Founder’s Message:
Our partnerships are expanding! This fall marks our third cohort of students who are recruited from the Steppingstone Foundation and our first cohort of students from the Student Support Services Program (SSSP) at Brandeis University. We are now interviewing the Brandeis students and, based on their interests and preferences, the students will be selecting their coaches in the next few weeks. We look forward to working with all of our new students while continuing to support our second cohort of Steppingstone Scholars who are now in their senior year of college at UMass Boston, UMass Amherst, Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern University, and Case Western Reserve University.
Thanks to our partnership with Encore Boston Network (EBN) as well as personal and professional networks, we’ve recruited some wonderful new coaches. EBN organized and facilitated a panel discussion in late July for their members and the interested public on coaching opportunities available with FirstGen Ahead. Many thanks to EBN’s Board Vice Chair, Pat Chadwick, for facilitating the session and Coach Viola Morse and BU Senior Selina Li for sharing their FirstGen Ahead experiences. You’ll be reading about our new coaches in future issues of FirstGen Ahead’s newsletter.
After two years of testing our one-on-one coaching, peer support, and project-based learning model, we are ready to expand to help meet the need for comprehensive career support for first-generation college students. Our growth plan is through partnerships with colleges and universities in the Greater Boston area as well as foundations and not-for-profits in Massachusetts advancing educational equity. FirstGen Ahead is most thankful for Steppingstone Foundation’s fiscal sponsorship until we receive our 501(c)3 status. We will soon begin forming our Board and will report out on developments in future newsletters.
In the meantime, we’re proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish by supporting first-generation students to transition from college to career. We’re also excited to positively impact more first-generation students through our growing partnerships.
Susan Gershenfeld, PhD
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“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." – Helen Keller
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Addressing Common Student Fears
and the
Student Role in a Coaching Partnership
Two common fears college students mention prior to entering a coaching or mentoring relationship are: 1) not being able to build a genuine connection/relationship, and 2) not wanting to be judged. These two fears are interrelated. A Ted Talk by mentoring researcher, Victoria Black, focuses not on the mentor or coach, but on the role of the protégé or mentee. What can the protégé do to address their fears when entering a developmental relationship? How can they engage with their mentor so that they will most benefit as much as possible from the experience?
The answer is three things – commitment, reciprocity, and vulnerability.
First, your coach is giving you their time. Show your commitment by being on time for your meetings, not canceling at the last minute (unless it is an emergency), coming prepared, and engaging during the meeting. Even with emails or text messages, respond within 24 hours or, if for some reason that’s not possible, explain why. It seems basic, but this carelessness suggests that you don't respect your coach's time. It can undercut the relationship and your own outcomes. It is also good practice for the people you work with after you graduate.
Second, the partnership is reciprocal. As Black says, “The mentee is the driver and the mentor is the co-pilot helping them get to their destination…Success is not just having a mentor tell you or show you what to do. It’s a two-way relationship.” Protégés need to ask themselves what they hope to gain from each conversation. This means preparing for meetings with an agenda and questions. Always know what you want to discuss each time you meet with your coach. Especially at the beginning of the relationship, it’s important to make time to get to know each other as people, just like you would in developing any relationship. Making a connection with each other is a joint responsibility.
Third, if you’re asking a career coach to help you prepare for your career after college, you need to possess a willingness to grow. You need what is called a malleable mindset. This means being vulnerable, honest with yourself and honest with your coach. It means being open to feedback. Frame guidance you receive not as “being judged” but as “developing a better version of myself.” We are all works in progress. Those of us who are more likely to progress faster are those who are willing to be vulnerable and open to change.
Image Source: https://www.thecontentwolf.com/life/life-coaching-corner-managing-overcoming-fear/
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What is Self-Efficacy and
Why Does It Matter in
Achieving Your Goals?
We often hear of the importance of “confidence” – being sure about our abilities, qualities, and ideas. But what if we trust ourselves in some areas and not in others? Does this mean we don’t have confidence? Is confidence binary – something you either have or don’t have? We hear less about “self-efficacy” but it’s highly relevant to these questions. Self-efficacy is the belief in our own ability to succeed in achieving a goal; that is, having the confidence to know we can do whatever we set our mind to by managing how we think, feel, and behave. We can have high self-efficacy in some areas, for example, being a keynote speaker at a conference, and we can have low self-efficacy in other areas, for example, learning to use the “R” software for data analysis.
It’s important to know self-efficacy is not static. Research shows there are four ways to develop self-efficacy in goal-related areas. Let’s say your goal is to reach out to three strangers to learn about their careers. That’s your goal but you’re not sure if you can do it (low self-efficacy). The four ways you can improve your self-efficacy are:
- Recall times you have succeeded in the past based on your own hard work and efforts.
- When others like you are achieving goals, it makes you feel more capable of your own success.
- Ask for and use feedback and coaching you receive from others. When someone you trust encourages you and reminds you of your past successes, this can help you overcome your own self-doubt.
- Learn how to read your body and emotions. Reframing your self-talk from “I’m anxious” to “I’m excited” helps you think about situations with a more positive mindset.
Believing in yourself is the first step in achieving your goals and knowing yourself is key to making that become a reality.
