Last week, I attended a workshop, "Jump Start Your Career," sponsored by the Tufts
Bookstore’s parent organization, Barnes & Noble College, that featured
millennial career expert Joan Snyder Kuhl. After working in business and
corporate management for over a decade, Joan went on to found Why Millennials Matter, a New York-based organization whose mission is twofold: first, it seeks
to inspire and empower millennials to achieve their career goals, and second,
it works with employer organizations to encourage their investment in the younger generation. Joan’s workshop was an amazingly
informative and eye-opening experience, and she touched on many ideas that are
at the core of the Career Center’s goals. For those of you who missed the
workshop, what follows is a quick run-down of the event, infused with little
bits of wisdom that Joan imparted to the attendees to help us jump-start our
careers.
Joan prefaced her lecture with a discussion on the negative talk
about millennials that is running rampant in the job market today, and how
stereotypes about young people lead some to the conclusion that
millennials are setting “unrealistic expectations” for their career goals. Why
Millennials Matter works to challenge these notions, and demonstrate that with
the right skills, millennials can realize their full potential. Joan broke the
workshop down into three segments, and talked about ways young people can
integrate their interests and passions, simplify decision-making, and discover
their dream careers.
Brand
As Joan pointed out (and most of us probably know), our
generation doesn’t devote too much time to building a personal brand. Some
college students might not even know what it means to have a “personal brand” - to us, it might sound like Jack Donaghy-esque professional jargon that doesn't really mean anything. Simply put, a personal brand is your way of presenting yourself in a professional
manner to colleagues, network connections, and mentors. Joan explained that
there are three ways that people do this: in person, online, and on paper. The number one piece of advice that Joan gave was to have a powerful introduction. This means being mindful of the impression you make, whether it's in a face-to-face meeting, a resume or cover letter, or a professional email. Be mindful of your accomplishments and goals as well - what have you done, and where are you going? These are questions that professionals will want to know before they hire you.
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| Hey, it's his brand. Still, I'd go for something a little less cool. |
Relationships
Forging relationships with professionals (aka networking) is
a very intimidating concept to many millennials, but it doesn’t have to be. Joan
presented a word cloud she had created to show us the many people to make
relationships with – ranging from professors to the Career Center counselors to peers. Joan
talked a lot about finding a mentor, or someone in your future career field
(maybe even the same position) who can offer you advice, wisdom, and network
contacts. It can be scary approaching professionals in this manner, but Joan
had two major pieces of advice: (1) realize that you have things to offer mentors
(a chance to impart wisdom, make new connections) just as they have things to
offer you; and (2) go into the relationship with a “yes” attitude, asking people
what you can do for them or what you can do to improve yourself - and be willing to listen to their responses.
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| To paraphrase, say yes. |
Skills and Experience
According to a survey of employers across job industries, there
are four ubiquitous skills that every employee needs to have: communication skills,
problem-solving abilities, initiative, and good judgment. The best way to garner these
skills and any others that you may need for your career path of choice? Gain
experience! Experience can come in many forms, and as Joan pointed out, they
are not limited to ultra-official internships. Millennials tend to think that
internships are the only way to gain valuable experience and stand out in the
application process, but there are more ways to build your skill set than getting internship-ed out. These experiences include career fairs and
networking events (many of which are hosted by the Career Center), part-time
jobs, shadow days, and volunteer experiences. So the next time you attend a
career fair or volunteer for a cause you believe in, think about the skills you’re
taking away from that experience and how it will make you a better
professional.
Joan closed her outstanding workshop with a message that I
think everyone needs to hear: you will always feel like time is working against
you, that you just need to make it through the next week or next test or next
class unscathed before even thinking about yourself. But one of the most
important things you can do for yourself is take time to detach from the
everyday craziness for a while and reflect on what you want out of this world.
By taking this time to explore yourself and your passions, you’ll find a career
that you’ll love and know you made the right choices.
Until next time,
Sean Boyden
Class of 2017
