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Guest Post: Networking and Partnerships

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We’re glad to be able to open up this space to a guest blogger, Kailee Brickner-McDonald, a former practicum intern with Non-Profit Programs here at Career Services, for this Doing Good, Doing Well post. We are glad she was able to share this story of networking with us!

UVM’s Alternative Winter Break and Vermont Institute on the Caribbean–Partners since Career Services’ International Non-Profit Career Panel in 2009

In the spring of 2009, UVM Career Services hosted an International Non-Profit Career Panel. Similar to the networking panels offered this semester (link to calendar for those kinds of events), it brought together alumni and local employers in the non-profit field and students with all levels of interest.

Among the students who participated, Leondaro Badia, ’09, showed up. He shared how he was going to be interning with the Vermont Institute on the Caribbean (VIC) that summer. At the time, UVM Student Life’s Alternative Winter Break’s (AWB) leaders were looking for a new hosting community for their international service trip.  Talking with Leondardo about his connection to VIC’s Baseball Exchange Program through a service-learning class, it seemed like a good match for AWB. Thanks to the connection, AWB started to work with VIC. In the winter of 2010 the 11 UVM students on the AWB trip helped with the Healthy Neighborhoods, Healthy Kids initiative and a park building project with 4th and 5th graders in Los Dominguez, a marginalized neighborhood in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. This year another 11 UVM students returned to the same school to lead workshops on girls’ self-esteem and leadership. AWB plans to continue the partnership with the community and organization into the future.

Check out this photo of the 2011 Alternative Winter Break group in the park that the 2010 group helped to build:
2011 Alternative Winter Break Group

This fruitful connection at the International Non-Profit Career Panel demonstrates how “networking” is truly a community-building experience. Peer-to-peer student collaboration and information -sharing that night was just as important as the relationships which also began among employers, alumni, and students.

–Kailee

Service Learning Internships: Great Experience–and Credit!

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Considering a summer or fall internship in the non-profit sector, but thinking you need to take a class instead because you need the credits? No need to choose! You can get the rich professional experience provided by an internship and earn between 1-12 credits through EDSS 239, the Service Learning Internship class.

What is the Service Learning Internship class and how does it work?

EDSS 239 offers you an opportunity to provide community service in conjunction with academic reflection, and earn credit for doing so! Positions are primarily in non-profit agencies and may be local, national or international. The course is offered in the fall, spring and summer for elective credit for students of all majors. Students may enroll for 1-12 credits, depending upon number of hours worked, and number of readings and reflections completed.

Students have completed Service Learning Internships at National Geographic, the Houston Hot Line, the office of Senator Patrick Leahy, Vermont Refugee Resettlement, Vermont Public Radio, Women’s Rape Crisis Center, Vermont State Parks, Chittenden County Public Defenders, the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts and in schools and programs in Africa, South America and the Pacific. It’s a great chance to create your own internship tailored to your interests and the skills you are hoping to build.

Best of all, you will have an opportunity to reflect and make meaning of your experience with others who are also involved in similar internships. In the words of one recent intern: “This was an amazing and enlightening experience and I am so glad I did this!”

Curious? Check out the process for enrolling in EDSS 239. Your first step will be obtaining an internship in the non-profit sector. For starting ideas on this, check out our Career Services website. For more ideas, stop by for our Drop In Hours, M-TH 1-4 pm, schedule an appointment.

More Recent Graduates Working in Non-Profits: Why Should You?

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Last week, The New York Times published this article that talks about an unexpected consequence of the difficult economy: that more recent college graduates are working in the non-profit sector, or as they describe, “young college graduates who ended up doing good because the economy did them wrong.”

As a college student, I planned to work in a non-profit organization, and now as a career counselor I often talk with students interested in this field. I’m excited to hear about this trend. I see many students come in with a few misconceptions about work in nonprofits and wanted to address some of these in this post.

Myth #1: Only certain kinds of jobs exist in non-profits. It’s not for me.

Fact: All kinds of jobs exist in the non-profit sector!  In non-profits, there are all the same jobs as in the private sector, plus a few that are specific to non-profits, such as fundraisers and grant-writers. Non-profit jobs provide great work experience as well as a connection to a particular issue or cause. Check out this fun video from Non-Profit Careers Month, celebrated in October 2009:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL4vOaFZAxs?fs=1&hl=en_US

Myth #2: I won’t make any money in a non-profit.

