“What do you want to be when you grow up?” is a question many remember from childhood.
Lauren Tigue, instead, asks students “WHO they want to be, not WHAT they want to be.” In other words, preparing for a career in today’s business world involves analyzing a collection of interests that apply to a whole field, rather than a specific job. “Careers are no longer linear,” Tigue says, “and the business world moves quickly. Students need to recognize their own values to match how they want to work.”
Tigue is one of eight Professional Development Partners (PDP) located in the Student Academic & Career Services (SACS). The role of PDP is new to Towson this year and unique to the CBE. PDPs are more than academic advisers: they maintain a connection to the business community and attempt to smooth out the transition from student to working professional. With roughly 250 student advisees per semester, PDPs are there when needed and offer students essential tools to become independent and personally responsible.
These tools include career fairs (which involve the task of keeping in contact with businesses that take on CBE interns). PDPs also stay up to date on academic programs, curriculum changes, internship opportunities, and campus resources provided to students. One of these resources, the University Career Center, offers help with résumés and cover letters. Your PDP can also help in perfecting these documents before you send them out to potential employers.
Helping Our Students
Greg March, PDP for International Business & Entrepreneurship and a CBE alumnus, recalls two students who effectively utilized Towson University’s resources:
“In the three years I worked with Dulce Salaverria and Jesus Salaverria, transfers from Panama, we perfected their résumés, job search techniques, and interview skills, encouraged campus involvement, and helped them secure quality internships.”
The siblings both secured jobs post-graduation at Mediterranean Shipping Company in Chicago. The Salaverrias’ success story is one of many that emerge from CBE. PDPs have a goal of securing jobs and internships post-graduation, but they can’t do all of the work: it is up to students to take advantage of resources that are provided with tuition.
“GET HIRED” and Other Events This Fall
On Monday, October 7, SACS hosts the first of several emotional intelligence events, this one titled “GET HIRED: 5 Skills You NEED to Land a Dream Job.” Students will engage in a fun and interactive workshop that explores the components of emotional intelligence, and provides tools and tips to develop the five critical skills that are mentioned.
Greg March, who hosts the event on October 15, offers information about his event,“Who do you think YOU are?” Students who attend will take the StrengthsQuest Assessment, which identifies the user’s top strengths. These are helpful to know when faced with the daunting but common interview question, “what are you good at?”
“However,” March adds, “even if you know your strengths, you may not know how to express and describe them.” SACS’s event will contextualize your strengths in how you work with others. The event will help you apply action planning, with specific activities and practices you can do to sharpen your strengths.
Can’t make it on Monday? You have a few more options to choose from:
Visit https://emotional-intelligence-fall2019.eventbrite.com for a complete list of events.