Rest, Refuel, and Come Back Revived!

As the semester comes to a close, we are bombarded with finals, finals, finals. But don't stress ... we're in the homestretch! 

After the close of the semester, comes the holidays. Who's ready? There is a lot of preparation that goes into planning for the holidays, one being gift giving. As much as we all desire to provide our loved ones with beautiful, extravagant gifts - we sometimes cannot afford to do so; this is when having a student status is tough!

What are some things we can do to maximize our budget and splurge on those great gifts?

Perhaps the most challenging but most rewarding and secure option is getting a job! Now, you may panic at that thought alone but don't fret - at the Center for Career Development, we are here to help! 

This winter break should be a time of rest, rejuvenation, and reflection. Hopefully, it will be this way for all of you! When you get back to school, however, it is time to jump in and seize the opportunities ahead! What might these opportunities be, you ask?

• For starters, look into potential internships. At the Center for Career Development, we offer a paid summer internship experience in the non-profit sector called the Community Fellows Program. The application is now open and closes on March 2, 2015. Application instructions can be found on our website: http://career-center.adelphi.edu/

• Additionally, we offer internship opportunities called Panthers with a Purpose, and America Reads/ America Counts Tutoring Program through federal work study. Interning takes place off campus and during the Fall and Spring semesters. So, stop by our office or check out our website for more details! 

• You can also look into our Spring semester events that will help prepare you for internship and job opportunities. These occur all throughout the semester, beginning in early January. They include events such as, Mock Interview Night, various leadership workshops (as part of the Leadership Certificate Program), and On Campus Recruitment (OCR) for Social Work, Psychology, and Education majors. We also have an Annual Job and Internship Expo on April 28th, 2015, from 12-3pm, in the UC. These are wonderful experiences to take part in to bolster your experiential learning and sharpen your networking skills. They can even connect you with employers! Don't miss out on getting involved and being proactive in your career development.

• Lastly, reboot and connect! Clean up your resume, update your LinkedIn profile, and professionalize (or at least make private) your social media accounts.

From the Center for Career Development to you, Happy Holidays! We truly wish you all a wonderful holiday filled with peace, love, and cheer. And remember, rest up because next semester is the time to get involved! 

Thanksgiving!

Well ladies and gentlemen, it's that time of year again - Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Yahoo! Just have to push through the last of midterms and wrap up those straggling assignments, and then you're free to head home and devour that turkey dinner you've been dreaming about (or tofurkey dinner, for my vegetarian friends out there). 

So, what makes YOU thankful? Family, friends, significant others? What about the fact that you're pursuing higher education by attending college? Or, that you have a warm meal on the table? Think about this for a second .. really think. What are you thankful for? Everyone asks it, and most people respond with a reflexive answer, which is probably true, but take some time and look inward to discover the answers. They will most likely be humbling.

Thanksgiving is a time for spreading love, peace, and gratitude. Expressing these things during the holiday season not only makes a difference to those around you but is also personally rewarding. I urge you to proceed with caution: being grateful and expressing thankfulness may instantaneously cause feelings of warmth and happiness. So get out there, show some love, and enjoy your holiday!

Professional Goal Setting: What You Need To Know

As we move into the latter part of the semester, we must begin planning for the next. Selecting courses, signing up for extracurricular activities, and rearranging work schedules, are all a part of the process. While transitions can be overwhelming, it is best to be prepared for them by keeping in mind the bigger picture. This "bigger picture" is defined by the goals we set and the actions we take to move forward in our personal and professional developments.

Why Set Goals? 

Setting goals keeps you motivated and inspires you to think long-term and prioritize accordingly. This is especially useful in the job-search process. If you can project into the future your ideal work situation, you can take the appropriate steps to move forward in pursuing your career endeavors. 

By organizing time and resources, you can maximize your experiences. Setting clearly defined goals can help you focus on the task at hand, bringing you closer to achieving your goals. 

Where to Start ...

Steps:

1. Establish your needs and values 

• Needs: things you personally need to be your best self 
• Values: activities, preferences, and behaviors that you naturally gravitate toward and hold in high esteem
• Once you differentiate between the two, you can identify how they work together in helping you pursue your goals  

2. Decide what you want: Identify your short-term and long-term professional goals

• First, establish your long-term career goals and then determine the short-term activities that will help you reach them
• Once this is done, WRITE THEM DOWN! Writing down goals is a critical piece in constructing and executing your career plan

3. Follow Your Plan

• Make SMART goals 

• S - Specific 
• Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How ?
• M - Measurable
• How will you evaluate your success?
• A - Achievable 
• Can these lead to an attainable outcome?
• R - Relevant
• How do these fit in with your responsibilities?
• T - Timely
• Set target dates to guide you

• Remember, you want your goals to be realistic and achievable!

