Category Archives: Life After Middlebury

What is your purpose in life?

A pretty heavy question to consider this early in the academic year, but it’s on my mind because I was at a career conversation with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson last night and she brought it up. With a small group of about 10 students, she was discussing her career in print journalism and how she got from one place to another. She started with a story from one of her first internships where she had to write an article about the last day of school in an elementary school. Although not initially enthused by the idea, she grew to enjoy it and only later in her career did she realize the impact this first assignment had on her.

Her basic message: opportunities do not always present themselves to you. Keep your eyes open to different experiences.

Here in EIA we are all about helping put some focus and direction to your life path. It starts with you walking in the door and engaging with us. I encourage you to start, anywhere, even if you know us folks in ADK well, or never imagined even what happens inside that old white building with the tall skinny tree in that roundabout where the buses leave from for breaks.

First things first, Senior Meeting is Wednesday at 1, 4 or 6 in Dana so pick the time best for you, and come get an introduction to how we can help you this senior year.

And by the way, Isabel’s answer to her own question was “leave the world a little better place than when you got here”. What’s yours?

(Re)Create your job

“You can’t just say, ‘I have a college degree, I have a right to a job, now someone else should figure out how to hire and train me.’ ” (Reid Garrett Hoffman, The Start-Up of You). Unfortunately, it’s not that easy in today’s job market as New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman’s article highlights. Along with your excellent Bachelors Degree and your unique experiences, you are also required creativity and ability to (re)invent yourself, something perhaps a little more subtle and beyond traditional academia. Think as entrepreneur, not “just” as a job seeker!

Read New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman’s article “The Start-Up of You” at:

Economy Affecting College Graduates?

Dear Soon To Be College Graduates,

The ongoing recession has taken its toll on upcoming job opportunities as well, and companies are not as inclined to hire as they used to be.

Here are a few pointers to help you compensate for these “recessionary changes”:

Network, network, network! – it still pays (literally as well!) to  know someone high up in a company you are interested in.

Do not overlook internships! Even though they may not be the best source of financial income, they are a great way to get your foot in the door of a company you would like to work with.

Grades do matter– so don’t slack!

Last but not least, patience is a definite requirement.  Hard work and proactive job seekers will be successful during these times that require more endurance.

 

 Source: Economy Affecting College Graduates? Jobs 4 Grads Now.

 

Midd Kids are Special #1

What’s so great about a liberal arts education? Every Midd Kid asks this question especially during their senior year when they see job posts that specifically seek out undergraduate students with a communications or business major. Well Midd Kid, let me answer your question.

WRITING SKILLS. Think about the 2 CW courses that we are required to take in order to graduate. Remember your FYS and how you had to write and rewrite essays during your first months at Midd? What about all those papers you have to write for class? Correct me if I’m wrong but, thinking back on my 24 classes (Chinese included), each class required some sort of writing, and each professor had their own specific writing preferences that Midd Kids had to cater to. Middlebury basically gives you 4 years to seriously hone those writing skills that businesses want!

Don’t believe me? Just ask Dalya F. Massachi from OpportunityKnocks.org.

Massachi wrote: Employers know that writing well will help you succeed in fundraising, marketing/outreach, advocacy, project management, administration, etc. No matter if you’re at the entry level or in senior management, strong writing skills are critical if you want to capture the interest and attention of your constituents and prospective donors. Virtually everyone working in the nonprofit sector has to do some writing at some point. And the better you can do that, the deeper and broader your impact will be. Your organization may produce great work or come up with outstanding ideas, but if you present those achievements or thoughts poorly they will not get very far.

Midd Kid, you are special. There are people out there who want you.

Life After Middlebury: Top 10 Advice from Beyond

real-life-tsad

By Dave Campbell ’09

Career Services recently held a panel discussion for graduating seniors about “Establishing Yourself as a Professional”.  They asked me to share my perspective as a recent Middlebury grad.  As I thought about the lessons I have learned and the best way to share them, I came up with a Top-10 List for Middlebury’s newest group of graduates.

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Life After Middlebury: Credit Scores

Do you have a credit card? Are you planning on making any HUMONGOUS purchases in the future? How about a house? Well then, you should have come to the last senior seminar to learn about credit scores.

At “Establishing Yourself as a Working Professional,” Mark Chaffee talked to seniors about understanding and improving credit scores. Since you have me as your PCA, you get a second chance at life: I will give you Mark’s secret information, free of charge.

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Life After Middlebury: Worker’s Benefits

“Establishing Yourself as a Working Professional.” Or…as the people from the CCAL office who made those fine calendar of events for the dining halls called it, “Establishing Yourself as a Working Professor.” Ring a bell?

Last Monday, April 5, at 4:30pm in BiHall 220, seniors got a taste of what life is going to be like after Middlebury. Miss the senior program with the crazy long name? Don’t worry. I will save you from failing at life after graduation step-by-step. How? Well, our awesome panelists have decided to be nice and divulge their top secret information with you all. Here is your first from Middlebury’s very own Lisa Hoff.

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