17 May

Preparing For The Interview

Posted by spartanshelpingspartans in Careers, Job Search Stuff, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , .

Today Lisa and I decided to have a candid conversation about preparing for an interview. Keep in mind, this is unscripted brainstorming. It is not our final word(s) on the subject, nor is it “expert opinion.” We do these videos as a way of letting you into all of the random conversations we have whereby our two heads put together stimulate at least one good idea (usually) that is better than if either of us approached a subject alone!

______________________________________________________________________________

Dave Isbell has been a Career Coach since 1999 and is currently the Alumni Career Service Coordinator at Michigan State University and a part-time contractual therapist in the counseling department at St Vincent Catholic Charities. When he is not working, he is enjoying domestic bliss with his wife and kids, serving as a leader in his church, or playing rock music on his bass guitar. You can find him on Twitter (@helpingspartans) and sometimes he writes about compassion, collaboration, and career for this blog.

Lisa joined the Michigan State University Alumni Association as Director of Alumni Career & Business Services on May 1, 2012. Her primary focus is to develop effective networking and resource channels for experienced alumni interested in professional development and job search strategy assistance. Additionally, Lisa works directly with corporate, education, foundation and government partners seeking to attract qualified talent, retain and develop good employees, and establish collaborative relationships in line with their established goals and objectives.

With 15+ years’ experience in third party recruiting, Lisa offers a balanced understanding of both employee and employer perspectives.

Lisa is a firm advocate of the networking process and considers it a vital element in a successful job search. In addition to helping job seekers develop and best utilize networking contacts, Lisa shares her knowledge and insight-gained aiding corporate recruiting efforts-to give Spartan job seekers an edge in terms of lead sourcing, resume presentation and interview strategy.

Among Lisa’s notable accomplishments: Prima Civitas Foundation Scholar; Michigan Works Association Volunteer of the Year; Pink Slip Mid Michigan Planning Committee; RecruiterUncensored.com career content blogger.

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Michigan State University.

15 May

Poverty: It’s Complicated

Posted by spartanshelpingspartans in Collaboration, Compassion, Featured Friends, Featured Spartans, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

Writer & Photographer: Josh Lieto

Preface: Research Analyst Josh Lieto examines the role regional history, traditional culture and our own conceptions of “poverty” affect the way Spartan Global inspires change on a global scale.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This wheelbarrow resting against a makeshift storage shed is a snapshot of life in rural Mexico.

This wheelbarrow resting against a makeshift storage shed is a snapshot of life in rural Mexico.

A stone hearth to my right and a straw roof above, I hunched over a tiny table, sitting at an even tinier chair. Directly across from me a few gourds were swinging carelessly from a sturdy pole, playing games with the few rays of sun that filtered in from outside. Smiling faintly, the woman at my side –Doña Natividad was her name – reached for a round, orange gourd and placed it gently in front of me.

“Yaan in pak’achtiko’on,” she said. After weeks of intense, twisting dialogues in an obscure and exquisitely foreign tongue, it was a relief to hear such a grammatically simple sentence. In Maaya t’aan, the language of people throughout the Yucatán peninsula, Doña Natividad had just informed me that we were about to make tortillas – which, incidentally, was one of my favorite things to do.

Maaya t’aan, or Yucatec Maya as it is known in English, is the language of around 800,000 people in Mexico and parts of Belize and Guatemala. An ancient indigenous language of Central America, its linguistic ancestor is attested in the famous Maya hieroglyphic writing system of pre-Colombian times. I spent six weeks in June and July of 2012 intensively studying this tongue, living in Valladolid, Mexico and conducting homestays in the nearby Maya village of Xocén. Doña Natividad was a native of Xocén, and she and her husband, Don Eustolio, welcomed me into their house. By western standards, it was a modest dwelling – a thatched roof house with a stone hearth and few hammocks – but to them, it was home.

* * *

To anthropologists, Xocén is known as “el pueblo en el centro del mundo,” “the town in the center of the world.” This speaks to the belief, pervasive throughout Maya-speaking communities, that the Yucatán peninsula is situated at the midpoint of the entire universe, the stars, planets and rest of the world rotating around it. To geographers, of course, the peninsula is simply a tropical limestone slab jutting out into the Caribbean Sea, north the equator but south of the tropic of Cancer.

Who is right?

