Founder’s Message:
As we head into the summer months, now experiencing life more fully with vaccinations widely available and the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, we are grateful for having survived the past 15 months of the pandemic. At the same time, we all might know of people who didn’t survive and whose loved ones are forever changed through loss. For those we have lost, may their memories always be a blessing.
During this time, what can we say we have learned about ourselves? What have we learned about our society and where we fit in the larger world? This is a time to reflect, to remember, and eventually to share our stories with future generations.
One clear through-line is that we are all more fully aware of the racial inequities that exist in our country – in education, income, economic opportunity, criminal justice, and health care – in almost every aspect of life. This month the Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation released a report, Closing the Racial Divide in the U.S. and Massachusetts: A Baseline Analysis. The report sheds light on how little progress has been made over the past 50 years to address racial inequality. The report also includes an analysis of the long-term benefits of eliminating racial inequities in the state’s economy. For example, if Black and Hispanic students in Massachusetts graduated from college at the same rate as their White peers, the increased economic activity from higher wages (resulting in more state and local tax collections) and reduced public assistance could grow more than $20 billion over a decade.
What we do at FirstGen Ahead is not only a moral imperative but an economic one as well. This has all been brought into clearer focus for a wider audience because of the pandemic.
Susan Gershenfeld, PhD
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“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
We are the change that we seek.” – Barack Obama
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Imposter Syndrome is Real
By Victoria Livingston, Rising Senior, Boston College
How do you handle feeling like you are undeserving of your success? If you are continuously fearful of being “found out,” no matter how much you have done, no matter how much external validation you receive, then you are likely suffering from imposter syndrome. Thinking you are an imposter has less to do with what you have actually done and everything to do with how you perceive yourself. Especially prevalent among women, minorities, and people from less privileged socioeconomic backgrounds, those with imposter syndrome constantly undermine their achievements and think that they have somehow fooled everyone into believing in their capabilities. Praise can feel meaningless when you think you have only gotten to where you are as a result of luck.
In April’s FirstGen Ahead Peer Session, we had the wonderful opportunity to learn about imposter syndrome from Cecilia Macias. We learned how to identify and assess our personal experiences with this phenomenon. Unfortunately, many of us have felt that our accomplishments are not enough or that others are more deserving and more qualified than we are. These feelings can lead to negative consequences, such as heightened anxiety or depression, lack of professional and personal satisfaction, and unreached potential. Thankfully, Cecilia also taught us how to cope with this.
There can be many factors influencing our perception of our achievements, such as family, pressure relating to limited diversity, and lack of organizational support. However, it is incredibly important to stop and recognize what these factors may be, as well as to intentionally reframe our mindset to highlight our strengths rather than dwell on our shortcomings. Cecilia also urged us to think about and share some things we are happy to have achieved; we all undoubtedly have amazing successes to be proud of! Our participation in FirstGen Ahead is already ample proof that we have accomplished a lot. This session was a great reminder that no matter the obstacles we face or how much our environments push us into feeling undervalued, we are always worth celebrating.
As a first-generation college student, in addition to being a woman of color, it is very easy to fall into the trap of undermining my worth. After reflecting during our session with Cecilia, I realized that there have been so many times where I have felt I was underqualified for certain opportunities or not doing enough to earn my spot. Even as I await my internship this summer, I catch myself asking how I could have possibly landed it. Our conversation during this session has helped me realize how important it is to value myself and my accomplishments. I had not realized just how much imposter syndrome has affected my thought process at times and how harmful it could be if I continue to move forward with such a detrimental mindset. The last thing I want is to keep myself from growing and achieving my goals. I (and all of my FGA peers) have come so far and deserve all of our successes. We are far from imposters and now have the tools to ensure we never forget this.
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Tips for Excelling During
Your Summer Internship
A summer internship can be perceived as an extended job interview since many intern positions are converted to full-time offers after graduation. In addition to turning up five minutes early and dressing appropriately for the workplace (assuming the internship is not virtual), be enthusiastic about the organization and its work. Come in with a plan on what you want to personally and professionally get out of the internship. Here are some additional tips to excel during your summer internship:
1. Do the job you were hired to do, and do it well. In order to do this, it’s important to know the expectations your supervisor has for you and then deliver it to the very best of your ability. In carrying out your tasks and responsibilities, are you communicating efficiently and effectively, such as responding to email the same day or within 24 hours and bundling your questions for your supervisor instead of interrupting each time you have a question? Are you asking for feedback and then listening to the feedback given in order to further improve?
2. Think beyond your assigned duties. There will be downtime during your internship; turn this into productive time and an opportunity to be proactive, volunteering to take on new projects and helping others.
3. Connect with others. Internships are a great way to build your network and learn about the career paths of your co-workers. Set up informational interviews, ask questions, seek advice (from informal mentors) and learn. Keep connected after the internship through LinkedIn, and make sure everyone you connected with receives a heartfelt, handwritten thank-you note when you finish your internship.
4. Reflect on your experiences. One way of doing this is keeping a running log of activities and identifying what activities give you energy and which ones are you really absorbed in. Activities that give you both energy and are engaging are signs of a good match. In addition to logging activities, what did you learn about yourself in relation to working with others or working in a specific environment? Did you accomplish what you set out to do in your initial plan? Taking time to reflect will give you insights into your future work preferences and help you document your successes when updating your resume.
Image Source: https://kristinesimpson.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/excelling.jpg
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Job Negotiation Guidance
Many parts of a job offer are negotiable – likely more than you realize.
