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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.

Market Yourself to Get Hired: Social Media Edition

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What is social media? Sites we use all the time; Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIN, Twitter, and blogs– these are all social media sites. We call them this because of the way we can create our own  “media “ like status updates, sharing of other people content, or posting and sharing articles, pictures and videos, among other things.

How can my Facebook or my Twitter really help me get hired?

First, it might be worthwhile to notice how it can get in the way of getting you hired.

-Are there incriminating photos of you on your Facebook? One word: untag. Untag, untag, untag. Just because Joe-Shmoe in the triple across the hall thinks you are hysterical dancing with a lampshade on your head, doesn’t mean a future employer will be as amused if they do a search for your profile.

-Check your security preferences. If you go to your “Account” button on the upper right hand corner of your Facebook page, you can change your security settings to ensure that only the people you want to view you can actually see your updates and your photos. I strongly encourage all users not to allow “friends of friends” to see you, because if you have 800 friends, it is possible for 640,000 people or MORE to view your profile.

-But wait…who ARE your friends? And what are they saying? This is tricky. If you have friends who repeatedly post to your wall about their various thoughts and events, and they don’t jive with a professional image you are working toward creating, it might be a good idea to send them a private message and let them know. Still not getting the picture? Unfriend.  As harsh as it sounds, it sounds even more ridiculous to think you didn’t get an interview for a great internship because the headhunter saw tasteless jokes or comments on your page.

Ok, so you’ve untagged, you’ve scouted your settings, maybe even let a friend or two go to protect your page content. What are some proactive steps you can take to actively use social media to your advantage? I have some ideas.

-Create a webpage. I have a close friend who used his Mac to create a webpage where he posted his resume, embedded his Twitter feed, and periodically he posts interesting articles and his thoughts on them in a blog section to the site. All of his pages include colorful pictures of him at work, doing the types of things he enjoys most (he is a teacher) working with students in labs, on field trips etc. Basically, the site is a way for him to be “googled” and be in control of what comes up on the Google hits.

-Making a webpage seems like a lot to you? Try creating a Google Profile. It’s an easy way to create your own directory tab that comes up whenever your name is searched. You can provide as little or as much info as you want. I have a small professional headshot on mine, a little info about working in at UVM and where I received my education, plus my current industry. I do not include where I work or my contact information.  Check out this example of a profile….

-Think about taking control of what comes up when you are Googled. Oh sure, some things cannot be helped, but maybe your Tweets could use some more security than you may have initially thought, maybe it is time to really commit to creating a LinkedIN page for you to upload your resume, maybe you find that a blog from high school you thought had disappeared…hadn’t. Take control; get the good stuff up, and the bad stuff, gone.

Want to know more about how you can Market Yourself to Get Hired? Drop by our weekly sessions on Tuesdays at 4:15pm in L/L E166 during the Spring 2011 semester!

–Leah

World of Work: Bizia Holmes Greene ’96, Etiquette Consultant

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Bizia Holmes Greene '96

Bizia Holmes Greene’ 96 Self Employed Etiquette Consultant
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Major: Anthropology

How would you describe what you do on a typical day to someone who is unfamiliar with your field?
As an etiquette consultant, I field phone calls and emails from the curious public about etiquette related questions and conundrums. I write an etiquette column for the local newspaper. I also teach private and group lessons in etiquette which is the bulk of my work. These lessons can be an hour to an all day workshop covering topics like public speaking, dining skills, introductions skills, etc. Clients range in age from 4 yrs old to retired professionals.

What advice do you have for students searching for jobs or internships in your field?
Professionals in my field are extremely hospitable, generous and polished. They thrive off of making other’s feel comfortable. An eye for detail and strong organizational skills are key.

What motivates you to go to work every day for this organization?
The thought of helping people better their lives and feel more confident in social/professional environments. Etiquette is a tool that empowers you and opens doors in the absence of talent or experience. To share that and see the results is very satisfying.

Tell us about your path to this position. Did you expect to hold this job when you were a college student?
My first college internship was at a Burlington hotel in the executive offices. After graduation, they hired me as concierge. In the years following graduation I worked as a restaurant hostess, a spa manager at a high end resort, event planner for fundraisers and museums and a wedding planner. The career path and its job requirements fit the bill for etiquette which I discovered years after graduation.

What was your childhood dream job?
Airport manager! I spent career day (grade 8 ) at the Burlington International Airport. I have been a world traveler my whole life and I strongly believe traveling is the best education one can have.

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.

Doing Good, Doing Well

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As a college student, I did a lot of volunteering—and when talking with my advisor about the work I was doing in the community, she would ask, “Are you doing good?”

Having had proper grammar drilled into my head, I would respond, “yes, I’m doing well…” and continue telling her about my volunteer work. One day she clarified that what she really wanted to know was, are you Doing Good? Was my work helpful to the community? Was it meaningful? Was I proud of the work I was doing, and confident that my volunteer work was in line with my values?

Our new blog series, Doing Good, Doing Well, is for anyone interested in finding mission-driven work. Finding meaningful work that fits with your values doesn’t have to wait until you are further in your career—and this blog series is about finding that work now! Regularly, we will feature stories of people who put their values to work, tips for finding ‘Good’ job and internship opportunities, helpful links, resources for supporting your wellness by maintaining work/life balance, and inspiration for your career journey. Watch for our first post, about Sargent Shriver, who said,

“It is not what you get out of life that counts. It’s what you give and what is given from the heart.”

—Robert Sargent Shriver (1915-2011)

Thanks for reading and we hope you’re looking forward to this series as much as we are. Each post will include a discussion/reflection question; feel free to respond in the comments! What do you envision your first “real job” after graduation being like? What values would you want to be embodied in your work?

—Laura

Grow Your Professional Network with UVM Alumni!

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How did you grow your professional network over the winter break?

This year, more than 130 students and recent graduates gathered with UVM alums in New York City and Boston for the annual Career Networking Nights.  Attendees met one-on-one with alumni from various industries who were eager to share their career paths, knowledge about their fields, and insights on possible opportunities. If you missed these networking events or want to grow your professional network further, mark your calendar for the Vermont Career Networking Night on Tuesday, March 22, at 6:00pm in the Davis Center.

Connect personally with Vermont alums and jumpstart your career! The Vermont Career Networking Night schedule and attending alumni networkers will be posted to the Career Services website.

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