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Career Advice and Suggestions From Fulton
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BELOW ARE FULTON SCHOOL MENTORS AND CAREER ADVICE AND SUGGESTIONS FROM
THEM |
 Mr. Norman Adkins
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■ Title-Business Manager for one of their 5 operating
Divisions, the Division of Enterprise and Custom Applications (DECA)
■ Employer-National
Institutes of Health (NIH) in their Center for Information Technology
(CIT)
■ Major-Political Science-Traditional Major
■ Minor-Communication Arts
■ Year of Graduation-2003ABOUT MY CAREER:
I work at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in their Center for
Information Technology (CIT). I am a Business Manager for one of their 5
operating Divisions, the Division of Enterprise and Custom Applications
(DECA). In this role, I manage the finances and associated contract
vehicles that are used in this division. My role is to partner with
Leadership and assist them with achieving the organizational goals while
maintaining compliance and recovering costs through the individual
projects managed in the Division.
CAREER RELATED SUGGESTIONS:
I encourage all students to consider employment with the Federal
Government. If you are not interested in military service, consider the
civil service. I feel that the long-term benefits of a career in the
Federal Government are more valuable than you can find anywhere else.
However, obtaining employment in this arena can be a bit challenging. I
encourage you to consider government contractors as a potential
employer. They too, can offer an array of options simply through the
contracts they have in the Government. The experience obtained will be a
valuable asset when attempting to obtain employment with the government.
While in college, I would take advantage of your educational time to
research professional certifications in the field you are considering.
Although a degree is a key to opening many doors of opportunity, a
professional certification can put you above many that also have a
degree. In addition, you will have the chance to 'tailor' your education
to meet the requirements of obtaining a certification.
Another suggestion that I have to offer is to actively participate in
relevant activities as well as work related functions. For example,
becoming a Resident Assistant can be experience used at many different
employers. Not only does it look good that you were involved in campus
activities, but you receive experience in public speaking, leadership,
adhering to a budget, conflict resolution, etc. In addition, take
advantage of your summers and winters. You could locate an internship or
job that would be relevant to what you want to
do. Not only do you gain valuable experience, but you may build valuable
relationships that could potentially land you a job upon graduating
college.
One final suggestion I have is to take advantage of the services that
are in front of you. For example, use Career Services for assistance
with Resume writing, speak to your professors about internship
opportunities, and get involved with your University. Never be afraid to
schedule an appointment with a Recruiter at a company or organization of
interest and ask their recruiters for feedback. They can be real
valuable in telling you what their company is looking for in their
workforce.
MY BACKGROUND:
I graduated Salisbury University in June 2003. During my tenure at SU, I
was a Resident Assistant and participated in many activities such as the
College Republicans, Student Government, etc. I also worked a Radio
Shack and Campus Police for a short period of time while in College. I
received the Outstanding Student Leadership Scholarship in 2002.
Upon graduating, I immediately started work Healthcare Sales Recruiter
for Maxim Healthcare Services, Inc., a healthcare staffing firm. I was
later promoted to an Accounts Manager for their Woodbridge Branch. I
worked as a Recruiter for a large Healthcare System for a short period
prior to being offered employment with NIH/CIT. Since my time at NIH, I
have obtained the Project Management Professional Certification that is
recognized widely by Project Management Organizations such as the IT
arena. I currently am married to Morgan E. Adkins, RN who is too an
Alumni of Salisbury University.
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Mr. Anthony Butler
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■ Title-Assistant
Director of Student Involvement
■ Employer-University of Baltimore
■ Major-English
■ Minor-Communication Arts
■ Year of Graduation-1999
■ Graduate School Major-Master's in Publications
Design, Specialization in Creative
Writing, earned May 2002, Univ. of Baltimore |
1. I was hired in
November 2005 as the Assistant Director of Student Involvement. Six
years and several jobs after earning my Bachelor's degree, I finally
found a position I feel is perfect for me. I got my Bachelor's in
English with a minor in communications at Salisbury, and spent a lot of
time working in student life on events and leadership programs. I worked
for a year in the non-profit sector in PR & Marketing, then went to
University of Baltimore to pursue a Master's Degree in Publications
Design (on the recommendation of the great Career Center at SU!). After
that, I returned to Salisbury to work in the non-profit sector, but
found I wasn't fulfilled. My passion was working with college students
and helping them become leaders; something I did at the undergraduate
and graduate level. That led me to UB, first as an Admissions Counselor,
where I spent two and a half years developing
valuable communication and interpersonal skills, and meeting some
excellent contacts in the field of higher education. I also developed a
much stronger tie to the University of Baltimore, which was a tremendous
asset when the Student Involvement position came open.