At first, the question seems silly. And maybe this is because geographers are not actively telling people that their conception of the world is wrong, and vice-versa. But on a more profound level these two worldviews – the indigenous, Maya perspective on one hand and Western, scientific view of the world on the other – have and continue to collide, sometimes with dramatic consequences. During my stay in Mexico, I learned about more than simply Yucatec Maya – I learned about the interactions between these disparate worldviews in the Yucatán, the complex situation in the region that Westerners would label “poverty” and the implications of this for Spartan Global in its mission to bring microfinance to economically neglected populations around the world.

Straw-roofed structures such as this one are well-known as traditional Maya houses and are common throughout southern Mexico.

Straw-roofed structures such as this one are well-known as traditional Maya houses and are common throughout southern Mexico.

Since the 1500’s, people from distinct parts of the world have migrated to Latin America, most notably Spanish-speaking settlers from Europe following the trail of earlier conquistadores. As is commonly known today, conquistadores sought not only to enhance the size and wealth of the Spanish political domain, but to dominate the lives of their newly conquered indigenous subjects – changing their religion, language, and social systems.  The Yucatán itself is an exemplary case study of this arrangement, and the mix of Spanish culture and indigenous Maya culture is easily observable throughout the peninsula today.

With the advent of academic disciplines in the nineteenth century like anthropology, sociology and archaeology, western scholars flooded the Yucatán. This trend continues today, and it overlays the social system the Spanish superimposed upon the indigenous peoples of the peninsula. In other words, contrasts between indigenous Maya culture and non-Maya European cultures, Spanish or otherwise, are evident in everyday life. These distinctions and their connections to the western understanding of “poverty” provide the most tantalizing point for further reflection.

A farmer and his oxen haul supplies down a worn path in southern Mexico.

A farmer and his oxen haul supplies down a worn path in southern Mexico.

Perhaps the clearest contrast between Maya and non-Maya peoples is economic. As the majority of opportunities for work in the area require an extensive knowledge of Spanish, Yucatec Maya is seen as the language of farmers – it is the language of the field. This automatically denies monolingual Maya speakers from many opportunities for work in the bigger cities, which in turn severely hampers their social and economic mobility. Of course, this situation has only been exacerbated by the rise of tourism throughout the peninsula in the last thirty years, especially at places like Cancún and Playa del Carmén. Working there often requires Spanish and English knowledge – but no Maya.

A western visitor to Xocén would immediately notice this economic contrast – by any western measure, Xocén is “poor.” Don Eustolio and Doña Natividad, living in a thatched-roof hut, seem no exception to this. However, I challenge this understanding of “poverty.” Keeping in mind the history of the peninsula as outlined above, it is important first to remember that poverty has a variety of causes – often owing to the idiosyncrasies of each region and its inhabitants – and that, moreover, “poverty” as we most often understand it is in many ways an invention of the western imagination. This statement, of course, demands an explanation – an explanation which will get to the heart of our mission at Spartan Global.

By “poverty” I refer to a perception, a set of understandings, common throughout the western world and utilized most often by conventional charities to garner money for their causes. “Poverty” is talked about as a lamentably wretched condition, and “poor” people are seen as helpless in their poverty, needing financial support. Emotional catch-phrases and infomercials implore people for donations to help “the helpless.” It is this condition of “poverty” that I call simply a part of the imagination.

At Spartan Global, we believe that this understanding of “poverty” does not get at the core of what it means to live in the developing world. Instead of seeing economically downtrodden or socially neglected people as “helpless,” we try to understand their situations and begin to work with them on their own terms. A short visit to the Yucatán will show that the indigenous, “poor” Maya – despite the fact their heritage and language has been devalued and their economic and social mobility has been thoroughly limited – are indeed a vibrant group of people. It is both unfair and degrading to characterize an entire segment of people as “helpless,” and in the end pity and appeals to emotion do not make much of a difference in these “helpless” people’s lives.

Micro-finance, Spartan Global-style, is one alternative to the traditional charities that paint people as “helpless.” Seeing our clients as active participants in a complex and ever-changing world, we reach out, build relationships, and financially support people as they carve out their own path. We realize that – like the Yucatán and its inhabitants – regions, states, cities and families have their own idiosyncratic histories. Remaining cognizant of this, we happily navigate the course to financial betterment with the people we help.

I am certain that I will return to the Yucatán; in addition to having a complex and fascinating history, it provides intriguing cases for the examination of what we call “poverty” and important lessons for how institutions like Spartan Global can continue its work on a global scale.

