Comments for HeatherHuhman.com http://heatherhuhman.com Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:24:00 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on Which Has More Positively Impacted Your Career: Your Degree or Internships? by Will Miceli http://heatherhuhman.com/2011/08/which-has-more-positively-impacted-your-career-your-degree-or-internships/comment-page-1/#comment-944 Will Miceli Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:24:00 +0000 http://heatherhuhman.com/?p=1284#comment-944 Heather - I think internships are far more valuable than a degree since you get actual experience doing a job instead of theory from school.  Its also a low-risk way to find out if a job or industry is a good match for you.  But you can't discount a college degree since many employers see it as a base requirement to hire someone who's made it through college, even though what you learned may have nothing to do with your actual job.  Going through college is a fun experience and you learn many life skills, but often doesn't teach you the specific skills to do a job.  The current job environment shows that a liberal arts education may not cut it anymore. Heather – I think internships are far more valuable than a degree since you get actual experience doing a job instead of theory from school.  Its also a low-risk way to find out if a job or industry is a good match for you.  But you can’t discount a college degree since many employers see it as a base requirement to hire someone who’s made it through college, even though what you learned may have nothing to do with your actual job.  Going through college is a fun experience and you learn many life skills, but often doesn’t teach you the specific skills to do a job.  The current job environment shows that a liberal arts education may not cut it anymore.

]]> Comment on Which Has More Positively Impacted Your Career: Your Degree or Internships? by Grace Boyle http://heatherhuhman.com/2011/08/which-has-more-positively-impacted-your-career-your-degree-or-internships/comment-page-1/#comment-943 Grace Boyle Sat, 03 Sep 2011 14:59:00 +0000 http://heatherhuhman.com/?p=1284#comment-943 Internships! And mostly because I did 5 of them. I really learned experience in what I wanted and didn't want, and interacted with so many intelligent people. A few internships turned into full-time employment over the Summers in college and helped set me out from the rest of my peers who typically do ~1 internship in college. Internships! And mostly because I did 5 of them. I really learned experience in what I wanted and didn’t want, and interacted with so many intelligent people. A few internships turned into full-time employment over the Summers in college and helped set me out from the rest of my peers who typically do ~1 internship in college.

]]> Comment on Which Has More Positively Impacted Your Career: Your Degree or Internships? by Lindsaybrown203 http://heatherhuhman.com/2011/08/which-has-more-positively-impacted-your-career-your-degree-or-internships/comment-page-1/#comment-942 Lindsaybrown203 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:15:00 +0000 http://heatherhuhman.com/?p=1284#comment-942 I agree with Brecca. I landed my dream internship because of my undergraduate success. And now because of my internship, I will be published before I graduate, I will have another impressive notch on my resume, and I've started building my own Rolodex of contacts to help me land a job when I do graduate. But you need to be persistent in both.  I agree with Brecca. I landed my dream internship because of my undergraduate success. And now because of my internship, I will be published before I graduate, I will have another impressive notch on my resume, and I’ve started building my own Rolodex of contacts to help me land a job when I do graduate. But you need to be persistent in both. 

]]> Comment on Which Has More Positively Impacted Your Career: Your Degree or Internships? by StudentEvents.com http://heatherhuhman.com/2011/08/which-has-more-positively-impacted-your-career-your-degree-or-internships/comment-page-1/#comment-941 StudentEvents.com Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:48:00 +0000 http://heatherhuhman.com/?p=1284#comment-941 I think a new category next to education and internships deals with student events attended mostly competitions but also hard to get into conferences and business courses)  Its almost like a new pillar in the CV and we see many students adding these on. I think these activities give undergrads an edge in their recruitment efforts + actually attending these competitions might actually land them the job. Full disclosure - I am the founder of StudentEvents.com  I think a new category next to education and internships deals with student events attended mostly competitions but also hard to get into conferences and business courses)  Its almost like a new pillar in the CV and we see many students adding these on. I think these activities give undergrads an edge in their recruitment efforts + actually attending these competitions might actually land them the job.

Full disclosure – I am the founder of StudentEvents.com 

]]> Comment on How to Negotiate a Job Offer by Jobs http://heatherhuhman.com/2010/03/how-to-negotiate-a-job-offer/comment-page-1/#comment-940 Jobs Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:04:00 +0000 http://www.heatherhuhman.com/?p=369#comment-940 Great post. I found that being confident and standing your ground will help you get the offer you want. Great post. I found that being confident and standing your ground will help you get the offer you want.

