But it will all be worth it…

Being born in the 90’s is glamorized by the media in 2016. We had all the good television shows, all the great fashion statements, and we even had the best pop singers and boy bands of all time, (Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys). We saw the end of the CD generation and the start of the iPhone and Smartphone generation and everything around us was quickly changing and adapting to our technology-obsessed world. One thing that never changed for us for as long as I can remember is the whole concept of going to college after high school. In kindergarten, I knew I had to go to school until I graduated high school; and since I wanted to become a teacher, I had to further my education after that. Going away to a four year college was always in my plan and my friends’ plans as well.

Just like any high school senior, I started college searching and attending many tours in the fall of 2012. By this time, I grew out of the dream of becoming a teacher and picked up an interest in becoming a business student. I checked out all the business schools in the area and did not even think to look at the prices. My priorities at 17 were: 1. Get out of my hometown, (maybe out of state, but not too far). 2. Live on my own and meet new people. 3. Live on a pretty campus.

I was only 17 at the time and my mind was not focused on how much money I am going to pay on student loans six months after I graduate. My mind was more focused on getting into the best school I can, doing the best I can in that school, and getting a great job out of it. My friends were all going away to college. Some were going across the country, and some were going a couple states away. I knew I had to go away to a four year college and I had no desire to go to a community college for the first couple of years.

While running for President, Governor John Kasich visited Bryant University and spoke in front of hundreds of students, faculty, and people of the Smithfield community. The speech was powerful until he made a negative remark about financial aid while telling the students at Bryant University that we should have attended a community college before coming to this amazing, but costly school. I was infuriated because not only did he blame us for choosing to go away for our freshman year, but he did not give anyone a chance to explain why people did not attend a community college prior to a four year institution. You can’t tell a 17 year old where or where not to go to college. Some 17 year olds choose to go away to college and some choose to go to a community college to figure out what they want to do. Stress is filling the teenager’s mind during this important milestone and advice is being thrown around everywhere.

So, next time someone brings up high tuition costs or college tips, I suggest to listen to their advice but always do what you want to do. You will have to learn to make your own decisions and you have to be able to deal with them throughout your life. College will absolutely benefit in the long run. After all the stress and the long days of writing papers and studying for tests. There will be sleepless nights and tears and paychecks that turn into student loan checks but eventually, those decisions made at 17 will all be worth it!

Kristen Smith

Bryant University 2017

“Are You Imbalanced?”

Am I the only one who feels like I’m the busiest woman in the world and I never have time for myself at all? I’m constantly wishing the long day away and praying that the weekend comes just a little bit quicker this week. I find myself either in class, at my internship, working my on-campus job, or doing an enormous amount of homework that I just can’t escape from. By the time all of my work is finished for the day, I’m way too exhausted to do anything except crawl into my bed and curl up with my stuffed alligator, Pickle. When do I get time to just relax? How can I find time to get all of these responsibilities done and also do something fun for myself?

Work- life balance is something that almost everyone struggles with. I personally face this issue on a daily basis and some of my friends think I’m crazy for packing so much into a single day. However, the play is just as important to me as the work is; and being a college student means a lot more than just going to class every day. On top of school, you’re also expected to get awesome grades, go to work, and make sure you’re experiencing the social aspect of college as well. That’s a lot of things to check off of your list every day if you ask me!

The best advice that I could give anyone about work-life balance is to just make the time. I believe that when something is important enough to you, you will do it. If you prioritize your week and make a schedule of everything that needs to get done and stick to it, your stress levels will go down tremendously! When you’re creating this schedule for yourself, you have to figure in your social time as well. Even if it just for a half hour, leave yourself time to do something that you personally enjoy like reading or going to the gym. Make it just as much a priority as your homework. Maybe do a little extra homework on Wednesday so that you can go out and enjoy an evening with your friends on Thursday. You just have to try to move some things around in order to fit in the fun that you fantasize about during your dreaded 8 a.m. Monday morning class. With that being said, you also need to remember that it’s not always going to be balanced equally. There will be some weeks that you feel as if you have no homework to get done and other weeks you have three exams to study for. Unfortunately that’s just life and it’s not always fun or predictable.

Don’t look at your jam-packed schedule as something to be frustrated about. Look at your busy schedule and be thankful that you have so many things to do in a day. You may have a million things to complete but that also means you have a million things to be proud of! Doesn’t it feel amazing to finally finish that 10 page paper or get an A on an exam? Although parties are always fun, you will never get that same sense of accomplishment winning a beer pong game as you would landing that new job.

The greatest thing to do for yourself is just prioritize each task as it comes and enjoy your life. It really is too short to spend stressing about work or school. So don’t you dare forget to do something for yourself! Run your life, don’t let life run you!

~Alexis Luft, Bryant University ’16

Why Didn’t the Chicken Cross the Road?

“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Jumping into the business world is an incredibly scary thing. Especially when you’re a young, inexperienced 21 year old girl like me. Although I may just be an intern, working in an office setting is intimidating to say the least. I sometimes find myself lacking the confidence, or the courage, to work in an environment such as this because I am nervous that I will make a mistake or feel that I’m unsure of what I’m doing. However, I found that having confidence in whatever task it is that you are trying to accomplish, is one of the things that will actually make you most successful in the end.

Because of this realization, I have been trying my hardest to not get so nervous about making a mistake. Everyone makes one once in a while and you just have to be okay with that. If you mess up a little, it’s okay to try again. The first step to success and confidence is to stop doubting yourself. I feel like the initial thing everyone does is say that they can’t do something or that they don’t know how. I’m not really sure why everyone is so critical of themselves. Perhaps it’s because they would prefer to ridicule themselves rather than somebody else pointing out their mistakes to them. Well here’s what I think: don’t be a chicken. It is so easy to say that you can’t do something or that you don’t know how to do it, but you will never learn until you try; and you will never try if you’re being a chicken all the time. If you go into work with the right mindset and have a positive energy that radiates off of you like a fresh sunburn in July, you will be able to accomplish pretty much anything that you set your mind to. Most times, I find that I am more capable of doing something than I ever thought I could be. This self- acknowledgment is something everyone needs to do in order to grow and expand as both a person and as an employee in the business world.

I’ve also learned that you shouldn’t be afraid to try new things. This goes along with the simple idea of not being a big chicken. Life is all about new experiences. Sitting on the sidelines, too afraid to try anything foreign to you, will not help you build the confidence and poise that you will need to have in the real world. Besides, doesn’t actually being “in the game” sound more appealing than just sitting there watching everyone else do amazing things? I sure think so.

Being in my early twenties, this is the time for me to try new things and to take those risks. I have so many opportunities ahead of me and if I don’t take advantage of them now, I may never get the chance to again. From my own experience in jobs and in internships, I’ve learned that being young and naive can actually be an advantage, as surprising as that sounds. Everyone knows that when you’re young, you lack experience and everything is new to you. Therefore, you’re the first person that they want to help and guide so that you can do things to the best of your ability and also learn new things in the process. Just be confident in your capability to grow and adapt to new surroundings. Believe me, I know that facing the unfamiliar is truly one of the scariest things for someone to do. But, you will never grow as a person if you aren’t getting out of your comfort zone and creating new experiences for yourself. Remember, nobody is perfect and like I mentioned before, you may surprise yourself with how awesome you actually are. But, you will never know until you test your own limits.

I’ve learned that the more experience you gather, the more comfortable and confident you will be. Believe it or not, we all have our own strengths; including you! Try your best to leverage your strong suits and as a result, you will be able to improve upon your opportunities. Life isn’t always a walk in the park (it’s actually like trying to escape out of quick sand sometimes) but if you go into work with a positive, can-do attitude, you will be able to concur anything that is put in front of you! ..Except maybe quicksand. So take that first step today and build on your experience, try new things, and continue the well-deserved journey to a life full of confidence and success!

~ Alexis Luft, Bryant University ’16

Courage Doesn’t Always Roar…

“You are more than what you have become”

Mufasa to Simba – The Lion King

For many millennials the idea of interacting with business executives can be intimidating. My question is, “Why should we fear what many of us want to become?” In fact, I believe business executives should act more as mentors than anything else. Whether it has been a nerve-wracking interview or an experience where you felt belittled by a professional, many of us have had that intimidating feeling.

