Nothing Worthwhile Is Ever Handed To You

Kristen Nelson - SSHA Career Consultant

This past semester has been a whirlwind. It seems like just yesterday I was in training and learning about the SSHA Consultant position.  From creating and presenting workshops to consulting with students, I have learned much about the career world, my peers, and myself.  Being a career consultant has also given me the opportunity to build wonderful relationships.  It is always exciting when students come during drop-in hours or send me an email letting me know they got an interview, or better yet the job!

I feel I am constantly challenged, but also guided through my work to be an independent hands-on learner.  I am encouraged to discover new ways to develop the goals of Career Services as well as my individual goals. One of them in particular, is to gain as much experience as possible while in college, so that I can bring myself closer to understanding of where I will be happiest in my career.

I remember one of the first times I was presenting a workshop on my own. The workshop was “How to Land an On Campus Job.” As over 30 students were filing in to the California Room, my supervisor came up to me and told me that I would not be presenting with the PowerPoint like planned. As fate would have it, the projector wasn’t working. I don’t remember exactly what I told her but I think I just let her know I would be just fine.  Everything was happening so fast, so there was no time to freak out. Using a paper copy of the slides, I presented the workshop… and ended up enjoying every second of it.  Even though I needed to think on my feet, I felt relieved, ecstatic, and surprisingly energized and exhausted at the same time. It all went smoothly and my audience had been amazing; they were engaged and asked great questions. Looking back, maybe the projector was meant to malfunction.  I’ve learned that things aren’t always going to go as planned and it is important to take on the challenge, adapt, and move forward.

As the semester is coming to a close, this last month is usually one of stress and anxiety for many students. Whether it is a job, internship, schoolwork, or even a combination of all three, don’t give up! Take on the challenge. Finish the semester, reflecting on all you learned and be relieved, ecstatic, and surprisingly energized and exhausted at the same time. I leave you with my favorite quote, which is always inspiration during times of stress:

“Nothing worthwhile is ever handed to you.”

-Anonymous

Life is a Balancing Act

Gillian Lopez
Management Career Consultant

Balancing work, school, and extra curricular activates

I never understood how precious time was until this year. Being a third year management student, with a part-time job, and a leadership position in my sorority can be very busy at times, but it truly helps when I manage my time wisely. Finals are just around the corner and as a planner I like to balance my responsibilities. Although finals are my main priority, I also need to maintain my work responsibilities as well.  These are a few techniques that help me balance my school, work, and personal activities during finals and throughout the entire school year.

Schedule your month and your weeks

Having a planner or a calendar in your phone is a great way to organize and remember important dates such as midterm days, assignment due dates, or even work meetings. At the beginning of each month I like to write down important dates in my monthly calendar. This helps to plan around my weekly and daily schedules in the near future. Every Sunday evening I like to plan my week by the hour implementing homework and class times, office hours, and so forth. Then I would plug in my work times, following extra curricular activities. I also include breaks to maintain a healthy wellbeing. Planning by the hour helps me stay on track and focus. It also prevents me from working too long on just one assignment.

Prioritize

If you have a busy schedule, it really helps to prioritize things that are important. Every student’s priorities will differ, but my number one priority will always be school and my personal wellbeing. Working for the Career Services Center is my second priority because it is a job that contains great experiences and many opportunities that are preparing me for my future. When working on assignments I like to do my priority assignments when I feel most energized. During my breaks I like to do my sorority responsibilities such as making crafts or sending emails because I personally find them fun!

Bit size career activity while in school

Although I currently have a job I’m also looking for a 2013 summer internship. Finding a job can sometimes take awhile so it’s important to frequently checkout job postings in order to stay up to date. Even though my weeks can be very busy, I still make time for job-hunting. To keep things organized, I created a folder on my desktop to hold jobs that I would be interested in. If I didn’t have time to read the job description at that specific moment, I would save the link to read during my breaks or down time. It is a high priority for me to find an internship this summer so sometimes I may have to readjust my schedule and priorities in order to make time for my application especially when due dates are near.

Social Media Bust!

A few weeks ago, I received an email and call from my supervisor, “letting me know” that all my personal Facebook posts were getting redirected to the Career Services Center twitter account.  For those who did not experience this personal catastrophe, there were a couple pictures of my dog and a post asking for help in one of my classes.  Some say I dodged a bullet, because none of the posts were inappropriate for the workplace.  Since I have been working at Career Services, I always try to keep that in mind when posting.  I have learned that Facebook can never be trusted and is never the place to let off steam.  I understand we are in college and our lively personal lives can sometimes get the best of us.  But who are we to blame, this is our time to venture out, discover ourselves and figure out where we fit in this world.  So let me tell you, mistakes happen everyday, but prepare for these mistakes.  So next time you post, think; would you say the same thing in front of your friends, family and even your boss?  

Here are some social media experiences that cost people their jobs!

Virgin Atlantic took disciplinary action against 13 crew members who participated in a Facebook discussion that "criticised [Virgin's] safety standards and insulted passengers," according to the Guardian. The individuals "posted messages on Facebook referring to passengers as "chavs" and making jokes about faulty engines," explains the Guardian, adding that they also "joked that planes were full of cockroaches and claimed the airline's jet engines were replaced four times in one year.” The comments were promptly removed, the group was "sacked," and Virgin did not disclose many details other than a statement saying the unruly employees had "brought the company into disrepute."

A Georgia high school teacher claims she was forced to resign after her principal "questioned her about about her Facebook page, which included photos of her holding wine and beer and an expletive," CBSAtlanta reports. The National Education Association reveals that in other states, several young teachers and school staffers have put their jobs at risk by revealing personal information that parents and supervisors find inappropriate.

Colleton County paramedic and firefighter Jason Brown was dismissed from his job after posting a video that shows an exchange between two cartoon characters at a hospital. Firefighter Nation reports, In a letter of dismissal Brown provided, Colleton County Fire-Rescue Director Barry McRoy said, "You [Brown] displayed poor judgment in producing a derogatory video depicting a member of this department with a physician which is implied to be at Colleton Medical Center."

Oregon wide receiver Jamere Holland slammed his school's athletic program after hearing a linebacker was kicked off the team. Although reports that the teammate had been dismissed were false, Holland was kicked off for the "racially charged" remarks. "I wish I could block whites as friends and only have blacks LOL, cause apparently I'm misunderstood," he reportedly wrote. (via ShortNews.com)

A woman called in sick to work, complaining of migraines and how she needed to work in a dark room, only to stay home and update her status all day.

A British woman serving jury duty posted details of the case she was serving on asking her friends' opinions!

Thankfully my cyber error did not cost me my job like the ones described above.  Take my experience and advice; it is definitely not worth it!  Remember to keep all personal life and opinions to a minimum on social media websites; you never know who can be watching.

One post can cost you your job and your reputation. Have one of your own?  Comment and share here!

Sources:

Catharine Smith and Craig Kanalley. Fired Over Facebook: 13 Posts That Got People CANNED. Huffington Post. 2012

Gorey, Aoife.  Fired over Facebook! Workplace 101: A Profiles Global Business Blog. Profiles International.  2012.