Activate Your Handshake Profile!
Your To Do for Week TWO:
Before you get started applying to roles, attending virtual fairs, and connecting with recruiters, you’ll want to show everybody what you’re made of!
During week two of the Handshake #NoFailFall, add any skills and past work experience — including volunteering + internships — to your profile. These elements can improve your chances of showing up in an employer search.
Pro-tip: you can edit your profile anytime, so keep adding skills, certifications, and work experience to your Handshake profile as you build up your resume over the years.
Join Midd2Midd TODAY!
First-Years and transfer students – we want to share an important resource with you: Midd2Midd.
Midd2Midd is Middlebury’s online platforms that facilitates mentoring, networking, and outreach across the Middlebury community. We recently sent YOU an invitation to join and we encourage you to activate your account and complete your profile.
Our programs include:
- MiddMentors—Be a mentor. Find a mentor. Lets you find a dedicated alumni mentor for conversations and advice on careers, exploring what’s next, and navigating life at Middlebury.
- MiddConnect—Give advice, Get advice. Enables you to reach out to alumni and Midd parents to get career advice, ask questions, and explore our talented community.
- MiddGroups—Find your community. Connects classmates, teammates, collaborators, and costars through affinity-based communities.
- Midd Gigs—Short-term, professional projects offered by Middlebury alumni and parents. These projects enable Middlebury students and recent graduates to develop and demonstrate their skillsets, explore career paths, and build their networks.
Check your Middlebury email for a personal invitation to join.
Returning students: Remember to update and complete your Midd2Midd profile and then begin connecting with others!
A Completed Handshake Profile Makes Your Profile More Appealing to Employers!
Did you know that a completed Handshake profile makes applying for jobs and internships MUCH easier? It is super easy to complete and makes your profile more appealing to employers. A completed profile allows Handshake to share relevant opportunities to your feed based on your activity and interests.
Follow these steps to drive that Profile Level up to green!
- Login at middlebury.joinhandshake.com/login.
- Verify/update your MAJOR.
- Fill out your WORK EXPERIENCE.
- Add an ORGANIZATION and EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
- Add SKILLS, DOCUMENTS, COURSES, PROJECTS.
- Add a PROFILE PICTURE and complete the PROFILE section.
- Add at least 1 INDUSTRY.
- Complete your CAREER INTERESTS.
Have questions about your resume? Stop by Quick Questions in a few weeks and see one of our Peer Career Advisors.
New to Middlebury and don’t yet have a resume? Don’t worry! Join us at our Create Your First College Resume Event on September 7th and 9th from 9:30-11:30 AM.
Activate Your Handshake Profile!
Your To Do for Week ONE:
We are setting you up for a “No Fail Fall!” Whether you’re looking for an internship, trying to find a job, schedule an appointment with an advisor, or simply hoping to figure out your ideal career path this semester, we’ve got the steps to get you there. It all starts with activating your Handshake profile:
If you haven’t already, sign up at https://middlebury.joinhandshake.com/ with your Middlebury email and login.
First-Years and transfers – check your email for an invitation to join Handshake AND Midd2Midd.
Join 826 Boston with Various Hiring Opportunities
Just in from Middlebury summer intern, Patrick Wachira, some information and contact info about job opportunities at his Boston-based internship with educational access org., 826 Boston. For more details, feel free to contact Karen Sama, karen@826boston.org, 826 Boston’s Out-of-School Time Program Director.
“826 Boston is a nonprofit youth writing and publishing organization located in Roxbury, Massachusetts, that empowers traditionally underserved students ages 6-18 to find their voices, tell their stories, and gain communication skills to succeed in school and in life. Our high-impact programs are based on the understanding that great leaps in learning can occur with one-on-one attention, and that writing skills are fundamental to future success.
Here are the hiring opportunities (both full-time and part time):
- Bilingual Spanish/English Program Assistant
- Out-of-School Time Program Coordinator
- K-12 Programs Coordinator
- Writers’ Room Manager
- Institutional Giving Manager
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director
- Community Engagement Coordinator
Gain experience and career readiness this summer through Midd Gigs
Midd Gigs are short-term professional projects offered by Middlebury alumni and parents. Here are some current listings that may be of interest to students interested in social impact and education.
