Studying Abroad: Further Your Education and Become a Global Learner

By Khalid Khalid, Peer for Career

Along with being active on and off campus, another great way to truly step out of your comfort zone and expand your horizons is to study abroad. From the moment of your arrival to your host country, almost every interaction becomes a learning opportunity.

Regardless of where in the world you decide to study abroad, there are many amazing new things to discover, learn and explore. Take, for example, a great, advanced nation like Germany. As a historical landmark, you will have first-hand insight and expand your knowledge of the country by physically being there, seeing it and walking around its beautiful streets and astonishing museums. Immersing yourself in the German culture, speaking to locals, and interacting with them on a daily basis will not only sharpen your ability to see the world from a different perspective but also help you understand yourself and the importance of keeping your own traditions. Too often, just reading about another culture in textbooks or hearing about it from others is not enough to fully understand it.

Additionally, attending a study abroad program at a host university could be another great way to explore other countries’ educational systems. For instance, studying at a German institution of higher education is somewhat different from what we are accustomed to in the United States. All levels of education are nearly free-of-cost and many universities also offer “Corporate Programs.” A Corporate Program involves sponsorship by real world firms such as IBM, Bayer or Biomet who fund students while also offering them opportunities for practical work during school breaks and summer vacations. As an international student, you will have the chance to learn from excellent German instructors who teach real world applications as well as from classmates who have been working with companies for years.

Once you have lived in a host country for a few months, you start building networks and making connections with students from all over the world. As the saying goes, “You never know who the person sitting next to you is going to be.” Whether it’s a classmate, instructor or your dorm-mate, the relationships you form while studying abroad might well be some of the most valuable relationships you will ever make. Even though this might be true anywhere, studying abroad especially brings long-lasting relationships that can pay in the future in different ways.

Believe it or not, by immersing yourself in unfamiliar culture, experimenting with new ways of thinking, or trying a different way of living, you will experience some sort of personal growth and mostly likely come back home with a renewed interest in the world and newfound knowledge. Although living in a foreign country can be overwhelming at times, it can definitely put into motion significant personal development. So here is some advice: take a risk, further the great education you receive here at Baruch and be better prepared to face challenges in the future!

Photo credit: Khalid Khalid, September 2015

Staying Active During the Summer

By Ajay Rattu, Peer for Career

It’s getting warmer out which means that summer is right around the corner. Summer is the time for students to not worry about tests and just soak in some sun and relax. While enjoying the weather and relaxing is great, there is also plenty of time to to spruce up your resume as a student and gain experience in your field of interest. Three main activities that you can add to your summer are: landing an internship, securing a summer job, and volunteering your time to help the community.

Landing a summer internship, whether paid or unpaid, may be one of the best things a student can do to prepare for to finding a job after graduation. An internship not only provides more content for your resume, but more importantly, it also provides you with experience. Experience is always welcome, whether the opportunity was ultimately a good match for you or not, because something can always be learned through experience. The experience you obtain from an internship helps you, as a student, decide if your field of interest is a great fit for you. Through an internship, a student will learn and understand some of the daily responsibilities of their position of interest. Some of the questions students may have, such as, “What kind of things will I be doing on a daily basis?” and “Who do I interact with?” will be answered. Through that experience and a better understanding of the position and industry, the student is able to effectively gauge if they are the right fit for that particular line of work.

Another way a student can gain experience in the summer is through a summer job. Obtaining a summer job is a great way to increase your overall skills and also to create some type of income for yourself. The summer income can assist in a student’s semester expenses. Expenses like tuition, transportation, and food can be taken care of either partially or wholly with the summer income. Along with the summer job and income there is something students should learn to master, which is budgeting! By budgeting their expenses for the semester, students can focus more on their academics rather than stressing if they will need to find work mid-semester.

Although internships summer jobs are important, taking part in some type of volunteer work is also beneficial to a student. Volunteer work and community service is a great way to stay active during the summer while gaining interactive experience. Regardless of the type of assistance a student provides, the student will gain more knowledge either in the work itself or on how to interact with others.
Other suggestions for the summer that may be useful for students are to learn a new skill and to continue reading through the summer. By learning a new skill a student can increase their knowledge and also incorporate it to their resume. Hopefully as a student you are able to do at least one of these things to pave the way to a dream job after graduation. Enjoy your summer!