]]> Comment on Which Has More Positively Impacted Your Career: Your Degree or Internships? by LMW http://heatherhuhman.com/2011/08/which-has-more-positively-impacted-your-career-your-degree-or-internships/comment-page-1/#comment-939 LMW Fri, 05 Aug 2011 21:20:00 +0000 http://heatherhuhman.com/?p=1284#comment-939 I only had one internship, but I had quite a few jobs (retail, restaurant, office, temping) over the years before I graduated and entered the job market, which were just as useful in helping prepare for working full time. I might had done another internship if I could have found another paying internship in a field that interested me. I felt lucky to find one. I couldn't afford to do an unpaid internship on top of classes and my workstudy job. I only had one internship, but I had quite a few jobs (retail, restaurant, office, temping) over the years before I graduated and entered the job market, which were just as useful in helping prepare for working full time. I might had done another internship if I could have found another paying internship in a field that interested me. I felt lucky to find one. I couldn’t afford to do an unpaid internship on top of classes and my workstudy job.

]]> Comment on Which Has More Positively Impacted Your Career: Your Degree or Internships? by Heather R. Huhman http://heatherhuhman.com/2011/08/which-has-more-positively-impacted-your-career-your-degree-or-internships/comment-page-1/#comment-882 Heather R. Huhman Fri, 05 Aug 2011 20:36:00 +0000 http://heatherhuhman.com/?p=1284#comment-882 Brecca, This is such an excellent comment - thank you! I would never encourage people to forgo higher education, because it's definitely necessary. I'm just trying to get people to expand their views about the opportunities out there...and I think your comment has added a nice layer to the discussion! Your career is what you make of it. Heather Brecca,

This is such an excellent comment – thank you! I would never encourage people to forgo higher education, because it’s definitely necessary. I’m just trying to get people to expand their views about the opportunities out there…and I think your comment has added a nice layer to the discussion!

Your career is what you make of it.

Heather

]]> Comment on Which Has More Positively Impacted Your Career: Your Degree or Internships? by Brecca R Farr http://heatherhuhman.com/2011/08/which-has-more-positively-impacted-your-career-your-degree-or-internships/comment-page-1/#comment-881 Brecca R Farr Fri, 05 Aug 2011 20:27:00 +0000 http://heatherhuhman.com/?p=1284#comment-881 But if you didn't have your undergraduate education, would you have been considered for some of those past opportunities?  I think it is worth framing the question with the premise that *both* the undergraduate education and the internship are valuable -- and are expected with today's college graduate. The question is then, which can contribute *more* to your career preparation and professional development?  The answer, in my opinion, is "It depends on the individual."  I can identify just as many students who effectively use their undergraduate educational experiences (e.g., team projects, leadership roles, research work) to promote their career success as I do those with external work-related/professional practice experiences (e.g., internships, co-ops, extensive job shadowing).  The common denominator is that they pursued the opportunities that strengthened their abilities, gave them insights into their field of study, and then were able to succinctly articulate that information to others as applicable. But if you didn’t have your undergraduate education, would you have been considered for some of those past opportunities? 

I think it is worth framing the question with the premise that *both* the undergraduate education and the internship are valuable — and are expected with today’s college graduate. The question is then, which can contribute *more* to your career preparation and professional development?  The answer, in my opinion, is “It depends on the individual.”  I can identify just as many students who effectively use their undergraduate educational experiences (e.g., team projects, leadership roles, research work) to promote their career success as I do those with external work-related/professional practice experiences (e.g., internships, co-ops, extensive job shadowing).  The common denominator is that they pursued the opportunities that strengthened their abilities, gave them insights into their field of study, and then were able to succinctly articulate that information to others as applicable.

]]> Comment on Which Has More Positively Impacted Your Career: Your Degree or Internships? by Rachel M. Esterline http://heatherhuhman.com/2011/08/which-has-more-positively-impacted-your-career-your-degree-or-internships/comment-page-1/#comment-880 Rachel M. Esterline Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:18:00 +0000 http://heatherhuhman.com/?p=1284#comment-880 Without my degree, I probably wouldn't have been considered for the internships I received. But, my internships were more valuable, hands-down! Without my degree, I probably wouldn’t have been considered for the internships I received. But, my internships were more valuable, hands-down!

]]> Comment on Which Has More Positively Impacted Your Career: Your Degree or Internships? by Heather R. Huhman http://heatherhuhman.com/2011/08/which-has-more-positively-impacted-your-career-your-degree-or-internships/comment-page-1/#comment-879 Heather R. Huhman Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:46:00 +0000 http://heatherhuhman.com/?p=1284#comment-879 Interesting. And did you only have just the one internship, or did you do others in the field you eventually pursued? You're right, though -- internships can also have the benefit of teaching you what you DON'T want to do for a career. That can be extremely valuable information. Interesting. And did you only have just the one internship, or did you do others in the field you eventually pursued?

You’re right, though — internships can also have the benefit of teaching you what you DON’T want to do for a career. That can be extremely valuable information.

]]>