Blog Post Due Oct 18

Over the past summers, and during my time on campus I have tried my best to immerse myself in a variety of different experiences that would potentially help me obtain a job after graduation. During my freshman year on campus I had the opportunity to get involved with the Student Advocacy Coalition. Freshman year I was taking PS 101, an introductory level course within the Political Science department, my second major. During lecture one day, we had a speaker from the Student Advocacy Coalition speak with our class recruiting students for lobby day, which took place in Springfield. My classmate and I decided the opportunity sounded interesting and we signed up to attended the lobby day. After the lobby day in Springfield, organized by the Student Advocacy Coalition, we enjoyed ourselves and found the opportunity with the Student Advocacy Coalition to be very unique, given the fact that members of the organization had the opportunity to form connections with both elected officials in Springfield, and with faculty members of the Alumni Association, which is the sponsor of the organization. We talked to members of the organization during the lobby day, seeking how we could get more involved and potentially join the organization. Shortly after the lobby day I had a scheduled interview, and after the interview joined the Student Advocacy Coalition. I felt like this was a good way to both get involved on campus and an opportunity that could potentially help me in my future. 

Another thing that was important for me was making sure that I obtained a variety of different professional experiences that I would be able to use to build my resume, and potentially make it easier for me to have job security as well as income security in the future. After my freshman year I was not very focused on finding an internship, but rather continued to work my high school job as lifeguard at the local park district pool in my hometown community. After one summer at this job, during my sophomore year I decided it would be best for me to attempt to find an internship and begin to build my professional experiences outside of campus. During second semester of my sophomore year I began to look different internship opportunities. I ended up getting a placement at the JUF in Chicago in the Information Technology Department. I thought this was very good experience for me to add to my professional resume given the fact that the field of IT and technology more generally is on the rise. After my summer working with this IT department I ultimately decided and found that this was not the field that I wanted to go into for a long term future career. I’m glad I had this experience to speak on, and I learned many different skills, including how to utilize a variety of office software’s, and I hope to be able to apply these skills to a potential future employment opportunity.

After finding that my first internship experience was not the kind of job that I would enjoy having for a potential long term career option, I worked hard my junior year to find other internship opportunities. I was able to get an internship with Accuity, a Data and Software Risk and Compliance company. My position was within the Business Solutions department, the role of this department is similar to the role of a consultant. After spending the summer at this company I found that I could potentially see myself working at the company more long term. After the summer I received an offer to join the Rotational Program, a full time, 2 year contracted position. This position would include a salary of $50,000 per year. While it is not necessary a lot of money, the salary would be enough for me to support myself and live comfortable with minimal finical assistance from my parents. 

Comments

  1. Professor ArvanNovember 12, 2019 at 3:12 PM

    Since you brought it up, why are you a double major in political science and economics. On the one hand, I can understand - two majors for the price of one, that sounds like a good deal - on the other hand it clearly divides your attention more. Looking back at the decision do you think it was still a good one or might you have over committed yourself? One value in doing blog posts of this sort is it does allow a post mortem analysis on the choices you've made. Are there any lessons you've learned from that?

    I thought your first example, of joining the Student Advocacy Coalition, interesting but I wanted to hear more of the story. Are you still vigorously involved in that? Or did it become less important to you as you started to work on these other internships.

    And regarding the internship with Accuity, and the offer you received, congratulations on that, I was unclear on whether that is what you plan to do immediately after graduation or if you are still looking. So you might comment on that.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Francine Blau Econ 490 Fall 2019November 13, 2019 at 1:19 PM

    Originally when I started college as a freshman I had the goal and idea to attend Law School after graducation. As I moved through freshman year that idea became less and less appleing to me. After deciding that I may not want to go to Law School after graducation, I decieded to pick up the second major of economics in order to make myself more marketable in the job market. Looking back at this decsion, while I'm happy and see the value in both majors, I do wish I would have choosen one major. My courseload has always been rather heavy and it has been hard for me to fully emerse myself in either field of study.

    I was much more involoved with the Student Advoacy Coalition at the start of college, and my involvement in the organization has diminished.

    I'm still looking for other job oppertunites after graducation. I'm interviewing for a variety of differnet entry level postions at companies in Chicago.

    ReplyDelete

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