Open Happiness: Using slogans like "el sabor de tu vida" (the taste of your life), Coca-Cola has infiltrated marketplaces throughout Mexico, providing people with a cheap source of calories that is both delicious and easy to procure. The beverage has become available in nearly every corner of the country, significantly boosting Coca-Cola's foreign earnings. At the same time, this sugary drink has contributed to a widespread obesity epidemic throughout Mexico, adding one more layer to the complex process that is "poverty." Though tourists in the Yucatán might consider anything but groundwater too expensive for locals, Coca-Cola has ensured that those who live under straw roofs can consume the same unhealthy beverages as do their neighbors to the north.

Open Happiness: Using slogans like “el sabor de tu vida” (the taste of your life), Coca-Cola has infiltrated marketplaces throughout Mexico, providing people with a cheap source of calories that is both delicious and easy to procure. The beverage has become available in nearly every corner of the country, significantly boosting Coca-Cola’s foreign earnings. At the same time, this sugary drink has contributed to a widespread obesity epidemic throughout Mexico, adding one more layer to the complex process that is “poverty.” Though tourists in the Yucatán might consider anything but groundwater too expensive for locals, Coca-Cola has ensured that those who live under straw roofs can consume the same unhealthy beverages as do their neighbors to the north.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Spartan Global Development FundJosh Lieto is a recent graduate of Michigan State University. While there, he majored in Spanish and Anthropology and conducted archaeological, linguistic and social research on a number of themes. Josh joined Spartan Global so that he could explore the world of international development and learn how to inspire change on a global scale. A co-founder and contributing author of The Spartan Global, Josh is hoping to attend graduate school for archaeology in the fall of 2014.

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Michigan State University.

13 May

Greeting Card Aisles

Posted by spartanshelpingspartans in Careers, Featured Friends, Featured Spartans, Job Search Stuff, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , .

By Lisa Parker

There is a reason why greeting card aisles offer lots of choices. No matter how similar the overall message, the way it’s delivered depends heavily on the relationship between giver and receiver, the perspective of the receiver, the situation at hand and what the message needs to achieve.

Imagine how different the card would need to be in the case of:

  • A birthday card for a friend turning 50 vs for a nephew turning 5.
  • A “congratulations” card for the arrival of a sister’s new baby vs a co-worker’s landing of a new job.
  • A Father’s/Mother’s Day card for an involved parent vs one who was largely absent.
  • A “thinking of you” card for a cousin diagnosed with a serious disease versus one for a neighbor who had a tree fall on his house.
  • A December holiday card for a Christian family vs a Jewish family.

Consider for a moment how it comes off to the recipient if the giver doesn’t take the time to make sure the message is appropriate and valuable. That 50 year old friend who gets a card with Thomas the Train stickers inside is going to think the giver is either joking or 3 quarters shy of a dollar. It’s painfully clear that card was intended for a different audience.

Also consider how it comes off when the card is so generic it really doesn’t matter who the giver or recipient might be. Phoning it in isn’t a way to make a good impression. Any message that leaves a receiver wondering why the person even bothered is a failure.

You know what comes next, right? When putting together a resume for prospective employers, please think of this greeting card analogy. If you’re doing it right, the variations of your resume should fill up a few sections, not slots, in a greeting card aisle. Every job you apply to should create a new “card” in your inventory. Job seekers working with 2 or 3 versions of their resume have, more than likely, flopped in the delivery of the message and left recipients wondering if they truly understood the situation or even cared enough to get it right.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Lisa joined the Michigan State University Alumni Association as Director of Alumni Career & Business Services on May 1, 2012. Her primary focus is to develop effective networking and resource channels for experienced alumni interested in professional development and job search strategy assistance. Additionally, Lisa works directly with corporate, education, foundation and government partners seeking to attract qualified talent, retain and develop good employees, and establish collaborative relationships in line with their established goals and objectives.

With 15+ years’ experience in third party recruiting, Lisa offers a balanced understanding of both employee and employer perspectives.

Lisa is a firm advocate of the networking process and considers it a vital element in a successful job search. In addition to helping job seekers develop and best utilize networking contacts, Lisa shares her knowledge and insight-gained aiding corporate recruiting efforts-to give Spartan job seekers an edge in terms of lead sourcing, resume presentation and interview strategy.

Among Lisa’s notable accomplishments: Prima Civitas Foundation Scholar; Michigan Works Association Volunteer of the Year; Pink Slip Mid Michigan Planning Committee; RecruiterUncensored.com career content blogger.

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Michigan State University.

10 May

Brainstorming

Posted by spartanshelpingspartans in Careers, Collaboration, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , .

The interesting thing about this candid, very unscripted, brainstorming conversation is that we are talking about brainstorming! You get to see Lisa lead Dave toward generating a few ideas that, if he were feeling stuck, may help generate a few possibilities to act upon.