4. Review and Amend Your Plan

• Sadly, not all of our goals will be achieved; but don't be discouraged! Like anything, as you set off on your career path, you will face obstacles along the way. Reflect on your current situation and how your goals fit. Amend them as need be and move forward! Don't get stuck harping on the goals that have not been met. Maybe they were not meant to be, and that's okay!

5. Celebrate Your Successes! 

• As you move forward on your career path, surround yourself with loving and supportive people. Not everyone will understand your motivation to succeed or your desired career, but don't allow their thoughts to sway you from pursuing your dream. The ones that do, however, will be key players in helping you stay on track and move forward in your field. As you accomplish smaller goals and continue to reach toward the long-term goals, celebrate your achievements! Reward yourself for your hard work and determination.

Setting goals can be challenging and may seem insignificant, but I can assure you it is instrumental in helping you accomplish your professional and personal aspirations. Some final tips to help you succeed, include:

• Decide what you want to achieve in your life (and write it down!) 
• Separate what's important from what's irrelevant (balance is key) 
• Motivate yourself (by remembering what you have accomplished thus far)
• Believe in yourself and build your self-confidence (always!) 

So as you plan ahead for your next semester, next year, and next work experience, remember to challenge yourself by setting goals. These goals will keep you on track, and will enable you to go farther than imaginable! 

Don't forget ... 

Stop by the Center for Career Development to learn more about goal setting and pursuing, resume building, internships, and more! We are eager and willing to help you progress in your career development!!

Things are “falling” into place …

Family Weekend, Halloween, and Midterms, just to name a few, are right around the corner. How are we supposed to keep up academically when all of these events, most of which are exciting, are about to unfold? 

For many of us, leading a busy, active lifestyle is standard. Running from class, to dinner, and to the gym, is the daily routine. But as we head deeper into the semester, we have to make sure to balance our commitments and maintain our mental health. Easier said than done, I know. 

However, with some helpful, grounding tips, this balance can be achieved and will help ease your transition into the rest of the semester. These skills will become especially useful when it comes time to test your time management as you enter the working world.

STEPS:

1. Take care of yourself! 

Being in good physical and emotional health is key to successfully finishing out the semester. Although running on the treadmill or taking a Zumba class may seem daunting and unrealistic – exercise can help alleviate stress and improve focus when it comes time to writing that paper or studying for those midterms. Not a cardio buff? No problem. Try taking a yoga class and sipping on some green tea to detox. Burning calories will also help you sleep better at night. And who doesn’t need more sleep?

2. Prioritize! 

Although “every” assignment and “every” reading is crucial to pursuing your degree, who has the time to get it all done? If you are the person that does … kudos. For the rest of us, we need prioritization skills. I do not mean you should be skimping on assignments, I just mean it is best to get the most pressing work done first, in a timely manner. Looking ahead, employers appreciate applicants who have mastered these skills. It relays the message that you are not only competent in what you do, but that you are able to prioritize tasks efficiently and promptly for the benefit of the company. Once you organize your schedule and your assignments based on relevance and due dates, you can begin to feel relieved and can maybe even get to some of those recommended readings.

3. Be you! 

Find time to spend with loved ones and friends. School work is important, yes, but so is being with those who make you happy. Along with prioritizing, try to organize your schedule in a way that you have a night or two a week to grab dinner with a family member, go for coffee with a friend, or get dolled up and hit the town with some of your best buds. However you socialize, just do it. Also, don’t lose sight of your favorite hobbies. Whether you are into painting, reading, playing Frisbee, or ballroom dancing, keep at it. Those recreational activities will help keep you sane and happy. I promise. 

4. Think positive! 

You’ve gotten this far, you can do it! All of those hours spent at the library, dreadful group projects, and almost-car-accidents you’ve had in the parking lot, have brought you to where you are today, which is in college working towards your degree. In the grand scheme of things, it could be worse. Be grateful you are here and realize attending college is an incredible opportunity that not all have. That being said, no matter how difficult and unpredictable the journey, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is closer than you think. Think positive, be grateful, and enjoy the journey! 

Life is about balance. Juggling school, work, and a social life can be challenging but maintaining balance among these areas can help you find and stay in your happy place. Not to mention, finding equilibrium will also help you produce your best work in a timely and efficient manner, which will prepare you for future career endeavors. Remember, you are in college to learn, grow, and ultimately come out with a degree that will help you land your ideal job. Keep in mind the big picture. That dream job is closer than you think so keep moving forward, believe in yourself, explore every possible opportunity, and don’t forget to smile along the way!

