FirstGen Ahead
November, 2019
Founder’s Message

The strategy of FirstGen Ahead’s pilot is responsive to a great need to empower first-generation college students in their transition from college to career. Our strategy is four-fold and can be summed up with eight words: trusted partners, timely guidance, experienced coaches, and engaged peers. 

Trusted Partners :  First, for recruitment, we partner with an educational access organization, Steppingstone Foundation , which has a long-standing, trusting relationship with students. A current challenge is that first-generation college students are less likely than their continuing-generation college peers to utilize university career planning services. These services are more generic and limited in the support provided. It is a bigger hurdle to take the risk of something new and work with FirstGen Ahead. The “trust” criterion for a partnership grants us credibility and visibility with first-generation college students.

Timely Guidance :  Second, we start working with students as they enter their junior year of college and continue working with them through their first semester of their senior year. By this time, students have declared their majors, are statistically more likely to graduate, and are more likely to be giving serious thought to their first post-college job and their long-term career aspirations. The time frame allows for helping students acquire the all-important summer internship before their senior year, which is a significant predictor of landing a strong position post-college, and coaching them during the job application, interview, and selection process. This is especially important since first-generation college students are more likely to attend universities where fewer companies recruit for internships and post-college positions.

Experienced Coaches :  Third, we recruit experienced volunteer coaches to provide one-on-one support, and the student chooses which coach they want to work with during the 17-month period. Another challenge for first-generation college students is a lack social capital and acquired knowledge/skill set for launching their career compared to their continuing-generation college peers. An experienced coach has connections, industry-specific knowledge, and can meet the specific needs of students. By choosing their coach, students have agency and are more likely to be committed to developing a beneficial partnership with their coach.

Engaged Peers:   Fourth, we support peer learning by facilitating a monthly, eight-part, online discussion based on a curriculum that builds understanding, skills, and connections. Holding online sessions is crucial given the need to accommodate the challenging demands of first-generation college students who are often managing multiple academic, social, family, and work commitments. 

Our strategy is based on researching the competitive landscape (with few providers at present), evaluation research (with some key studies), and our first-hand experience in working extensively with first-generation college students. The beauty of starting as a pilot is that we value the additional learning and can make adjustments in our strategy and operations before expanding.   

Susan Gershenfeld, PhD
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” -- Brene Brown
Learning and Taking Action from Network Mapping

Professional networks are essential, especially considering up to 80% of positions are obtained through networks. To begin assessing their own networks, FirstGen Ahead students completed a network map and were asked to analyze it. Then they developed a plan to strengthen or expand their networks, taking at least one action step based on the plan. All of the students found ways that their networks could be strengthened – which is a key first step.

Networking needs to be an intentional process.  According to Isaac Serwanga, author of How to Network in College: A Practical Guide to Student Success in the Networking Age , networking is a skillset and a mindset and should be taught as early as elementary school. His main message in this Ted Talk is the three bones to networking, which are common sense but not common practice:

Wish bone . What do you want to do and who can help you attain it?
Jaw bone . T wo components – 1) competency (Do advanced research so you know what you’re talking about to understand the industry, company, department, position, and yourself.) and 2) humility (People need to like you to want to help you.).
Backbone . Persistence (despite the “no’s” that you will encounter during your networking efforts).

Coaches can help students to learn these networking bones and begin to use them so that they can make them common practice in their lives .
Tips for Maintaining Your Professional Network

One common refrain among FirstGen Ahead students is the need to establish and maintain existing professional relationships. But, how do you genuinely go about this and not appear self-serving? In addition to asking coaches and mentors for advice on what has successfully worked for them in establishing and maintaining their professional networks, here are three tips to consider:

Reach out on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media . Whether it’s a simple “like” button, a short “So excited for you!” congratulations message on an accomplishment, or a reposting, this puts your name on their radar and it is not obtrusive. Plus, you may also be noticed by their own contacts, which could be beneficial in the future.
Send quarterly email check-ins to closer contacts . T his allows you to ask about them about important professional developments in their lives, as well as giving you an opportunity to update them on your own developments. If you see an article of interest or another beneficial resource, you can lead with that as a motivation to reach out.
Show your gratitude . When it comes to praise, there’s no expiration date! If one of your contacts provides a valuable lesson, introduces you to a new contact, or is helpful in other ways, show your appreciation through an e-mail or, better still, a handwritten note; a social media post can be appropriate as well.