2. Getting a job is like getting a house. Don't expect your first
one to be perfect. Look for some aspect that appeals to you, and
connects with something you're passionate about, like writing or public
speaking, or science and technology. Chances are you will pick up skills
you did not even know you needed, which will come in handy when applying
for
other positions.
A job is an investment in the future. Find a position that ensures you
will learn some of the basic skills you'll need to excel in your field.
The three full-time jobs I held prior to this one each prepared me in
some way for what I'm doing now. I learned about how to network with
professionals, how to motivate and lead other staff, how to create
successful publications and develop and deliver presentations to large
audiences. All of these skills are vital to my success now, and I
wouldn't have learned them if I hadn't started "at the bottom." No job
is too small. Be aware that the first jobs you get will equip you to
deal with the challenges of your future, and know that you are building
the foundation of a successful career.
3. Apply for jobs even if you don't think you'll get them. The
interview phase is getting more and more competitive and complex. Many
interviews for the higher-level positions require a half- or full-day
visit, including several meetings, lunch and a presentation. The best
way to
succeed at these interviews is practice.
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Mr. Douglas Bell
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■ Title-President
■ Employer-Douglas Bell & Associates, Inc.
■ Major-BA Interpersonal Communications, Salisbury
State College
BS Information Systems Management, UMBC, 1984
■ Year of Graduation-1981 |
1. For twenty-two years
in my main career I have enjoyed a wide variety of business experiences
related to computer science / information systems, technical software
sales, software product development, consulting services sales and
running my own consulting company.
Over the years I've also worked as a professional musician, a Top 40
radio disc jockey, and for the Boy Scouts of America. I've been lucky
enough to have enjoyed these other career areas that upon reflection
have been a tremendous help in my cumulative professional career.
The most important thing I've recognized over the years is that it is
very important to have a specific skill area of expertise. Over the
years I've developed a lot of practical knowledge in the area of
database software (Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase) and
developing database related products and business applications. Deciding
on a focused skill area early in my career has helped me by establishing
a foundation on which to grow.
Everyone should have a specific skill area they enjoy that they can
build their career upon.
The second most important thing is to augment that specific skill area
with a wide variety of secondary skills. In my case, as a small business
owner the most important of these secondary skills are interpersonal
communications, general business management, business law, sales and
marketing and basic accounting. Of these secondary skills interpersonal
communications is absolutely the most important area. You'll never get
anything of significance accomplished without developing a knack for
working well with others.
2. While in college it is critical to look for real-life working
opportunities in your prospective field so you can gather some practical
experience before graduation.
At Salisbury State I was the manager of the college radio station, in
the old days known as WSSC. This experience was very difficult and time
consuming, but it taught me a lot about radio and was really my first
exposure to dealing with a variety of interesting personalities you'll
run into in the workplace. It also led to two different jobs working in
commercial radio.
At UMBC I worked through the college internship program as a software
developer at a major utility in Baltimore. This did add on to the length
of time it took me to graduate with my second degree. However, I made a
pretty good hourly wage which helped pay for college and it was a
tremendous learning experience. When I graduated I was astonished to
find that prospective employers were offering me salaries 30% higher
than my peers that did not go through an internship program and had no
practical experience. |
 Mr.
Carlos Mir
(Click on picture to enlarge) |
■ Title-Associate
Manager , Eastern Shore Office-Fund Raiser and Event Coordinator
■ Employer-American Diabetes Association
■ Major-BA in Communications Arts-Theater/TV focus
■ Minor-Philosophy
■ Year of Graduation-1989
(4-year Lacrosse Player) |
Working for a non profit
organization is very reward to the sole. When I decided to work
for a non profit organization I felt empowered with a purpose a belief
that I am truly helping someone and the development of our future.
