers!

#hiredjumbos

True Story: 

I booked a gig at a Providence Bruins game as the Business Manager of Shir Appeal, and I was communicating with their Director of Ticket Sales throughout the whole process--roughly since November. His thick dialect always announced his first and last name and position over the phone--the media via which he insisted on communicating. Whenever he called, he always left a message letting me know what he was calling about. The entire time, I envisioned that I was speaking with a forty-something year old man-- And I took him so seriously: I was careful not to be late on deadlines, return all of his calls. I tried really hard to impress him because I wanted him to take me and my organization seriously. Then last weekend, I finally met the voice from our phone calls in person, and, surprise-surprise: He was our age! Literally graduated last year! 

It was wonderful doing business with this man. His professionalism is really what made everything so easy. He took himself and his job seriously, which enabled me to do the same.

To Conclude:
In this fine age of the "hipster," it's difficult not to be ironic, even about yourself. But there is so much value in behaving like an adult. At Tufts, we are leaders among leaders, and it's easy to get lost in the mix. After we cross our graduation stage, it will really be our professionalism, our confidence in our competence, that will activate our leadership in the adult world.

Use your best discretion and build a unique version of professionalism for yourself.

How can you do this?

Stay tuned for my next article on Personal Branding!

Best regards,

Until next time,

Nirvanna

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The Gap Year Experience: Exploring Post-Grad Opportunities

The phrase "gap year" usually brings to mind some of your peers who took time off to travel the world, cross the country, and/or do some community service after high school and before college. Or maybe it reminds you of your friend of a friend who just needed a break from University and decided to take a year to himself...

Nowadays, the term "gap year" can be used to describe a new and exciting phenomenon: Students today are taking anywhere from a few weeks to a few years off after college to work in short-term jobs, internships, or community service programs.

And there are many reasons why that might be... Maybe some worked hard in college, and now want the opportunity to explore and figure out what they truly want. Other people are looking to work for a year before grad school or med school or law school. And for some people, this time serves to gain work experience or give back to the community and/or the world... And maybe even make a few new friends along the way:

"Us Jumbos gotta stick together!"

Career gurus all around are calling this new trend the "Gap Year Experience."

Here is a very defined definition given on Spotlight on Careers (username: spotlightpass and password: liberalarts2017): A gap year experience is a purposeful full-time volunteer or paid opportunity to explore or gain life and/or work experience in a field before going into a full-time job, graduate, or professional program. A gap experience is not an excuse to do nothing, instead, this time should be spent intentionally exploring and preparing for what comes after.

Some gap experience programs that you might have already heard of include Teach for America, the Peace Corps, and teaching English abroad. This phenomenon has been going on for years, but recently the trend has sky-rocketed into oblivion as a new and cool thing to do.

These days, a gap experience can literally be anything you want it to be-- It can be a way to save money, a way to volunteer your time, an excuse to travel, move to another place, or stay home. You can have it in a box; you can have it with a fox! You can use it to chase your passions and master a trade you already know and love... Or learn something new and potentially discover new passions!

It's always good to try something new...

The real question is: Is a gap year experience a good career move?

We think so!

Gap Year Experiences give graduates an opportunity to learn more about themselves, their careers, and the world so that they can continue on their career paths to success. Whether or not a graduate had an opportunity to go abroad during their undergrad years, having a gap experience could be a great opportunity to travel to a new country and even learn a different language. And many times, your gap experience will make it clear as to whether or not you should pursue additional education, and if so, what type of additional education you should pursue!

The trick to having a successful gap experience is to have one deliberately. "Whatever you do, do it intentionally," says Spotlight on Careers. However you choose to spend your gap experience, be conscious of what you plan on giving and taking from it.

So where do you start? How can you find an organization that offers short-term work opportunities like fellowships, internships, and volunteer opportunities?

More resources are available to you on the Tufts Career Center website under Fellowships and Gap Year.

But we hope you can make it!

Best regards,
Until next time,
Nirvanna

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Hidden Gem: The Dowling Library and its Treasures

By Angela Sun

The Dowling Library.

What? You mean Tisch? Oh no, you meant Ginn. Student Services? Career Center? What is this 9 3/4 platform non-sense?

Many of my friends scratch their heads when I talk about the Dowling Library. This space is located adjacent to the Tufts Career Center at Dowling 730 and houses spacious tables and four computer workstations. Though it features a small collection, the library actually holds an incredible array of texts on career development. 

There are school rankings, employer listings, job/ internship listings, guidebooks, reviews, brochures that are roughly organized by industries such as Non-Profit and Human Services, Spanish, Tech/ Biotech/ Computers, International, Pre-Law, Medical, Science, and more. 

Here is a small sample to get you excited about coming in to check the place out for yourself.

LSAT (and MCAT) Books 

If you’re considering a career in law, the Dowling Library has Kaplan LSAT practice questions, the Vault guide to the top 100 law firms, Barron’s guide to Law Schools, and brochures from law schools from across the country. There is even a hefty career guide for public interest law. Take advantage of these valuable, and pricey volumes, available for free at Tufts! Similar resources can be found for the MCAT/ medical school as well.