- Looking for an artist interested in pedagogy or an educator who maintains a serious art practice. Either way, it should be somebody who wants to learn and grow in their practice. Work with The Art Detectives who are looking for a skilled, patient artist-educator in or around New York City to design and implement personalized arts and arts integration curricula for students of all ages and abilities.
- Work with Thi Hoang ’21 as a Social Media Marketing intern at Boltz.ai, an AgTech startup using AI and quantum machine learning to make agricultural production efficient and sustainable.
- Climate Four is dedicated to bringing useful information to individuals across the UK and around the world on climate action. We are looking for someone to help us develop a social media plan across four platforms (instagram, facebook, linkedin and twitter) and increase Climate Four’s visibility.
- Gee & Co.: We are seeking an intern with excellent research and computer skills to assist in editorial tasks for the anthology Nonwhite and Woman: 153 Micro Essays on Being in the World, edited by Darien Hsu Gee and Carla Crujido, and forthcoming from Woodhall Press in 2022 in print and digital. We would especially like to introduce AAPI/BIPOC emerging writers and undergraduate/graduate students to the literary and publication world, but welcome any interested candidate who feels closely aligned to our project.
Visit Midd Gigs on Midd2Midd to apply for projects!
Click here for frequently asked questions regarding Midd Gigs.
Daniel Buchman ’19, Foreign Service Officer, answers career related questions LGBTQ+ identifying students might have when seeking job opportunities
Peer Career Advisor (PCA) and Posse Scholar Zoey Ellis ’22 interviewed Daniel Buchman ’19 to answer common career related questions LGBTQ+ identifying students might have when seeking job opportunities.
The views expressed are the author’s and not necessarily those of the U.S. Government.
Zoey: What activities or student organizations were you involved in during college and how did they help you get to where you are today?
Daniel: I did a few different things. Three that stand out are debate, ResLife, and language tables. Debate was a stand-in for all the philosophy courses I still regret not taking. It helped me take apart arguments and speak persuasively. Those skills have served me in everything from job interviews to visa adjudications. ResLife taught me how to mediate conflicts and create spaces where people feel supported and willing to speak honesty — both skills I have used in my work already. As a language nerd, I loved serving at language tables, but when I became a manager, it was all logistics and not particularly fulfilling even though it felt like a promotion. I’d argue the same principle holds true for a lot of jobs. Sometimes the most gratifying work happens at lower levels, and a management role isn’t always a better deal.
Zoey: As a graduate who identifies as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Non-Binary, Gender Non-Conforming, Genderfluid, or Queer, what are some of the questions you suggest students should keep in mind when researching employers and applying to job opportunities?
Daniel: I’d say the most important thing is to ask the questions. Small red flags you notice early can easily become exhausting parts of your workday, so to the extent circumstances allow, try to avoid rushing into a job without doing your due diligence.
Beyond considering the mission of the organization you’re joining and its impact on other queer communities, I recommend asking folks inside the organization — apart from those interviewing you — about internal policies affecting queer employees. I’ve sent hundreds of LinkedIn messages to random strangers, and I’ve gotten the most responses when I mention from the get-go that I want to discuss being queer in their office. I ask all sorts of questions. Is there an employee affinity or resource group for queer employees? Does it have a track record of successfully advocating for its members, or is it just window dressing? Does the healthcare, if offered, cover gender-affirmation procedures? Are there many openly queer employees? Is parental leave offered for adoption or surrogacy? Even if you don’t see these questions applying to you directly, they can serve as a litmus test for the degree to which folks are comfortable with queerness within the organization.
Zoey: Would you suggest students consider to what extent they would like their career to incorporate their LGBTQ+ identity? Do you want your identity to have a major role, such as working for an LGBTQ+ advocacy group? Or expressed differently, like joining the LGBTQ+ affinity group for employees at an organization?
Daniel: Having my identity highlighted in my work wasn’t necessarily something I wanted, but it has become a big part of my job, and I’ve found that to be extremely rewarding.
