Category Archives: People and Interviews

My First Year Out: Erica Goldberg ’12

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We had a chance to catch up with young alumna Erica Goldberg ’12 to hear about her first year out. Check out our conversation below.

Erica Goldberg1

Ryan & Derrick: In a few sentences can you tell the Class of 2015 a little about yourself.

Erica: I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and graduated from UVM in 2012 with a degree in Environmental Studies and minors in Anthropology and Women and Gender Studies. Clay has always been a passion of mine, and I lived in Living/Learning’s Pottery Program while on campus my first two years at UVM. One of my favorite parts of college was having the opportunity to study abroad in West Africa the spring semester of my junior year.

I currently work for Tetra Tech ARD, an international development consulting firm based in Burlington. I work in the Democracy and Governance sector and have had numerous travel experiences including Bogota, Colombia, Yerevan, Armenia and Monrovia, Liberia.

R&D: What was your first year out like?

Erica: My first year out of college was spent getting used to the 8:30-5:30 work day while most of my friends had more flexible and transitional part-time work schedules. It was during this first year out I realized I could no longer live in a house full of friends, and really needed some more quiet and a routine in order to keep up with work each day.

R&D: What was your biggest challenge that year and how did you overcome it?

Erica: Before I graduated from UVM I was lucky to have three post-graduation opportunities presented in front of me. I had secured an internship with Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC), I was offered room and board to continue working at the NGO in the Dominican Republic where I had conducted my senior thesis research, and I was offered a job as an Administrative Assistant at Tetra Tech ARD in Burlington.

It was difficult for me to choose which next step to take and I was nearly paralyzed with this decision making process. I had to make an initial decision, and ultimately reasoned that I was not yet ready to leave Burlington, which ruled out working in the Dominican Republic.

I knew I ultimately wanted to work in international development and wasn’t sure that the VEIC internship would turn into a secure job after the summer. The position at Tetra Tech ARD was entry level, but I had to start somewhere.

So I decided to take the opportunity to ‘get my foot in the door’ and be exposed to the world of international development. The job began as soon as I was able to start, so I actually began my first day of work right after I took my last final at UVM. While my friends were celebrating Senior Week, I was starting my first ‘real’ job.

R&D: What surprised you the most about that year?

Erica: I was surprised to realize how much I thrive on structure and routine and how comfortable I felt with the life I was living in Burlington. I also learned how important maintaining a work-life balance is, and was surprised at how difficult this could be. In order to keep my sanity I needed to continue to do the things I enjoy outside of work: pottery, running, yoga, biking, spending time with friends.

It’s easy to fill each day with work and the mundane drudgery of grocery shopping, cooking, and chores, then sleep and repeat.

But, it’s important to continue to do the things that make you happy!

R&D: Do you have any advice for the Class of 2015?

Erica: Don’t worry about your resume. Pursue opportunities that you are genuinely interested in and next steps and direction towards career opportunities will follow.

I got my foot in the door with an administrative position, worked hard and two promotions later I’m where I wanted to be. I’m a Staff Associate in the Democracy and Governance Sector at Tetra Tech doing international development work.

Feeling indecisive and overwhelmed by many paths and options is inevitable. The first step to conquering this is making an initial decision, whether it be a location you’d like to move to or a job you would like to pursue.

Sometimes the hardest part is making the first decision, but one decision leads to a domino effect of unavoidable next decisions.

 

More Alumni Advice

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We’ve gotten lots of very nice feedback through the bottle opener giveaway and a lot of you said you want to hear more alumni stories.

Our friends over at Continuing Education do a great blog called Outreach and they’ve recently featured two alumni giving amazing career advice.

  1. Deb Mignucci, Class of 1982, on what to do with a liberal arts degree, how to stand out as an job applicant, and how recent grads can find success in their job search.
  2. Bill Bright, Class of 1991, on finding a job, changing careers, and making mistakes.

Grad School Advice – From a Classmate

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Futurama grad school applicationIf you are thinking about Graduate School for next year — and we know many of you are considering it — it’s time to get serious in your planning.  Application deadlines are coming up the next few months and getting organized now can mean success this Spring.

To take some of the fright out of the process, we asked a fellow 2015 graduate, Megan Meuser, for some advice.  She started Grad School this Fall at Drexel University in Philly, so she’s been through the application dance.

Ryan Chartier: What are some things you wish you knew before applying to graduate school?

Megan Meuser: Just because a school seems wonderful doesn’t mean that it is the right fit for you. It is important to look at every aspect of the program you are applying for – the classes, the faculty, the curriculum, and the research opportunities available. I’m very fortunate to say that I made the right choice and love Drexel.

Ryan: Who did you ask for advice when thinking about a school or program?

Megan: I talked to pretty much anyone who would have any insight — my adviser, my professors, people who were currently in graduate school, people who have been through graduate school, other people who were also applying, and, of course, my family and friends.

Everyone had different opinions and I thought it was really important to hear about everyone’s experiences and thoughts so I could get a more rounded and balanced view.

Ryan: What was the most difficult part of the application process? 