Even before you have an offer, start with a personal inventory. Do you like to negotiate? Are you good at asking for things? Do you stand up to people in authority? Many people would say, “no” to these questions – bargaining feels uncomfortable or worse.
It turns out there are many things you can do to increase your confidence and increase your likelihood of success. In negotiations, the most important thing to do is prepare. Here are some ways to do so:
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Make a list of your hopes, fears, and concerns. This might include opportunities to learn, to make a difference, or to improve your standard of living. Know what is important to you when it comes to a job.
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Do the same thing for the organization. What might be their hopes, fears, and concerns with you? Know that you represent next-generation talent for them. Be bold and identify five ways you can add value to the organization from its point of view.
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Do your homework. It might be hard to find out exactly what would be the rate of pay for a job you’ve been offered, but there are ways to get an idea of the likely range on sites like GlassDoor.com, Salary.com, and Payscale.com.
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Make a list of things that could be negotiable with a full-time job. These include initial assignments, moving costs, a review in six months (rather than a year), the start date, a signing bonus (especially if there is not much room to move on salary), and starting salary. At the very least, ask for a salary that will be fair relative to others doing similar work.
All of this is preparation work. When it comes to meeting and actually negotiating, here is some guidance:
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Say thank you to the offer, no matter what the offer is. Then get a pencil and paper and indicate that you want to write it down. You will look forward to the written offer but you want to learn all you can now. Write down all the information they share with you.
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In response, don’t focus first on salary. Instead, ask questions about the work, such as your likely initial assignment, supervisory responsibilities, and committee work.
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Even if you plan to accept the position, don’t do so immediately. If the organization is your first choice, say so, but also inform them that you don’t want to officially accept it until you have had a chance to study their proposal and get back to them.
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They may make a salary offer or you might be asked about your salary expectations. An appropriate response would be one in which you say that as best you can tell based on what you presently know about the position and their geographical area, the salary range for such a job is $$$ to $$$. It is okay to say you would like to come in at the high end of the range and, in any case, you would like to be paid fairly, relative to other people doing similar work.
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Ask questions rather than make demands. Are there options around your initial assignment? If there’s no option to increase the salary, can there be a signing bonus and coverage of moving expenses?
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If you have multiple offers, don’t play them off against each other. You can say you have a higher offer from another organization but they are not your first choice. As such, you are hoping that a salary can be agreed to that both of you are comfortable with.
If you accept an offer, inform other organizations where you have pending applications so they can continue with their hiring process. If you accept an offer and later receive an offer from another organization that is more appealing, you should proceed in an ethical way by declining the second offer. You can always pursue employment there in the future if you desire to do so. Although there are exceptions, in most cases an offer and acceptance of that offer is expected to be honored by both parties.
Throughout the negotiation process, keep in mind your initial analysis of your interests and theirs. Be clear about what is and isn’t important to you and ask questions if you need clarification of any aspect of the job.
In the end, you can turn what may seem initially like a stressful negotiation into a joint problem-solving exercise where you both feel good about the final outcome.
Image Source: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTDnaOeTEFCucu9OMMlTFUb8LBV3tQzMngheQ&usqp=CAU
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Did You Know?
For many companies, internships are a direct line to a full-time, post-graduation offer. According to results of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2021 Internship & Co-op Survey Report, employers taking part in the survey reported a 66.4% internship conversion rate.
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How Would You Answer This Question?
“Why are you interested in this internship?” When employers interview applicants for an internship, they want to know, “Why should YOU be hired?” instead of one of the other similarly talented applicants. What makes you unique? What about your personality, interests, and goals makes you a particularly good fit for the specific internship you are applying for?
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Meet Coach Amanda!
Amanda Duffy is a post-doctoral research fellow in the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and for the past one-and-a-half years, she has been enthusiastically serving as a FirstGen Ahead coach for a student who dreams of becoming a neurologist.
In her post-doc role, she’s a member of the BrainGate interdisciplinary team, which consists of a collaborative group of scientists from MGH, Brown University, Case Western University, and Stanford University. Their goals have been centered around developing intracortical brain-computer interface technologies to restore communication and mobility to individuals who have lost these functions either due to brain damage, spinal cord injury, or neurological disease.
Amazingly, Amanda’s interest in neuroscience began before she even knew what “neuroscience” actually meant, thanks to her Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist neighbor, Dr. David Hubel. When Amanda was just three years old, Dr. Hubel began teaching her the wonders of the brain, specifically the workings of the visual system. He emphasized the inter-relatedness between biology, physics, and the importance of asking scientific questions from different angles and perspectives. Amanda adored her mentor, Dr. Hubel. She says, “He always strove to inspire young people to be their best selves and to pursue challenges no matter what. Dr. Hubel was the kind of person who constantly found joy, fascination, and passion in all aspects of life. I try to carry this sense of worldly appreciation and utter and pure curiosity in my heart every day.”
Amanda feels incredibly fortunate to have had an influential mentor like Dr. Hubel and others who have guided her in school, work, and life. It is because of having benefited greatly from devoted mentors and relationships that she has been able to pursue her dreams in neurorehabilitation. Amanda believes everyone deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
Her approach to coaching through FirstGen Ahead has evolved over the past year-and-a-half from setting specific, concrete academic goals to longer-term planning that will enable her student to achieve her dreams. Amanda has provided guidance and support on many levels, including social, societal, academic, and occupational. The experience of coaching thus far through FirstGen Ahead “has been incredible,” says Amanda. She continued, “I know that I have learned as much from my student (if not more!) as she has learned from me.”
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Sunday, June 13, 4-5pm. Coach Session. Dr. Lois Benishek, facilitator.
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