Before this job, I was never really active in any queer orgs or queer advocacy. Now, I’m a diplomat, and I represent the United States. Being out and proud, wherever I am in the world, is integral to doing my job well. I show folks overseas from all walks of life that, in the United States, the gay son of Russian Jewish immigrants from South Brooklyn can go out and represent his country without hiding any part of who he is. At the same time, being queer means having a greater perspective on the more challenging aspects of U.S. society. Discussing those and our country’s other struggles honestly, empathetically, and with humility makes me a more credible interlocutor.
During her time as a national security advisor, Susan Rice said “think of the LGBT person in Bangladesh who knows that someone at the American embassy understands who she is… That is how we build bridges and deepen partnerships in an increasingly globalized world.” Reading that for the first time inspired me to become the Embassy’s representative of our LGBTQI+ employee affinity group. Today, my identity is absolutely central to my day-to-day professional life. It’s been one of the most rewarding parts of my time as a Foreign Service Officer and also the least expected.
Zoey: Could you recommend any career-related LGBTQ+ resources that helped you in the job search process?
Daniel: I think Facebook groups are an undervalued resource. There are groups for just about everything. Search or ask around for a Facebook group of queer professionals in whatever sector you want to join. It almost certainly exists and will give you access to an incredible network. Being queer has enabled me to build immediate connections with queer folks at even the highest levels of the State Department. It’s given me a network of mentors, friends, and supporters, which I would not have been able to access otherwise.
Zoey: Have you come out to your employer, and if so, when in the employment process and how?
Daniel: I started coming out on the first day of orientation. In the Foreign Service, your colleagues double as your second family away from home, so I wanted to build open and honest relationships with my colleagues right out of the gate.
I was in a relationship at the time, and I would drop it into casual conversation, e.g., “my boyfriend and I are planning a trip this weekend.” Outside of specific contexts, it’s always awkward to say “I’m queer!” I’ve always tried to have segues ready like “around the time I came out…”, “my ex-boyfriend introduced me to…”, “all my non-queer friends think…”, etc. Depending on the context, these can work at dinner parties, happy hours, job interviews, and water coolers.
I was really nervous during the hiring process and thought coming out would’ve added a layer of stress I wanted to avoid. In hindsight, I think having come out would’ve actually helped me. The State Department really values intercultural competence, and like a lot of queer folks, being queer taught me how to code-switch. Because my identity is perceived so differently depending on the places I go and the people I meet, I’ve become pretty good at knowing how to adjust my approach to interaction, depending on the cultural context. I didn’t say any of that in my interview and wish I did.
Zoey: What advice would you give your younger college self?
Daniel: Prepare to make mistakes — a lot of mistakes. At Midd, I was super high strung; perfection was the standard, and failure wasn’t an option. That was maybe sustainable, though definitely not healthy or helpful, when the bad grades that sent me on anxious spirals, thinking that I had ruined my future and would never amount to anything, came once every couple of months. Now, I mess up much more frequently. Not because I’ve become less competent, but because I have more responsibilities and thus more opportunities to drop the ball. I care about doing a good job. I’m a public servant, and how well I serve matters to me, but if I took every mistake as an indicator of my worth the way I did in college, I would be worse at my job—not better. So I’m working on being better at making mistakes, and I wish I had started learning that skill much earlier.
Zoey: Is there any other advice that you’d like to share with Middlebury students?
Daniel: Empathy and compassion are as much life skills as they are professional skills. Being kind to people, leveling with them, listening, working to understand others’ experiences, etc., aren’t just nice things to do, they will also make you better at your job. No one is perfect at them, and it takes a lifetime to get good. But college — during a pandemic that affects everyone differently — is as good a time as any to practice, so I’d recommend starting now.
If you would like to contact Daniel Buchman ’19, please reach out via Midd2Midd!
Chinese Language Interpretation/Translation Opportunities
Internship involving marketing and writing about early childhood movement and play space
Movement in a Box is a quarterly subscription box that combines fundamental movement skills with learning activities for children aged 3-6 years. The company hopes to inspire lifelong movers and educate parents and caregivers about the value of moving-based learning.
This is Midd-friendly because a current student knows the founder and sent this along to share!
This summer, they are looking for a part-time intern to help them build this start-up from the ground up through content creation, social media marketing, and marketing analytics. This is a great opportunity to work closely with founders in a high-energy start-up environment, help to build up a brand and its mission, and take a deep dive into early childhood movement, learning, and play.