My Marketing skills and my high energy gave me the drive to stay in this
type of field.
My position is not easy but is very rewarding. In searching for a
position or a career take time to look at who you are. Find your passion
and start from there. I would have never discovered this type of
work if I had not volunteered for a fund raiser for a theater group (My
passion) I would not have met the person who hired me. What a surprise,
so my advice to anyone would be-Find your passion, get involved by
volunteering, Meet as many people as you can as well as learn the
basics. From there practice as much as you can. Internships
are great because they provide a window into a career that you might
know nothing about.
Also when you do well in your intern ship you will have more to offer
your new employer plus it will help you sell your self for your first
job. |
 Mr.
Bruce W. Cort
|
■ Title-Owner
■ Employer-Cort & Associates, Inc. (selling corporate
and commercial aircraft)
■ Major-History
■ Year of Graduation-1971
■ Graduate School Major-Completed all courses
required for an MA in Latin American History at UMD/College Part in 1973
but did not finish the dissertation. I earned an MAS from The Johns
Hopkins University in 1982. |
| My employment history includes
Ford Motor Credit Corp (1972-73), Xerox Corporation (1773-80) and Omni
International Corporation (1981-1987). My background has always been in
Sales and in 1987 I started Cort & Associates, Inc. which is involved in
selling corporate and commercial aircraft. Advice that I have for SU
students and graduates is as follows: Be patient but aggressive.
Remember that there are plenty of opportunities for those who, as Edison
said "hustle while they wait". All changes come from either boredom or
frustration. There is a silver lining inside of every cloud! Never be
afraid to ask for advice...it is the most sincere form of flattery and
most people will go out of their way to help you if you make the
request. The
most valuable asset you have are your contacts and network of people.
Finally, remember your Alma Mater. Support the school financially, even
if you are only able to afford a small donation. Try to put something
back into the system which we all have benefited from. |
Jennie Wollenweber
|
■ Title-Ph.D
Student and Tutor, Teacher in Summer and next fall
■ Employer-The George Washington University
■ Major-English- Literature Concentration,
Philosophy
■ Year of Graduation-1993 |
1. How difficult is it to work
and obtain your doctorate?
If you can afford it, give up the restaurant and retail jobs. I suggest
working while obtaining your doctoral degree if the work you will do can
help you build your vitae or resume. One pitfall to avoid, however, is
getting caught-up in your career-oriented job so much that your school
work takes a back seat. Always remember that your primary job is being a
PhD candidate. Oh - and plan to be poor at least until you finish your
program!2. What made you decide to pursue your PhD?
Since I had no idea what I wanted to do when I finished my undergraduate
work at SU, and after some traveling the following year, I applied for a
MA program because school is what I knew best. I also thought I might
like to be in the academic world since I would always have my summers
free to travel. To my surprise, I was accepted into the program and
required to teach introductory level writing and literature courses; I
fell in love with teaching immediately, something I never thought I
would do just two years prior. When I completed my MA, the next logical
step for me was to pursue my PhD since to find a full-time college or
university teaching position at a four-year institution in any
humanities field now requires the degree.
3. What is the most challenging part of your program?
The most challenging part of my program is not the work-load, but
keeping myself on course. Now at the dissertation stage, I must manage
my daily research and writing time while also studying for my language
exam. No papers are due, and no one checks-up on me; it is my
responsibility to get the work done. Often I would rather be in the
classroom (or outside of the classroom in the field where much of my
teaching occurs) than doing my own research and learning to speak
Spanish, but these two things are inevitable final steps I must complete
to finish my degree. At least my research is exciting and exactly what I
want to be studying!
4. What do you hope to do with it once you are finished?
One I complete my degree, I hope to obtain a full-time, tenure-track
position at a four year institution where I can teach experiential
environmental humanities courses, such as environmental literature,
history, and philosophy. I'm lucky in that I already teach many of
these courses, such as a January semester in the Florida Everglades &
Keys, or a 3-4 week course in San Francisco and Yosemite, Wilderness
History and Experience, and Thoreauvian Science. Not your typical
English PhD student's schedule, I know, but it is what my particular
degree is tailored to help me do -- and I hope I'll be doing this sort
of work for a long time!
