Category Archives: Life

TED TALK: Why 30 is not the new 20 – Meg Jay

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“Psychologists, sociologists, neurologists, and fertility specialists know that claiming your 20s is one of the simplest things you can do for work, for love, for your happiness and maybe even the world”

“Adulthood begins in the 20’s, but there’s a changing timetable in adulthood…researchers call it an extended adolescence, journalists generated nicknames for twenty-somethings like ‘twixters’ and ‘kidaults’”

“…everybody says as long as I get started on my career by the time I’m 30, I’ll be fine; but then it starts to sounds like this: my twenties are almost over and I have nothing to show for myself, I had a better resume the day after I graduated from college…”

I attended the TED talk that was presented locally on OSU’s campus this recent week and I can fully vouch for the incredible sensation of empowerment, inspiration and motivation one leaves with after a 2 hour long TED talk session! For those who did not attend or those who do not even know what a TED talk is, I HIGHLY recommend regarding this particular 15 minute speech and soak in the speaker’s words.

Whether you agree or disagree, each TED talk speaker is educated in the subject they talk about, providing facts and sometimes personal stories that captures your attention. Meg Jay does an excellent job discussing her beliefs, research and personal stories about twenty-something-year-olds; a relatable topic I feel every person should ponder on.

*Find out why 20’s is the time to education yourself about your body and your options

*Know the difference between exploration vs. procrastination

*Understand the 3 things that every twenty-somethings deserves to hear

  1. Get some identity capital
  2. Connect with weak ties
  3. Pick your family

Posted by Whitney Cordes, Career Assisant

Amy Cuddy: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are

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Making a first impression is more than an impressive resume and answering interview questions. Your body language can have a huge effect on how people and employers percieve you. Amy Cuddy takes this idea and goes further. She talks about how our body language can effect how we see ourselves. Her study showed that taking on power poses for two minutes can raise testosterone and lower cortisol, thus improving confidence. Cuddy states, “Tiny tweaks and lead to big changes.” This change in self image can improve confidence in, presentations, giving a pitch, or job interviews! Check out the Ted Talk to learn more…

Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are

 

6 “Right Now” Steps Toward an Epic Career

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It’s easier than you think. And you can do all of these in the first two weeks of the term.

OSU Fall Image with Bicyclist and Yellow Tree
Welcome Back for Fall Term, Beavs!

1. Show up to all your classes. On time.

Showing up is the first step to success. It sounds simple, but sometimes getting past all of the basics of negotiating life every day can make it tricky to fully “show up”, and especially to be there on time and prepared. Showing up on time and fully engaging in the activity in front of you speaks volumes about your ability to manage a schedule, assess other people’s expectations and contribute meaningfully to growth and learning. All of those things are essential to growing successfully in your own career!

2. Talk to a professor.

Epic career development, like the epic responsibility of becoming a successful human, is not a project meant to be done in isolation. Translation: make friends and connect now. Professors are typically more experienced versions of people, who have not only had to build their own careers, but have also been instrumental in providing guidance and learning for countless others’ careers. Most hold office hours and are available for networking and learning from NOW, not just during the term before you graduate.

3. Check out clubs and activities on campus.

How will you know where you’re going unless you know where you’re coming from? Getting to know yourself is an unending process and is supported by getting involved and learning more about how you operate in different environments. And there are SO MANY options. Did you know that there is a club for people who like water? And one for zombie apocalypse survivalists? And a place that provides access to a TON of opportunities to volunteer?

4. Update your resume. Or start a new one!

Now is a fantastic time to put your professional YOU down on paper. Why? Because it’s waaaaaaay easier to stay updated in real time, rather than try to catch up after the fact. Do an awesome project in class? Write it down! Finish up that summer job? Write it down! Learn the basics of a new computer program? Write it down! If you want some help or advice on how to put a resume together, check in with our fantastic Career Assistants during drop-in resume/cover letter hours, which are Monday through Thursday, 1-4pm!

5. Schedule an appointment with a Career Consultant.

Planning a career can be overwhelming and confusing. Just choosing how to start is sometimes difficult! The good news is, you’ve already started. The better new is, you don’t have to do all of this alone! You have friends, family, classmates, professors, advisors, coaches and more who are available to help. If you’d like to talk to someone who isn’t in one of those categories, schedule an appointment with one of our Career Consultants, through your Beaver Careers account. They are friendly and knowledgeable coaches and counselors who can help you sort through all sorts of questions: What major do I want? How do I find a summer job? How do I work on my grades? Where can I get involved? What is the difference between a resume and CV? Who am I, anyway?? And more!