____________________________________________________________________

Dave Isbell has been a Career Coach since 1999 and is currently the Alumni Career Service Coordinator at Michigan State University and a part-time contractual therapist in the counseling department at St Vincent Catholic Charities. When he is not working, he is enjoying domestic bliss with his wife and kids, serving as a leader in his church, or playing rock music on his bass guitar. You can find him on Twitter (@helpingspartans) and sometimes he writes about compassion, collaboration, and career for this blog.

Lisa joined the Michigan State University Alumni Association as Director of Alumni Career & Business Services on May 1, 2012. Her primary focus is to develop effective networking and resource channels for experienced alumni interested in professional development and job search strategy assistance. Additionally, Lisa works directly with corporate, education, foundation and government partners seeking to attract qualified talent, retain and develop good employees, and establish collaborative relationships in line with their established goals and objectives.

With 15+ years’ experience in third party recruiting, Lisa offers a balanced understanding of both employee and employer perspectives.

Lisa is a firm advocate of the networking process and considers it a vital element in a successful job search. In addition to helping job seekers develop and best utilize networking contacts, Lisa shares her knowledge and insight-gained aiding corporate recruiting efforts-to give Spartan job seekers an edge in terms of lead sourcing, resume presentation and interview strategy.

Among Lisa’s notable accomplishments: Prima Civitas Foundation Scholar; Michigan Works Association Volunteer of the Year; Pink Slip Mid Michigan Planning Committee; RecruiterUncensored.com career content blogger.

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Michigan State University.

6 May

Older? Do You Have Modern Amenities?

Posted by spartanshelpingspartans in Careers, Collaboration, Featured Friends, Featured Spartans, Job Search Stuff, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , .

By Lisa Parker

Time to talk specifically to older candidates again. I’m still hearing complaints about companies not wanting to hire older workers. It’s hard to put a number on what age qualifies a person to be “old.” I’ve heard it from 40 and beyond.

Is age discrimination really about your age? Age could very well be the true issue in some instances. I saw true age discrimination most often when smaller companies were fretting over how to reduce benefit costs. Smaller firms top heavy with older partners struggle with the temptation to hire a younger candidate to keep premiums from becoming prohibitive. Can you blame them? Of course, it’s not legal to go that route. Let’s be honest and admit they’d be stupid not to give it some thought. They have a business to run. Businesses live and die based on the ability to reduce expenses.

The example above aside, age discrimination, in my experience, is rarely about the number of years the person has spent on the planet. More significant than actual age is how equipped the candidate is with modern amenities. Modern amenities are what make the sale happen. Too often older candidates haven’t updated what they have to offer. Just like older homes are less likely to sell if they haven’t been outfitted with cable and air conditioning, older candidates who aren’t strong on the computer and staying on top of current trends will soon find themselves undesirable. It makes sense. It’s not about being unfair. If employers have options that won’t require upgrading or doing without, they will take them. The only thing likely to sway them is if the option lacking in amenities comes at a low enough price to make it worth while. As tacky as it sounds, if your skills are out of date you are a fixer-upper and can’t command top market price.

Many of the individuals I meet who are in this situation dig in their heels. They are quick to talk about age discrimination, but slow to accept what they could do to change their circumstances. There are more resources than ever available to people interested in upgrading their skills. When I talk to them about social media, Excel, PowerPoint and the like, they wave their hands at me. “I shouldn’t have to learn that at this point in my life,” is a common response. Really? Why ever not? If you truly wish to continue working, where is the logic in not learning the modern way of doing things?

It really is a tricky situation. I know it’s frustrating. Keep in mind we all have similar criteria when it comes to buying things. We want modern amenities. I don’t see older candidates driving cars without radios and power steering. Are they discriminating against 40+ year old cars? No. Age isn’t the true factor. We all expect those who want our business to provide the comforts of today. Be fair to employers and realize they share the same expectations.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Lisa joined the Michigan State University Alumni Association as Director of Alumni Career & Business Services on May 1, 2012. Her primary focus is to develop effective networking and resource channels for experienced alumni interested in professional development and job search strategy assistance. Additionally, Lisa works directly with corporate, education, foundation and government partners seeking to attract qualified talent, retain and develop good employees, and establish collaborative relationships in line with their established goals and objectives.

With 15+ years’ experience in third party recruiting, Lisa offers a balanced understanding of both employee and employer perspectives.

Lisa is a firm advocate of the networking process and considers it a vital element in a successful job search. In addition to helping job seekers develop and best utilize networking contacts, Lisa shares her knowledge and insight-gained aiding corporate recruiting efforts-to give Spartan job seekers an edge in terms of lead sourcing, resume presentation and interview strategy.