Can you think of a job you’ve had when you truly believed your boss did not know how to do their job? Well, that may be a little extreme. Let me reword, can you think of a job you’ve had when you believed your boss did not know how to talk or work with people? I once worked in a restaurant and one night we were extremely short staffed in all areas. We were short a cook, a dishwasher, and even a couple of servers, you can imagine how chaotic things were. Well, one of my bosses decided it would be the perfect time to yell at the staff. I was tempted to say, “With all due respect we are all trying to do the best we can and yelling at us is not helping.” However, I was extremely intimidated and felt there was no way I could express myself. If I was going to saying anything it would have been in a respectful manner because I was addressing my boss. My question remains, why didn’t I have the courage to express myself? You have probably been in a similar situation to mine and if you have been then you are wondering what the fix is. [Well, if you keep reading I can’t promise you an answer, but I can promise you a lot of rhetorical questions and the opportunity gain some insight through my opinions.]

So what do I think is the fix? What is the solution for millennials who struggle with effectively communicating to business executives? Put away the technology and build some confidence. I have this hypothesis that blames the 21^st century lifestyle for the lack of confidence. Now, I use the word hypothesis because one of my professors recently brought to my attention that people misuse the word “theory” all the time. A theory is well-tested and widely accepted, therefore my hypothesis suggests that technology is diminishing many of our social skills. Don’t get me wrong, I think technology can be a great thing. I mean it has evolved our world in such amazing ways, but I do think it is taking away from traditional learning and not to mention precious moments.

I remember when I was a child, my cousins and I use to play outside for hours. We use to imagine grass was money and shrubs were stores. Of course we needed cars to get from store to store, so that’s what we used tree branches for. My point is we had an imagination that technology was not intruding upon. Millennials grew up with technology surrounding them, but we were not submerged quite like we are now. I go out to dinner with my friends and throughout the entire meal their eyes are glued to their phones. Whether they are checking social media or playing the latest game, it truly irritates me, it’s almost as if they forgot how to communicate without some sort of device in their hands.

So, is that the answer to communicating with business executives? In my opinion, it could be. At the very least, I think it is safe to say that these devices are reinventing our social skills and probably not for the better. Are we busy concerning ourselves with how many “likes” we have on our Instagram pictures or what the latest activity is on our Twitter timeline that we have forgotten the fundamentals of verbal communication? You may think this is a foolish thought, but how do we know for sure that these things do not subconsciously affect us in our everyday lives, especially our confidence.

Sometimes I wonder what the next generation will be like. You know, those children who are automatically born with phones in their hand. If some millennials are having trouble communicating with executives, how do we expect the next generation to become professionals? Can you imagine what the future will look like with all this technology?

I would sum up my thoughts by saying having confidence is key when communicating with executives and because practice makes perfect put away your cell phones, tablets, laptops and all other devices and start verbally communicating with the people around you.

P.S. If all my advice fails you, you can always try posing like a superhero, which has been proven to increase confidence, right before an interview or asking your boss for a raise. It is more commonly known as “posing power.”

~Angelica Cabral, Bryant University ’16

As a millennial I am familiar with the different forms of communication that are available just from my cellphone; texting, calling, tweeting, messaging on Facebook, snap chatting, blogging, etc. There are a million ways to communicate with others with today’s expanding technology but what impact does this have on my relationship at work? I’ll be graduating in May and will be working full-time (eek!) for the first time in my life. The idea is both terrifying and exciting and with today’s technology I have the opportunity to mold my career into anything I can dream of. Millennials everywhere are starting down their career paths at the same time as companies are beginning to incorporate even more technology into their everyday businesses. The idea of telecommuting is a newer concept that has begun to expand into the daily life of businesses. It involves the increased use of technology such as video interfacing, webcasting, increased phone calls, e-mails and so much more. Millennials have got this in the bag, we are very in-tune to this type of technology since it has basically been in our hands since we were born and we have molded our lifestyles around this use to communicate with everyone humanly possible. Although we understand it very well, we probably have just as much trouble being professional with it, (#Selfies) as much as older generations have using it, to quote my boss “What’s a hashtag?” The problem is how to deal with this disconnect and incorporating it into a functional business setting.

The choice to telecommute requires an understanding of communication through technology. There are certain forms that are inappropriate and there can be a lack of personal communication that is missed out on when corresponding with others through technology. Hopefully, most people understand that snap chatting, or taking a selfie, attaching words to it and sending to your boss asking “What’d you think about that article?” is not only very inappropriate but may get you fired! Technology can be tricky for some people, but it is vital to understand the social boundaries that each form of communication entails.

As a millennial who is going to be entering the workforce soon and setting down some roots in the near future it is nice to have the concept of telecommuting becoming more popular. If I could sit at home in my pajamas and still get work done 7 days a week I’d be one happy lady, but alas this isn’t an option as of 2015 (lets go innovators, help a girl out). Telecommuting also gives me a peace of mind when thinking about eventually establishing a place for myself. I want to be able to keep my family situated and be able to flourish in an environment of my choice, a.k.a. spending lots of time on the beach. I believe that many millennial and other generational groups are developing the savvy it takes to function as a member of a telecommuting team regardless of location or position. If I wanted to work for a company in Chicago but wanted a house in Rhode Island I see that situation becoming more possible each day. Our society is evolving to include technology into our lives more and more (#hoverboards, #selfiesticks, #hashtags). There is no telling where the tech world could propel us to in the next 10 years.

The boss-employee relationship becomes different when working away from the office as well as having self-awareness when choosing the right form of communication, whether it is more appropriate for the individual to be contacted through e-mail, their cellphone, home phone etc., (I repeat, please do not snap chat your boss). Not all methods of telecommunication are a sincere replacement for face-to-face contact, important meetings with bosses and clients require a face-to-face interaction and are essential for establishing a foundation and building long-lasting relationships, no pajama days for you lazy bums (yet).

Telecommuting is cool and functional and provides companies and employees with many benefits. Technology does not have to be that bad! There are multiple options and solutions for business incorporating technology into their worlds and things such as hashtags can actually help you (#mycompanyrocks). Most individuals in the business world have the option to work from home at least part time, if not full time. I would love to say that this means its time for P.J. days but it’s shown that people who work from home get more done if they’re dressed as if they’re going into the office (L). Statistics show that workers who are able to telecommute are more likely to have better relationships with their partners and children. This in itself can provide an organization with a happy, satisfied employee that will stay in a company long term.

On the other side of the coin, telecommuting can be detrimental to your success as an employee if you are not aware of your presence in the workplace. Many employees who telecommute believe they have missed out on travel opportunities and promotions due to their lack of physical presence in the office. Make yourself known and stay connected to your workplace even if you are not there everyday. You should be physically in the office for important meetings as well as to talk to your boss and coworkers on a consistent basis: Call them! Go hang out! Go to lunch! Just be there. Maintaining the flow of information by communicating with other workers is essential for improving yourself, your quality of work, and establishing a presence for yourself in the office. (Water cooler gossip is real). Not only should you be concerned with your boss and coworkers’ opinions of you, your customers both internal and external will be concerned with telecommunication if you are not diligent. Be just as prepared and communicative with employees as if you were in the office, establishing “office” hours that are designated for clients and other work related matters when trying to balance family and other factors that interrupt your day while working at home.

Telecommuting is not for everyone; there are many situational and personal factors to consider before deciding to telecommute. Working in an office with other people who are working hard with a boss evaluating your performance constantly is a strong motivational factor for success and outstanding work in an on-site environment. Working from home requires strong self-discipline and self-motivation. For me, I would probably never be able to telecommute full time (self awareness is tough). I like the reinforcement of supervision and being able to have my questions answered quickly rather than waiting for my coworkers to respond to my e-mails. I also enjoy the constant hustle and bustle that comes with an office because it motivates me to “hustle” as well, plus there are tons of people to talk to. The negative to being in the office is the constraint of the “9 to 5” that can be hard for me to conform to. As a college student, I’m not used to the office lifestyle and sitting all day, a.k.a. nap time. I’m constantly moving and my day starts early and ends late, with work being done intermittently (naps) instead of for 8 or so hours straight.