6. Build a LinkedIn account! And then clean up your Facebook account. And Twitter. And Instagram. And blog. And Vine. And . . .

This is, like all the other steps, an ongoing process. Social media, in some form, is here to stay. And there are more options for engagement every day! If you want to use social media for professional purposes, creating a LinkedIn account is a great way to start now. It’s free and easy to use, and provides a lot of help and information for getting started and building your profile. Once you’re on, you can connect with other professionals, search jobs and companies, participate in discussions, join groups and write and receive recommendations from others.

With other social media, just make sure you clean it up. Over half of hiring managers and employers out there are using social media searches as “informal background checks”. Be sure that what you put out there is what you want your future boss to see!

 

What else do you do to keep moving towards an epic career? Tips? Questions? Let us know!

 

 

GPA- Is it Worth the Struggle?

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Recently, I attended an award ceremony for seniors graduating from the language department with honors. The opening speech was delivered by the very charismatic German professor Sebastian Heiduschke discussing an article he had read enumerating the reasons why GPA doesn’t really matter to employers. You can imagine that this was a little bit of a controversial topic, since every student receiving an award had at least a 3.8 GPA, and had worked hard to make it that way. But as Heiduschke took us on a journey through the facts, it became clear that GPA truly does matter.richard post July 2014

Let’s start off where he did, taking a look at the things that employers might look at rather than GPA:

 

  1. Knowing how you learn— understanding how you learn is an integral factor in success in education and work environments
  2. Applying theory to real-life situations— we have spent a lot of time getting a degree, we need to know how to use it too
  3. Time management— balancing a work schedule with a healthy social life, as well as all the individual parts of your work life
  4. Relevant Professional Experience— internships you have held, volunteer work in the field, and jobs that can relate to your professional life
  5. Portfolio Work— don’t tell me that all of the work you have done in school is for nothing, you can take all those big projects that you were so proud of and put them into a portfolio
  6. The ability to give and receive feedback— a lot of times employers will want to know that you can give input into a situation just as well as you can receive input and reform your projects
  7. Presentation Skills— not all jobs require this, but being able to present yourself well as well as present in front of others will help you in the interview process at the very least
  8. Writing Skills— and just general communications skills are important if you are going to be working with/for anybody
  9. Your Network— the people that will really get you the job are the people that can attest to your qualities as a worker and person, building healthy relationships with people will come in handy
  10. GPA— finally the employers will look at your GPA as a factor in your prospects as an employee

Heiduschke went on to point out that all of these skills are taught through language classes at OSU, whether they are taken to be a Baccalaureate Core requirement, a minor, or if you are a fully-fledged language major, you will pick up all of these skills in language classes. It just goes to show that language can be a key in our education even if it is not the focal point of our studies.

But, if employers are so interested in all of these before our GPA, why should we even care? Well, the fact of the matter is that all of these points will reflect on your GPA and so if you have a good one, you should flaunt it. But that doesn’t mean that you are out of luck if your grade point is sub-par, you will just have to work hard to get that foot in the door. Remember that it is your job to make yourself look good on your resume, so if you are lacking in one of these ten categories, it’s not the end of the world— just highlight the other categories and be confident in portraying what will make you unique to employers.

We spend a lot of time trying to develop skills that we lack in, but at the end of the day: “If you’ve got it, flaunt it.” We don’t get jobs by telling an employer which skills and attributes we don’t have, or what we are working on. We get the job by showing them just how good we are at what we do best.

 

~Thank you to Sebastian Heiduschke for inspiring this topic, and providing a large amount of input for the post.~

 

by Richard Thomas, Career Assistant

Personal Branding

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Take your career to new heights, know your strengths, and be known for being amazing at something!

zack for blog
Zack Sperow, our stylin’ Career Assistant

Branding is all about the promise you give to your customer. It tells people what they can expect from you. But in a personal branding point of view; your brand should be what people think of you when you leave the room.

So here is your assignment. First ask 15-30 people that are friends, family, and people who you may have just met within the past few weeks, what are 3-5 words that describe you (The GOOD AND THE BAD). By getting a diverse group of people you will have diverse results and see the changes in responses from someone who knows you more than 10 years to someone who knows you you less than 2 weeks.