5. Foreign Languages-Yes or No?
Please encourage students to take their foreign language classes
seriously - even if they never plan to pursue a job in which they will
be required to speak that language. As a student studying 19th and some
20th century environmental literature/humanities, I will not
likely use Spanish in my career (unless I turn to eco-justice advocacy),
but I am required to be proficient in at least one language to obtain my
degree. Who knew? |
Mike Trader
|
■ Title-Adolescent/youth
Mental Health Therapist
■ Employer-Worcester County Health Department
■ Major-Psychology and Philosophy
■ Year of Graduation-2002
Graduate School Major-Master of Social Work Degree in May, 2006. I
passed my exam and became a licensed Social Worker (LGSW) |
I am currently working for the
Health Department's School-based Therapy program, providing mental
health services to adolescents in school, home, and community settings.
It is an exciting field, where each day is different from the last. I
have been working in this field since December, 2002 (over 3 1/2 years).
My advice to undergraduate students would be to research and work in
internships in the field before graduating. Some people simply find that
this field is not for them. First-hand knowledge before graduating would
be extremely beneficial. Also, I recommend talking to those working in
the field, to get a real-life view of what such work entails.
Undergraduate students looking to get into the mental health field
should be prepared and planning to attend graduate school. As health
care
restrictions become more stringent, there are fewer jobs for those
without a graduate degree and license. Also, I have found that even
undergraduate Psychology students should consider a Master's degree in
Social Work, as research would show them that an MSW will afford them
many more options than
a Master's degree in Psychology. |
Natalie (Palm) Davis
|
■ Title-Editorial
Coordinator
■ Employer-Academic Medicine, a peer reviewed monthly
medical education journal
■ Major-Sociology
■ Minor-Art
■ Year of Graduation-2005 |
I am an Editorial Coordinator
for Academic Medicine, a peer reviewed monthly medical education
journal, in Washington, DC.
My advice is to try anything that comes your way. After being
unsuccessful in finding a job related to sociology, I decided to try a
professional placement agency. Most places ask for at least one year
experience, which is hard to find. So I figured even if I did not like
the placement, as least I would gain experience. I was placed in a
position that I was qualified for though never thought of as a job for
me. I have come to love my work and my position and have gained many
valuable skills. I have learned that patience with a job is priceless.
By having patience and not "job-hopping" I began to move up in my job.
I have also found that persistence is a great quality to possess in the
work world. Find your niche in your job and push through for bigger and
better things. Fresh eyes and determination will get you far in a job.
However, being persistent does not mean being aggressive. It is
important to learn the difference between the two.
In the editing world you must be focused as the job has a lot of picky
rules that one must follow. You must also be able to juggle multiple
tasks at once. Often editors have multiple papers to edit along with
side projects, all of which must be done on time. Working for a monthly
journal also adds monotony to a job, which can be good or bad depending
on your work style. For me it adds some routine and predictability to
part of my work which otherwise could be overwhelming. Think of the type
of work environment you want to be in and look for that.
You will spend more time in the office than at home, make sure you like
the environment, commute, people and work. |
 Michael Torreyson
|
■ Title-Project
Manager
■ Employer-US Department of Housing and Urban
Development
■ Major-BA-History and Political Science
■ Year of Graduation-2001
■ Graduate School Major-MPA-Public
Administration-Arizona State University 2003 |
1. Provide a few
sentences about your career and any advice that may help students
A research brief from the Office of Personnel Management reports that
nearly one third of full-time, white-collar federal government workers
are now close to retirement. This is the greatest time in history to
consider a career with the federal government. Beyond the great
benefits, comparable wages and job security that accompanies federal
service, you will have the opportunity to have a impact on the lives of
the citizens our or nation on a daily basis. With the anticipated wave
of retirement that the federal government will experience in the next
five years, the opportunities in the federal government will be
unlimited.
2. Offer any career-related suggestions to better prepare students for a
career in your industry.