As a millennial I understand how important it is for me to be aware of telecommuting and how best to incorporate it into my career. There are workers everywhere who are realizing that there is a shift into a different type of office relationship taking place and it is necessary to adapt (pajama day, maybe?). Those new to telecommuting need to ask questions to learn about how the best way to interact with your office is because telecommuting is different for everyone. For me, telecommuting is a great new option when considering jobs in my future. I know that every field is going to be different and every company has different needs. It is going to be very interesting to see how telecommuting changes in the next few years and begins to impact me as a worker so call me, don’t tweet me, if you want to reach me.

People tend to be averse to change, but it is really the changes and the chances that you take that make life more interesting and worth living. Once you challenge yourself to take that leap, you have taken a critical step to exploring not only your world, but yourself. Personally, I have been very reserved in my decisions ever since I was a young child. If you ask my mom about me, she would reminisce about how I would only eat certain foods and how I would not eat my food if the different foods were touching. At one point, we even bought divided plates so my food would never touch. It wasn’t until my sophomore year in college that I put myself out there and started experiencing life by taking more chances and adapting to those changes.

My steps to opening up and experiencing new things started off small. Actually, they started off in Sevilla, Spain when I decided that instead of getting the presa asada (roasted prey) for dinner, I would get some unknown food that I had trouble pronouncing. This food ended up being ox tail and eating this ox tail is one of my most memorable moments in Sevilla. I’m not saying that everyone should travel to Spain and eat ox tail, but if you have a unique or rare opportunity, even if it is just saying yes to going out to dinner or to a movie, take the chance and you may experience something new.

When I was growing up, I strongly believed that I would become a teacher. It was a notion that stayed with me until my sophomore year of high school, when I decided that teaching may not be for me after learning more about the career. When this happened, I thought so what now? I had no idea of what I wanted to do with my life. I know now that I am interested in working in the Human Resources field, but I am still not sure what part of Human Resources I am interested in the most. Unlike before, I have a direction and I am open to new possibilities. My internship at MSI was a great chance for me to take another step out of my comfort zone and really learn what recruiting is about to see if it is something that I would be interesting in making a career out of. Going into this internship, I had no experience or knowledge of the recruiting world. I was blind, but making the choice to intern at MSI was one of my best decisions. It opened my eyes to a world of possibilities that I was unaware of. Even writing this blog was once hard for me and sometimes still is. Every time I would press the post button to post one of my blogs, I would cringe a little. As I continued to blog, it became easier and now I am thankful that I have had this experience.

I would like to believe that everyone is happy with their life and that they are where they want to be, but unfortunately, this may not be the case. People can be stuck in a rut, they may not know what they want, or they think that they should be in a different position. Everyone should take advantage of new opportunities and take chances that they might not have otherwise taken.

My advice is to make the most of your experiences and put all of your effort into succeeding, whether that is advancing in your career, traveling to every country in the world, or some other goal. To do that, you will have to step out of your comfort zone and explore the world around you. It can start with the little things like going to a new restaurant for lunch, ordering something different, exploring a city, getting lost, or even trying to find the Big Dipper in the sky. There are so many things to see and learn about in the world around you and every experience will help you gain knowledge not only about the world you live in, but about yourself. For me, that will be exploring more leadership roles in the clubs that I am in, especially when it comes to my professional fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi. I have stepped out of my comfort zone and made the decision to study abroad in Spain for a semester. Two years ago, I never would have considered leaving my friends and family to live in a foreign country with no one I knew for five months, but this is an experience that I believe will be priceless. Explore and take chances that you might not otherwise have taken. Fulfill your true potential, jump into the unknown, and you never know, you may find something unexpected, yet perfect that you never knew you were looking for.

~Kaitlyn Becker, Bryant University Class of 2017

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

– Atticus Finch to daughter Scout, To Kill a Mockingbird

A quote wisely said with several interpretations.

Most of us have read Harper Lee’s classic at least once or are very familiar with the plot. Loved by most adults, the storyline introduces an important societal issue to several middle schoolers across the country and sparks an important conversation. Although the story was written over 50 years ago, many of the issues are still prevalent today.

When I first heard of last month’s shooting in Charlestown, SC I couldn’t believe I was once again hearing a very familiar story. Newtown; Aurora; Tuscon; Columbine. Each time it gets harder to fathom; innocent lives once again taken in a tragic act of hatred. I am unable to understand how an individual can have so much hatred that they establish a motive to take the lives of innocent individuals. Recently, however, I’ve come to realize that maybe it’s not just hatred. It’s a strong sense of ignorance as well.

Racism certainly continues to be a strong issue in our country. But, I wonder if those who hate and discriminate against minorities have truly “climbed in their skin and walked around in it?” The answer to this rhetorical question is most likely no. So, I struggle to understand how they can possibly understand a person from his/her point of view.

Atticus Finch’s forceful statement does go both ways, however. Immediately after hearing of a tragic shooting, we all want to know why. But it’s impossible to consider the point of view of these shooters as we too fail to climb into the skin and “walk around in it.”

These acts of hatred are a result of the inability to understand. Many refuse to take the time to learn and recognize the differences of race, religion, sexuality, ethnicity, and all of the other “differences” that drive these acts of racism and hatred. An individual is categorized as “different” and society automatically pinpoints them as an outsider, someone we shouldn’t and can’t accept. But what is it that makes them different? They don’t look like what you look like? Believe in what you believe in? Love who you love? Come from where you do?

All throughout middle and high school we are taught to accept and embrace diversity. But the adults in this society do just the opposite. Different is never embraced, it’s misunderstood. Differences are never given the opportunity to be explained or welcomed, they are simply avoided which continues to encourage ignorance.

Without forcing the younger generations of our society to learn and understand, we fail to bypass the ignorant mentalities. This, I believe, eventually leads to the extreme actions of hatred because the individuals committing these actions have only ever known to hate the differences.

This is not just a US problem; it’s a global one. All throughout the world continuous acts of hatred are sparked by religious and racial differences. Regardless of where it’s happening – and the lack of explanation as to why – these issues will certainly impact the future success of a global economy. In order for US companies to continue to thrive and dominate the market place in this new world economy, they should first seek to set a solid example for others to follow. The first step in achieving this is having the desire to understand.

Anna Poirier

Muhlenberg College, Class of 2017

Many young professionals have the idea that once you have created a resume you are done and no longer have to look at it or change it because at that moment, it is perfect for you. What a lot of people don’t realize is that even if that resume is perfectly describing you, it may not be perfectly describing you for the position that you are applying for. A resume is not a one size fits all document. It needs to be tailored towards the position that you are applying for and the company that the position is with. There are many resumes that have a person’s professional and academic life on them, but do not show a clear direction of where they would like to go in their career. Being broad and open is good in many cases, but it may not be the most beneficial when trying to explain why you would be the best candidate for a particular position. When structuring your resume, think of the position that you are applying for and write for that position rather than writing to fill the page with information that isn’t relevant.

All of your work experiences, hobbies, and extra-curricular activities can be looked at from many points of view and support the different positions that you are looking into. I have had some trouble explaining how my experience working at Target, Coldstone Creamery, and as a caregiver have helped prepare me for a professional career in human resources. My mentor, Tony, explained to me that just because the jobs that I have had are not directly in the human resources field, does not mean that they have not taught and helped me develop skills that I will use and that are assets in the human resources field. For instance, I have developed patience, the ability to lead and work in a group, and how to manage up in my previous jobs. These are all skills that I can use in the human resources field.

Everyone that is developing their resume should look at the job that they are applying for and describe their positions and activities in a way that is tailored towards that position and the company that they are interested in. Make your resume have a direction and a personality. To do this, look at your experience and think of both hard and soft skills that you have developed that will assist you in the position that you are applying for. Make multiple versions of your resume for each position that you are interested in and see which version fit the position description the most and remember that if you are interested in the job, you want to make the person reading your resume just as interested in you.

