career

July 29, 2015

So what do I do or hope to accomplish with my life?

Ask me “What do you do?” and I’ll have the urge to tell you that I am a communicator.

But what does that even mean?

As time passes and I continue to grow and develop personally and professionally, I find that my career goals are constantly changing with me. Details of my life and career aspirations start to transform with time. And that’s perfectly fine. Normal, even.

At the heart of all that I enjoy doing – and I enjoy doing many, many things – is my love of communication, both written and spoken. My affinity for words and human connection are what lie at the foundation of my being. Since I was in elementary school, I knew deep down that what I wanted out of life and my job was to make a difference with this passion.

My job title – journalist, public relations professional, marketer, social media specialist, blogger, etc. – will most likely continue to fluctuate over time, especially when societal and technological advancements come into play. I could be connecting a publication to its audience, an organization to the people it serves or simply (albeit importantly) one human being to another. The channels carrying this communication will range from newspapers to online publications to Facebook or Twitter, and much, much more. I expect that all of this will continue to transform with me.

But despite these variations, the rush I get when I’m even just a little successful in bringing people together in any way, shape, or form, will never change.

So when you ask me what I do, I may answer with any one of the above job titles or perhaps something different.

But my favorite answer to that question? Easy.

I am a writer, a talker, a listener, a communicator. An ambitious millennial who thrives on human connection and her own curiosity. And I am so excited (though undoubtedly nervous at times) to see where this passion steers me in my career and in life.

This post may be interpreted as vague but this is just one of the many perspectives I have on answering the unavoidable “So what do you do/want to do?” question. I could go on about specific short term goals or certain things I want to accomplish 🙂

September 7, 2014

A warm welcome into the InternQueen family: reflections on an exciting first week of interning

Last week was great for two main reasons. Labor Day weekend provided me with an ample amount of time to get myself organized, accomplish some homework and relax.

On a more exciting note, I started interning with InternQueen on Tuesday!

I was eager to join the InternQueen team even before I started working last week, but my three days of interning solidified that I’m going to attain important career wisdom while growing as a young professional during my IQ journey. I’ve already learned a lot during my first week and there’s so much more to learn. I’m definitely excited.

The IQ team includes CEO/founder Lauren Berger (the Intern Queen herself); Digital Marketing Manager Lindsey Day and Campus Programs Manager Shayna Dunitz; former interns and now junior executives Savira and Michelle; and my fellow fall 2014 interns Brooke and Kelly. Of course there are campus ambassadors and others who are part of the entire IQ team, but these ladies are the main women I am privileged to work closely with.

These ladies are inspiring professionals who are passionate about what they do. All of them were very helpful when it came to making sure my fellow interns and I knew how to executive our jobs. I definitely felt welcome into the close-knit IQ family.

This week was a bit overwhelming – not in a bad way, of course – because as I briefly mentioned in a previous blog post, my work as an IQ intern entails tasks and responsibilities that are different from the bulk of my professional career thus far, which has been centered on journalism and working for news publications.

However, as someone who is also studying public relations, communications and marketing, those differences are great and well-desired. I have a few experiences in these fields and I’m ready to build up on them.

What a thrill it is to be a part of the IQ family! I’m excited to continue learning from and alongside them as the semester continues to unfold.

Check out this mug I purchased over the weekend! The crown (in my favorite color) obviously represents InternQueen and I am excited to use it during my workdays this week.

My InternQueen mug!

August 26, 2014

InternQueen.com, here I come!

Yesterday marked the beginning of my junior year, but it wasn’t a typical first day of school.

I started my day (at 5:45 a.m., but more on that later) by learning I was officially offered a fall 2014 intern position at InternQueen.com! After three interviews throughout the month of August, the last of which was with the Intern Queen herself, I am extremely excited and grateful to be offered what I know will be a valuable learning experience.

It has been almost two years since I first came across InternQueen.com, which occurred while I was browsing the Internet for cover letter and resume advice. That’s an interesting coincidence because I was seeking this information for my first USA Today Collegiate Correspondent Program application.

Over the course of my first two years of undergrad, I have read numerous blog posts and articles on InternQueen.com — all of which are insightful life tips. I’ve always been pretty hardworking and ambitious – at the very least, I try and give my best – and since I started college I’ve been dedicated to doing what I can to move along the path of achieving my dreams. I still remember walking into the Daily 49er newsroom after my first college class ever and asking how I could get involved with the student newspaper.

It took a semester or two to adjust to being out of high school and to fully realize that I am in charge of the rest of my life from now on, a fact that’s both frightening and exhilarating, though mostly the latter. Sophomore year is when I absorbed a career-driven mentality. I started looking at my classes as career workshops because that’s what they essentially are, especially in my fields, where almost everything we do – articles, interviews, podcasts, videos, blogs, public relations campaigns, marketing plans, press releases, etc. – in class is hands on practice.

I have become familiar with the USA Today College and InternQueen.com, attended campus job fairs to simply converse with job recruiters, connected with some professors, and read any relevant publications I came across. I’ve also read internship descriptions and postings so I can possess a better understanding on what opportunities are out there and what skills recruiters are looking for in their interns.

Long story short, I like to think I’m committed to equipping myself with the knowledge and guidance I need to achieve my goals in life.

In light of this, I’m excited to learn new lessons by interning for InternQueen.com! While the internship involves an array of different skills, most of my tasks will be related to public relations, marketing, and communications. This is very exciting because most of my work so far has been focused on news writing and online media. It’s time for a new adventure.

I’m very eager to begin training for this Internship this week and to officially start working as an InternQueen.com intern next week!

Thank you again, Lauren Berger and InternQueen staff for presenting me with this opportunity.