Next compile all your responses, draw together conclusions, and find word families. When I did mine I was surprised to see that many people used words like outspoken, honest,  or opinionated. It made me wonder is that the lasting impression I want to have on people  when I leave the room is that I am opinionated; Is that something I want to change about myself? After some critical thought I decided that I am outspoken and I should own it. I am honest when others aren’t but my goal should always be for the common good. I mean  HONESTLY, I am probably always the person who will stop a stranger and say that their shirt is inside-out or that they have spinach in their teeth.

After I made some conclusions I developed my personal brand which is exuberant, ambitious, entrepreneur,  outspoken, and connected. I will use these words as my guiding force for my interaction with people and over my social media.

Take it to the next level by putting these branding words on your own business cards and using these words to sell yourself into a career.This a perfect opportunity to show people that you care about yourself and you are always looking for ways of self-improvement. I think most employers would agree that they rather hire the person that is always looking for ways to improve rather than the stay at home nobody.

 

Go BEAVS

 

posted by Zack Sperow, Career Assistant

Taking Advantage of Summer

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Summer break is definitely one of the things I’ll miss the most when I graduate. It’s three glorious months of relaxation and sunshine. That being said, it’s also the perfect time to get things done before school starts up again and you’re really busy and stressed out again. Here are some ideas of ways to keep busy this summer, separate from doing summer classes or working.

Deirdre photo for blog
Deirdre Newton, wonderful Career Assistant!

 

1. Update your resume so that next time you need it you won’t have to do nearly as much work! Career Services will be open all summer for career counseling appointments, so make an appointment to come in for resume and cover letter help!

 

2. Look into professional memberships relevant to your career. Buying memberships while you’re still a student is often significantly cheaper and a great resume builder. You can also get access to a lot of great resources, including job listings that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to access.

 

3. Go to a music festival or concert. So, this actually isn’t career development related. But honestly, when is a better time to do this than over the summer! There are a ton of festivals and concerts happening over the summer, taking advantage of the hordes of college students with time to spare. Treat yourself  and enjoy being young and carefree.

 

4. Get letters of recommendation if you foresee yourself needing them soon. Whether you’re applying for graduate school in the next year or trying to get a scholarship, summer is a good time to contact professors for letters of recommendation. They’re also most likely a bit less busy than during the normal school year, so it’s advantageous on both ends.

 

5. Learn a new skill or pursue new knowledge. Whether it’s relevant to your career or not, summer is a great time to learn new skills, read books, and catch up on TEDtalks. You could try learning a language, an instrument, a computer program, a programming language…the possibilities are endless. Maybe you’ve always wanted to do photography on the side – go for it!

 

What plans do you have for the summer? We’d love to know!

posted by Deirdre Newton, Career Assistant

How To Get Better At Wasting Time: Study Breaks 101

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adriana blog pic
Adriana Aguilar, our fantastic Career Assistant

As week 10 draws near (cue melodramatic music), the library gets dangerously close to reaching capacity, our eating habits shift from an occasional veggie to eating taco bell for dinner at 1 AM every night, Dixon becomes nonexistent along with sleep and our stress levels reach heights that parallel Simba’s when the stampede of wildebeests come careening for him. Before the all night cramming commences I thought it would be wise to revisit the idea of taking a study break to de-stress. In no way am I debunking the importance of a study break, because lets be real, you are some sort of superhuman if you have the ability to study for 8 hours straight without taking a breather. What I’m suggesting is that we rethink what is done during this precious time we set aside to reset our psyches.

More often than not study breaks consist of scrolling down our Instagram feed for “five minutes” which translates into going your celeb crush’s Instagram pics while we envision ourselves as their spouse for the next hour. Now, this may be a study break you’re perfectly OK with and every once in a while the occasional imagination of what it would be like to be Mrs. Efron is necessary. That being said, I’ve realized recently is that there are far better ways to spend a study break that may allow us to de- stress while we also take a break from finals studying. For instance, we all have a gazillion things on our weekly to-do lists, in which case very rarely do all of the tasks on our lists all get done. I bet you can guess where this is going. So, if you’re studying at home and can no longer rehearse the circulation of blood through the chambers of the heart, or whatever it may be, instead of giving in to the black hole we call Facebook, or better yet, Pintrest, try knocking out a quick task on your to-do list. Some ideas may include…

