On March 25th, I visited Boston, along with about 50 other girls who are also in the Isenberg Women In Business Club. One of my favorite parts was dressing professionally and learning what it is like to build connections. We toured the company Epsilon, networked with recent college grads, had a luncheon at the UMass Boston Club, had a panel titled “Cultivating Your Career Path,” and visited the Boston Harbor hotel. The weather was beautiful, and I was lucky enough to meet some other women who have similar goals. I am so glad to have stepped out of my comfort zone, as I was even able to connect with a social media coordinator at the hotel, who gave me some advice about going into social media marketing.
I really learned the most from the “Cultivating Yoru Career Path” Panel. The four panelists were Kaley Burlingame who is a manager at KPMG, Carolyn Warger, who is a senior manager at the Accounting Principles Group of Grant Thornton, Rachel Spates, who is the director of communications at SunLife, and Daniel Legmann, who is the COO and Co-Founder of PartRunner.
This was definitely a trip to remember, and I was left with five main takeaways that will stay with me throughout the rest of my college career.
- How To Craft a Supportive Network
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One of the panelists explained how it is important to have fellow professional peers and colleagues who you are able to have an honest conversation with about a change in career or exploring a new job opportunity. This is because sometimes this person may tell you what you don’t want to hear, but it will ultimately end up helping in the major decision-making. Isenberg has some amazing resources such as the UMass Alumni Association, which helps to connect you with grad students and other alumni, and the Chase Career Center, which offers resume, cover letter, and interview help.
- What the Transition from College to Corporate Life is Like
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It can be difficult to go straight from college, where there is a large number of resources offered, to a brand new corporate world, where you may have to figure things out yourself and pave your own path. It is important to live with friends and roommates who are also going through a similar transition, so you can support one another. It is also important to build relationships and become comfortable with being uncomfortable. For example, you may apply for a job that you may not know much about. However, if you accept the offer, I promise there will be skills that you can transfer from your education when you are in a brand new role.
- How to Get The Most Out Of My Internships
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At Epsilon, we were able to meet with five UMass alumni that work for the company. One of the alumni explained how she used her internships to figure out what she liked and disliked about her field of study. Companies search for candidates and employees who are easily able to adapt to change and go above and beyond in their roles. It is important to get to know other interns, because they may be able to help you out in the future. I know I will keep all of this in mind while doing my internship this summer.
- Some Skills Cannot be Taught but Have to be Developed
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Many startups, such as the one Daniel Legmann founded, search for employees with a soft skills mindset, who are good at problem-solving, and are able to react to difficult situations. These skills are not able to be taught in the classroom. People often learn this through different work experiences, hands-on activities, and volunteer experiences.
- I Really Enjoyed The Company Culture of Epsilon
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When I toured Epsilon, I noticed that the office was very modern, with bright colors such as green, pink, and red, and they had different types of workplaces, such as group meeting areas. It reminded me of a college campus, and I really liked the feel of the company. There was also an amazing view of the city. Many of the alumni also told us they were able to work remotely and only come in if they wanted to or absolutely needed to for a meeting or event. The job also allows for travel and is very flexible about giving employees rest days. I realized that I would really enjoy interning for and ultimately working for a company with similar positive company culture.
I know this trip helped in my own professional development, and I hope reading my takeaways was also helpful for your professional development!
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