Highlights from Career Day 2012
Career Choices ------ Career Challenges
Sponsored by Metropolitan New York Association for Applied Psychology and Baruch College
1. If you love your job, you will never work a day in your life.
The external panel clarified issues about the busy and time-consuming life of a consultant in the I-O field. There is no skirting the issue, success only comes from hard work. However, balancing work and life becomes less stressful the more one enjoys their job and strives to remain flexible. Compromises are crucial to making work something you look forward to rather than a dreadful chore.
2. Find an organizational culture that suits your needs, values, and norms.
Researching an organization before working there allows for gauging the environment and deciding if the dynamics between you and the organization would work well. It is important to understand yourself first and then act accordingly when searching for jobs. The only exception to this is when financial circumstances prevent the person-organization fit from being a number one priority. Internships provide the opportunity to “test-run” organizational cultures and see to what extent they suit your needs.
3. Networking is everything.
Because of its importance to expanding one’s horizons in the field, networking must go beyond a transactional dialogue among colleagues. It means establishing and building relationships among those in your area of interest. One must ask not only what someone can do for them, but how they themselves can help others. Networking involves both personal and professional discussions, so being able to recall the name of a colleague’s dog is just as important as remembering what they presented at SIOP three years ago.
4. Be flexible.
Things change. You cannot expect to be where you plan to be five years from now. You may find you are happier where you ended up than where you thought you would be.
5. Keep current with news and changes in technology.
In this day and age, it is more important than ever to be open to new trends in the industry. The minute you stop adapting is the minute you leave yourself open to falling behind the pack and becoming dated. Volunteering outside your role is a great way to network as well as gain experiences that help you remain current.
6. Be emotionally mature: “Don’t whine!”
Everyone makes mistakes. What can separate you from everyone else is acknowledging your weaknesses and being proactive in rectifying them. Involve yourself with work and non-work related projects to expand your knowledge and minimize mistakes in the future.
7. Keep up with what’s going on in the field.
Read journals, publications, recent findings, or anything else that will keep you up-to-date with the latest information. If you do not have access to electronic libraries, use your connections (established through well-placed networking!) to gain entry to such publications.
8. Sell yourself in interviews.
Focus on your skills and past accomplishments and what you can do for the organization that only a person with your unique background can provide. Instead of apologizing for your past, learn how to incorporate your KSAOs into a new field. In addition, if asked a question such as “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” have a story or at least a sincere idea on where you would like to be. Your response should be that you plan on being somewhere within the organization and in a higher position than what you are presently applying for. You should also remain in line with the organization’s mission statement and include that into your response.
Compiled by: Anna Noller
Much thanks to all presenters and attendees from:
Terri Shapiro
Erica Rivera
Johanna Seppalainen