  • Putting a load of laundry in, or better yet, folding that already done load of laundry
  • Cleaning out the inside of your car
  • Cooking up those veggies before they go bad
  • Finally taking off that chipped nail polish that’s been lingering for weeks
  • Changing that hallway light that went out months ago
  • Cleaning your room
  • Weeding your front yard as you soak up some vitamin D the natural way
  • Unloading the dishwasher
  • Preparing library snacks and dinners for finals week

These are just a few ideas, but I think you get my drift. In the end doing tasks that require little to no brainpower instead of lifelessly feeding into Facebook is a win-win for you. Your brain gets a break from cramming while you free up some time in the future by doing a task or two you would have had to do later. And honestly, it feels better. It feels better to transform your jungle of a yard overgrown with dandelions (into something that resembles an actual yard) than it does to browse your Facebook timeline to find out that your friends in California are already on summer break… It feels better to know that you have dinners prepped for finals week than it does to tweet “sleep is for the weak.” In addition, when you take a study break in the wee hours of the night, getting up and doing something will most likely have a greater affect in waking you up and recharging your battery than sitting and staring at a computer screen would.

We have a tendency to procrastinate in ways that are essentially dead ends and instead we could be using that same time to procrastinate in ways that are beneficial to other areas of our lives. Imagine that, there is such a thing as positive procrastination, so long as it doesn’t end up fully distracting you from your studying altogether. As a rule of thumb, your study break should take no longer than an hour max. That being said, these things may seem mundane, but one of the biggest struggles college students have is managing their time which is arguably one of, if not, the biggest contributor to stress. There is so much on our plates, one too many things we’re trying to juggle, but if we simply change the way we “waste time” by habitually taking study breaks that incorporate brainless tasks, I think it’s possible to be less stressed and more satisfied people as a result. So here’s to cleaner rooms, shiny cars, library snacks and clean socks (for once)! Let’s show week 10 what we’re made of!

posted by Adriana Aguilar

Dear Moms: Now We’re Listening

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It’s Moms Weekend at Oregon State University! Here come the moms!

mom blog

In honor of all moms and this weekend of festivities, I’ve compiled a list of ten phrases that are class

ic Mom Wisdoms (I use the term loosely), along with how actually listening to them may be beneficial for you in your education and career. If you disagree, let me know. And add your own—what did Mom (or Dad, or Other Parent) say to you?

“Stand up straight.”

This one time, I was in middle school. For YEARS. At least three years. And I hated middle school, but not for the reasons you’d think. I loved school and had friends and played sports and all of those theoretically healthy things. However, middle school was when my brain suddenly decided that every time I was in a conversation with someone who wasn’t a close friend, or when I had to talk in front of a class, it was a good moment to send all the blood in my body RUSHING to my face. It sometimes took an hour to recover my original pallor from the rush. And it sucked. Because I felt and believed, in those conversations, that I was confident and smart and had opinions. My face, though, said loudly “I’m super embarrassed!!! And maybe even incompetent! Or lying!”

The point is, non-verbal communication is exceedingly important, especially when your non-verbals don’t match   what you’re saying. Some body language is not in our control, but a lot of it is. Stand up straight and connect the confidence of your body to the confidence of your words.

Ever heard of power posing?

“Life’s not fair.”

Sometimes, I hate that this is true. However, it can be to your advantage to believe this: if life isn’t fair, that it will sometimes be unfair in your favor. If you’re not looking for ways to “screen yourself out” of opportunities that may otherwise seem out of reach (you know the thoughts: “I’m not good enough for this” “I can’t do this” “Everyone else is better qualified”), you may grasp a lucky chance rather than let it slip away. So perhaps this can be your mantra: Life’s not fair, and I’m so glad!

“Money doesn’t grow on trees.”

Uggh, yes. Thanks, Mom. I’m aware that it doesn’t grow on trees. However, I am going to behave as though it does, by spending my unsubsidized loan money as if it’s regular money, and using credit cards for new shoes (again), and forgetting, for years at a time, to actually use my savings account . . .

Get comfortable living within your means and thinking about your future self realistically and you’ll end up far better off in your options for education, career, and lifestyle flexibility. Need some help talking education finances on campus? Connect with these fine folks.

 “Clean your room!”

Organized people experience less stress and are more productive. Or, so I’ve heard. (Shout out to my mom for trying to get me to clean my room for somewhere around 18 years. A little tip from someone who knows: if you resist cleaning your room until you’re 30, your mom might just come in and do it for you around the holidays!)

But in all seriousness: organization and being able to utilize a structured and simple system to keep track of your goals, obligations, tasks and activities is essential to being effective in any job—whether you are delivering pizza or running an international corporation. Starting with getting your clothes off the floor at home is good practice.