Specifically, they want someone who is excited to:
- Dive deep into the early childhood movement, learning, and play space
- Devise and create content that aligns with the Movement in a Box mission and vision
- Keep up to date about current brands, trends, blogs and potential like-minded partners to find opportunities where Movement in a Box can contribute it’s voice to the larger conversation around Physical Literacy and early childhood development.
What you’d be doing:
- Research and writing content, including social media, blog posts, website content, email content and press releases
- Social media marketing and content creation. Experience with Canva or Adobe (Photoshop, Rush, Illustrator) is a plus.
- Incorporating good SEO practices with all content creation.
- Reporting and analytics (experience with Facebook Ads Manager, Google Analytics, and Google Ads are a plus). We’re a start up looking to spread the word across multiple platforms.
- You’ll be working with the founding team building scaling a startup from the ground up!
Details: Looking for an average of 10 hours/week for June-August. This position is remote.
TO APPLY: E-mail sarah@movementinabox.com with your resume and tell us why you are interested!
Deadline: May 30th, 5pm EST.
Ryan Tauriainen, Former White House Fellow serving in the US Department of Education, answers career related questions LGBTQ+ identifying students might have when seeking job opportunities
Peer Career Advisor (PCA) and Posse Scholar Zoey Ellis ’22 interviewed Ryan Tauriainen ’08 to answer common career related questions LGBTQ+ identifying students might have when seeking job opportunities.
Zoey: What activities or student organizations were you involved in during college and how did they help you get to where you are today?
Ryan: While a student, I was predominantly involved with Middlebury Open Queer Alliance (MOQA) and Feminist Action at Middlebury (FAM). I was co-president of MOQA in 2007-2008, which was an eventful period for queer activism at Middlebury. I was also part of a three-person team that successfully founded the Queer Studies House in 2008. Being the leader of a student organization helped me to develop communication and organization skills, which was useful in future leadership positions I held.
Zoey: As a graduate who identifies as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Non-Binary, Gender Non-Conforming, Genderfluid, or Queer, what are some of the questions you suggest students should keep in mind when researching employers and applying to job opportunities?
Ryan: Bostock v. Clayton County (2020) held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender expression. The landscape for queer people in employment is better than it has ever been. That being said, working in a supportive environment is key for one’s mental health. I’d suggest that students do their research before applying. Does the workplace have a history of supporting LGBT people or causes? Does the workplace have an LGBT affinity group? Are there already LGBT employees one can check-in with? Are there LGBT people in seats of leadership or influence? Does the place of work donate to organizations or politicians who are anti-LGBT?
It is also essential to remember when an employer is interviewing you, you are also interviewing your employer. If you feel comfortable, you could ask how the employer supports Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and specifically LGBT employees.
Zoey: Would you suggest students consider to what extent they would like their career to incorporate their LGBTQ+ identity? Do you want your identity to have a major role, such as working for an LGBTQ+ advocacy group? Or expressed differently, like joining the LGBTQ+ affinity group for employees at an organization?
Ryan: LGBT people, like everyone else, should pursue the career or field that they are passionate about. If that means pursuing a job that is directly related to LGBT rights or activism, that’s wonderful, but it isn’t the right fit for everyone. For some LGBT people, they may have a career that isn’t directly tied to their identity (lawyer, teacher, etc.) but allows their identity to be incorporated in a different way. For example, a queer professor who advises a queer student group on campus or a queer physician who does outreach to the LGBT community. Joining affinity groups can be a great way to find support or make friendships at work when they exist. That is not something that interests every queer person and it should never feel compulsory to be involved in such groups.
Personally, I have always been “out” wherever I worked in the sense that people I worked with always knew that I was gay and partnered (eventually married) to another man. When I was a teacher and a school leader, it was not necessarily something I discussed with students or parents unless it was applicable to the conversation, but that had more to do with keeping my personal life and professional life separate. For some people, that is a very important delineation. Essentially, people should express themselves at the level they choose.
Zoey: Could you recommend any career-related LGBTQ+ resources that helped you in the job search process?
