FirstGen Ahead
February 2021
JanJJ
Founder’s Message
After a few months into the pandemic this past summer, three FirstGen Ahead students joined me in conducting qualitative research following the career trajectories of students who graduated from college during the 2009 Great Recession. We wanted to know about their experiences entering a tough job market, how their careers unfolded during the past decade, and what advice they’d give to students who are graduating from college during the pandemic. The themes that emerged from this research highlighted differences between first-generation college alums and continuing-generation college alums. The students who participated in the research enhanced their communication and research skills, gained valuable and applicable knowledge for what may lie ahead as soon-to-be college graduates, and expanded their professional networks. We reported on some of the findings in the last newsletter and report on additional findings here.

Like it was over a decade ago, it will be a challenging job market for our seniors. Hiring for entry-level college graduates fell 45% at the start of the pandemic according to a study by Burninglass Technologies. However, their research also shows that those who have the problem-solving, communication, and technical skills employers seek not only stand out but also command a 30% salary premium.

So how do students gain these skills employers seek? Awareness, resourcefulness, and determination are key. At FirstGen Ahead, we are committed to preparing first-generation college students to succeed after college with skill-building and network-expanding opportunities, which are even more critically important in a difficult job market.
Susan Gershenfeld, PhD
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


A Decade Out: What Did We Learn
From College Students Who Graduated
During the Great Recession?

In FirstGen Ahead’s January newsletter, three of five themes were reported from our qualitative summer research study, which offers insights into the experiences of students who graduated from college during the 2009 Great Recession and their subsequent career paths over the past decade. These first three themes were “Temporarily Swallowing Your Pride,” “Networking: Not Just What, but Who,” and “Hustling Required. Not Optional.” This article highlights the two remaining themes.

Is Career Uncertainty a Privilege?
Career uncertainty was not one of the initial themes motivating this research. It was only in examining
the data that we observed that some students expressed career uncertainty whereas others did not. Upon closer inspection, there was a clear pattern based on class and race. Specifically, seven out of 14 continuing-generation, White (CG/W) alums voiced career uncertainty, and only one out of 18 first-generation, People of Color (FG/PoC) alums spoke about career uncertainty.

There are times when career uncertainly can be healthy, such as discovering that a given career path is
not a good fit. But the discovery that career uncertainty was far more common among continuing-gen,
White alums was unexpected and may point to it also being a privilege compared to Alums of Color who
are first-gen and for whom career uncertainty may be a luxury that is not readily available.

There are at least three possible explanations for these differences. First, choice of major can matter.
That is, some majors are more aligned to specific career paths. Second, socialization in developing a
professional identity, such as through an internship, can serve to clarify career direction. Third, a sense
of personal agency mitigates career uncertainty both because it provides a sense of responsibility and
because it’s action-oriented.

Research by social scientist Sam Trejo shows first-generation college students tend to be more risk-averse than otherwise similar continuing-generation students, selecting majors with well-defined career paths, high expected wages, and low unemployment rates. As one FG/PoC who majored in actuarial science said during the interview, I was “kind of guaranteed a job. That’s what I was sold when I got into it.”

Of the seven CG/W alums who voiced career uncertainty, six of them selected majors that did not lead to well-defined career paths, such as psychology and English. One example is “Vanessa” (not her real name), who majored in painting. She was “good but not personally competitive” in painting. Instead of pursuing a career as an artist, she knew she wanted to help people but didn’t know how. Eventually, her experiences outside the classroom as an undergraduate, after some trial and error, helped her to develop her professional identity.

The lack of socialization through formal internships might help explain career uncertainty. In our study,
only three of eight alums who expressed career uncertainty had a formal, college-level internship. Those without internships missed out on an opportunity to explore a potential professional identity. Interestingly, with two of the alums who spoke about their internships, both of the experiences actually led to their career uncertainty since they revealed what they didn’t want to do.

The third potential reason for differences by class and race on career uncertainty is person agency. Five of the seven CG/W alums who voiced uncertainty attended a private university. “We were so well
taken care of that we didn’t feel prepared for that type of failure...that’s after four years of literal silver
platter goodness on campus” is how one alum described his only negative experience there. Our data suggest that being CG/W and attending a private institution comes with the privilege of being well taken care of in their lives, whether it be while they were growing up at home, attending the university, or both. As such, they may not have had the developmental need or opportunity to develop personal agency. In contrast, the FG/PoC alums, in general, were exposed to more uncertainty and obstacles. Many more of them spoke about the importance of working hard, hustling, and paying the bills compared to their White counterparts. Our CG/W alums who may have had the privilege of being well taken care of may have also been at a disadvantage when it came to anticipating and projecting their career path as many were filled with uncertainty when starting their career journey after college.

Authenticity or Assimilation
In our study, we interviewed seven Women of Color. Of these women, four of them spoke of the importance of organizational culture in their decision-making process. For example, one alum, “Erin” had a position where she had to deal with “catty” coworkers. She said, “Don’t stay in a company if the work culture doesn’t suit you.” Another alum, “Lisa”, said she made conscious decisions to avoid work environments in which she didn’t see herself “fitting.” Research by Pace, Giscombe & Mattis, and others, show Women of Color are often more likely to perceive a corporate work environment as difficult for them to succeed because of the challenges of “double-marginalization.” Our research supports these earlier findings.

