From Student Assistant to Prepared Professionals
Written by: Jaqueline Clark, Student Assistant for Career Development
Like with the students we help, we want our Student Assistants to gain the skills and qualities that prepare them for the professional world. We interviewed our Graduate Associate, Julia Rayburg, and our undergraduate Student Assistant, Emily Steinberg about their time working for Career Development and their future goals.
Julia Rayburg
Describe yourself.
My pronouns are she/her/hers, and I am in the MS Counseling Psychology program. My future goal is to become a psychologist and would love to continue treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as expanding my specializations in other areas of the field of psychology. I absolutely love learning and feel that there is so much more for me to explore, so hopefully going for a doctorate is somewhere in my future as well.
How did you discover this job position?
Ironically, I found this position on Handshake, scheduled an appointment (also on Handshake!) to review my resume, and then interviewed shortly after. I started looking for on-campus jobs that would also help me develop transferable skills and learning about career counseling seemed like a perfect fit.
How long have you worked at this job position, and what were your main tasks?
I started working in Career Development way back when we were still in the library’s basement! I believe it’s been about 4 years, and I have truly enjoyed every minute. For the first few years, I was a student assistant and prioritized emails, as well as Handshake tasks such as approvals, adding events, and helping schedule appointments. Eventually, I started taking resume and cover letter reviews and internship appointments too. Once I started grad school, I became a GA for the internship program, where we help students find internships, complete ILAs, run internship preparation workshops and reflection groups, and collect evaluations.
What were weaknesses that you improved upon in this job? How did you improve upon them as a Student Assistant?
This job has helped so much with time management, task organization, and even scheduling. I used to start one task then somehow end up on a new one, and then continue through that cycle without much structure. Working as a Student Assistant has helped me to create task lists and check everything off as I go, especially since a lot of the tasks are with students and employers so there is somewhat of a timeframe.
What were experiences from your Student Assistant position that have set expectations for what you want to find in a work environment?
I feel a lot more confident asking for help or career-related advice. I am also grateful to have had such great supervision in Career Development. So, as I searched for my own internship and eventually a career in Counseling Psychology, I certainly asked a lot about supervision styles and what that relationship looks like. It is so important to have a supervisor that gives feedback but also allows space for growth. It is very important to me to have a strong support system and that is something that I feel like Career Development excels with, so now I always search for a similar environment.
Explain the skills that you learned from this position, and how will you apply them in the future.
I learned so many great skills in Career Development! Now I go into meetings and appointments with notes and questions prepared ahead of time, I make to-do lists, and organize any documents by putting them in appropriate folders so nothing is out of place. Another skill that I learned is to simply ask more questions. If you are uncertain about something, ask about it, do your research, and make sure to explore your options. I also feel much more open to feedback and am always appreciative of being in environments that promote growth and learning.
Emily Steinberg
Describe yourself.
I’m an Environmental Science major, (she/they). I plan to pursue graduate school and start my professional career in a biological / ecological / environmental field.
How did you discover this job position?
I discovered the job on Handshake since I was looking for an on-campus job my freshman year.
How long have you worked in this job position, and what were your main tasks?
I’ve worked here since the fall of my freshman year, so like a year and a half. My main tasks have been approving job postings and employers on Handshake, assisting with and plan office sponsored events such as the job and networking mixer, collaborating with other student assistants on social media posts, scheduling appointments, managing the professional dress closet and reviewing resumes.
What were weaknesses that you improved that you improved upon during your time as a Student Assistant?
I gained email, phone, and interview confidence as I answered more phone calls, emails, or performed mic interviews with professional staff. Also, I improved my planning/ time management and communication skills. I balanced work, school, and my personal life, which involved coming in on time and communicating with my supervisor when I was unable to come in.
What were experiences from your Student Assistant position that have set expectations for what you want to find in a work environment?
After working as a student assistant, it created expectations of finding inclusion and diversity and receiving constructive feedback from others in the workplace. Also, I wish to find supervisors that listen and consider my feedback.
Explain the skills that you learned from this position, and how you will apply them in your future career.
One skill that I learned from this position was event planning, which will be beneficial for planning events ahead of time in my future career. A major skill that I learned was communication. With my position, I learned to effectively communicate with my supervisors on a timely basis verbally or online (ie. text, email). Then, I learned to provide constructive feedback to other work colleagues. Through my tasks on Handshake and Excel for the dress closet, I learned software/ website management and organization. Interview skills were another skill I learned with this position. Besides knowing what to wear, I know what and how to say my interview answers (ie. how to make yourself look good based on skills and experiences). Finally, I am better equipped for job research. I not only know how and where to look for a job, but also I know my own worth.