Among Lisa’s notable accomplishments: Prima Civitas Foundation Scholar; Michigan Works Association Volunteer of the Year; Pink Slip Mid Michigan Planning Committee; RecruiterUncensored.com career content blogger.

3 May

I’ve Graduated! What Do I Do Now?

Posted by spartanshelpingspartans in Careers, Job Search Stuff, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , .

By Dave Isbell

Right about now I’m sitting in an auditorium wearing a black gown and a silly looking square cap. There are over 200 other graduate students sitting in my section, and a few hundred undergraduates sitting across the aisle from us.  Every one of us is here to walk across a stage, while shaking hands, and walking away with a piece of paper that is symbolic of the real one the registrar’s office at MSU holds. Something in this ritual is supposed to help us to close the door on all of the hard work that earned us the right to be here and to celebrate what comes next. Personally, the ceremony doesn’t really do much for me. I’m more impressed by being in a room full of people who have high hopes, aspirations, dreams and are still so close to the sacrifice they gave to get them that it seems impossible they would never be fulfilled. I’m also fully aware that this is something that few people in our world, even in the U.S. get the chance to do, and even fewer get to do more than once and I’m grateful that I’m able be among the latter.

I’m also very thankful for all of the people who helped me to get this far. Though I recognize that no one else could write for me all of those long-winded essays, complete with APA citations, I also know that I could not have finished graduate school alone.

So, with that in mind, I decided to reach out to my friends, collegues, and aquaintances for this post which is aimed at all of the other people who are changing over their tassle from one side that says “student” to the other side that says “alumnus.”

To that end, when I asked for a few words of advice to share with you, the following is what my network has to say (by way of disclaimer, I don’t necessarily agree with every idea; and some may contradict others, but I’m also willing to admit there is value in looking at different ways of thinking in order to come up with your own.)

I also think there is alot of wisdom here that applies to people who have been out of school for awhile as much as it does for new graduates. Now, I’ll get out of the way so you can hear what these people have to say:

“Earn your paycheck. No task is beneath you, no matter what your role is in an organization. Volunteer for things you’ve never done before. Show people respect even when you don’t think they deserve it. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you & then learn everything you can from them.” Jillian T.

“Take risks; you may discover you live doing something you always thought you’d hate! Surround yourself with people who are there to provide a service, not to earn a paycheck.” Kat S.

“Never say, “Never!” Reana M.

“You have to relentlessly pursue opportunities. When you think you have enough job leads go get ten more. Follow up with your opportunities…never be in a position where you wait for them. Always ask “what’s the next step…when should I follow up with you. You have to be persistent, enthusiastic and positive!” Sean G.

“Do what inspires you.” Paul T.

“Nothing lasts forever. This is can be a positive and a negative. A bad situation isn’t neverending but neither will be a good one. Live every moment and experience everything in front of you!” Tammison S.

“You may not get your dream job immediately, but explore all avenues to launch you towards your dream job. Be prepared, be honest, NETWORK!, attend all conferences, workshops, forums that are available to you (you never know who may be there that you can network with and conferences help you gain additional knowledge and information). Finally, you must truly have a passion for your chosen career path.” Jeannette P.

“Be tenacious, stand out from the rest and work hard.” Lisa E.

“Don’t be afraid to move where the jobs are. It will never be easier to relocate than when you first graduate. Network with your friends and reach out to the MSU alumni organization or individual alumni in the industry or location where you want to find a job for help. Be persistent and be prepared to talk to a lot of people.” Jeff H.

“Consider geographically hot areas for your career. Areas with growth and volume of jobs in your field will increase your odds of getting a position in your field sooner, than sticking to an area you are familiar with, but being one of hundreds of resumes in the pile. Like Jeff said, it will never be easier to relocate than now, before you accumulate a house, mortgage and rooms of furniture to account for. Larger companies may have room to grow and to observe how things are done, while smaller and/or startups often have fewer layers to work through and may be easier to take a more active roll and open to your contributions outside of a specific job title. Good luck!” Joe M.

“Never lose heart. Try diversified positions,wherever luck favors you.” Anwar M.

“Ask a lot of questions. Many new engineer think that asking a lot of questions means that you’re unknowledgeable, but the opposite is true. Asking questions shows that you care, you want to do things right, you’re interested and you want to learn more. Don’t let your ego get in the way!” Scott E.

“Take the risks while you are young, go for it. As you get older, those risks could affect others in your life (e.g. wife, children, etc.) and you may be less inclined to take them.” Darin M.