These same Women of Color in the study also highlighted the importance of being authentic in the workplace. They emphasized not assimilating, speaking up for oneself, and establishing healthy boundaries at work. It is important to note these issues did not come up with any of the men in our study. 

For first-generation Women of Color, in particular, the combination of race, gender, and first-generation status force hard choices around being their authentic selves versus assimilating into what is often a predominantly White culture. Changing organizational culture is hard even for those in positions of privilege and power, let alone for individuals entering the workplace with multiple minority identities. As a result, the alums we interviewed urged finding a complementary culture as key to long-term success.

All five themes from the qualitative summer research project – temporarily swallowing your pride if underemployed; networking, not just what but who; hustling required, not optional; is career uncertainty a privilege; and authenticity or assimilation – are important to consider in light of who was invited to and then of those invited, who decided to voluntarily participate in the study. There may be experiential differences between those invited and not invited as well as those invited who chose to participate and those invited who chose not to participate. As such our sample might not be representative of others in the 2009 cohort from the three universities. Therefore, caution is recommended in extending our findings beyond the experience of the 33 alums who were interviewed. We invite further research with different and larger samples. The five themes can represent a point of departure to see how broadly they apply among first-gen and continuing-gen students across race and class.

Credit image - https://greensboro.com/news/education/grads-of-the-great-recession-struggle-to-succeed/article_62aa33fe-f897-11e3-80ce-0017a43b2370.html
Assessing Organizational
Culture Remotely
Working for an organization with a culture that matches your workstyle promotes your productivity and overall well-being. Organizational culture is “the way we do things around here” which may or may not be reflected in the organization’s formal goals and policies. But how do you find out about an organization’s culture before you accept an offer, especially during the pandemic when you most likely will not be onsite for interviews? You can do your research in advance and ask key questions during the interview process. 

Research in Advance
  1. Look at the organization’s website. How do they describe employees and what type of support is offered, such as affinity groups? Are the organization’s mission and values posted? Is what’s stated important to you?
  2. Look at the organization’s presence on social media sites, such as LinkedIn. What do they post? What have current or past employees posted on Glassdoor?

Questions During Interview Process
  1. Why have you chosen to stay here? Ask team members you’d be working with what they like about the organization. Do they support each other? Are there opportunities for growth? If there’s no opportunity to have discussions with your future coworkers during the interview process, that also says something about the organization’s culture.
  2. How is this organization different from the competition? This might seem like an easy question allowing the interviewer to sell the company, but it also reveals how the organization views itself and its values. Listen for what leadership prioritizes above all else and what employees proud of.
  3. Where do you see the company’s values in action? Listen for consistency between stated values on the organization’s website and the interviewer’s response. What’s values are emphasized? Are these values important to you?
  4. What are some things people do to “fit in” here? Based on the response, do you see yourself fitting in?
  5. Knowing your must-haves when it comes to organizational culture is critical when evaluating a new position. Do you need structure? Is organizational mission important? Is collaboration important to you?

These are just a few self-reflection questions to help you figure out what kind of workplace culture fits your priorities and workstyle. Knowing yourself and garnering information about the company through advanced research and interviews will help you be able to make a well-informed decision about your next step.

Credit image - https://career.uconn.edu/blog/2021/01/19/assessing-organizational-culture/
College's Career Services and Advice for First-Gen Students Preparing for Informational Interviews
By Mariane St. Juste, Senior, Williams College

As I reflect on my first three years at Williams College, I often found the trips to the career center to be quite daunting. Even after building up the courage to set up the meetings, I remained unsure of what the right questions were to ask and was hesitant to ask for help, while simultaneously dealing with imposter syndrome and trying to adjust to college. Colleges and universities are accepting first-generation college students at increasing rates, however, they often lack the adequate resources to support the students once they arrive, especially in regards to career preparation.

First-gen college students experience unique challenges such as familial obligations, difficulties adjusting to the college environment, and lack of self-esteem. These factors cannot be overlooked when analyzing how first-gen students interact with career services offered at their schools. In my experience, I’ve greatly benefitted from relationships with faculty, staff, and alumni who were also first-gen. Career services should consider connecting students with first-gen alumni and hiring first-gen staff to work in the department. Also, first-gen students often have questions and challenges that are different from their continuing-gen peers; knowing this, career centers should host workshops and sessions specifically for first-gen students.

Despite these setbacks, first-gen students continue to find ways to gain hands-on experience in different fields. In order to get a better understanding of the resources that FirstGen Ahead students have been using, I interviewed two members of the second FGA cohort. One student landed a spring internship while the other obtained a research assistant position through informational interviews that were not expected to lead to these hands-on opportunities but evolved from that initial connection. During my interview with the students, they offered insightful information that is beneficial to anyone preparing for informational interviews. In addition to utilizing resources available on campus (career services), three pieces of advice that the students shared based on their experiences are:

  1. Be yourself and don’t be afraid to highlight your accomplishments and things that you are good at. Confidence is extremely important when going into an interview.
  2. Remember to ask if the person you are speaking with can connect you with others in their network who would be helpful resources for you.
  3. Your soft skills are equally, if not more important than your technical skills, so do not be afraid to show your personality during the meetings.
 
