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      The Paradox Of Career Choice

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      The Big Question 

      When I first began mentoring college students, I thought it was simply a coincidence that the students I was meeting happened to be consumed by the same nagging question. As more and more students shared the same concerns with me, I noticed that individuals with very different personalities and backgrounds were all grappling with the same question. It could not be a coincidence. Rather, the mind of the young thinking, feeling, growing person naturally gravitates towards the fundamental question: What is my life’s direction?

      This question is expressed in various ways:

      What major in college should I choose?What profession should I enter?What will I do after college?What am I going to look like ten years from now?

      The sense of freedom and independence that accompanies our arrival at college is not the only feeling that comes along with us. In the back seat sits another feeling — the feeling of worry about figuring out what I am going to do with my life. 

      I want to share with you the most effective approach to answering this question. Having the answer will make the college experience (and life!) far more valuable and enjoyable.

      Looking for personal career advice? Click here to get in contact with me.

      The Overwhelming Choice

      When I visit New York City, I like to pick up my favorite collectible: those silly, small ceramic New York Yankees dolls with the bobbing head attached to the body with a spring (the ones that cab drivers like to place on their dashboards), known as “bobbleheads”. As the car moves, the head bounces around in reaction to the turns and bumps of the car. For many, this doll encompasses the college experience, where we bounce around randomly between classes, majors, and career possibilities, our heads constantly bobbing in reaction to the many thoughts, options, and opinions that sway us.

      I remember the moment I received the course catalog during orientation for my freshman year in college. I looked through the catalog feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of options. I was enrolled in a liberal arts program that was supposed to “empower” me in life, but instead I felt disheartened, not knowing what to choose.

      Barry Schwartz, the author of The Paradox of Choice, describes one of the ultimate dilemmas in life: an overwhelming amount of options. The primary indicator of freedom may be quantified in terms of a person’s ability to choose. That is, freedom is measured by the degree to which a person is free to choose. In today’s world, people in free countries have more options than ever before in human history. From the variety of products that one finds in the local grocery store to the vast opportunities for career choice, the world has never been a place of such abundant options.

      However, today’s world surpasses the rest of history in another area: our overall sense of well-being has never been lower. Depression today is ten times as prevalent as it was in 1960, and it strikes at a much younger age. Almost seventy years ago in America, the average age of initial onset of depression was 29.5. Today the average age of initial onset is 14.5. Issues of low self-esteem have never been as rampant. In America, the leading prescription drug type is the anti-depressant. Divorce rates are higher than they have ever been. Domestic violence, acts of aggression, and unwanted pregnancies are at all-time highs. The list goes on and on.

      What is the reason for this phenomenon? Why is it that while a majority of the population of the world experiences an unprecedented level of freedom, universal measures of well-being have never been so low?

      Having the freedom to choose is essential to a life of happiness, but having too many options from which to choose tends to lead to poor decision-making, anxiety, stress, and dissatisfaction.1 The time and energy expended in considering and pursuing multiple options detracts from our overall freedom and well-being.

      Although the notion may seem counter-intuitive, limitation of choice can be the very thing that produces the ultimate freedom and well-being in life.2

      College Students

      One significant factor contributing to this phenomenon applies to the vast majority of college students, and it is one that every college student must confront: lack of direction. The wealth of options out there makes it difficult to find my direction in here, inside of me. 

      Whenever I speak with college students, I find that most feel paralyzed, overwhelmed, and consumed by the myriad of options facing them. They tell me that if somehow they could eliminate a lot of the options, it would become much easier for them to choose.

      Solution

      How, though, do we limit our options and thereby increase our happiness and well-being?

      The answer is that inside each one of us is a compass that points us in the right direction. Let’s call it our inner compass. This inner compass can filter out the options that are not relevant to our lives and to give us clarity in every decision we need to make. How exactly does this inner compass accomplish this? Just like the magnetic force of the earth causes the needle of a compass to point to the north, my strengths direct me towards those options that are most fitting for me, helping me navigate all major life choices, especially my career choice.

      A life of true greatness and happiness is achieved only when I can figure out how to make the choices that are consistent with my essential self.

      College is, for many, the first real taste of freedom and individual expression. The experience would be much more powerful and effective in establishing the foundation for future success and well-being if the student would form a clear and confident vision of how to spend his college years.

