networking

5 Lessons I Learned from Networking with 8th Graders

Guest Post from Rob at ONGIG.com who attended our Citizen Schools California 6 Degrees Bay Area event in January.

I was privileged to participate in a Citizen Schools event in which 8th graders from Oakland, California got to practice their networking skills with a handful of “adults” with jobs, like me.

The whole idea was to get these kids to practice networking skills: handing out their resumes, talking about their career aspirations. Awesome!

1) Kids Like To Smile More Than Adults

Read more…

Fidelity Hosts 6 Degrees New Mexico

Last Friday, December the 2nd, at Fidelity Investments in Albuquerque, about 30 students from both Van Buren Middle School in Albuquerque, and De Vargas Middle School in Santa Fe, New Mexico met with 30 volunteers from Fidelity Investments (15),  local law firms (and law students), local non-profits, a veterinarian clinic, Bank of America and the Pope Joy Hall Performance Center at the University of New Mexico.

Students and volunteers participated in Speed Networking, each student/volunteer spent 4 minutes conversing before the students rotated to a new volunteer. At the end the students put their business cards in a fish bowl drawing where three students won prizes donated by Fidelity. There was a 20 minute free mingle time to finish the event where students could talk further to someone they already met or introduce themselves to someone they did not get an opportunity to meet during the speed networking portion.

 

Volunteer Ben Lewinger from Albuquerque Reads and the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce had this to say about the event,

“The Citizen Schools 6 Degrees event was a great opportunity for students to ask uninhibited questions about various educational and career paths, and a great opportunity for volunteers to share what they do and where they’ve been…and witness the excitement and maturity of some of New Mexico’s up-and-comers.  Both groups learned a lot from each other and about themselves.”

Leean Kravitz, the Director of Public Affairs at Fidelity concluded that,

“Participating in an event like 6 Degrees really brings home the impact of what Citizen Schools does to help students see their potential and plan for their future”. 

 

Making Work, Work: 4 Ways to Advocate for Yourself on the Job

Ann Lambert  is a second year Teaching Fellow at the Irving Middle School, Roslindale MA

1.)  Recognize your resources—and use them

Courtesy of diversitymbamagazine.com

At most organizations there are a wealth of people with extremely interesting stories to tell, past experiences from which you can learn, and connections to share.  Talk to them.  Get on their radar.  If they recognize you as a hungry employee (for lunch, yes… but also for opportunity) with initiative and a desire to learn, they’ll call upon you when opportunities arise.  Get your name out there:  you never know when you’ll reap the benefits of that 10 minute chat you had with the head of the department. 

 I know from experience…  After requesting an informational interview with Citizen Schools’ President and COO during the first year of the fellowship, I was instantly introduced to three extremely accomplished people working in organizations or fields that I found interesting.  Your colleagues are connected.  Let them connect you. 

Courtesy activerain.com

2.)  Speak Up

Unhappy?  Don’t assume you’re the exception to the rule.  Make your voice heard and others will rally behind you.  Take the time to organize your thoughts and articulate your point, then:  Send an email.  Talk to a respected colleague or mentor.  Arrange a meeting with your supervisor.  Do something.  Maybe nothing will change… but you won’t know until you try!

I know from experience… As Teaching Fellows, we have the opportunity to work with an external partner or a department within Citizen Schools as our “morning partnership”, in addition to the work we do in the schools during the afternoon.  Towards the end of my first year of the fellowship, I had yet to hear what my partnership placement would be for my second year; and it was unclear as to whether or not I would even have a say in what my position would be.  Feeling uncertain and anxious about what lay ahead, and hearing similar gripes from my Teaching Fellow colleagues, I drafted an email to the appropriate audience expressing our concerns.  Within a week, a clarifying email went out, a person was designated to field questions related to the impending year, and Fellows were given a clear system and timeline for how and when they would be assigned a partnership for the following year.  There is power in words.  Use them as a catalyst for action.

3.)  Do your research to help your case

Having raw data—quantitative and qualitative—can never hurt.  Your superiors are more inclined to listen if you can substantiate your claims.  Whether it’s a formal survey or compiling anecdotes from relevant constituents, find a way to back up the reasons for your proposal or demands.

