Job Searching Can Be Fun! Advice from a Successful Alumna
Do the words LinkedIn, Graduation, and Internship all collectively make you want suck your thumb and rock back and forth humming the TOYS R US theme song “I Don’t Want to Grow Up I’m A Toys R Us Kid?” (Nope just me?) For those of you that are in the less serious stages of graduation denial, meet ‘03 WashU alumna-Laura Dodd. Laura graduated with a poly sci major and writing minor but her resume has gone far beyond that: interning at KSDK (ST Louis News Channel 5) and a prosecutors office her senior year, working at hit shows like JAG and NCIS, waitressing in Australia for four months and new author! Her first book, Dig This Gig, describes cool jobs that you never knew existed and tips on how to get them. This Malinkrodt available book is winning praise around the country for its timely discussion of how to find or create the right job. HC WashU was lucky enough to get the scoop-getting answers to “what’s the deal with senior year?” and “how much does my liberal arts major really do for me?”
HC: Talk to me about your book.
LD: The first part of the book is a collection of profiles of real 20-somethings who work at real jobs all across the country. These are relaxed and casual, “over-beer conversations” of what it’s like to work in different industries, and sounds just like with a friend at a bar. The second part of the book is about industry leaders reflecting on what it was like when they were a 20-something (Mentors range from Columbia University’s Director of the Earth Institute Jeffrey Sachs to News Broadcasting Journalist Dan Rather!). For example, US congressman John Lewis talks about his 20-something days.
HC: Ah! That was one of my favorite parts of your book. I remember reading the section on Christian Norman (the CEO of Oprah Winfrey Network) and I couldn’t believe how she wouldn’t take a message if clients were rude to her secretary.
LD: I know, right! She’s incredible. I did it this way because we look at all these hugely successful people and they’re so intimidating and it just seems so out of reach but hearing about their younger years makes them more human. I was an assistant for so long, and it’s true -you can be the person that makes sure the message goes to the top of the boss’s list or the bottom.
HC: How major specific were these jobs? Being Comparative Arts major myself I like to know where there’s some wiggle room….
LD: It’s not a direct line from major to career. I mean look at me: I’m a poly sci major and I wrote a book. I loved my teacher but didn’t want to a) be a politician or b) work in government. But the poly sci major was good for me because I liked the way it made me think or argue. The major doesn’t dictate what you do in life. It’s more about what you’re interested in and harnessing your skills into a job. So many people major in religion, psychology, etc. and then go to law school or work in unrelated fields. You’ve spent however many credits to earn that major, but it doesn’t mean you are defined by it. If you open your horizons to all agencies, you can apply to specific jobs that fit your interest.
HC: A friend of mine is majoring in Environmental Studies and she’s worried about finding a job because when people ask her if she wants to work in non profit she say’s “I don’t know what I want to do.”
LD: I love that. What’s cool about that is that there are so many things you can do with that interest. There is a whole green chapter in the book. Nowadays it’s not just nonprofit opportunities, but also big corporations itching to go green. No business wants to be negligent [of the environment] because consumers are now paying attention to “what’s going on.” There are different areas in marketing and production that are “green gigs,” you just have to be proactive about seeking them out!
HC: What job sounded most appealing to you after conducting all your interviews?
LD: I interviewed 3x the amount of people that appear in the book so it’s tough to choose just one- there’s so many! I really liked the Genetic Counselor’s work, whose job is to translate sensitive information (a breast cancer diagnosis for instance) and talks their clients through it. I liked the combination of an interest in science and an interest in working with people. I also really enjoyed the green gigs chapter because there’s so much growth. Ooh-there was this young woman who works as a yacht stewardess on the west coast! She got to see the world- if one of her clients wanted the boat to go off the coast of Alaska she would book the reservations, go with her 5-6-person crew to the destination, and act as the major concierge service there. She loved making [her clients] stay comfortable. She had such a great attitude about it, “As long as you don’t think it’s your boat, this is a really cool boat.” She totally changed my perspective on her job, and I loved it.
HC: It sounds great do you think you will make this a series and do a slew of other jobs in the coming years?
LD: This project definitely has legs. We’re exploring the idea of a TV series, kind of a reality show, and working on building a website.
HC: I saw that! It’s liked a social media concept- like Facebook meets LinkedIn?
LD: Right! It’s like the soul of the book, but beyond 32 profiles. It’s a space where people can share their stories about their job experience and connect.
HC: Kind of like an informational interview in cyberspace…
LD: (Laughs) Yeah-I know it can be intimidating to call and ask for 15 minutes of someone’s time. I totally get that! This website is a space where people can do it in the privacy of their own home, right at their fingertips. I’ve been studying Monster.com a lot and seeing why it doesn’t’ really work, and its because its more of a job board than anything else. My site is like Facebook meets LinkedIn, meets Wikipedia. The site is all user-generated stories, but very social and not stuffy like the pressure cooker feeling an interview can bring upon. It’s creeping together! I’m working with a developer now, and I am working feverishly. I don’t really know how a lot of this stuff works, but I’m learning as I go.
HC: Advice for outgoing seniors? Incoming seniors? Internship seeking students?
LD: Here are my top 4 tips:
1. Start now. We’re in September and before you know it, it’s going to be May. You got to secure opportunities by second semester.
2. Work backwards. Think of a business that you enjoy, and find interesting or challenging. For example, if you are interested in the Environment, you should try to expand from there. Ask yourself “what are cool companies that are interested in going green?” and “how do I fit in there?” Think entrepreneurial. If you’re more interested in the legal aspects, look at corporations like PepsiCo or local businesses to see how you could help. It’s much more exciting and fun to look for jobs when opportunities seem bigger. That worked for me- I wanted to be in production, but who is in the business in production? You have to dig (and dig and dig) until you pull the right string and find the opportunity.
3. Have fun. It’s your last year! There is no such thing as wasted time. Do your best to find something that you can take and show your next employer. No twiddling thumbs.
4. Be malleable. You will do boring tasks at any job, but if you do those well you might get the chance to do more challenging things. Be willing to change.
Sounds great-thanks for the advice, Laura! For more information check out digthisgig.com Also, be sure to pick up her book the next time you drop by the book store for some chapstick, gum or the casual IPad.