Do not be intimidated by the application process. While the application
process is a long and arduous process, the rewards (student-loan
repayment, flex-time, telework, transit subsidies, and having a job that
makes a difference) are well worth the challenges of navigating the
application process. For assistance with your KSAs(knowledge, skills and
abilities-the most important part of your application) visit the SU
career services center, or the various resources on the internet. |
 Kenna
L. Lowe
|
■ Title-Assistant Director of
Public Affairs
■ Employer-Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Office of
Communications & Public Affairs, which is part of External Affairs
■ Major-Communication Arts, with concentration in Print Media
■ Minor: Marketing
■ Year of Graduation-1999 |
1. I primarily work with
reporters - arranging telephone, radio and TV interviews with faculty
about various public health issues. When possible, I sit down with the
faculty and do a brief media training or identify the key messages
they'll present in their interview. I also write news releases, webpage
articles and Q&As on studies being published in peer-reviewed journals
or topics that are in the news. We try to do anything we can to make the
JHSPH the "go to" institution for public health news. That includes
podcasts, interviews of visiting scholars, dynamic content on our web
page, etc.
Because we are the #1 school of public health in the world, we get quite
a few media calls. You have to be organized (to keep up with the amount
of calls and the details of the various requests). And, I quickly
learned that we can't do every single request we receive.
2. Don't focus your education in one area; take as many different
classes as possible. Work on the newspaper, radio and TV. Learn as much
as you can from professors. Do informational interviews (not just b/c
they are a class assignment). I've found that PR practitioners love to
talk about what they do. By getting to know the different types of PR
groups (agencies, business, government, small, large, etc.), you can
figure out where you want to start your career. A small group will ask
you to do a little of everything. A large organization will ask you to
do a lot about a specific thing. There are benefits and advantages to
both, but you need to decide where you will fit right out of college.
Also, do as many internships at different organizations as possible.
Don't allow yourself to become comfortable and do a second internship in
a similar organization. Even if you are fine at your internships, once
you get into the workforce, you'll most likely tire of it quickly. Make
sure you challenge yourself to try new things.
Keep up on what's going on in the world and in the profession. Go to
PRSA and IABC meetings and don't be afraid to network. Go up to
strangers and ask for their cards and an informational interview. You
may be intimidated, but they will be flattered. You never know if that
could be your first, second, third or tenth boss.If you are
interested in PR look at http://prsa.org/_Advance/apr/index.asp. I'm
going through the APR process now. It's self-driven, so not as easy as a
structured graduate program. It's challenging, but I've learned so much
more about the profession I've already been in for seven years.
Finally, don't expect to work in one company for 15, 20 or 30 years.
That is extremely rare anymore. Always be on the look out for your next
opportunity. If you don't have the experience you think you need, then
go out and get it by volunteering on a campaign/not-for-profit
communications committee and the like.
Get a mentor or two or five! They've been where you are and can offer
invaluable information about job openings and suggestions on PR
campaigns. |
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Tyesha Green |
1. I graduated from SSU
in 1999 with a BS in Liberal Studies and then went to UMES for a MEd in
Guidance and Counseling. I graduated from UMES in 2002. I attended the
University of Rochester's Accelerated Nursing program and graduated in
2005.
2. I currently work as a nurse in public health (at the health
department). Before working here, I worked at a different health
department that i did not like and before that, I worked in the
hospital. I have had a lot of experiences but that is what you get in
nursing. You are in HIGH demand and can do almost anything. If you are
currently in nursing school, take full advantage of all of your courses
and clinicals because you never know what my grab your attention. I
entered nursing school KNOWING that i wanted to work in psychiatric
nursing; however, that did not turn out to be the case. In fact, I was
drawn to a population that I never thought I would like because I didn't
like them and they did not like me. I am talking about pediatrics. I
love that population, they are an amazing group of little people. So,
never say never.
3. As a new nurse, DO NOT go into any specialty areas. I know that it
can be tempting because it seems like a great experience when you see it
in nursing school, but nursing school and being an RN are two TOTALLY
different things. If you know what population you like, if it is
pediatrics, adults, psychiatry, or whatever, work on a general floor in
that area. I say this because it is important to develop basic skills
before moving to any specialty like Pediatric ICU, Adult medical ICU,
Surgical areas and so forth. You will thank yourself. You will develop a
level of comfort that you need to be able to survive. Been there done
that!
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