“Job searching in the 21st Century is like having a job. Early to bed and early to rise, get out early in the morning and begin your search. Take the free resume and interview classes held at your local Michigan Works Agencies. Do not take “No” for an answer. If you receive a “No” answer, ask what is it going to take for a “Yes” answer!” Michael W.

“Don’t just fill out an application and wait on them. Set a timetable for you to get back with them on the potential job status. This will show real interest on your part and maybe give you an edge over others.” Mark K.

“Keep all of your options open, be flexible, and do not lose hope. Good things will come if you keep trying. I also suggest setting a deadline for getting your dream job and create plans B, C, D, and E as your backup plans. These backups are alternative paths that will eventually lead you to your dream job. If you haven’t gotten your dream job after six months, start plan B. The job market is still an employers market and jobs are scarce. Look at other countries if your US search is not bringing solid opportunities. Good luck and GO GREEN.” Shelley J.

“NETWORK! Use social media such as LinkedIn and Facebook to network with friends in the field you are interested in as well as employers. Contact your local One-Stop Center (i.e. Michigan Works). Research the employer(s) and state(s) in which you are interested. Keep in touch with MSU ALUMNI organizations especially if relocating out of Michigan. Make sure you contact the local Alumni chapter (i.e. MSU Tampa Bay Alumni in Tampa area, FL). There are chapters all over the world. Most of of ~ Best of luck to you as you enter the “real world.” Julie H.

“Make new friends and keep the old! You’ve met a wide array of interesting people during your time at MSU – keep in TOUCH with them. Network! You will make interesting new contacts as will your friends!” Ann K.

“If you’re not able to find a job in your field, keep your time (and your resume) filled. Look into doing volunteer work in a field that interests you. Potential employers will be much more impressed with this than they will be with moving back home and playing video games for six months while you were “looking” for a job.” Michael K.

“I recently gave a “Careers in Chemistry” talk to college students and one piece of advice I gave them was to spend their summers interning. An intership or two will have two big benefits. They will get to see how “the real world” looks for somebody working professionally in their field and that bit of experience makes them way more valuable to prospective employers. As a bonus, they get a chance to distinguish themselves and grow their network at a prospective employer in what is often a summer-long interview. I also warned them to apply for internships very early. Many students go looking in the spring, when most companies have made their decisions in September or October.” Paul P.

“When you interview ask questions. You should be assessing the company and job for how they fit with what you want as much as they are assessing you. If you have no questions you will appear uninterested, unprepared, or just plain desperate for any job.” Elizabeth B.

“Interview the company you are applying for. Ask questions. negotiate. Don’t be the only one in the hot seat. They need you just as much as you need them.” Yuliya D.

“Keep working towards a job in your field. This might mean you need to work at something else for a while to pay the bills, but just keep networking. Volunteer for any organization where you can get job skills and network. Use the Alumni Assoc and go to any trade associations in the field you want to be in. Call the President of the organization and let them know who you are and what your are looking for. ( My nephew did this with the PSU Alumni Assoc and the President of the association stood up, introduces Jeff, and said, ” Here is a bright PSU grad who needs a job. Someone in this room should be able to use their networks to help him!” Jeff got a job in two weeks!) Print up business cards that have your contact info, skills and what you are looking for and pass these out at all events you go to. (This is easier than handing out a resume.) Offer to volunteer with organizations where you could meet prospective employers — chambers of commerce, trade associations, etc. Learn job skills by volunteering as well. Remember that 80% of ALL jobs are NEVER advertised….people hiring often go to contacts in their networks or file drawer where, they keep resumes that get mailed to them, first. Research companies you want to work for and use Alums, and Linked in to make connections. After you meet someone, send them a hand written (so it stands out) thank you card with your resume. Good luck!” Janet C.

“Target companies you want to work for and learn all you can about them and the leadership in them through research, meet people who work there through Linked In and volunteer work and see what community causes they support. Make yourself visible and find connections that will get you into the conversation when an opening does occur. take the work you have to but do not lose sight of the goal and asociate with people in your daily life who are equally goal oriented.” Kathleen V.