Not only do professionals need to write their resumes for the position they are applying for, they also need to realize that updating your resume is also very important and to remember to bring up to date resumes that are already uploaded to career sites such as Monster, Indeed, and in my case, college career center sites, such as Barefoot Student etc. I, myself, have had some experience and confusion with not updating my resume on all of the sites that I have a pre-uploaded resume on. At Bryant University, the students have access to the Amica Center for Excellence and the Bryant Career Center, (BCC), which helps prepare students for interviews, how to use professional career sites such as LinkedIn, and more. Students are able to upload their resume and other relevant documents to the BCC for ease of applying to jobs that are posted on the site.

I had uploaded my resume to the site and never thought about how I would need to upload a new resume as I changed it. I applied for my current internship with Management Search through the BCC. They were sent my old resume and I brought copies of my new resume with me. When I went into my interview with Tony he asked me about my involvement with the groups that I am involved with on campus, such as the Bryant Singers, Helping Hands, and the International Fraternity of Delta Sigma Pi, (DSP). I talked about how long I had been in the groups and my role in each. He then asked me why I wasn’t in a leadership role, especially in my professional fraternity, DSP. In my head I thought, he must have misread or overlooked that section of my resume. I explained that I am the Vice President of the Bryant Singers and, at that time, also the Vice President of Alumni Relations for DSP. He looked at me confused and asked why that wasn’t on my resume and I went to show him that it was only to find that he was holding an outdated copy of my resume. I had never remembered to upload my new resume to the BCC, which meant that I had been sending an old resume to numerous companies. Luckily, I had a copy of my updated resume that had more current facts on it.

While I may never know if my internship opportunities would have been different if I had remembered to upload my new resume to the BCC, I do know that I never want to embarrass myself again because of something so simple. My advice for any professional is to make sure that you have updated your resume not just on your computer, but also on any site that you have subscribed to and have a resume uploaded on. To help you remember to update and upload your resume, make notes for yourself to check your resume and the sites every month or some suitable amount of time for you. Ask yourself, “Have you checked or changed your resume? If you have, have you made sure your sites are up to date?” Wherever you are in your professional career, a budding or veteran professional, make a plan to check your resume for necessary updates and assure that you have your latest resume on all of your career sites.

Resumes are the first or second glimpse of you that a recruiter or a potential employer will see, so make sure that it leaves a lasting impression. Write your resume for the position you are applying for, not just a non-position or a broad range of positions. Make sure that you stay ahead and remember to update your resume when is needed. Don’t just update your resume, make sure that you update all of the resumes that you have on career sites. One resume does not fit all, but with some work, you can make a tailored resume that describes how you are a qualified candidate for that particular position. With that attention to detail, you may get ahead of the people who have a resume that leaves them floating in space rather than yours that keeps you firmly on the ground with a direction and goal.

~Kaitlyn Becker, Bryant University Class of 2017

“Pulling a good network together takes effort, sincerity, and time.”

– Alan Collins, author of “Unwritten HR Rules”

Currently, I am a rising junior at Bryant University and I feel comfortable both academically and socially, but two years ago when I first moved onto the Bryant campus, I was nothing more than a ball of nerves carrying a fan into my new home. As my family and I moved my belongings from our car to my dorm room, I was completely unaware of what I was about to face and the connections that I might make. I was a fish out of water; unsure of what I would find in my new sea. At the time, Facebook and Twitter were the social media sites that numerous people posted on and connected with people through, but going to Bryant University introduced me to the world of LinkedIn.

Unlike Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, LinkedIn was a place to connect with people that you have worked with, done business with, networked with, etc., rather than discuss what you did last night with your friends. I soon realized that LinkedIn was a professional version of Facebook and other social media. When I first started my LinkedIn profile, all I had was my name, my limited work experience, and my volunteer activities. I setup my profile in 2013; I didn’t actually start to develop my profile and see the benefits of LinkedIn until this summer when I started my internship at Management Search. When I went in to my interview with my now mentor, Tony, I was embarrassed when he took out a copy of my LinkedIn profile. My profile was weak and unrefined, Tony looked at me and said that we would work on that and gave me examples of impressive LinkedIn profiles that I could relate to and use as references when developing my own profile. I started to use the references and put more effort into improving my profile. I started looking for potential connections and pretty soon realized that LinkedIn was not just a way to keep in touch with people in a professional manner, but a way to help develop relations with others and potentially further your career.

During the brief time that I have interned at Management Search, I have learned more about myself and databases such as LinkedIn than I could have imagined. I have learned how to navigate my way through LinkedIn profiles, how to do advance searches, and other various techniques that help me find people, companies, and make connections to people in my professional network. There are many professionals, both fledgling and veteran, that do not realize the advantages and usefulness of professional networks, such as LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster, etc. These networks allow you to reach out to companies and/or people that you have worked with, known, or met in a professional setting. These databases have an underlying goal of reciprocity. You are able to make connections with people and you are then able to support and advance each other. In the case of LinkedIn, your connections are able to endorse you and vice versa which enhances your skills in the LinkedIn community. People that have worked together and have connected are also able to write recommendations for each other, and of course, stay in touch. By learning all of these techniques, I have bettered myself and expanded my network of people and resources.

I wish I had understood the benefits of LinkedIn earlier on in my college career so when I was looking for an internship, I would have a larger network and a more professional profile. When doing my internship search, I did not realize how many companies look at LinkedIn profiles as a secondary resume for candidates. My advice for young to veteran professionals is to make sure that you fully develop your LinkedIn profile and make connections to the people that are in not your online network. To accomplish this goal, join groups on LinkedIn to find people that you may have worked with, gone to school with, or have similar interests that you may want to connect with. Follow the news-feeds of companies that you have worked for or that you have an interest in in order to gain knowledge and intelligence on changes and advancements in the company that may help enhance and advance you in your professional career. Network both online and off; go to functions, introduce yourself to a stranger. A person is only a stranger until you say hello. Make sure that you have a professional and appropriate profile picture when creating your page. Your picture should be a head-shot, not cropped, and only have you in the image rather than your face with a miscellaneous hand in the background. When developing your profile, don’t be afraid to sell yourself; you know that you are a strong and impressive professional, prove it to the LinkedIn community by quantifying your experiences, projects, interests, etc. On LinkedIn, everyone is a salesperson, so show what you have to offer and WOW your audience.

Stay ahead of the curve; you never know how it may benefit you or how connections could help you progress in your career. A friend of mine had been searching for a job for month and applied to numerous companies searching for someone with her experience and skill set. She found a great opportunity and when the head of the department she was interviewing for looked at her LinkedIn profile, he found a mutual connection. The department head ran into the mutual connection at a social function and coincidentally her name came up in conversation. This connection helped to secure her the job and she is the happiest I have ever seen her with her current company.

Don’t wait like I did until you have a job to create your LinkedIn profile; create it now and put everything that represents you on your profile. Yes, it is very similar to an online resume, but it is even more than that. You are able to connect with companies that focus on similar interests as you that you may have never heard of. You are able to stay up to date with the changes that are occurring in your associates’ lives, such as a position or an employment status change. Many parts of our world are now online. LinkedIn allows people to connect in a new way that helps advancement, connects people across the globe, helps individuals that are seeking new opportunities, and more. Professionals should try to stay ahead of the curve and be the first to know about a new opportunity or congratulate someone on their new title. So I will ask you again, are you connected?

~Kaitlyn Becker, Bryant University Class of 2017

There are 306 miles separating Medfield, MA and Allentown, PA. If the six hour car ride isn’t enough to prove the significance of the distance, having completed two years of college this far from home surely will.

As I began preparing for the move to Allentown and the start of my college career, I was experiencing several emotions. You would have thought I was a child on Christmas morning; I was anxious, excited and couldn’t possibly wait any longer to unravel the wrapping paper and see what was inside. Like any incoming college freshman, I was nervous. Unaware of what to expect both academically and socially, I was eager to arrive at Muhlenberg and begin my four years. A new environment, no familiar faces, and 306 miles from home…this was a huge transition.