“I’m going to count to three: one . . . . two . . . three . . .”

In this case the decision-making process is usually deciding between two choices you don’t really want to do as a kid: clear your dishes or lose a privilege, for example. However, it’s still a choice and needs you to make a decision. Decision-making is one of the top skills employers look for in potential employees. Being able to understand information and draw reasonable conclusions in a timely manner will allow efficiency in your work as well as inspire confidence in your clients and employer. It’s also an important skill in relationships, sports, crises, providing leadership, grocery shopping, being a good traveler  . . . .

“Always wear clean underwear in case you get into a car accident.”

No. Always wear clean underwear. Period. You don’t need reasons for why.

“So, if everyone jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?”

      Risk-taking is important. So is planning ahead and assessing your strategy without going along another person’s path without thinking. I hear this in my office all the time: “What should I do with this degree? Should I take Job A or Job B? What is everyone else doing with this degree?”. I think these are useful questions. I also think that they are completely missing the point of being a person. As soon as “should” is added to a statement or question, it implies that there is a proper way of doing something. As if the people who’ve already gone that direction have created a “one direction”. If jumping off the bridge means you land in a (safe) world full of interests and activities and people that are awesome for you, then, by all means, jump! If not, it’s time to reassess and trust that that particular bridge may not be the one for you.

  “You will always be MY baby.”

A lot of our choices in life are driven by core values and needs that were developed very early on in life. Being mindful of those and it will be difficult to take opportunities that aren’t a good fit for you. Need some help defining your values? Look here.

Also, this is important because of the unconditional positive regard (translation: love) that babies tend to get from moms. That love is an important rock for you as an adult and professional because you won’t get validation, recognition and encouragement for simply being an appropriate human being from many people around you. Hang on to t

hat mom love in times of doubt and feedback drought.

“Because I said so.”

      Sometimes you have to play the game and follow directions, whether you agree with the reasoning or not. I truly believe that those who become the most successful, in however you define success, are not only hard-working and committed to their goals, but who are open to following and leading. Get away from being defined with words like “entitled” and “lazy” by meeting expectations without complaint. Show up, keep your eyes and ears open, and do what you’re told. The ability to do all three will help you build relationships and a positive reputation with whomever you work for and with.

“Were you raised in a barn?!”

 Oh my goodness, I hope you were, or near one, like on a farm. Because then you’ll know all of the most important things about surviving in the work you do:

1.  If you open it, close it.

2. If you don’t know how to operate it, find someone who does or leave it alone.

3.  If it smells, don’t step in it.

4.  If it’s broken, fix it.

5. If you make a mess, clean it up.

6. If you use it, take care of it.

7.  Get up early. Go to bed early.

8. Some things are out of your control.

9.  With every season comes change. Get used to it and learn how to adapt.

10. Get your hands dirty. Let someone else do the sitting around.

Want to know what’s going on at Moms Weekend? Check here

Want to know what’s going on with your mom? Give her a call.

Happy Friday!

 

posted by Malia Arenth, Career Counselor

What Not to Wear at the Career Fair

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     Planning on attending the Spring Career Fair? Have you thought about what you are going to wear? If you are still wondering what to wear, look no further for your sound advice from a wise wardrobe sage. It is actually VERY important that you take some time to think about what to wear at the Career Fair. Although we have been told since chilwhat not to weardhood that one’s character is more important than one’s appearance, this is not an excuse to wear your everyday outfit to job search. In this competitive world, you need every advantage you can get. So as the saying goes “dress for success”; especially if you are actively seeking a job or internship. At the Career Fair you might meet someone who actually wants to interview you. Dressing appropriately demonstrates a serious commitment to landing a job. It shows that you took the time to do your homework and look nice. It also demonstrates that you are a professional, well-put together person, who knows how to dress appropriately. Dressing appropriately is not something that an employer wants to teach you. They expect you to know that already.

At this point, you might be asking yourself “But how do I know what is appropriate to wear?” First I shall give you my top five list of what NOT to wear.