Fact: Entry-level non-profit salaries are often comparable to jobs in the private sector. In general, because non-profits have fewer resources they may have fewer staff—meaning that as an entry-level employee you might have more responsibility than in an entry-level private sector job. Not only can you get great experience this way, but it makes you a strong candidate for future career opportunities, whether in the non-profit or for-profit sector.

Myth #3: Looking for a job in the non-profit sector is exactly the same as looking for a private-sector job.

Fact: While the process is similar, there are several significant differences—for example, the non-profit field has its own language to consider when writing cover letters (for instance, you apply for a job at an organization, not a company). Additionally, be prepared to talk about your passion and connection to the mission of the organization—it’s not just about being able to do the job, but also about a commitment to helping the organization fulfill its mission. Find ways to communicate your commitment and personal connections to the mission; sometimes doing this while remaining professional can be a challenge—our career counselors are happy to help you figure this out.

Considering going into the Non-Profit World of Work? Check out these web resources:

10 things to know about applying for a nonprofit job

Idealist Career Center

Idealist Guide to Non-Profit Careers for First-Time Job Seekers (free e-book, also available hard copies for purchase)

Idealist Guide to Non-Profit Careers for Sector Switchers and people at mid-career (free e-book, also available hard copies for purchase)

Doing Good, an article on Full-Time Service Programs

Non-Profit Fellowship Programs

You might also be interested in this video, titled “How to Start Working in the Non-Profit Sector.” It features an  interview with Kerry Connor, national recruitment director for Jumpstart, a national non-profit organization that focuses on early intervention for at-risk preschoolers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrhA95bIBh4?fs=1&hl=en_US

–Laura

World of Work: Colleen Ring '99, Senior Account Executive with Nike

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Colleen Ring '99

Colleen Ring ‘99 Senior account executive, Nike

New York, New York

Major: Canadian Studies/Art History

How would you describe what you do on a typical day to someone who is unfamiliar with your field?
Account executives at Nike are responsible for optimizing Nike product sales with a specific account base.  Since I work directly with an account, developing and maintaining relationships with key personnel at all levels is critical.  I also analyze weekly sales data to help in preparing and planning future seasons’ merchandising & product strategies.

What advice do you have for students searching for jobs or internships in your field?
Internships are a great way to get your foot in the door and see if the company is a good match.  Use this time to show management what value you can add to the team, but to also ensure it’s the right fit for you.  I interned at Saks Fifth Avenue, and while the buying offices were not exactly right for me, it gave me visibility to aspects of the wholesale/retail industry that helped lead me to Nike.

What three words would describe your work environment?
Energizing, Innovating, Connected

What motivates you to go to work every day for this organization?
Nike motivates me to stay athletic, stay focused, work hard and play hard.  We have a dynamic team of people in my office, it’s competitive, but it drives you to succeed.

Tell us about your path to this position. Did you expect to hold this job when you were a college student?
I really didn’t know what I wanted to do after graduation. I started going through possible internship opportunities at the career center and just sending out my resume to any/all that sounded somewhat interesting to me.  Within a month I was in NYC interviewing for the Saks Fifth Avenue Buying program.  Now, 11 years later, I’m still here, and still in the retail industry.  I feel extremely fortunate that my choices led me to Nike.

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.

World of Work: Allan Urgent '93, Assistant US Attorney

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Allan Urgent '93

Allan Urgent ‘93, Assistant United States Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice

Newark, NJ

Major: Political Science

Graduate Program: Fordham University School of Law (J.D.)

What does your typical day look like?
I represent the United States of America and federal agencies in civil litigation. The types of things I do include appearing in court to advocate for the government’s position, drafting legal documents and correspondence, and communicating with client agencies and opposing counsel to negotiate case resolutions.

How did you get to where you are today and were there any significant experiences that helped shape your career path?
I served as a judicial law clerk for two different federal judges, and I worked for four years at law firm doing commercial litigation before I obtained my current position.  As a judicial law clerk, I was able to develop my legal research and writing skills, observe practicing attorneys at work, and learn what motivates judicial decision-making.  As an associate at law firm, I got practical experience representing clients.

Do you have any advice for undergraduates?
Talk to as many people as you can in the fields that interest you and pay particular attention to people who love their work. Understand that it might take you longer than you would like to get where you want to be, but keep working towards putting yourself in the best position to capitalize when an opportunity becomes available.

What would you do differently about how you went about your career?
Do a better job of developing and maintaining contacts from all of the positions that I have held including internships.  Do not underestimate the importance of personal connections in determining who gets hired.

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.

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