Study Abroad References

Whether you’re considering studying abroad or have already booked your flight, Tufts has collected study abroad reviews from students in its programs like Tufts in Chile, Tufts in Paris, Madrid, London, Ghana, China, etc. These reviews cover the orientation experience, academic coursework, language acquisition, administrative organization, housing and food, and social and cultural experiences of the programs. One student that completed Tufts in Zhejiang advises, “Don’t expect the culture shock to go away immediately. Prepare for a challenging yet rewarding experience.” Another student from Tufts in Madrid says “It’s easy to find great, cheap lunches in Madrid.”

You can also find these reviews at www.abroad101.com. (These reviews represent only the views of the student reviewers, and not the views of Tufts University.) There is also the whole range of Insight Guides to different countries available in the library.

Industry Resources

As I mentioned, the majority of the content is industry-based mini-collections. I"ll use Computers/ Tech/ Biotech as an example, and here is what I can find:

• Books:
• Break into the Game Industry: How to Get a Job Making Video Games
• Career Opportunities in Computers and Cyberspace
• Turner's First Century
• Curves
• Opportunities in Biotechnology Careers
• High-Tech Careers for Low-Tech People
• MIT Technology in the National Interest

• Guides/ Directories:
• Resume's for Engineering Careers
• EPA Careers in Engineering, Science
• Four Vault Guides: Pharmaceuticals, Biotech, Technology, Energy& Oil/ Gas
• Wetfeet Industry Insider to Biotech+ Pharm Industry
• MIT Biotech Directory, also available at www.massbio.org
• 2008 New England Technology Directory
• Tufts Handouts

• Job Choices 2012 for Science, Engineering and Technology Students

• Grad School Brochures:
• The Gordon Institute

Other

There is some unique literature sprinkled throughout the collection that could be an extra boost to your career development. Here are some examples:

The Girl’s Guide to Social Savvy, and The Guy's Guide to Social Savvy by Jodi R. R. Smith

In these guides you find advice on business, grooming, and dating etiquette alike. Here are some snippets from the business/work section, but feel free to drop-in and peruse the rest of the content:

“Information Exchange: If you’ve enjoyed speaking with someone, ask for her business card or telephone number so you can get in touch at a later date. Once the person has handed you her card, offer yours. However, you should never offer your card first. Carry your business card with you wherever you go—you never know when someone will ask for one.”—Girl’s Guide.

“A Hint of Mint: Should you find yourself in the company of someone with bad breath… take a mint for yourself in front of that person and offer him one (after all, you’re only being polite by sharing.) And if someone at some point offers you a mint, take it.”

“You are the Company: Anytime you make contact with someone outside the office, you represent the company for which you work…you should be as polished as possible. Avoid slang, misspellings, and any remarks that may be a bit too casual.”

–Guy’s Guide.

Straight Jobs, Gay Lives: Gay and Lesbian Professionals, the Harvard Business school, and the American Workplace by Annette Friskopp and Sharon Silverstein

"Business consultants Friskopp and Silverstein surveyed over 100 gay or lesbian alumni from HBS for this publication. Their findings resemble a sort of MBA case study in which problems are presented and participants are invited to try and resolve them...Given the "golden passport" of a Harvard MBA, survey respondents have all done quite well. Yet there have been instances of on-the-job discrimination ranging from the subtle (eg. rumors, gossip, homophobic remarks) to the more blatant (gay-basing, firing, etc.)...These authors also discuss the importance of networking and mentoring. An excellent and comprehensive resource that includes Internet and online sources; highly recommended for larger business and nonfiction collections."

--Library Journal

Richard Drezen, Washington Post News Research Center, Washington, DC.

Oh, and did I mention the awesome panoramic view of the suburban Boston landscape? Yeah, there is a breathtaking view of the suburban Boston landscape. 

So while you’re here, don’t forget to stop by next door to check out the latest happenings at the Tufts Career Center and/or sign-up for an appointment!

Please note that the materials in this library are for in-library use only. Your consideration allows more students to benefit from this shared resource. 

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Why Networking is Not Just Asking for Stuff

By Angela Sun

Networking. Of all the ambiguities of internship and job hunting, networking probably takes the cake.

The Career Center's guide to networking is a wonderful overview of the ABCs of networking, and a great place to start for delving into the practice.
But after studying the basics, you may still have some questions, or be wondering why you don't seem to be as successful as you had hoped to be. This post will help you reflect on the purpose of your personal journey in developing a professional network, which should provide some guidance about how to network.

Before writing this post, I asked around to see what questions students had about networking. The key feedback I received was uncertainty about how to ask for things without seeming like you're asking for things.

So very first, the secret to growing a sustainable and substantial network is that it's not just about asking for things! Getting a reference, feedback on your resume, or even low-and-behold--a job offer immediately, is not always the best, or even right thing to have in mind when networking. 

Am I Networking for the Right Reasons?