  1. Yoga Pants, Yoga Pants, Yoga Pants! Maybe if I say it three times, they will disappear. Ladies, I understand what a genius invention yoga pants are. I wear my yoga pants whenever I can justify it. But you know where I don’t wear them? Work. School. Giving a presentation. And JOB SEARCHING. Although they are the most comfy-fantastic leg wear on the planet, they are not appropriate for a professional situation. This rule also applies to tights, leggings, and any other form of legwear which is basically just a second layer of skin. Also, pairing such outfits with long shirts, still not professional.
  2. Jeans. Again one of the most amazing clothing items known to the human race. But unfortunately not considered professional. No matter how dark the wash.
  3. Tennis Shoes/ sneakers. Guys, this one is for you. Even if you get every other part of your outfit right, your brightly colored sneakers stick out from your black slacks like a bull in a china shop. You can easily find a cheap pair of nice dress shoes at your local Payless Shoe Store. Make the investment, you will not regret it.
  4. Athletic wear. I know I already thoroughly covered yoga pants and tennis shoes, but basically all forms of athletic wear should not be worn in a professional setting. Including (but not limited to): Sweatpants, athletic shorts, t-shirts, etc.
  5. Any item which includes the following words: Top, spaghetti, mini, low-cut, v-neck, etc. Part of being professional is knowing that no matter how cute something is, it isn’t always appropriate. Just ask your grandmother. Your shirts should have collars and your bottoms should at least hit your fingertips at the hemline.

Did I mention yoga pants? But in all seriousness, these rules will help you grow in your journey towards becoming a professional. Now, you might be wondering what you should wear. I am not going to spend a whole lot of time in this area because I am afraid that my suggestions will be misconstrued without proper examples. For example: If I say “skirts” you might interpret this as “mini-skirt”. In case you were wondering, that is not what I meant. So instead, I will leave you with this tip: Go to a professional place of business and look at what they are wearing, for example a bank. I know that there will be some silly bank teller that will break my rules, but you should be able to identify who is dressed correctly and who is not. The people who dress correctly will look competent, professional, and let’s face it, powerful. You might also look to a cool older sibling or friends who is in a professional position for advice. The best way to learn what to wear is to observe others who have experience.

 

What will you be wearing to Spring Career Fair?

How do you dress for success and stay true to your own style?

Let us know!

 

 posted by Rebecca Schaffeld, Career Services Graduate Assistant

 

 

Marketing Myself as Multicultural

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Aligning myself with many other job seekers, the skills section of my resume included the word “bilingual,” being that I can speak English and Spanish.  In my mind, I already had a foot up on thomulticultural blog picse who are restricted to one language, yet unbeknownst to me, I was selling myself short. The idea of thinking of myself as “multicultural” in a professional manner didn’t occur to me until a recruiter at the 2014 Career Fair made a point to tell me to put the phrase on my resume. After the recruiter glanced at my resume the conversation soon shifted to inquiring about my bilingualism. Our conversation delved deeper into where I was from, how I learned Spanish and what my family and upbringing was like, all which led the recruiter to let me in on a little secret, “multicultural individuals are better able to relate to a wider variety of audiences, they are better able to recognize issues others might surpass and they are able to come up with creative solutions to those said issues.”

I had honestly never thought of the concept in such a concrete manner. Perhaps I took my understanding of Mexican culture for granted, but once I thought about it, being able to say words in another language is a whole different ball game than being able to understand the challenges that a particular population is facing. For instance, I can tell you about family members in Mexico being thrown in jail because their small town business was forced to comply with drug lord demands, and I have woken up to the squealing of a pig being slaughtered outside my bedroom door in preparation for a festival later that night. My exposure to Mexican culture through food, festivals, religion, family members and friends have allowed me to market myself as being “multicultural.” My ability to identify issues that others might not as readily recognize is something that I can apply to my field of study, Public Health. Public heath looks to improve the health of entire populations, where being able to pinpoint issues from an internal point of view can be useful in determining causes and solutions the health issue Mexican Americans face.

So I ask you, what’s that one thing on your resume that can set you apart? For me, I didn’t realize how much being multicultural brought to the table, but I’m glad that someone took the time to point this out to me. Regarding resumes, it’s easy to put down skills that we think employers are looking for, like “being a leader, or being a good communicator,” which don’t get me wrong, are valuable assets, but I challenge you to think more intentionally than that. In addition to putting down skills that employers have specifically stated they are looking for, and even beyond listing the skills that are applicable to almost any field, like being a team player, list some skills that are unique to you and to your field, skills that set you apart from the pack. As I found out, being 50% Mexican has more perks to it than the occasional real enchiladas in my belly (which, might I add, don’t come from your local Juan Colorados).

posted by Adriana Aguilar, Career Assistant