While there are wonderful resources on campus that need to be more accessible and taken advantage of, there is also great value in self-initiation with conducting informational interviews that can lead to future opportunities. Despite the difficulties that first-gen students experience when navigating career services at their institutions, these two FGA students are examples of how they have been able to expand and lean on their networks to secure hands-on opportunities. 

Credit image - https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/why-walking-through-doorways-make-us-forget.htm
Connecting with and Learning
from Others
By Sebastien Cayo, Junior, Case Western Reserve University

Networking and learning are continuing themes for our FirstGen Ahead cohort. At our January peer meeting, which was facilitated by Mariane St. Juste (a member of the first FirstGen Ahead cohort and a senior at Williams College), we met and benefited from the experience and wisdom of three amazing guests: Cristian Biviano, Martha Wagner, and Manu Edakara. Each shared their varied and interesting experiences in higher education, entrepreneurship, government, not-for-profit organizations, and a Fortune 500 company, and they offered relevant career advice to us.

Here is a summary of practical advice we received from Cristian, who is transitioning from an early career in higher education student affairs to a rotational leadership human resource role at a Fortune 500 company:

  1. Tailor your resume to the position you’re applying for, but you can still use similar language between different resume versions.
  2. Keep building connections – talk with recruiters before or after informational sessions and be intentional. Use LinkedIn to reach out or stay in touch with said connections.
  3. Build your teamwork skills.

Martha, who has extensive leadership experience in government and not-for-profits and has a passion of working with young people, offered three myths about employment post-college:

Myth 1: There is a distinction across government, not-for-profits, and corporations, but in fact, you can be an entrepreneur in all three. It’s important to understand who’s in charge, what rules govern each sector, and where the opportunities lie.
Myth 2: Each sector requires different skill sets. The two most important skill sets, independent of the setting, are a) writing clearly and concisely, and knowing how to communicate to different audiences; and b) active listening, being able to learn what’s important to the speaker.
Myth 3: Interviewing is a one-way experience. It is important to do research on the person interviewing you and the organization and to understand what’s in the job description. You should also be prepared to ask questions, give examples, and always have a question for the interviewer.

Manu has transitioned from starting his own businesses to supporting budding college student entrepreneurs to become “better dreamers” -- having helped about 250 entrepreneurs and 80 companies valued at $26M. We learned from Manu that the most important asset is time and the most important skills are adaptability and genuine relationship building. For those student entrepreneurs looking to get started, Manu suggests that you first look to solve a problem and find dynamic people to help you.

We were inspired by the passionate stories of our guests and appreciative of their openness to share lessons they have learned to benefit us. 

Credit image - https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/online-student-engagement/building-relationships-how-to-connect-from-a-distance/
Meet Coach Viola!
Education and mentorship have played foundational roles in Viola Morse’s life and career trajectory. Her family moved to the U.S. when she was a child to rejoin family that had been disrupted due to World War II. Viola and her brother were raised by her mother who insisted that education was the most powerful tool that an individual could acquire. Viola kept this lesson with her as she pursued a career in healthcare administration and worked as the Marketing Operations Director at Boston’s largest HMO (Harvard Community Health Plan). She later transitioned to higher education and served as the Senior Director of Academic Affairs and Student Experience at Brandeis University’s International Business School for 11 years. Although Viola was always certain that she wanted to pursue careers in mission-driven, non-profit organizations, she lacked formal mentors earlier on in her career which made it more difficult to adjust, especially in highly male-dominated fields.

It wasn’t until the latter half of her career that Viola was able to find mentors to guide her. Viola gained valuable insights from her mentors; one of the greatest lessons that a mentor taught her was the value of asking questions and speaking up when you do not know something. She often tells her students “There is no such thing as a stupid question and that informing yourself is always a good thing.” Two other important pieces of advice that she often has for students is to “be open to all possibilities” and “always seek both official and unofficial mentors.” Viola believes that there is always something to be learned from any experience and that there isn’t one perfect definition of a mentor. Mentors come in different ages, gender, backgrounds; a good mentor is someone willing to give and willing to learn.

Viola has mentored low-income first-gen students both formally and informally for over 15 years. This is her first year coaching with FirstGen Ahead. Additionally, she is currently serving on the Leadership Council of Bottom Line after having served on its Board. Throughout her experience as a mentor and coach, Viola has not only appreciated the ability to support students and share advice based on her journey, but she also cherishes what she’s learned from her students. She finds that the beauty comes from the ability of both the coach and student to learn from each other. 
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Sunday, February 28, 7-8 pm
Monthly Peer Session facilitated by Dr. Susan Gershenfeld. A Zoom link will be sent in advance of the session.

Sunday, March 14, 4-5pm
Monthly Coach Session facilitated by Dr. Lois Benishek. A Zoom link will be sent in advance of the session.

Contact Susan Gershenfeld, susan@firstgenahead.org with any questions.
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