Informational Interviews: Utilizing Your Network

By Jessica Kweon, Peer for Career

A great way to build your network while gaining a better understanding of an industry you want to pursue is to arrange informational interviews. The purpose of informational interviews is to discover more about a certain field you may be considering; although informational interviews can help you develop productive working relationships that may lead to new opportunities, they should be conducted without any expectation of a job offer. One important thing to keep in mind is that informational interviews are not your standard job application interviews. During informational interviews, you are the interviewer and you get to ask questions about a professional’s experiences, challenges, and interests. Although informational interviews tend to be less stressful, you should always prepare for an informational interview as if it is a real interview and maintain the same level of professionalism.

For a successful informational interview, know exactly what you want to get out of the experience and make sure to do research. Think about industries you are planning on pursuing, the companies you would like to work for, and certain people who you can meet with to help you gain that knowledge. Make sure to take advantage of your current networks such as professors at Baruch, previous employers, friends, or even family. If you are currently working or interning, make sure to benefit from that network as well. Not only do you want to research what you want to learn more about, but also you should consider how that professional can help you. View their LinkedIn profile, browsing their background and their current position. Additionally, be aware of any recent events that have occurred relevant to the industry that might be worth taking note.

Once the professional has accepted your invitation for an informational interview, make sure to be ready. Remember to treat this as a real interview, so be prepared and professional. Have a list of questions available to ask the professional relating to his position and industry. Take notes during the meeting and let the conversation flow naturally. Towards the end, make sure to thank the professional for his or her time. Ask for any referrals for additional potential informational interviews and ask for their business card. Plus do not forget about that Thank You note! The professional has taken time out of his busy schedule to meet with you, so it is appropriate to follow up. Be sure to also keep records of who you have met and what you have learned for future reference.

Although informational interviews can seem intimidating, they are a great way to get informed about the career path you want to follow and clarify your own goals in the process.

Grades, Sleep and Social Life: Give Me All Three

By Christopher Woo, Peer for Career

Most college students have heard that they must pick two out of three: grades, sleep or a social life. With everything that goes on in college between jobs, homework and extracurricular activities, getting two of those seems like a stretch. Three seems impossible. But there are many things a student can do to make the most of their time and reach for the impossible trinity. It all comes down to one of the most important things in college and the working world: time management.

The themes to time management are pretty simple: prioritize, meet deadlines and create an environment where you can be productive. But achieving those themes on a micro level can be difficult, especially with all the distractions around you. Start with prioritizing and getting a planner. For some, writing things down is one helpful way to remember; for others, it’s the major catalyst to accomplishing something that needs to be done. Whether physically on paper, or on a phone, having a to-do list will help you get organized. From there, you can prioritize tasks by deadline and get the urgent ones done first. Planning out your day and sticking to this plan will reduce the chances that you get caught off guard and help you get everything done.

Creating a productive environment is another key to time efficiency. This means leaving social media and phones aside so that you can focus on the work you have to do, which will give you time for sleeping or going out later. Putting your phone on “do not disturb” may silence the need to instantly respond to every notification. For those who are easily distracted, temporarily blocking sites like Facebook, Twitter or Netflix (even if you have “The Walking Dead” to catch up on) may help you focus better on meeting your deadlines.

But one of the biggest keys in managing your time is that you have to know yourself. You are the only one who knows how many responsibilities you can handle. This means saying no when you need to. When people ask for things that may exceed your current capacity, whether social or professional, saying no could be the key to giving yourself enough time to balance everything out. Always saying yes puts a lot more on your plate and makes you the go to person when someone needs something extra done. This could take away from your time to study for good grades, sleep or hang out with friends. Knowing your limits, respecting them, and communicating them considerately to others is the key to balancing and managing your time. Learning to manage your time now will not only allow you to achieve high grades, get enough sleep and enjoy a social life in college, but it will also help you reduce your stress in the professional working world and in life.