“CLEAN UP YOUR CYBERSPACE, SPARTANS! Seems like yesterday I walked the stage at the old auditorium in May 1994… And it’s a much different world 19 years later, especially with social media. Companies are smart, and will fully take advantage of the fact that social media is free domain. They WILL google you, and look at your Facebook page. They WILL read your tweets. Suffice it to say, you don’t want pictures of keg stands at Cedar Village, or tweets of four letter words to be the images your potential employer will see. If you think it necessary, erase your accounts, and create brand new ones- this will eliminate tags you can’t control administratively. Maximize your privacy settings, and most importantly, use discretion in your postings. It’s a new world, where information isn’t as private as it once was. I get it- we were all there on campus at one time and had our, ahem, less distinguished moments. It was all in fun- but don’t be naive and fail to acknowledge employers will look unfavorably on these things, and will use them to weed you out of a pile of qualified applicants. You can stay in cyberspace, but you have to be smart… Cheers, class of 2013! The world is yours for the taking! GO GREEN!” Robert C.

“Don’t give up. With each application and interview comes a new opportunity for learning and growth. Take advantage of connections through social media, friends, family, and network opportunities through the college or university you attended.” Amber E.

“My advice is to start volunteering while you’re still in school. Find a company or organization that you love and start volunteering. It’s a great way to build connections, learn, and gain experience. If you don’t find your dream job right out of school, don’t give up. Keep volunteering, even if you’re working another full time job. Those connections are invaluable for learning about new job openings quickly and gaining the experience that many jobs require.” Courtney R.

“Stay positive & keep at it. Half the battle in finding a job is believing you will find one. You will!” Amanda E.

“Don’t try to plan your entire future on day one. Keep your options open & never lose sight of what you really love doing.” Chip M.

“Find a company/position that will enable you to learn from someone with experience.” Gerard W.

So there you have it, alot of advice from professionals who have been out in the “real world,” some for a few years, and others for decades. I’m hoping you can take away a few new ideas from this. In summary, in case you are curious to know what my thoughts are, Louis Pasteu said it better than I ever could: “Chance favors the prepared mind.” To expand on that, you will never see the right opportunity if you are not ready to turn a circumstance into an opportunity. Finally, you may gather fans and critics when in front of an audience but you can only win friends one person at a time. Let that one sink in, it may be the most important thing I’ll ever be able to tell you.

To each of you who have just graduated, I say to wear your green and white proudly because you are now a part of an elite group of people who, if they take their Spartan status seriously, are never elitist but instead are always glad to help a fellow Spartan.

Get out there and enjoy life!

Go Green!

_________________________________________________________________________________

Dave Isbell has been a Career Coach since 1999 and is the Alumni Career Service Coordinator at Michigan State University. He has just finished a Master’s in Social Work at MSU and in June will begin as a part-time contractual therapist in the counseling department at St Vincent Catholic Charities. When he is not working, he is enjoying domestic bliss with his wife and kids, serving as a leader in his church, or playing rock music on his bass guitar. You can find him on Twitter (@helpingspartans) and sometimes he writes about compassion, collaboration, and career for this blog, which he owns and begs other Spartans to write for.

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Michigan State University.

1 May

A Life of Corn

Posted by spartanshelpingspartans in Collaboration, Compassion, Featured Friends, Featured Spartans, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

Writer & Photographer: Josh Lieto

On a hot day in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico, a group of students and professors stepped out of a bus and onto a farm – the farm of a friend, Don René. He invited us to explore one of his fields with him, and it was there that I really began to get a sense of how important maize is in southern Mexican society. Don René took his time to walk us through his field, showing us the varieties of corn he grew there. Each had its own feel, its own texture, its own color.

Maya Corn Drying in a Highlands Village

Upon harvesting corn from their fields, Maya farmers hang a significant portion inside their houses to let it dry out.

“We are made of corn,” Don René told us flatly, baking as we were under the hot sun. He was unrelenting; corn was his livelihood; it was his life. Later another friend, Don Manuel, would stress this again, “If we eat anything,” he said, “we have to it with some kind of maíz.” But with the advancement of the NAFTA treaty, the United States has been flooding Mexican markets with cheap corn produced in the U.S. heartland. As a consequence of this, unmechanized Mexican farmers working with fewer resources – like Don René –now have to unfairly compete with the subsidized and heavily mechanized agriculture done in the fertile breadbasket of the United States. Throughout my trip to Chiapas, I discovered that, to cope with this, many southern Mexican farmers are having to shift away from the production of their traditional varieties of corn to hybrid varieties, created by the state, which, despite being more productive, are less tasteful and do not carry with them all the nutritional benefits or, importantly, the cultural significance of more traditional varieties. If they are not using these new varieties, then they are most likely shifting to producing a different – and often unfamiliar – crop, or they are leaving the profession altogether. In both cases, they are setting down an ancient heritage – the production of corn – and the face of this heritage is not just taking on a new form, as it has in the past: it is disappearing for good.