Fortunately, I adjusted socially almost instantaneously. And academically, I did quite well both first and second semester. But, I had yet to feel truly challenged by my professors. I wasn’t pushed to dispute preexisting ideas and opinions and I did not have the opportunity to form a strong relationship with a professor, one where I could seek academic support on a particular assignment but also stop in during office hours for advice or a casual conversation.

The first Monday of the 2014-2015 semester, my sophomore year, began at 11:00 am. Excited for a new semester with new courses, I headed to my first class, an education course, with Dr. Mark Wolfmeyer. Within the first few minutes of class, I was immediately taken back by his personality and general interest in each individual student. The Integrating Curriculum for Young Learners course became one of my favorite classes thus far at Muhlenberg. All of this I can attribute to him.

Throughout the semester, I established a strong relationship with Dr. Wolfmeyer in which I was able to talk about my academic progress and he challenged me to step outside my comfort zone. And, while I may not have realized the extent to which Dr. Wolfmeyer was impacting me at the time, I definitely realize it now.

This past week I was informed of Dr. Wolfmeyer’s decision to leave the college as he begins a different stage in his career. As I read the words in his e-mail, I quickly became very upset. Unable to focus all day, I couldn’t pinpoint what exactly was making me so upset. Was is it knowing he would no longer be accessible in his corner office on the third floor of Moyer? Or, was it that I was disappointed I wouldn’t have him this upcoming fall? After digesting the news I was able to determine what was upsetting me most: the loss of a mentor.

While I enjoyed the laughs and many stories Dr. Wolfmeyer always shared, it’s his advice I will miss most. I always felt I could turn to him for anything – a quick pick-me-up chat when I was overwhelmed with work or some guidance on how to advance in my studies. Most importantly, Dr. Wolfmeyer has helped me realize the importance of finding mentors in my future work experiences.

It is hard for me to fathom not having Dr. Wolfmeyer at school this fall but I know I must accept the change and learn to be flexible. If nothing else, this situation can serve as a learning experience for me as learning to accept this change can help make me a stronger person. If I find the ability to persevere through the challenge of not having the safety and ease a mentor can provide, I can learn to be accepting of new situations, a skill that will help me excel in the business world.

Adapting to change is something I have yet to master. While I was successful in leaving Massachusetts and heading to Pennsylvania for my college years, I think of that as more of a transition. A dramatic change however, is much more difficult. The emotions that arise after entering into a new and unfamiliar environment such as college can quickly be put to ease when you feel as though you have someone looking out for you. However, if I am able to challenge myself (as Dr. Wolfmeyer I know would push me to do) and accept the change, I can become a better person for it. I am certain this is not the first difficult situation I have faced and it surely will not be the last. My comfort zone will be challenged but I know I can turn to another professor or advisor and find a similar sense of support.

I often wonder how many times in my life I was not open to change and lost an opportunity to grow both as a person and as a professional. I will be forever grateful for Dr. Wolfmeyer for both teaching me the importance of acceptance and showing me the positive benefits of a strong and passionate mentor. Human beings by nature have difficulty accepting change be it in a classroom or in everyday life. While I know there will never be another Dr. Wolfmeyer, I am looking forward to meeting my next mentor and learning how new advice can help build on what Dr. Wolfmeyer has taught me. I hope I am able to persevere through this difficult adjustment just as powerfully as he would want me to.

Anna Poirier

Muhlenberg College, Class of 2017

Urban Dictionary:

Beyong: meaning awesome, sweet, kind, sexy, one of kind.

Unique in its awesomeness. The BEST.

Two weeks ago, I posted my very first blog for my MSI internship. I went over and over the spelling and sentence structure to make sure that it was just as I wanted. Not only did I go over the blog myself, I also had my mother look at it to make sure that I hadn’t overlooked something critical. After having it reviewed by myself, my mother, and my mentor Tony, I was given the green light to post my very first blog. I had more butterflies while posting the blog than I did the first time I sung a solo on stage, but I pressed the post button and it was done. I let out a big sigh and started to relax and proceeded to continue my daily activities.

An hour later, I was surprised to receive a call from Tony, and when I answered, I was shocked by what he had to tell me. Tony told me that I should go onto the site and look at my blog. Once there, he asked me what was wrong with it and I didn’t notice anything until he mentioned my title. I scrolled up to my title and there in large, bolded letter was Beyong Your Borders instead of Beyond Your Borders. I was mortified that I had made such a blatant and unforgiving mistake, yet didn’t notice it when I was reviewing my blog before I posted it. Later, I realized that when typing my title, my finger slipped and I typed a “g” instead of a “d”. I immediately edited the post so that no more people would have to see my error, but this is not something that I want to forget. I will always have this event to remind me that no matter how many times something is reviewed, no matter how many times you look over your work, attention to detail is critical in all aspects of life, both professionally and personally.

Not all lapses in attention to detail are this public; some may only be noticed by your professor or boss, while others may be even more public, such as Christina Aguilera forgetting some of the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner at a football game. No matter when it happens, there are steps and precautions that you can take to help prevent these events. No one will be able to follow these precautions or any other precautions and never make a mistake again, but they are stepping stones to being made more aware of your strengths, weaknesses, and how to prevent more of these events and sharpen your attention to detail.

My advice for everyone in their professional, academia, and personal life who want to improve their attention to detail is:

Set Your Work Aside: You may want to put your work aside for a minute and focus on something else for a while. Many people fall prey to their own minds; they will look at their work and see what they want, rather than what it is. A break will help you refresh your eyes and your brain. When you relook at your work, you might find something that you never saw before or find another way to phrase a sentence. If I had taken the time and put my blog aside before hitting the post button, I might have reviewed it 15 or 30 minutes later and would have realized that I spelled the title incorrectly. If 15 or 30 minutes is all it takes to prevent yourself from looking over a mistake, it is worth the wait.

Peer Review: There are some times when you don’t have 15 or 30 minutes to put your work aside and look at other aspects of your work. Everyone has deadline and meeting deadlines is part of your attention to detail. When you don’t have the time to review your work later, and even when you do, you should have one or more people look at your final draft or earlier drafts to see if there are any final errors in your work that you may have overlooked. Even though I had three individuals review my blog prior to posting, I did not have anyone review it prior to it going live.

There are simple ways to help improve your attention to detail that most people sometimes overlook. Organization is the key to improving attention to detail. Hone your organizational skills by making plans or lists that specify what you need to complete. Minimize internal and external distractions when working or reviewing your work. There may be times when you are reading over a report from school and your friend comes over to talk for a while or you let yourself get caught up in social media or decide that it isn’t worth reviewing. You could be at work and get a phone call and lose your momentum or your place in what you were previously working on. To help get back on track, make a note to yourself that can be as simple as, finish ordering products, or, you stopped at the second page, third paragraph, etc. The little notes will help you get back on track.

Out of all of the steps that you can learn about here or in other articles or blogs about attention to detail, one of the most important, in my mind, is that you need to be mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy in order to receive the best results from oneself. Sometimes you just need to laugh at your mistakes, realize that you did make a mistake and move on, but take more precautions so you don’t make the same mistake again. One or two mistakes will not ruin your life. You are your own worst enemy; take a moment to relax and realize that mistakes are a part of human nature and the lessons we learn along the way we keep forever. In my case, I can now make a joke and claim to have discovered a new word: Beyong.

~Kaitlyn Becker, Bryant University Class of 2017

I am…a planner. And I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember. One quick glance at my agenda book and you can tell; I plan, I list, I organize. However, I came to a point this past December where I found myself unable to plan out my future.

Coming home for winter break having just finished my 3^rd semester of college, everyone wanted to know my answer to that one question: “What do you want to do?” Honestly? I want to do a lot of things. I’d love to backpack through Europe, I want to one day run the Boston Marathon and I’d love to hit every ice cream shop in the United States. This, of course, is not what my family and friends mean by this question. They want to know what I want to do with my life. The person I want to become and the professional occupation I hope to obtain once I graduate. The only problem with this question? I don’t know the answer. And as a professional planner, this is hard to bear.

