As we slowly but surely move further into the fall season, I decided to sit down with Carrie Donovan of the Career Center to discuss how her first semester here at Emmanuel is going! After all, it’s not just a new start for first years, so we ought to check in on everyone’s transition into the Emmanuel community. If you haven’t taken the time to drop into the career center yet this semester, you should consider doing so just to meet Carrie because she is an absolute ray of sunshine! Our Career Center staff is known for being warm and welcoming, so Carrie certainly fit right in with this crew!
A graduate of University of Massachusetts Amherst, Carrie had the opportunity to pursue many exciting internships throughout her college experience. Like many of us starting out, Carrie’s first intended major in fashion merchandising at the University of Philadelphia wasn’t exactly what she had been looking for. While she did intern at Nordstrom as a merchandise buyer, she felt something was missing. Sometimes transitions from big towns to smaller universities is daunting, so Carrie decided to come home and get back into the fast pace that only a big college community can provide. Carrie grew up in Newton, so she’s used to the hustle and bustle of the city. Fun fact: she actually graduated with Stephanie Kaplan Lewis’ (Co-founder of Her Campus) younger brother Jessie! In order to achieve that large community feel, Carrie decided to go to UMass Amherst, where she decided to major in Communications. There she pursued a marketing internship, and had the opportunity to manage a company’s social media accounts, as well as sitting in on interviews for new hires. She eventually ended up as a recruiter herself! This was the experience that lead her to pursue a career in human resources, and ultimately, to Emmanuel.
Carrie’s pre-Emmanuel experiences illustrate that she’s the perfect person to help you find you own path in life! Before us, Carrie worked for Wolverine World Wide, a shoe company where she was able to combine her love of fashion and human recourses. She also worked for Wayfare, where she was in charge of town management and new hires for the company. However, there was something about these jobs that wasn’t personal enough for her. She knew she wanted to find a job where she could further encourage career paths, and continue to get to know who she was working with. It was then that she realized becoming a career advisor was exactly what she was destined for. So, if you’re looking for someone with lots of experience, has great connections, and who is willing to motivate you throughout your entire career application experience, Carrie is the girl for you!
Some of Carrie’s top tips for undergraduates applying for jobs and internships include: 1.) Keep a good personality. Your future employers are going to want to see a certain versatility in new hires so they can picture you as a part of the team. 2.) Research the company you’re looking to work for, because nothing says “I‘m perfect for this job” like not having a clue where you’re actually applying. 3.) TURN YOUR PHONE OFF! It’s common sense, people: texting grandma has no place in a job interview. Of course, I couldn’t get away with not asking about her preferred interview fashion choices! Carrie’s go-to outfits is what she calls “Simple but Classy”, which includes a cream silk blouse, a snazzy black pencil skirt, and on her more professional days, a classy black blazer to keep things looking sharp!
Despite her amazing credentials,, Carrie isn’t all work! She’s a Boston native who loves adventuring out into the city for some great hangouts. One of her most recent adventures was to the Lawn on D, because who doesn’t want to go hang out on those huge swings? Carrie is also planning on doing some traveling this year, including a Christmas trip to visit her family in Europe, and a holiday in Israel come February. Carrie is also really into being active; She was a big lacrosse player in high school and college, so staying in tip top shape is one of her biggest priorities, other than the students here at Emmanuel of course!
So, if you’re looking for someone to help you with something as simple as checking over your resume, rehearsing a mock interview, or just need someone to sit down and have a chat with, Carrie is here to save the day! I can honestly say she is one of the loveliest new staff members I have yet to meet, and I will definitely be making more stops to the career center from now on. Carrie is a perfect example of everything our organization represents: she’s young, successful, and just an overall joy to be around. Thanks so much for a wonderful interview Carrie, and welcome to Emmanuel!