Image Source: https://rutraining.org/2019/02/18/self-efficacy-theory-sometimes-it-really-is-all-in-your-head/
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Preparing for and Tracking Learnings
from Informational Interviews
You think you know what field you want to pursue after college. You think this because you know some of the things you like and some of the things you don’t like. But you don’t have any direct experience nor do you know anyone who works in the field. You’ve been given the opportunity through your coach to conduct informational interviews with people in the field you want to pursue. Essentially, this is an opportunity to understand their career journey and to hear their sage advice specific to your situation. Informational interviews are also an opportunity to build your network in the field you’re considering pursuing. They typically last 30 minutes (but the amount of time is based on the availability of the person you’re interviewing) and, during our Covid-19 era, are conducted using a video platform, such as Zoom.
Here’s some advice to help you prepare for your interviews:
1. Watch this short 4-minute video with tips for conducting informational interviews.
2. Do online research on the individuals you will be interviewing. What general and specific questions do you want to ask based on what you’ve learned?
3. There are a variety of generic informational interview questions available online, through university career centers, and searchable through FirstGen Ahead’s resource tab on the website. Choose which questions are most appropriate for your interests.
During the interview:
1. Introduce yourself (practice your elevator pitch).
2. Take notes and ask follow-up questions.
3. Ask if there are any additional people who they would also suggest for you to speak with (and ask for an e-introduction).
4. Keep track of time and express your gratitude for their time and the information they shared.
After the interview:
1. Complete this form on what you’ve learned and next steps; reflect and discuss with your FirstGen Ahead coach.
2. Write a thank you note to the person you interviewed. Do this within 24 hours.
3. Request to connect via LinkedIn
There are only positives with conducting informational interviews, whether you’re a college student exploring a career path or a seasoned professional looking to change career paths. Being prepared, present during the interview, and following up are key.
Image Source: https://www.fivestrengths.com/2016/11/03/informational-interview-questions-strategies/
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Make the Most of Virtual Career Fairs
By Pnina Steiner, Master Resume & Interview Coach,
FirstGen Ahead
As with last year, many universities will host virtual career fairs during the fall and spring semesters, and separate career fairs based on industry, such as finance or biotechnology.
Reasons to Participate:
- You are seeking a professional experience/internship.
- You want to enhance your networking with potential employers and explore your career options.
How to Prepare:
- Update your resume and have it reviewed by your coach. Upload it on your university system (such as Handshake) so employers can easily access it before, during, and after the career fair.
- Visit your university website where the virtual career fair is being hosted.
- Register ahead of time and create a calendar reminder.
- Research the companies that you are interested in connecting with and learn about them ahead of time. Use the company website to gather information such as the company’s products and services, locations, public vs. private and available positions.
- Sign up for one-on-one and group employer sessions in advance of the date of the career fair.
- Think through your introduction and practice your elevator pitch.
- List questions to ask employers that you identified.
- Make sure you are wearing business professional attire and that the background others will see during the video event is free of distractions and appropriate.
What to Expect at a Virtual Career Fair:
- The format of a virtual career fair varies based on the host and how you will interact with employers depends on the setup. There may be group information sessions, one-on-one short (ten minutes or less) video sessions, or group/individual chats.
- Some employers may use the fair as an opportunity to screen and interview candidates.
At the Career Fair:
- Participate in a distraction-free environment, a quiet location where you will not be disturbed. Have your notes and your resume in front of you for reference.
- Show up for your session on time, have a digital copy of your resume and questions prepared for each employer.
- Look at your camera not on your computer screen to establish eye contact and introduce yourself, relax, smile, and speak slowly but clearly and confidently; demonstrate professional body language and good posture.
- Articulate how your interests and qualifications align with the employer’s needs.
- Ask for the next steps and contact information.
- Take notes after each employer session. Type your chat responses using Microsoft Word and paste them into the career fair chatbox. Avoid using slang and emojis.
- Smile and thank the employer when you’re logging out of the session.
After the Career Fair:
- Using the contact information you collected, send a thank you email to the employers you met within 24 hours.
- Keep a spreadsheet of all your contacts.
- Connect with the employers on LinkedIn.
- Within 7-10 days of the career fair, make follow-up contact with whom you spoke to about a possible interview. Ask your FirstGen Ahead coach to help you craft that email content.
- Discuss your career fair experience with your coach, including what you learned about the process, what you thought you did well and why, and what you would do differently at the next career fair you attend and why.
Image Source: https://alumni.ucdavis.edu/news/what-know-about-virtual-career-fairs
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Did you Know?
The percentage of employers using GPA to screen candidates is decreasing, according to the National Association of College and Employers (NACE Job Outlook 2021 Spring Update). Two years ago, nearly three-quarters of survey respondents planned to screen candidates by GPA and in 2021 it decreased to 56.6%. The stated rationale for this decline is that the GPA is not viewed as being a valid indicator of a candidate’s ability to do the job.
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How Would You Answer These Questions?
In your opinion, what is the most beneficial aspect of working in a diverse environment? The most challenging? What are the questions you can ask during an internship or job interview to help you determine if the organization values diversity?
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Sunday, Oct. 10, 7-8pm. Monthly coach session. Facilitated by Dr. Lois Benishek. Zoom link will be provided in advance.
Sunday, Oct. 24, 7-8pm. Orientation session for newly admitted students. Facilitated by Dr. Susan Gershenfeld. Zoom link will be sent in advance of the session.
TBD in October – New Coach Orientation
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