As a five year old, I would end my days by playing school upstairs in my room. I had on my mom’s high heels and lipstick smeared across my entire face in order to truly captivate my role as my Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Green.  My burning desire to one day have a classroom of my own (wearing shoes that actually fit and the rationale to avoid the obscene amount of lipstick, of course) remained with me until I graduated high school and began my first semester at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. While enrolled in both education and psychology courses, I quickly became torn; I love both. The idea of being able to incorporate both subject areas was introduced to me and I immediately fell in love. I began to steer away from the idea of becoming an elementary school teacher and began thinking about the field of child development. While I still love this idea I have now begun to consider other alternatives as well.

As a people-person and constant socializer, I know one thing for certain; I will always want to be around people. But, I have yet to pinpoint what exactly is the perfect job for me, as many fields seem intriguing.

While all of this uncertainty quickly became overwhelming and frustrating, I tried to use as many resources as possible to narrow in on appealing professions. During my winter break I set up several informational interviews with contacts and connections given through family and friends. Hearing about the daily tasks and opportunities of these various individuals helped me determine what seemed appealing and what did not. I entered into the wonderful yet overwhelming field of human resources and began networking to determine how I could explore further.

I soon connected with Management Search and was immediately struck by the possibility of an internship. Working with MSI would provide me with the perfect introduction to the business world. I would be able to experience the daily life of a successful recruiting firm as well as have the opportunity to be closely mentored throughout my process.

As I conclude my second week at MSI, I can certainly say I am intrigued for what lies ahead. I know I will be challenged and encouraged to step outside my comfort zone and I will learn many useful strategies along the way. While I still am unable to say what I want to “do,” I am eager to simply explore. What aspects do I like and what aspects don’t I like? For me, the best way to determine this is to allow myself the opportunity to explore. This is at least what I tell my inner-planner self as well as my fellow planners.

The overwhelming and frustrating times I experienced during my planning halt proved to be worth it. I have come to realize that at this point in my life, uncertainty is acceptable. It’s ok not to know. My advice to my peers who may be experiencing similar situations is to stop planning. Take it from someone who knows, it really only makes things worse. Don’t plan what’s next. Don’t worry about other peoples’ constant questioning. Live in the moment, learn from the opportunity, and challenge yourself to allow the experience to make you an overall better person. Always follow your passion, and one day, it’ll all work out.

 Anna Poirier

Muhlenberg College, Class of 2017

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Saint Augustine

Travel has always been a large part of my life, but it wasn’t only my own traveling that affected me. As a child, I traveled all around New England, Pennsylvania, California, New Jersey, and Florida to visit relatives and for family vacations. While this travel was interesting to me, it was my father’s traveling that was so influential in my life. My father is a pilot and as a child, I would watch him come and go from different trips to various places around the globe. He would always bring back souvenirs and toys for me. I recall one year while in elementary school when he brought me back a traditional Chinese dress to wear to the father daughter dance at my school. All of my friends thought it was amazing that I had a real dress from China, being a naïve child; I thought it was a common occurrence and that everyone had these same opportunities. I loved having items from around the world that were so different from the products that were sold in the United States. I didn’t realize until I became older how incredible it was that I was exposed to so many cultures without even realizing it.

While many of the items that my dad brought home were tourist souvenirs, he would always have something that reflected the culture of the location. Over the years, I have collected key chains from the different countries and cities that both my Dad and I have visited. Each one is unique to the location, for example I have a clog shoe from Holland, and a Japanese doll from Japan. While having all of these keepsakes is nice, it is the curiosity and the lessons that I have learned from these places that is so remarkable and important.

Through my travels and the stories of my father’s travels, I have learned how to better communicate with both people of different countries and people of my own country. While in my hometown of Coventry, Rhode Island it is not uncommon to smile or wave to people you don’t know when you pass them on the street, it is practically unheard of in some countries and can be perceived to have a completely different meaning. In Spain, I didn’t think twice about smiling at people as I walked through the streets of Sevilla, but the people would either ignore my smile or give me a strange look. Later I realized that it is uncommon for people to be walking and smile at strangers because it can be perceived as flirting. Even the style of people’s clothing was noticeably different, when my friends and I would go out; our nice clothes were equivalent to the lounge clothes of most of the Spaniards we met.

The differences in cultures that I learned about during my time traveling and through my father’s travels related back to my personal and professional life and how communication is completely different based on the situation and the people involved. While I have been taught this since I was in elementary school, it takes on a whole new meaning when you think about communicating with people in a local and global fashion.

Over my years traveling, I have learned about what it is like to mix and adapt to other cultures, but even to this day, I am still improving and developing this skill. My advice to every person, whether in business or in academia, is:

Assumptions: Don’t make the assumption that your actions don’t affect or offend others. No, I don’t mean that hitting someone or tripping them on the stairs is not an obvious offense. I am talking about when it is appropriate to look someone in the eyes or to shake their hand. Depending on your culture and the culture of the people you are working with, an innocent comment to you, could be offensive to a fellow business person.

Be Prepared: When it comes to business meetings or interactions, make sure you understand the culture of the people you are working with. If you are doing an international project and are meeting with a business partner from Japan, you will want to know that people from Japan tend to not like to see people blow their nose. Know what to expect before going into a situation that involves different cultures.

Explore: Go out into the world and experience the different cultures that surround you. You don’t need to go around the globe to experience the different cultures and environments in the world; walk down the street; go into a nearby city. There is probably some difference in the cultures even if it is just the pronunciation of the town name! Many people have a feel of working with or being surrounded by people of other cultures because they may have perceived ideas and stereotypes about people that identify with that culture. These stereotypes may be true, but there is a chance they are just that, stereotypes, that do not portray the culture and the people correctly. Go and explore these culture so these stereotypes don’t stop you from working with others or being involved yourself in an amazing experience. Rather than be afraid, be knowledgeable about the culture!

You can go anywhere and everywhere and still not know all of the cultures around you let alone in the world. Learn about the cultures of the people you work with. Learning about others helps you learn more about yourself; you may decide that the culture is something that you want to be a part of. Make a connection that you might not otherwise have made and enjoy the amazing experience of being submerged in some else’s culture!

  ~Kaitlyn Becker, Bryant University Class of 2017

If there is one thing I have learned in my 21 and a half years of experience, it is to take advantage of every opportunity you can. Even if it is something you are uncomfortable with, such as trying a new food or jumping out of an airplane. When an opportunity presents itself and you have the ability to take advantage of it, DO IT! You’ll be amazed at what you learn and how you’ll grow. Putting yourself outside your comfort zone enables you to really live life and experience great things.

When I was in high school, I was unsure of what I wanted to do. I tried many different activities including an academic decathlon team, student council, the robotics team, chorus, prom and fashion show committee, modeling, taught CCD, and traveled abroad. You know what I learned? I learned that I love being a leader and I love planning events; I learned that I loved to travel, try new foods, and meet new people; I learned that, when I was involved and made an impact, I was a better person. I took all of this to college with me, where I grew even more.

In college I knew I wanted to get involved, I just wasn’t sure where. Then I found Pi Sigma Epsilon, PSE. PSE is a professional, co-ed, business fraternity that focuses on sales, marketing, and management. At the time, I was not interested in any of these, but I liked the thought of a business organization and I figured I could get at least a group of friends out of it. Looking back, it is funny to me that this is all I thought I would get out of it, but hindsight is 20/20 right? Deciding to attend that first meeting, to turn in the application, to make an investment in this organization was 100% the best decision I have ever made, ever! What I learned from this is more beneficial to me than what I’ve learned for the past three years in the classroom environment. The experiences and opportunities I’ve been able to have are numerous. Holding leadership positions, including president, traveling all over the country for competitions, engaging and empowering others, putting together presentations that WIN awards (!!!!), helping people find their place, learning the sales process, and being able to share what I’ve learned with chapters all over the country are just a “few” of the things I have learned. I found my place, my family, at Bryant all because of my openness to new experience.

Thank you for allowing me the excitement of talking about what I love, but that is not the entire focus of this blog. Trying new things is scary and hard! Opening yourself up to the unknown is uncomfortable, but this is where you grow! This is where you learn about yourself and what you are capable of! So here is my advice:

Trust yourself: CAN. DO. IT! If you encounter something and get even the smallest bit excited about it, but are hesitant, try it! There is a small part of you that thinks this is a great opportunity, so run with that. Maybe there is something you’ve always wanted to try but never thought it was something you could do. If you think you’d enjoy it, go after it! Last summer, I had the opportunity to jump out of a plane, which sounds much cooler than saying I went sky-diving. If you’ve met me, you’d know that I am someone who likes my feet planted firmly on the ground. However, I did not think twice about this experience and immediately said yes. Later, I realized what craziness I had gotten myself into, but I jumped and lived and had an amazing experience.

Things happen for a reason: I’m a firm believer in the idea that things happen the way they are supposed to happen. If an opportunity comes across your plate, it is supposed to be there! So why not take advantage of it? Often times, we see opportunities such as this and think “I’d love to do that, but I   don’t think it’s for me.” IT IS!!! Many people get wrapped up in the idea that “they’ll do something eventually” which is exactly how I felt about sky-diving. But when is eventually? If you keep pushing experiences off, you’ll find yourself one day an 80 year old and not experienced everything you wanted to.

  Things always work out: This is especially important when trying new things. Repeat this: things. always. work. out. Something that causes people to hesitate when trying something new, is the idea that they might hate it, fail at it, not do well (in the case of sky-diving: DIE). Maybe you’ll hate it, maybe you’ll fail, but what if you absolutely LOVE it? What if it opens your mind to 1000 new opportunities and ideas? What if you find a new passion? This last question alone should encourage you to try new things and be open to experience.

He or she who hesitates is lost: This is a pretty generic quote, but the first time I heard about it was in a book apart of A Series of Unfortunate Events series, a book I read when I was in middle school and it has stuck with me ever since. I apply this to most aspects of my life, including while pulling out into traffic (which is especially true). If you hesitate over a decision, time might run out and you may never get the opportunity again. I’m not saying throw caution to the wind, but if it is a time sensitive thing, this is important to keep in mind.

As this is my final blog, and thus can write anything and not get in trouble (JUST KIDDING TONY!), I would like to share my experience and why I came to MSI. For those of you who do not know me, I have nothing to do with HR nor have I had any experience with the field. I’m actually a Management and Psychology double major and hope to pursue a career in event planning, which I found a love for after signing up to head my high school’s senior prom committee. MSI wasn’t even on my radar for internship opportunities and I barely even knew what executive head-hunting was before Tony spoke at one of my Pi Sigma Epsilon meetings. Then the opportunity came across my plate when Tony approached me and said “I want YOU to intern at MSI.” I was kind of shocked, given the fact that Tony knew I wanted to go into event management. Nevertheless, I interviewed and (obviously) got the internship. And I can honestly say (don’t tell Tony, it fluffs his ego) that I have enjoyed every minute of this internship. Working with everyone here has been phenomenal, I’ve learned a new field, and I’ve had to the opportunity to work with one of the greatest bosses I have ever had. I learned so much about myself, how to engage and empower members of my organization, and how to effectively search and find candidates. I also had the opportunity to talk to Kristen Schroeder, who provided me insight and advice into working with and leading people, something I did not think I would get from this internship. I have been able to experience all of this because I pursued and accepted an opportunity that was unknown to me prior to Tony.

In conclusion, this semester has been a phenomenal experience, one that I won’t forget. It has also reinforced in me the idea of taking advantage of opportunities and experiences when you can, because you never know what you will get out of it. You may learn a new skill, such as searching for candidates, or find your place, as I found mine at PSE, or learn what you don’t want to do again, such as jumping out of a plane. But you WILL learn something, and isn’t that what life is all about? Living and learning. I encourage you to take advantage of the next opportunity that comes your way. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results.

PS: I haven’t put my name on any of my blogs so far, which include “Effective Communication: Easier Said than Done” and “Measure Twice, Hire Once”, but I figured I would put it on the last blog. Thank you to everyone who has read and commented on my blogs! I appreciate it, as this is a new experience to me (another one!). Thank you again, and hopefully this isn’t my last blog.

The Silent Intern,

Kiersten Photiades

Recruiting and retention are all-around important aspects to any organization or company, almost as essential as breathing air. Without these two aspects, you’ll have a brilliant idea and no human capital, not exactly a recipe for success. So how does one go about recruiting, and recruiting in a manner that is done right the first time? What are the key steps in recruiting right the first time?

• Look for fit, not just skills. Often times, a company relies heavily upon what is on a person’s resume and how they perform in their interview, and do not look at interpersonal skills or
  interests when hiring an individual. If a person is the most qualified walker, is very organized, and can handle many things at once, they are absolutely qualified to be a dog walker. If they hate dogs, then they would not be a good fit, given the heavy focus on man’s best friend.
• Do background and reference checks. This is an obvious step, but an important one nonetheless. Many companies have background checks and say they have reference checks, but I have applied to many places who have never called my references. Maybe that means I’m highly skilled and trustworthy, but how do they know that?
• Balance what you need now with what you may need in the future. Again, something to place a heavy focus on. Often times when a job has an opening, there is a sense of urgency. An open spot means that someone somewhere in the company is currently taking on this workload or it is falling to the wayside and no one is performing the tasks. This urgency may lead hiring decision makers to find a person that fits the “right now” rather than how they may work in the long-term. It is important for these hiring decision makers to develop the position and know where they want it to go in the future. Whomever is hired for the position is someone they want to stay with the company and, in order to do this, they need to understand what the position will look like and the responsibilities that person will have in the future.
• Have a well-structured and well-rounded interview process. An important aspect in hiring the right candidate is the interview process. This is where you find out how much experience the candidate has and what they have done in their previous jobs. The key to uncovering the right information is asking the right questions. There are three specific types of questions that you should incorporate into your interview process in order to gain a well-rounded view of the candidate. These three are Performance Based Questions, Values Based Questions, and Motivational Based Questions. Performance Based Questions look at past projects or situations, and examines the performance, process, and outcomes of the project or situation. They essentially ask questions about what you have previously done in situations that will come up in the current job. Values Based Questions focus on the candidate’s internal values and behaviors and how they match up with those of the company. These can be difficult questions, but they get to the root of the individual’s personality which enables a company to truly find out if they are a good fit. Lastly, Motivational Based Questions look to see how a person handles objectives, and allows the interviewer to gauge whether the individual is a high achiever or not. This creates for a well-rounded understanding of how the candidate performs in all areas. By using these three types of questions in your interview, it can help you hire the right people the first time.

In conclusion, hiring the right people is a pivotal part of the recruiting process. If you think about it, a company hired you, right? Don’t you hope they hired the right person? And what if they had chosen someone over you who wasn’t as qualified? Some food for thought. While you may not have a decision regarding who is hired, try to understand the practices and policies your company has in regards to hiring individuals. Maybe they need to change or update these, and you can provide them with new ideas. It never hurts to expand your horizons and get involved. You may be the change factor of your organization in the direction of hiring the right people. Best said by Paul Alof, CEO of Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, “Hire for passion FIRST, experience SECOND, and credentials THIRD.”

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

 As a 6 year old this question seems so obvious. I remember coming up with my answer in under 3 seconds, “A Marine Biologist” I would say without hesitation. My reasoning was simple- I love dolphins and whales, I love going fishing with my dad, I love to venture down to the beach with my little net and catch as many innocent sea creatures as I possibly can and play with them until my mom makes me let them go, and most importantly; this is what my older sister says she wants to be!

Now, almost finished with my junior year of college, this question is rearing its head again. What do I want to be when I grow up? Now that it is so close- I have no idea. I have two and a half semesters, (less if I want a job upon graduation) to make this decision. Writing this fact down is terrifying, I am 20 years old, how am I supposed to know what I want to spend the rest of my life doing?

The more I think about it the more I realize that maybe that is okay. I don’t need to decide what I want to do with the rest of my life because I have time to try out different careers and find out what works for me. My dad has been working for the same company basically all of his adult life, and that is truly impressive. Today careers are changing; we are no longer expected to follow these linear career paths of going to school, getting a job, getting a promotion, another promotion maybe, and then retiring from the same company we started out in. It is becoming more and more common for people to have cyclical career paths, 2 or 3 entire careers with different companies and in different roles.