What's in it for the community?

What makes the focus of your particular internship so distinctively unique from others is that emphasis is being placed on the community. Fellow interns, I ask you to look at your community, reflect, and then share on how you are serving your community through this program. Below I have listed a few questions regarding my internship at Girls Inc. of Long Island. Use this as your guide to outlining how you can put your service to the community into action during Community Fellows Program internship.
How does your work impact your community?

Collaborating efforts with the Girls Inc. LI Program Coordinator, we are meeting the specific needs and circumstances of girls between the ages 5 and 18. We are primarily serving girls in low socioeconomic communities in Suffolk County.
What experiences, knowledge or expertise can you offer to benefit the community you are serving?

Being that I am currently studying to become a teacher in Childhood Education, I found that developing program curriculum, such as Community Development for girls at Wyandanch, was akin to lesson planning for a classroom. I was able to use the transferable skill of brainstorming lesson plan topics for lessons to help contribute useful and engaging ideas for program development themes such as STEAM (an activity that incorporates Science Technology Engineering Art and/or Math). My hope is that these programs will equip girls with the knowledge and inspiration to make a change, starting in their own backyards.
Ask yourself during this internship not "What's in it for me?" but rather "What's in it for the community?" Once you maintain this mindset, you're in great shape to make a change for good this summer.

Reminders:
Don't forget to tag @HIREaPANTHER and use #communityfellows for Instagram and Twitter posts and comments.
You can also nominate yourself and send it via the CFP email for a chance to win Community Fellow of the Week!


Questions, comments, concerns? Email a CFP liaison at communityfellows@adelphi.edu

Into the Swing of Things!

Well folks, it's time...time to get into the swing of things! Whether you are just starting your internship or are well into your first, second, maybe even third week, please keep sharing your Community Fellows journey on Adelphi Center for Career Develpment's social media outlets: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Don't forget to use the @HIREaPANTHER for Instagram and Twitter comments, using the #communityfellows.
Here are some talking points that you may want to explore while posting, tweeting, or simply writing up your weekly CFP reflection:

1. How can I give other interns and the professional world a glimpse at what I am currently doing at my nonprofit through a simple photo or a tweet?

2.What are some of my hopes and goals that I would like to see fulfilled during or after my intership?

3.Are there any current events that coincide with an issue my NPO is trying to address? What positive feedback can I provide on this to make others aware?

4. What words of inspiration can I impart on others in moving towards a change that promotes my NPO's cause?

Simply put, let your posts, photos, and tweets do the talking about how your Community Fellows journey is thus far. If things are or aren't going as you have planned, be sure to contact a CFP liason at the Career Center at communityfellows@adelphi.edu. Let them know where you are and where you want to be; they have valuable support and advice to offer. Whatever life brings, get into the swing of things!


Reminder: You can also nominate yourself and send it via the CFP email for a chance to win Community Fellow of the Week!

First Impressions!

First impressions often speak volumes to a person's character as well as what type of worker they are. For us CFP interns, it can be nerve-wracking to even think of giving off a bad impression to our employers. Thus, we remain steadfast in showing them our best work ethic and professional behavior. Yet on the other hand, we are also forming our own first impressions of our nonprofit organizations. It is these initial impressions that I encourage you all to share amongst each other using the Center for Career Development's various social media sites. Haven't started yet? No sweat! You can get connected today!

Facebook

Be sure to like the Adelphi Center for Career Development's Facebook page and feel free to post any positive comments you have regarding your internship journey. Keep your posts relevant to your CFP experience so that others are encouraged to share their internship experiences as well!

Twitter

I personally created my own twitter account so that I could be further connected with my NPO, Girls Inc. of Long Island. Compose tweets using the #communityfellows and follow tweets@HIREaPANTHER to stay in the loop with whatever is trending that is pertinent to your CFP internship. (**Tip: this is also a great way to network for and promote your NPO to various groups and individuals)!

Instagram 
Make use of this social media portal by posting your "on-the-job" photos, using the@HIREaPANTHER handle. Again, keep these picture appropriate and professional, but you can certainly have fun with posting them!  

LinkedIn

Last, but certainly not least, update your LinkedIN profile. Keeping your profile abreast with new job descriptions and current place of employment demonstrates that you are maintaing an active presence in the professional social media sphere.

Never underestimate the importance of first impressions and how we can leverage social media's accessibility to our advantage. Let us fully live up to our title as Community FellowInterns, by supporting each other and sharing our experiences with the world. Go get 'em!


Reminder: You can also nominate yourself and send it via the CFP email for a chance to win Community Fellow of the Week!