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Two weeks ago I attended a Starr Career development workshop (SCDC) a place that guarantees career services to undergraduate students at Baruch college. This workshop truly changed my perspective on a lot of things. This work shop was a good experience for me as it was the first time I was exposed to aspects of a truly professional work environment. I was provided with a lot of new perspectives about the differences between bussiness types. The two main types of businesses are categorized into small businews and large business. The two types have a lot of differences which are not all limited to size. Large business is subject to more taxes and regulations as they usually have more operations, ventures, and employees. As an employees there are many differences as well in being employed at either a small or a big business. Big businesses usually have more available positing and can offer higher starting salaries. However, it was explained that this is not always the best option. Small businesses employ less but offer a more individualized and personal work experience. Small businesses can pay more attention to workers as well as being able to offer a better chance for promotion and individual recognition. For this reason it is a serious question to wonder whether one should be employed in a small or big business setting. Many factors should be considered as discussed in the workshop. Thanks to my experience at the Starr Career Development Center I was able to learn a lot of information about business types and it definitely helped to prepare me for my future career.

The week before Thanksgiving break I visited the STARR Career Development Center to discuss possible internships, discuss my major, and work on my resume. The first step was requesting an appointment. When I met with my advisor we discussed my intended major of marketing. We looked at the different marketing tracks such as international marketing, digital marketing, and so on. I was confused on which track I wanted to go on to, as we looked into each track we discussed which classes for those requirements seemed the most appealing to me. We also discussed the pros and cons of pursuing a specific track and also pursuing the general one. A lot of misinformation was cleared up for me and got me more excited about my future major. Furthermore, we discussed the benefits of finding an internship for the summer even if I was a bit unsure about my major. I was stubborn about the idea before, but she made the important points of getting real experience for a possible major, adding to my resume, and interning for a company that would possibly hire me in the future or refer me to someone else. These points and clarity made me motivated to find opportunities to gain these experiences. Then we also talked about resumes. All of my jobs that I’ve worked were applied to with their own application and interview, I never had to hand in my own resume, therefore I never made one. I had some idea how to write a resume, but absolutely no clue on how to write a good one. I didn’t know how much to include, what was important and what wasn’t, etc. She outlined the basic format of a resume, the standard amount of bullet points, and with the job experiences I shared with her we figured out what was important to say about each one.  

This weekend I attended the Mo Math Museum. As I entered I was immediately bombarded by the weird and unusual contraptions, weird smells, and rush of little kids that surrounded me. The air was filled with words such as “Woahhhhh” and “Ooooooh.” As I ventured further into this mystical land of fun and games I began to revisit my childhood self. I was ecstatic with the fact that I was second in line for the tricycle ride. I was flabbergasted by the idea of someone being able to sit on a chair with one leg and not fall flat on their face. As I walked around the museum I contemplated on what Mo Math was aiming for when they created this place and finally came to a conclusion. They had a similar idea as Walt Disney. What they had made was a Safe Haven. A place for adults whose hopes and dreams had withered away to express their inner child before they go back to their monotonous and melancholy lives. A place for young people to create, develop, and blossom their ideas, and hopefully inspire others to do the same. A place where people could be happy and leave their troubles behind.

I attended a workshop for the STARR Career center about start ups. It was a workshop about careers in start up companies and what to do to get a job in a start up company. The presentation was done by twins and they talked about the importance of a few skills needed to get a job in a start up company. They also talked about some benefits to working at a start up. Some tips that were given were the importance of networking and being “over prepared” for interviews. Preparing questions to ask the company such as, How much capital have you raised? To help us understand their points they used a slide show with a bunch of pictures that tried to be funny. It was like old people trying to be “down with the times”. Although they did attempt to be humorous with the crowd and it was a little weird, they were in fact engaging and did teach me a lot about working at different size companies. It opened my eyes to new perspectives and learning opportunities. They taught me to focus on communication skills and customer service. To improve yourself to help improve the start up you wish to work at. Overall the experience was enjoyable and I did learn alot from the two. Maybe now in the future I will consider working at a start up opposed to a bigger company. It definitely seems to offer different rewards and has its own value elsewhere. 

This picture is simply me doing my job. I work real estate but as someone who wants to get involved in the business world it is more then just that. I learn marketing skills and advertising skills as I must put up advertisements. Off these advertisements I have to take calls and emails about various inquiries if someone is interested which relates to customer service. Then I must maintain client relations as I must balance appointments and coordinate with busy schedule’s including my own. Once I meet them I have to show them a place usually ill have to show a few to find what they like. Often obstacles such as a unit already being rented will occur. I must also explain and look over the financial requirements at time of signing. This all helps with my career path as I don’t know if I would want to stick with this exact job or field forever. However I do know that I want to be un the business or finance world and that  I’m working on some vital skills that  will help me advance or get my foot in the door for these fields. Just like college it is a gateway/learning experience that will prepare me for the future and is an extension of my education beyond the classroom.