I know from experience…  I spent the first year of my job writing a monthly newsletter to be distributed across the national network of Teaching Fellows: “The Frequent Flyer”.  The data generated by the program I used to create and distribute the e-letter showed that between 25 and 35% of Fellows were reading it—not bad for an electronic publication, but not enough to justify the time and effort put into it.  So, I compiled the facts and figures, administered a survey to discern the most effective ways to disseminate information to Teaching Fellows, led focus groups asking the audience what they wanted, and proposed a new communication system to my supervisor.  Let’s just say, “The Frequent Flyer” doesn’t come so frequently anymore; and a new communication system has taken its place.

Courtesy of bazzeta.pupazzo.org

4.)  Know what you want… then ask.

Your mom, your dad, your teacher … someone in your life, at one point or another, has used some form of the age-old adage “the stupidest question is the one that’s not asked”.  This is especially true when vying for a position, a responsibility, or an opportunity in the workplace.  After all, you can’t advocate for yourself if you haven’t even shown your hand and made your demands—or your polite requests (depending on your personal style).  Once you know what kind of work you find fulfilling and have identified what you really want out of your job, ask for it.  All they can say is “No.”

I know from experience…  Upon reflecting on the parts of my job that I like the most and why, I realized that I enjoy crafting a message for a specific audience and thinking up creative ways to deliver that message.  I articulated this to the people who might be able to cater to these interests (aka the Marketing and Recruitment Teams).  The outcome?  I’m writing for the Citizen Schools InspirED blog (keep reading it!); I’m managing the Campus Recruitment Twitter account to attract and retain the interest of Teaching Fellow candidates; and I’m working on creating marketing collateral showcasing professional pathways taken by Teaching Fellow Alumni.  There’s work to be done everywhere; and most people are receptive to an extra set of helping hands (and minds).  All you have to do is ask! 

 

What advice do you have for young professionals advocating for themselves on the job?

Citizen Schools Co-Sponsors the Bay Area Leadership and Social Justice Conference

UC Berkley Campus Coordinator Intern Jalessa Bryant , California Campus Recruitment Manager Holly Przybyla, and Regional Talent Fellow Darielle Davis. Recruiting college leaders at the Bay Area Social Justice and Leadership Conference co-sponsored by Citizen Schools.

Citizen Schools California Talent Team

On Sunday, October 16th, Citizen Schools proudly co-sponsored the Bay Area Leadership and SocialJustice Conference for the second year in a row. The event took place on the campus of University of California Berkeley and sought to empower Bay Area College students, by giving them an opportunity to network and build the skills necessary to make positive changes on their campuses. Students from more than six different colleges and universities, including Stanford University, Sonoma State University, and Santa Clara University, come together to network with leaders in the Bay Area.

The keynote speakers Braham Ahmad, the founder of Peoples Grocery and Oakland’s mayor Jean Quan, a Berkeley Alumni and the first Asian American female mayor of a major city in the US. The speakers addressed this year’s theme of “Moving from Passion to Action”. The keynotes spoke to the young leaders about the importance of standing firm in their beliefs and maintaining a strong support system.

Citizen Schools California Campus Recruitment Manager Holly Przybyla, Sean Diaz (a TF2 at Lionel Wilson Prep), and Carrie Donavan (K-12 Program Manager at Cal Corps Public Service Center)

This conference provided Citizen Schools with the opportunity to reach out to students who are unfamiliar with our program and engage those who were excited in the opportunity to teach middle school students their passion. A nursing student at Holy Names University, Megan Allen, was excited when she learned that she could teach a healthy living nursing class to our sixth graders in Oakland. As was Komal Ahmad, a senior at UC Berkeley, who founded a student groups that aims to educate students about healthy eating and cooking. He quickly signed up to become a Citizen Teacher and asked when to expect an email about volunteer opportunities.

As an organization Citizen Schools aims to give our students access to some of the brightest and most dedicated volunteers and educators.  This conference allowed college students access to an organization that works every day turning passion into action. Holly Przybyla, the Campus Recruitment Manager for California, sat on an educational pathways panel to discuss the opportunities and benefits Citizen Schools provides to middle school students all over the nation. She also introduced the new certification program through REACH Institute, that gives Teaching Fellows the opportunity to earn a teaching credentials. Simultaneously, Sean Diaz, a second year Teaching Fellow in Oakland, CA attended an alumni panel and discussed his experience and how Citizen Schools has helped him develop as a leader and educator.