Comfort can be a dangerous thing...

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for snuggling in a blanket after a long day with a warm cup of hot cocoa, but the kind of comfort I'm talking about is the kind that stops you from learning something new. Opportunities arise every day to learn something or to move you in a new direction, and sometimes it opens an entirely new path that you never thought possible. Take my story of how I even got to the Career Center in first place:

When I was an undergraduate at SUNY New Paltz I studed Psychology, Art, and Disaster Studies (so pretty much nothing career-process-related). I became a Resident Assistant and in my second year, I chose to take on a new paraprofessional role as a 'Peer Career Assistant', where I acted as a liaison between my residence hall and the Career Center. I learned how to write resumes and cover letters, develop better interviewing skills, and gained a better awareness of the etiquette of the career application process. Fast forward to applying for Hofstra's Mental Health Counseling program, my position at the Career Center was brought to my attention by my interviewer (thanks, Dr. Seirup!) because of my previous experience as the PCA, and it's been a whirlwind ever since! I've learned so much more about the career process, and although there was definitely a learning curve, I was able to roll with the discomfort and begin expanding my knowledge about the ins and out of career centers and external relations--things I never thought I'd learn being a Psychology major in undergrad!

Working as the Career Center GA has really opened my eyes to the world of Student Affairs and Higher Education and I believe if I stayed in my comfort zone of what I was already learning, I wouldn't have gained such a valuable experience here. My time here has also supplemented the things I can put on my resume, which definitely opens up opportunities for career paths...and that's all because of a chain of events starting with taking on a new role that I knew very little about!

So, the next time a new opportunity arises (someone invites you to a new club meeting, a new class opens up, etc.), take advantage of it! Many things come up in a day, and it's all about how you navigate and make the most of these moments! And as always, The Career Center is here to support you. Give us a call at (516) 463-6060 to get started!

Anne Monique Concepcion,
Graduate Assistant

One Thing I Learned Being a Resident Assistant...

…Is that you can find relevant skills and experience just about anywhere!

A lot of students have been dropping into the Career Center lately to get their resumes critiqued because they are hoping to become Resident Assistants. Now, I may be biased; As a former RA, I think being an RA is wonderful and has a lot of great opportunities for learning and advancement. It was actually partially due to my role as an RA that I am writing to you now as the Graduate Assistant in the Career Center!

One thing I’ve heard from students hesitant to apply is that they think they have no relevant experience: they do not have past participation in their residence hall, they’re only first-year students, or none of their jobs or activities seem related to the job of being an RA. In my experience of applying to be an RA years ago and even working with the new applicants here at Hofstra, I’ve found this to be untrue!

When you sit down and think about what skills you’ve utilized in your previous experiences, even if they seem unrelated, try thinking about the skills you’ve developed and how they can be relevant:

• Did you work in the food industry? That sounds like a lot assessing customer needs and communication skills to me!
• Did you work in retail? Seems like a lot of conflict resolution skills and patience!
• Are you a member of a campus club? You’ll need the creativity and different ideas for programs in your residence hall!

So, before you get yourself down and discouraged about applying for the RA position or that dream career/internship opportunity, I encourage you to take a moment to sit down and think about what you’ve done in the past: what skills you had to utilize, and in what ways is it relevant to your current goal.

And as always, we at the Career Center are available to brainstorm with you and to help you look at your experiences with a fresh set of eyes! Stop by Quick Questions (Monday-Friday 10-11AM & 2-4PM) or give us a call at (516) 463-6060 to make an appointment! 

Anne Monique Concepcion,
Graduate Assistant