With an essay deadline approaching, my friend and I decided to go to the writing center to have the final drafts of our essays reviewed in the hopes of a potentially higher grade. I was definitely skeptical at first because I’ve always been someone who’s had a love for writing, making me self-conscious and defensive when it comes to any of my written work. I’ve always been picky with the help I’ve received, and tend to disregard most of the constructive criticism I get because I convince myself that I’ve put together some impeccable masterpiece that shouldn’t be deconstructed. Walking in I realized it was a very quiet and still environment, but there were plenty of friendly faces. Most of the time that I was sitting there and getting feedback I just kept thinking to myself how valuable this guys’ criticisms could be and if he even understood the approach I was taking in this essay about gender. He could tell off the  bat that I was a bit anxious and impatient, so he just looked through my paper first with minimal commentary and corrections. He then looked over it a second time and told me that while my writing was strong and relevant that my organization needed adjustment and that I would get ahead of myself within certain subtopics. While I wasn’t happy to hear any sort of critiques in the first place, I knew that I had to listen, because this was a service that was provided to me for my benefit, not to set me up for failure. While I do tend to be closed off to criticism, this is something I may consider doing in the future, because it can only improve my writing, and later, boost my ego! 

Last week, I visited the Starr Career Development Center to learn more about the resources that Baruch offers and how the Starr Center provides special care for its students. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to make an appointment with Starr. All I had to do was log into my Starr account and request a time that was suitable for me. When I entered the Starr room, I was welcomed by a woman at the front who asked me if it was my first time meeting a counselor. When I answered yes, she gave me a form to fill with basic questions about myself. After some time, I was called to meet my counselor. My counselor was Mrs. Adia Tucker. She kindly welcomed me into her office with a bright smile. I told her my concerns about being an undecided major and how I felt behind because most of the students at Baruch seemed like they knew what they wanted to do career-wise. She told me not to worry and that during my four years at Baruch, I will definitely find my academic fit and a field of study that I will enjoy. When she asked me what my favorite subject was, I answered: “I’m not sure.” Then, she introduced me to the Focus 2 self-assessment website. She broke down how each part of the assessment was to help me get to know myself a little better and how this knowledge would help me explore my career paths. Furthermore, she advised me to talk to as many upperclassmen who have gone through the same experience as me.  She told me that current Baruch students were the most reliable resources. Finally, she gave me confidence telling me that I was not alone in having an undecided major. She was truly helpful in lessening my worries. After our session, I was motivated even more to find out my passion. It also made me realize how Baruch offers so many resources and that it is the students’ responsibility to seek for them. Overall, it was a great experience and I would definitely go back to my counselor for more advice. 

Among the many opportunities during club hours, there are often fairs around school that allow students to network and meet various business professionals ranging in categories from start-ups to investment banking and beyond. I attended the Start-up tech fair at the Newman Vertical Campus presented by Hillel at Baruch. This event had a panel of entrepreneurs and the panel was led by the President of the club I’m in which is called Tamid. The people on the panel were asked questions that had to do with advice on classes, advice on life, and how to get out there and start setting yourself up for success. Some advice that was given from the Panel members regarding what classes to take were: take philosophy, take organizational classes, as well as learn how to communicate effectively and with confidence. These are invaluable tactics to put yourself on the path to starting your own company or functioning as a productive employee in this type of work environment. After the Panel discussion, students had the opportunity to introduce themselves to the members and ask questions regarding their respective companies and possible internships. Networking is a staple in business so this was a great opportunity to see it in full effect. There were also 5 hidden envelopes with prizes placed under randoms chairs with prizes including gift cards and even an Amazon Alexa. This was a great opportunity and I look forward to attending more fairs and career fairs at Baruch throughout my time here.

For those who may not know, I am an aspiring lawyer. I’m currently doing undergraduate here at Baruch, majoring in Political Science, before attending law school. After scheduling an appointment with the Pre-Law advisor here at Baruch, Tina Coco, I’ve been able to join the amazing Pre-Law Society we have here at Baruch.

Almost every week during club hours, the Pre-Law society holds various workshops for Pre-Law students to help assist them in their future. The first one I attended was of a law school panel of some of the most highly regarded law schools in the country. Law schools such as UPenn, Northwestern, UC Berkley, and Cornell.

It’s a bit intimidating being in front of these admission officers for these law schools with no doubt. After all, it’s like they are determining your fate. However, they were probably some of the most welcoming people you’ll ever meet. They were all lawyers themselves, so they were totally aware of how vigorous the school process can be. However, they were more than glad to speak about their schools and how to overcome these challenges. On top of that, us Pre-Law students were able to ask questions.

Although my top law schools are currently Harvard and Columbia, I was surprised to find the great characteristics of each of these law schools, which is now making me consider to apply in the future! UC Berkley has a policy in which they don’t rank their students at all, from this they have found to have found better work ethics since students aren’t so stressed about their rank. All these law schools offer many dual degree programs. For example, you can obtain a PhD while getting your Juris Doctorate. UPenn Law’s admission officer is a part time yoga instructor at the law school! I’m highly considering UPenn as well since I need some more yoga in my life. However, I’m excited to see where my future will take me. I’m a firm believer in things happening for a reason, so I can’t wait to see how my law career will play out!