Three boats sit docked on the shores of the Usumacinta River, one of the centers of the pre-Colombian Maya civilization. Serving as a border between the Yucatán penincula, the Mexican state of Chiapas and the country of Guatemala, it remains an important artery of transportation in the region.

Three boats sit docked on the shores of the Usumacinta River, one of the centers of the pre-Colombian Maya civilization. Serving as a border between the Yucatán penincula, the Mexican state of Chiapas and the country of Guatemala, it remains an important artery of transportation in the region.

Seen here, the burial tomb of the pre-Colombian Maya king Lord Pakal stands today as a testament to the achievements of the pre-Colombian Maya civilization. The cycle of sewing and harvesting corn was integral to the lives of the ancient Maya, and for centuries leaders like Lord Pakal reinforced the importance of this crop. A modern extention of this cultural heritage, farmers throughout Chiapas still regard maize as essential to their lifestyles.

Seen here, the burial tomb of the pre-Colombian Maya king Lord Pakal stands today as a testament to the achievements of the pre-Colombian Maya civilization. The cycle of sewing and harvesting corn was integral to the lives of the ancient Maya, and for centuries leaders like Lord Pakal reinforced the importance of this crop. A modern extention of this cultural heritage, farmers throughout Chiapas still regard maize as essential to their lifestyles.

Just south of Don René’s farm sits the sprawling city of San Cristóbal de las Casas, founded in the 1500s by settlers from Spain. While its central district is known as the cultural and economic capital of Chiapas, its outskirts are populated by poor farmers, many of them facing economic circumstances identical to Don René’s. In response to the struggles that these people are facing, institutions and entrepreneurs from around the world have taken it upon themselves to introduce micro-finance, a powerful tool for combating poverty, to Chiapas.

One organization, called AlSol, has lent over $400,000 in the form of small loans to impoverished Chiapanecos, many of them having been socially or economically marginalized by agreements such as NAFTA. The money that AlSol provides its clients serves a variety of purposes, from buying supplies for a fledgling entrepreneur’s business to ensuring that a family has enough food to last the week. In turn, the many uses the money in the hands of AlSol’s clients might have will reveal the larger strengths of micro-finance, and speak to the validity of Spartan Global’s mission.

As farmers who traditionally harvested corn move away from their maize-based subsistence practices, large plantations of foreign crops such as this have become commonplace throughout the state of Chiapas. The plants in this picture are West African palm oil trees, the seeds of which were provided to local farmers by the Mexican government. Though the oil harvested from these trees yields a hefty economic return, Chiapanecan farmers have expressed uneasiness with this shift in production due to their unfamiliarity with the palm oil tree and the environmental dangers it poses to their once-fertile maize fields.

As farmers who traditionally harvested corn move away from their maize-based subsistence practices, large plantations of foreign crops such as this have become commonplace throughout the state of Chiapas. The plants in this picture are West African palm oil trees, the seeds of which were provided to local farmers by the Mexican government. Though the oil harvested from these trees yields a hefty economic return, Chiapanecan farmers have expressed uneasiness with this shift in production due to their unfamiliarity with the palm oil tree and the environmental dangers it poses to their once-fertile maize fields.

In the first place, micro-loans are useful because they are flexible in so many ways: borrowers are able to determine how exactly to appropriate their funds, and they pay the loans back often on their own terms – in many microfinance circles, an informal respect for the borrower is an understood premise of doing business. In addition to this, micro-loans are generally easy to finance because they are small when compared to the lending capacity of the loaner. At the same time, they are usually substantial to the borrower, providing what might be termed an “adrenaline shot” of capital – and because the borrower is usually allowed to use the money as he or she pleases, it most often goes directly to where it is needed most. When the loan is repaid, the same money is lent out to another person in need, thus working good in the lives of people over and over again.

In the case of Don René and his fellow Chiapanecos, the world around them will probably keep changing, sometimes to their advantage, but sometimes not. We at Spartan Global believe in the power of micro-loans to help those in need, and we are fueled by the encouragement, support and resilience of the communities we work with. Resolute in our aims, Spartan Global is dedicated to the model and the practice of microfinance, determined to continue improving lives around the globe.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Spartan Global Development Fund

Josh Lieto is a recent graduate of Michigan State University. While there, he majored in Spanish and Anthropology and conducted archaeological, linguistic and social research on a number of themes. Josh joined Spartan Global so that he could explore the world of international development and learn how to inspire change on a global scale. A co-founder and contributing author of The Spartan Global, Josh is hoping to attend graduate school for archaeology in the fall of 2014.

« Older Entries
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 18,680 other followers

%d bloggers like this: