UVM Career Center Blog

May 18, 2011

World of Work: Catlin O'Neill '99, Deputy Director of Legislative Operations for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi

Catlin will be the Keynote Speaker at the Washington D.C. Career Networking Night on June 6, 2011. Register online and learn more about the 30+ alumni networkers here.

Catlin O’Neill ’99

Deputy Director of Legislative Operations for Office of the House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi

Washington, D.C.

Major: Sociology; Mass Communication & Culture

How would you describe what you do on a typical day?

I would first say, I don’t have a “typical” day. I spend a great deal of time trying to stay on top of current events – political, national and international – as they unfold while simultaneously doing my job. I work in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives – also known as the “Floor”. Predominantly, I act as a resource for Members of Congress on legislation considered by the House, the subsequent votes and the rules/procedures of the House. Further, I serve as a liaison between the Leader’s office and the Republican Leadership, their staff, the White House legislative staff, the Democratic Caucus, the Senate Leadership staff, the Officers of the House and the Parliamentarians.

What advice do you have for students searching for jobs or internships in your field?

There are several things that I would suggest to students interested in pursuing a career in public service. People often get involved because they are inspired by a candidate or elected official or cause. It is important to develop yourself as a resource – a willingness to get the job done regardless of the task or the time. Try to identify opportunities that diversify your skill set and further the cause. Read everything in order to develop an awareness of the nuances in politics/policy. A depth of knowledge increases confidence and ability. You can increase your value by recognizing that the government is a 24/7 operation made up of people, not unlike yourself, that need questions answered or problems solved in a timely fashion – to that end, be accommodating and responsive. Lastly, it never hurts to expand your network of contacts – ultimately government is of the people, by the people and for the people.

What three words describe your work environment?

Significant. Spirited. Inspiring.

Describe your best day at work.

I had three extraordinary days at work:

January 4th, 2007 – the Swearing-In of the first woman Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.
January 20th, 2009 – the Inauguration of President Barack H. Obama.
March 21, 2010 – the passage of Health Care reform.

What was your childhood dream job?

As a child I wanted to be a marine biologist…then I took biology.

If you’re interested in seeing all our World of Work profiles, click here. If you are a UVM alumnus and would like to be featured, please contact us at career.services@uvm.edu. If you are interested in contacting a featured alum, check out the Career Connection alumni database or contact us.

May 11, 2011

Expand your professional network this summer! – DC Career Networking Night 6/6/11!

By career

Thinking about internship or career opportunities in Washington, DC? This summer, get advice from successful UVM alumni on careers and the job search in Washington, DC!

Washington, DC Career Networking Night
Monday, June 6, 6:15-9:00pm

National Association of Homebuilders
15^th and M Streets N.W., Washington, DC

Connect one-on-one with alumni from a variety of career fields:

Government
Marketing / Research
Politics & Law
Nonprofit / International
Technology
Environment
Healthcare
Business / Entrepreneurship
Education . . . and more!

Keynote Speaker: Catlin O’Neill ’99, Deputy Director of Legislative Operations for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Learn about the 30 additional alumni networkers here: Washington, DC Career Networking Night

$10 Registration Fee – Light Refreshments – Professional Dress

Register TODAY: https://alumni.uvm.edu/dccareer or call 1-888-458-8691.

April 25, 2011

World of Work: Allie Tompkins '10, National Prison Project Intern for the ACLU Foundation

By career

Allie Tompkins ’10

National Prison Project Intern for the ACLU Foundation

Washington, DC

Major: Political Science/Global Studies

How would you describe what you do on a typical day?

As an intern, I come into the office 5 days a week for a half day. I answer letters from inmates writing the prison project for assistance, and I work with a paralegal to do research on policy and prison programs for the attorneys on staff at the National Prison Project.

What advice do you have for students searching for jobs or internships in your field?

Look for the jobs that really speak to what you are interested in. I applied to a ton of internships, but the two places I received offers from were the places I was most passionate about working at. I think this really stood out on my cover letter and during my interviews.

What motivates you to go to work every day for this organization?

Even though I’m an unpaid intern, I’m motivated to go to work every day because the ACLU puts into action what I was most passionate about learning at UVM, Constiutional Law. In our project, we represent prisoners and provide them with information. I think this is important because they are a truly underrepresented part of society and it requires a lot of viligance to make sure that their rights are being upheld in prison.

How did your time at UVM, both in and out of the classroom, prepare you for your position?

At UVM I became really interested in Constitutional Law, and the ACLU is one of the best places to gain experience in this field. During my interview the attorney I spoke with was very happy that I knew a lot about the federal courts appointment process, something that we spent a lot of time on in my Political Science senior seminar. Outside of the classroom at UVM, meeting so many critical thinkers and people who are willing to question the status quo and ask important questions has really influenced the way that I understand what I do at my internship and how I interact with the other people at my job.

What was your childhood dream job?

My childhood dream job was a Marine Biologist (wasn’t that everyone’s dream job at some point?), somewhere along the way I also wanted to be a doctor.

April 15, 2011

World of Work: Jackie Madsen '85, VP of Sales for L'Oreal Paris Cosmetics

By career

(Jackie Madsen ’85, second from left in blue)

Jackie Madsen ‘85

Vice President of Sales, L’Oreal Paris Cosmetics

5^th Avenue, New York, NY

Major: Economics

How would you describe what you do on a typical day?

Each day is very different. While in the New York Office I spend days participating in meetings with all levels of our organization where we are developing how the L’Oreal Paris brand will be distributed in the US market to include pricing, promotion, displays and in store environment. On the other days I am traveling to the Headquarters of our Retail Partners, including Wal-Mart, Walgreens, CVS, and Target meeting with their beauty teams to execute the plans we have discussed internally.

What advice do you have for students searching for jobs or internships in your field?

The beauty business is extremely exciting to be involved with. It is a very high-energy field that requires flexibility, adaptability and quick reaction time. From a sales standpoint, people successful in this field truly need to be extroverts who are comfortable in presenting and leading people. In addition sales has become extremely analytical in terms of the selling process, using available data is how the trade expects to be interacted with. People motivation and management are also key competencies.

What is your favorite part of your work? Most challenging part?

Favorite part is absolutely presenting in front of our retail partners. Also, being a female, I enjoy using the products. It’s very exciting to represent products that are so much part of my daily life! Because our business is so trend sensitive, change is difficult for some people to adapt to and ensuring people who work for me understand why the changes are necessary and how to manage them is always challenging.

Tell us about your best day at work.

Any day that I have been able to work through an issue with a major retailer that results in us having a successful launch of a new item, or an event in a major chain is a good day!

Did you expect to hold this job when you were a college student?

My path has been all over the L’Oreal Paris Company. From direct sales, to consumer promotions, to customer marketing to sales planning and back to direct sales. When I left college I had no idea what I wanted to do. In all honestly I didn’t think of sales as any particular interest for me but as I took my first job with L’Oreal (Territory Manager) I realized sales was a terrific option for me and met my desires to have days that varied, and opportunities to interact with people.

If you’re interested in seeing all our World of Work profiles, click here. If you are a UVM alumnus and would like to be featured, please contact us at career.services@uvm.edu. If you are interested in contacting a featured alum, check out the Career Connection alumni database or contact us.

April 1, 2011

World of Work: Bridge Hunter '97, Scientist at Genzyme

By career

Bridge Hunter ’97, Scientist, Genzyme

Waltham, MA

Undergraduate Major: History

Graduate program: PhD in Applied Anatomy and Physiology, Boston University

How would you describe what you do on a typical day to someone who is unfamiliar with your field?
I have been in an industry setting for six years so half of my time is spent working in the lab running experiments to test out potential therapeutics. The other half is spent organizing experiments and managing others that work on my project.

What advice do you have for students searching for jobs or internships in your field?
Contacts are the most helpful way to get your foot in the door. Numerous people have contacted me through the UVM Career Connection website and while I haven’t found any of them a position at my company, I have been able to forward resumes along to colleagues or give advice about potential job opportunities. Another great resource in my field and my area is the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. It is an association of more than 600 biotechnology companies, universities, academic institutions and others dedicated to advancing research.

What is your favorite part of your work? Most challenging part?
Scientific research can provide some of the most rewarding experiences while at the same time offer some of the most frustrating. The success rate in drug discovery is about 1%. It is easy to become frustrated in this field but one goes into this with the idea that their work will eventually lead to saving lives or at the very least improve the quality of life for ill patients.

What motivates you to go to work every day for this organization?
I have always been proud to work for my company because of its dedication to discover therapeutics for patients with rare genetic diseases, areas of unmet medical needs, and neglected diseases. Many of the larger pharmaceutical companies have not found it profitable to be in these markets because of the small number of people affected by these diseases. Our company has made it a priority to find a sustainable way to develop therapies for these diseases.

Tell us about your path to this position. Did you expect to hold this job when you were a college student?
When I came to UVM in 1989, I enjoyed my classes but I kept losing focus, so much so that UVM suggested I take some time off. I took three years off and finally came to the realization that I wanted to be involved in sports or medicine, or both. With help from UVM’s academic support program, I reentered UVM and earned a 4.0 my first semester back. I enrolled in the sports therapy program and the classes I took led me to develop a desire to enter the medical field so I spent my last two years fulfilling the pre-med requisites and completing a minor in biology.

I spent a year after graduation applying for graduate programs in exercise physiology and I was accepted to a program at Boston University. Before entering the program in the fall, I spent the entire summer working in a research lab in muscle biology. The professor directing the lab was pleased with the work I had performed and offered me a position. This lab position allowed me to perform research and take classes towards my PhD for free and provided a small stipend. During my tenure at this company I slowly drifted away from muscle biology and have been able to work in many different disease areas such as diabetes, cancer, atherosclerosis, colitis, and most recently infections of the colon.

UVM Career Center Blog

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Catlin O’Neill ’99

Register TODAY: https://alumni.uvm.edu/dccareer or call 1-888-458-8691.

Allie Tompkins ’10

Jackie Madsen ‘85