Ryan: I have been very fortunate that in every role I’ve held, using career-related resources wasn’t necessary for me to find the job. I will give the recommendation of the Victory Fund as an LGBT resource if you would like to pursue political appointments for an administration. I know that they are working with the Biden administration to increase the number of LGBT appointees.
Zoey: Have you come out to your employer, and if so, when in the employment process and how?
Ryan: I’ve been fortunate to always work in environments or states in which being LGBT was protected, if not celebrated. In my adulthood, I’ve always felt comfortable being “out.” I’ve never had to “come out” to my employers in the sense that based on my appearance and mannerisms it is usually assumed. Sometimes people are visibly curious but feel uncomfortable asking, so in those cases, I will mention something about my husband to confirm suspicions. I also do this if I find out or suspect a coworker is LGBT, in order for them to find another ally. For example, as a principal, I had the occasion to interview (and hire) applicants who were gay and transgender and I always made a point to drop the hint that I was a member of the community so that they would be less nervous. It gave me great pleasure to hire other LGBT people (as long as they were also qualified and a good fit)!
Zoey: What advice would you give your younger college self?
Ryan: The advice that I would give my younger self would be to apply for everything and not fear rejection. When I was younger, I would talk myself out of applying for programs or jobs because I would convince myself I wasn’t qualified. At a certain point, I started to ask myself, “Why not me?” and pursued everything I was interested in. I wish I had that mindset sooner. I also do not get discouraged by rejection. There have been multiple programs I have applied for and been rejected on the first try. Persistence matters! I have been admitted to nearly every program I have pursued, eventually – sometimes after three tries. In 2019, I was the first Middlebury graduate to ever be admitted into the White House Fellowship, a program with an acceptance rate of less than 1%. However, after applying three years in a row, I eventually made it in. I was told my perseverance was one of the major factors in being offered one of the 15 spots that year.
Zoey: Is there any other advice that you’d like to share with Middlebury students?
Ryan: Middlebury students are incredibly fortunate – do not waste the opportunity you are being given at one of the most beautiful and enriching schools in the world. While a student at Middlebury, challenge yourself to take classes that will perfect your writing and speaking skills. I have found that those are the most important and universal skills in the professional world. You may be surprised to find out just how few people can do those two things well.
My second piece of advice is to be bold and to reach out. I think this should apply to anyone you want to reach out to, but Midd Kids should feel especially comfortable reaching out to other alums. I have found that Middlebury alumni tend to be extremely loyal to our alma mater. Do not be afraid to reach out (via email, LinkedIn, social media, etc) to Middlebury alums who can help you in your field. You would be surprised just how many will respond and actively want to assist you. The worst thing that could happen is being ignored – and that puts you in essentially the same situation had you not reached out at all. Put yourself out there confidently and respectfully and you will go far. On a related note, always be kind to “assistants” and “schedulers”! If you do it the correct way, you’ll always get a response.
My third piece of advice is to never underestimate the power of written thank-you letters. One of the best investments I ever made was having personalized stationery and envelopes made (with my name, address, and a monogram). I even bought a fountain pen, wax, and a wax-seal. Every prominent or potentially helpful person who gives me a moment of time receives a hand-written and mailed card from me. I cannot tell you how much that sticks out in people’s minds. They simply do not forget it! Something that takes just a few minutes could create a lifetime of opportunity.
——-
Ryan Tauriainen was most recently a White House Fellow serving in the US Department of Education where he helped to streamline operations, manage education grants, and direct the Department’s response to COVID-19. Ryan also helped to oversee the dissemination of over $30 billion of emergency educational funding. Prior to being a Fellow, Ryan had a long career in public K-12 education. Ryan started his career as a Hawaii Public Schools teacher through Teach For America, where he was among the highest performing teachers in the state. He moved to Washington, DC in 2010 where he would serve as a teacher, principal, and district leader. Ryan became a principal at age 26, making him the youngest in the country at the time. He has won several local awards for educational leadership, including being The Washington Post’s Principal of the Year in 2016, and has national awards from five different organizations. He is the author of five children’s books. Ryan received his bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College while on a National Merit Scholarship and a master of education from Chaminade University of Honolulu. He is currently pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education.
If you would like to contact Ryan Tauriainen, please reach out via Midd2Midd!