Despite having found the contact through an electronic database, and potentially exchanged all conversation via email, at the end of the day, there sits two persons behind the computer monitors. Engaging with contacts in a professional network is in many ways similar to connecting with friends and family. One size does not fit all.  Personality, preference, and schedules will dictate how they prefer to communicate.  So consider taking the conversation off-line.

There is still an element of 'unnaturalness' to cold-emailing a stranger, or making a relationship out of a career fair speed date, but acknowledge the human aspect of networking by considering where the other person is coming from.

What does your contact do? How much time does he/ she have to communicate with me? Why would he/ she want to help me? What can I offer him/ her?

Thinking through these questions will help you manage expectations, which should be a range--rather than one item. It is for the most part impossible to know where a conversation with a contact might lead you. Here are just some of the items you could get out of networking:
- Informational interview (range in length and format)
    - Insight into their job
    - Advice for your next steps
- Recommendation/ someone willing to "vouch" for you
- Referral to someone else in the target company
- Internship/ job (information about a job, an offer for an interview).

Think realistically about your contact's position and which items would be appropriate to anticipate. A Human Resources Recruiter is in a position to offer you an interview, whereas a consulting firm employee might not be. Targeting the appropriate expectations will help you avoid asking for too much and putting the contact in an uncomfortable position.

On that note, it is usually not appropriate to ask a contact to look over your resume. They could offer to do this, but refrain from asking. Set-up an appointment with the Career Center for a resume critique, so that you're bringing an already polished resume to the table.

Also recognize that there is no hard-and-fast rule for the timing of networking. Just because you are interested in accounting, doesn't mean if you meet a news producer at an event, you shouldn't follow-up with a thank you note and add them on Linkedin. One of the most common remarks I heard from panelists at the Harvard Women in Business Conference was that your interests will probably change. You never know who could be relevant when.

The human component also means people are busy. Sometimes it's hardest to get a response from senior executives or higher ups in a given company. A contact might offer to help you with something, and then fall through on doing so. You might never hear back from someone--for no real reason. It is important to be mentally prepared and maximize your chances by reaching out to many people, but also establishing a compelling and specific argument for why they should respond to you.

One effective networking technique is to start with your immediate circle. Linkedin is a great resource for this because it tells you if you have a 2nd connection with someone. That way you can ask your 1st degree friend/ contact to refer you to your target contact. Give the same dedication to Linkedin as you do to Facebook, as the more 'connections' you have, the better your chances are at knowing if you have a mutual contact. The Tufts Career Advisory Network also provides you with a good starting point as it is full of alumni wanting to help out fellow jumbos. 

Networking is an exercise in strategically managing relationships. You may find your professional 'lunch buddies', 'study buddies', 'mentors' and so on. Being flexible and intentional will help you network for the long term. Your career begins rather than ends with your first job offer. Taking the time to get to see through the lens of the person you are networking with, and making the effort to stay in touch with holiday greetings, emails, or sending articles along from time to time will go a long way.


Am I Networking in the Right Ways?

So you can already see some of the ways in which a changing perspective on networking affects how to network.

A great tip I learned is to start of with a compliment, what's more revealing about the human component of networking than that? You can't compliment an online job portal and hope it'll bump your resume to the front!

As college students, we might not have the same things to offer a contact. But every relationship goes two ways, and recognize what you do have to offer. Sometimes, it could be as simple as a show of appreciation for someone's dedication to their industry. This could be the best boost for them at the end of a 10 hour cubicle shift!

But we're also bright, educated, hardworking students who happen to be masters of communication. So sell yourself a little in your early correspondence. Explain what your skills are and what experiences you already have relating to the industry/ position. This will help a contact understand why you are reaching out to them. What else? You might be in a position to offer publicity about their initiative, especially if they are trying to reach out to a college audience--offer to spread the word.

And effective communication means being specific about what you are seeking. One pitfall is sending an email that says, "I would like more information about xyz position/ company." Your contacts likely don't have the time to send you 'information', but they might have time to answer your questions about specific requirements, recruiting time lines, or a typical job description. The Linkedin page of the contact is usually a great source for inspiration for questions.

Different communication portals also have their strengths and weaknesses. Face-to-face meetings are always best because they allow you to make an impression on someone, and to adapt to their nonverbal cues. However, this might be unrealistic for contacts who are extremely busy, and might prefer phone or email. Phone offers the opportunity to change questions depending on the answers, while it is difficult to have the same fluid, two-way conversation via email. It is also usually more work for the person answering the email to type out all the answers. However, a contact may still prefer email because it allows him/ her to answer on their own time. So take all these things into consideration when you set-up an informational interview.

Some ambiguities of networking will still be ambiguous. This may sound daunting, but feel empowered that you already have plenty of experience under your belt. Everyday, we manage a complex web of relationships, reading people, adapting our communication styles to their personalities...without even thinking about it! With a little practice and critical evaluation, many of these skills can easily be applied to networking.

With practice, networking will become clearer and even comfortable.  I strongly recommend working alongside a career center counselor through the process.The counselors are incredibly knowledgeable and patient, and great people to connect with professionally...sound familiar?

Please interact with us on Facebook/ Twitter @Tuftscareer. We would love to hear your blog post suggestions!

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