If a professional contact is super busy, you can still send a periodic email or leave a voice message and add, “No need to respond.” This shows you care and are checking in but gives them permission to not follow up with you. However, if you’re asking a specific question and reached out three times without a response, then it is time to move on. 
Making the Most Out of Informational Interviews

Conducting informational interviews is an excellent way to learn about someone’s profession and career journey and assess whether a similar career might be right for you. It’s also a key way to expand your network. Identifying individuals and speaking with these individuals to learn about their careers, however, are two areas in which FirstGen Ahead students self-reported lower levels of confidence (3.2 and 3.0 respectively on a five-point scale). One way to improve confidence is preparation and practice! 

Your coach and others in your network can help identify individuals to interview . They might know (or others in their respective networks might know) someone in a career you’re exploring and can send an introductory email. Providing them with a statement about you/your interests will help in crafting their e-introduction. 

Larry Pearlman, Senior Vice President at Marsh Risk Consulting, has made time over the years to answer questions for many people requesting informational interviews. Rather than be hesitant to request an informational interview, in a recent conversation, Larry advised students to remember that, “asking for help can make someone else feel good.” Though people are busy, they like to talk about themselves and be recognized as an expert in their line of work, as well as help others who are exploring potential careers.
Larry’s other advice in preparing for an informational interview includes:

Have a story as to why you want to talk with them .
For example…My coach, (include name), suggested that I contact you for two reasons. First, you’re doing important work in the aerospace engineering/AE field (which is my area of interest) and, second, (coach name) mentioned that there were times in the past where you questioned your “fit” in AE given that you are a female in a predominantly male field (and I’m a female).
Do your research and find something to connect with the person you are interviewing .
For example…I looked at your LinkedIn profile and saw that you follow Sir Richard Branson and so do I.
Say something that is memorable .
For example …I was inspired to become a cardiologist after seeing the impact that my grandpa’s stroke had on him and the amazing patient-focused treatment that he received from his medical team while in the hospital.
When informational interviews end and the interviewee offers you the chance to follow up in the future with any additional questions, take advantage of it .

Generic questions to consider for an informational interview are posted in the resource folder on Google Drive. Plan 30 minutes for your informational interview. 
Meet Coach Pnina!

FirstGen Ahead is fortunate to have experienced, engaged coaches to guide our students on a one-to-one basis as they prepare to transition from college to career. Over the course of the pilot program, we’ll be featuring our coaches in this newsletter. First up is Pnina (pronounced Pah-Neena’) Steiner!

In 2015, Pnina retired as Senior Director of Business Career Services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and relocated with her husband, Gadi, to the Boston area to be near family. She missed offering guidance to college students and wanted to give back, so the FirstGen coaching opportunity was right up her alley. Pnina says, “Because I am a first-generation university graduate myself and from my own experience understand the challenges that first generation students face in securing meaningful and rewarding careers after graduation, I wanted to serve as a coach.”

Like many others, she had a coach/mentor who made a difference in her life, especially as a young immigrant to the U.S. “The coach I had helped me build confidence by challenging me to engage in activities that were outside of my comfort zone, such as teaching college students with a limited English background,” recalls Pnina. As a FirstGen Ahead coach, her goal is “to work along with the student on an individualized success plan to secure a first great job at graduation. My ultimate goal is to empower the student to identify her career goals and occupational targets so that by graduation she will have developed a set of marketable skills that will allow her to be successful in transitioning to the job market.”

All FirstGen Ahead coaches are selected by their student based on a biosketch they submitted. Coaches participate in an orientation and in monthly online coaching support sessions, which are facilitated by Dr. Lois Benishek, a counseling psychologist. Pnina says, “I find it very helpful to be a member of a team in participating in online coach sessions to handle problems and help students.”

If you know of someone who would like to learn about serving as a FirstGen Ahead coach for the next academic year, please have them contact susan@FirstGenAhead.org . 
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Sunday, November 10; 7-8pm
Online coach support session facilitated by Dr. Lois Benishek. A Zoom link was sent to all coaches. Any questions, please email susan@firstgenahead.org .

Sunday, December 1, 7:30-8:30pm
Online student peer session facilitated by Dr. Susan Gershenfeld. The November 24 th session was cancelled and rescheduled for this date. A Zoom link was sent to all students. Any questions, please emai l susan@firstgenahead.org .

Sunday, December 22, 1:30-3pm
A networking reception will take place at Susan Gershenfeld’s home in Auburndale. This reception is a great opportunity for coaches and students to meet each other in person and for students to practice networking in a reception-type environment.   Other guests who work in the areas of interest to students will also be invited. Please click here to RSVP .
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