Megan: I would say that the most difficult part of the process was waiting. I am not always the most patient person and easily let my nerves get the best of me. Each school gets a lot of applications and it takes a while for them to go through every single one.

Ryan: If you could go back and do something different, what would you do?

Megan: I would have liked to moved to Philly earlier in the summer, so I had more time to adjust to a new city before I had to adjust to a new school and academic program.

If you need more advice, check out the grad school section at the UVM Career Center Blog.

OK, you’ve got some solid tips, now:

apply-to-all-the-grad-schools

My First Year Out – Trevon Noiva

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This is the second post in our series called “My First Year Out” featuring alumni just like you and their story of the 12 months (or more) after graduation.

Trevon is a Class of 2014 graduate who shares the ups an downs of his job search in Vermont.

Ryan: You just recently finished your first year out of school. What was the year like for you?

Trevon: My first year out of UVM was all over the place. It was stressful and full of unknowns.

My biggest struggle was finding a position in my field (environmental engineering), in the location where I wanted to live.  My girlfriend is also a UVM alum and a year older. She had already established a job/career in her field in Vermont, so I wanted to work nearby, while doing something that furthered my career.

At first I moved home with my parents. This wasn’t my original plan — but, in trying to finish-up my last semester and say goodbye to friends, I realized I had not spent adequate time researching job prospects.

I ended up getting a telecommuting job that was not in my field. So, I spent the next 5 months at home, working this job, and researching jobs that were in my field and close to my girlfriend.

I applied to every job I could find. And for every 10 applications I put in, maybe 1 of them replied back – usually in the form of “thank you for your application, we have all the applications we need but will keep your resume on file if anything comes up.”

After months of this I ended up finding a job as a receptionist at the Trapp Family Lodge. It was definitely not in my field, but it allowed me to move back to VT and in with my girlfriend.

Right around that time, the telecommuting job let me know that it no longer had enough work for me so they let me go, which significantly impacted my income.

Then, out of the blue, one of the companies I had talked with at a job fair and applied to months ago contacted me and asked if I was interested in a job with them.

The job was in my career field and close to our apartment – I could not imagine a better outcome at this point! I accepted a job at IBM and I’m still there, though the Vermont plant is now owned by Global Foundries.

And, just after landing the job, I got engaged to my girlfriend!

You could say it was quite a year — job hunting, working a couple crummy positions, living with my parents, moving to two different apartments, starting a new job in my career field, and getting engaged.

There was no way I could predict all that could happen in one year, but I’m glad I went through it.

Ryan: Looking back, what’s one thing you wish someone told you during your first summer out?

Trevon: “Don’t give up on your dreams.”

A lot of people will tell you do this or do that or you need to find a job no matter what it is. Everyone puts a pressure on what you should do with your life.

Stick to your guns, even if you take that “crap job,” keep your eyes on your goal and keep taking strides (even if they are just baby steps) towards it and eventually you will be there.

Actually Useful Career Tips (i.e. Not From Your Uncle Fred)

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During our course giveaway, we asked how your job search was going.

Results were really interesting.  More than 50% of those who responded have a job and about 40% are still looking or exploring options.

Hows your job search going summaryWe thought some straight-forward, practical career advice might be a useful follow-up.

So we reached out to our friend, Lisa Torchiano, at the UVM Career Center, and here’s her advice. Of course, you can connect with the Career Center directly for support – stop by drop-in hours (for those in BTV area) or make an appointment with a career counselor (in person, phone or Skype.).

If I don’t have a job yet, what should I be doing aside from applying for jobs? 

  • Don’t shy away from internships. They are great ways to build industry specific experience and do it during a specific timeline.
  • Volunteer your time. Nonprofit organizations can benefit and you can grow your skills while supporting a cause you care about.
  • Create a LinkedIn profile and use it for research and outreach.
  • Craft your elevator pitch, your explanation of what you are looking for, and share that with friends, family, professors, and former colleagues.
  • Network! Arrange informational interviews in which you can learn about industries and career paths. Alumni can be great resources for this; use LinkedIn to connect.
  • Develop a skill set that is connected with your desired next steps. Take a class, watch online videos or do research.

What are some popular online job search resources?

  • Before I even mention other online resources, I want to make sure readers know that one of the best features of Catamount Job Link is the employer contact information. This is often the hardest information to come by in a job search. This is worth a great deal both for positions you are applying for and proactive employer outreach.
  • The Research Career Fields page on the Career Center website is a goldmine of industry specific job search engines and professional information.
  • Indeed.com should also be in your toolkit. It’s a powerful search engine; strong search words are key especially in large cities. And, you can have search results sent to you every week or so.

If I want to go to grad school next year, what should I be doing now to prepare?

  • Start researching the programs you are interested in and note their deadlines. These dates creep up quickly and some may be as soon as November and December of this year for fall admittance.
  • Study for and take any required entrance exams (GRE, LSAT, MCAT, etc.).
  • Start writing your statement of purpose. Depending on how many schools are you applying to, you may be writing numerous different statements. It’s never too early to start.
  • Connect with professors. You will need anywhere from 1-3 letters of recommendation and often a number of those are required to be from faculty members.
  • Check out the Career Center’s Graduate School page for information on the entire application process.