What I am coming to realize is that maybe it is not as scary as it seems, making this decision so soon. I know what I am good at and what I am educated in and this narrows down my options a little bit. Narrowing them down even further starts with finding out what I am passionate about. This is where my previous work experience and internships come into play, as they will help me to identify exactly what is important to me in a career. What kind of boss I am looking for, what kind of environment do I want to work in, and what am I truly passionate about. The best part about this whole situation? If I get it wrong, if a career doesn’t turn out to be what I expected, I can try again. Find an opening in a different company, or a different aspect of the industry, I have options.

It basically comes down to the same decision we all made when we were 6, do what you love to do. Find something you can devote yourself to, because when you do that, and you have a career that you are passionate about you will never have to really work a day in your life. That is the goal- the ideal that we are all shooting for. The next step is finding it.

How do you find your dream job? Once you find it how can you attain it? There are so many resources for finding job openings; different websites, your LinkedIn network, or through your personal network of family and friends. Maybe you start by identifying a company you would like to work for. Finding a company with values that you are passionate about, an environment that you feel you could work well in. Once you identify the position you think you want, you need to determine how to achieve that goal.

Give your resume a make-over- Make sure it is up to date, detailed, professional, and aesthetically pleasing.

 Write a hard-hitting cover letter- If you are passionate about the position you are applying for this should come fairly easily. Have one or more trusted peers read it over and give you suggestions, the more opinions you can get the better. (Personally I send important documents to my sister because I know she never holds back any critiques to spare my feelings).

Brush up on your interviewing skills– There are millions of interview tips and techniques available online- just Google it (but make sure you stick to reputable sources).

 Practice, Practice, Practice– Come up with some questions you think that you might be faced with in your interview and have someone you know and trust to give you accurate and constructive feedback, ask you the questions and give you suggestions.

One resource that you might find helpful with these steps is available on the Management Search website (www.msi1.com), the Success Tips page. Also, if you are having a hard time identifying what is important to you in a career; check out Dr. Edgar Schein’s 9 Career Anchors. There is a questionnaire you can take, or just read over the 9 anchors and see which ones best apply to you. This might help point you in the right direction if you are struggling to define what exactly you are looking to get out of a career. Remember- you know yourself better than anyone else does, so listen to your gut and go with what you feel is right for you.

Follow your passions, and if you still want to be that doctor, lawyer, astronaut, firefighter, or secret agent; find a way to make that happen! Go back to school, make new connections, and don’t be afraid to start from the bottom and work your way up. You know what they say, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”. If you get your dream job on the first try, that is fantastic and I applaud you. Odds are that most of us won’t, it will take us 2, 3, or 4 tries to find something we are truly happy doing, and that is okay too. (Just don’t give up and settle for something that isn’t right for you) Answer the question of what you want to be honestly, and don’t choose a career because your dad wants you to be an accountant, or you think you will make the most money as a lawyer, or because someone you know tells you that you would make a good teacher. Do what you enjoy and what makes you happy and the rest will follow.

I would like to acknowledge Professor John Poirier for the inspiration to write this post.

– Katie Campbell, Bryant University Class of 2016

In today’s world, communication seems to be something everyone struggles with, we abbreviate words, aren’t honest about our actual thoughts, can be vague with details, and often expect the other person to automatically know what we are talking about. Add to that all the various mediums of communication including email, text messaging, phone calls, social media, and video-conferencing, it is amazing anything ACTUALLY gets communicated.

Communication has become something taken for granted, we expect people to reply to emails, texts, calls, or carrier pigeon immediately, and when they don’t, it becomes this big issue, or, God forbid, they respond with incorrect information. Like, “how did they not understand my abbreviated and ambiguous message”? Don’t you understand the English language?!

Over the years, communicating has become a tricky thing. We often send texts instead of phone calls or emails instead of face-to-face, further confusing a situation by removing any emotion and inflection from the context the conversation. Friendships have crumbled, relationships broken up, and business connections lost because of miscommunications and misunderstandings. All of this could be resolved if everyone simply picked up their phone, was honest, or simply communicated better face to face.

For those of you who have ever participated in a long distance relationship, whether it is related to friendship, business, or romantic, you know that it requires a lot of communication in order to be effective. In fact, besides a mutual goal, communication is the foundation for a successful long distance relationship. Studies have been done that show that those in long distance relationships, often times, have better communication than those in close proximity to each other because they are almost forced to have open and honest conversations. Any ambiguity in their conversations may lead to irreparable damage. They can’t leave any room for vagueness because it can be easily misconstrued over the phone, text, email, or video-conferencing.

So is it actually the communication we take for granted, or the geographical relation of the people involved, or could it be the nature of the relationship? Many factors play into this, but what it comes down to is an issue with communication. So how do we teach ourselves to communicate better? What are the steps for better and more efficient communication?

Be prepared: I think many people walk into conversations unsure of what they want to say and how to get their point across. They know the general gist of what they want to cover, but haven’t fully thought out the direction they want to go in or, sometimes, what they want to say. These conversations generally include a difficult topic or involve the person asking for something. Either way, being unprepared can lead you to rethink your course of conversation or concede on something you are trying to attain. Whether it is resigning from your job or explaining to your partner that they are a shopaholic, make sure that you are prepared for the conversation and know exactly what you want to accomplish.

Don’t be vague: In my experience, this is often an absolute conversation killer. One vague comment opens up many different conversation avenues that the other person may not have even thought about. It leads to variables that you might not have prepared for, and tends to confuse the person you are talking to. It is best to say exactly what you want to say, in a clear and concise manner. Any ambiguity leads to confusion and unnecessary conversations.

Be honest: Along with decreasing any ambiguity, make sure that when you are having a conversation, you are 100% honest with whom you are speaking with. If it is something you actually want to get accomplished and it is important to you, TELL THEM! Don’t evade the issue, be straightforward and honest. If they are committed to the business, romantic, or friendly relationship, they will listen to you and hear you out. If you feel you can’t be open and honest with someone, it’s time to reevaluate.

Remove emotion: If you are to only take one idea from this, have it be this one. Any time you are having a serious conversation, REMOVE EMOTION! While they are often hard to hold back, feelings cloud many conversations and can cause people to get offended or have a negative reaction to the topic. If an employee quits their job, it is not a personal attack on you, it is simply that they found a better opportunity, accept that. Often times, conversations include someone having an issue with something another individual said or did. It’s important that it is in the past. It happened, it bothered someone, they told you, and it’s done. If you learn to accept that something has happened and that getting upset further clouds a situation, you will have better conversations. Also, people will be less hesitant to talk to you if they know you will react in a calm manner and listen to what they have to say.

Stay focused on topic: You came into a conversation with a specific purpose. DO NOT stray from that specific topic. If you’re talking about how your significant other never does the dishes, do not then bring up how they don’t feed the cat, vacuum the floor, or take you to the movies. Save those for another conversation at another time. Deviating from your topic decreases the importance of it and may cause the person you are conversing with to take you less seriously or become confused

Active Listening: LISTEN! This is something many people forget. They are often too focused on what they want to say next that they may miss the person agreeing with them! If you’re invested in the conversation at hand, listen to what the other person has to say, and be able to repeat it back to them in different words. “So I understand it bothers you that I don’t do the dishes…” This tells them that you understand the problem and are actually listening to what they have to say. Additionally, if they know you are listening and taking the conversation seriously, they will feel more comfortable being honest.

Communication is something that everyone takes for granted, and better communication techniques are a dime a dozen. People hear about them all the time, but does anyone actually APPLY them to their conversations? Personally, I might use one or two techniques, but not 100% of the time, and as a result, some conversations don’t end up the way I had hoped. If you combine these techniques and learn to apply them to all of your conversations, I can imagine you will find it makes a large difference. Reflect on your recent conversations. Are you happy with them? If not, I encourage you to use these communication techniques to enable more efficient and productive conversations. I promise you, it will be life altering!