      Natural Strengths

      All living things share the tendency to grow, to develop, and to realize their potential, humans included. Within each of us is a kind of internal compass that directs us along the paths that lead us toward becoming the best that we can be. That internal compass provides us with a sense of what is right for ourselves. To the extent that we follow its guidance, we are able to live authentically, in harmony with our unique and individual selves. Our strengths represent our alignment with that internal compass. Our personal combinations of interests, natural capabilities, and preferences signal them. It is when we put them to use in our lives that we feel most authentic, energized, and fulfilled, confident that we are being who we were meant to be. Each person’s greatest potential for growth is in the area of his or her greatest strength. 

      What happens when people operate from their strengths? They are more effective and more fulfilled. In the workplace, where we spend so much of our lives and where our strengths can be so clearly expressed, employees are six times more likely to be engaged in their role when their job requires them to use their strengths.3

      Gallup’s research indicates that people who are not operating from their strengths at work tend to:

      Dread going to workHave more negative than positive interactions with co-workersTreat customers poorlyTell friends they work for a miserable organizationAchieve less on a daily basisHave fewer positive and creative moments.4

      When we live our lives according to our strengths, we thrive. We are happy, energized, relaxed, and we celebrate our many successes. There are various reasons given for why so many people do not live according to their strengths. One of the main reasons, and the one I hear most often from students, is that they simply do not know their strengths. They lack the awareness, sensitivity, and self-knowledge required to identify their unique abilities and character traits.

      How To Discover Your Natural Strengths

      Some people are endowed with profound clarity about who they are, and their strengths are obvious to them. Most people, however, need a little (or a lot) of help in uncovering their true areas of strength. A good mentor, friend, or coach (and a parent can be any of those!) can help. There are also valuable resources available that can help us find our strengths:

      The VIA Institute on Character (www.viacharacter.org) offers the free VIA Survey, a scientifically validated strength assessment for adults. Detailed reports provide strategies on how to use your strengths at work, at school, and in relationships.The Clifton StrengthsFinder (www.strengthsfinder.com), the culmination of more than 50 years of Dr. Donald O. Clifton’s lifelong work, has led millions of people around the world to discover their strengths. The Reflected Best Self Exercise (www.reflectedbestselfexercise.com) enables people to identify their unique strengths and talents. Each participant requests positive feedback from significant people in his or her life and then synthesizes it into a cumulative portrait of his or her “best self.” 

      Conclusion

      The decisions we have to make upon entry to college can be daunting. The course catalog is hundreds of pages long, overwhelming us with confusion, uncertainty, anxiety. How am I to choose my major and my career path, with so many paths in front of me? If I pick one path, I’m automatically rejecting hundreds of others, and maybe one of those hundreds is the correct path for me! How can I feel confident that I am making the right choice?

      With a little detective work on the self, I can discover the innate strengths that empower me, and make wise decisions based on them. Personal discussions, online resources, and seeking the guidance of a college or career counselor are effective avenues not only for choosing a career but for discovering the strengths within me that will be the guiding light for all of life’s major decisions.

      Dr. Yosef Lynn is Dean of Students at The Dr. David Robinson Institute of Jewish Heritage. He is also an author, Career Discovery Coach, adjunct professor of Positive Psychology, and the founder and director of “Greatness Within Seminars”. He holds a Doctorate in Human and Organizational Psychology (PsyD) from Touro and earned a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied under the founder of the field of Positive Psychology, Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman.

      Interest in connecting with Dr. Yosef Lynn and receiving personal career advice? Click here to find out more.

      Or click here to send Dr. Yosef Lynn an email.

      Endnotes

      Schwartz, B. (2004). The paradox of choice: Why more is less. New York: Ecco.Schwartz, B. (2000). Self-determination: The tyranny of freedom. American Psychologist, 55(1), 79-88.Rath, T. (2007). StrengthsFinder 2.0. New York: Gallup Press, p. 12.Ibid., p. 12.  More

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      Quiz: What’s Your Perfect Side Hustle? 6 Ways To Work Flexibly

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      No matter what you study or what your ambitions are, you don’t have to wait to start making a little extra money. That’s what having a side hustle is all about. Whether it’s tutoring, cleaning, dog-walking, or even elder care, there are a ton of ways to make money on the side (and pad your resume while you’re at it).
      And no one has more options for these kinds flexible work than Care.com. That’s why we partnered with them to make this quiz to help you determine what your best path to part-time pocket change really is.
      Check it out below.

      Ready to put your results to the test? Check out even more amazing part-time jobs and opportunities at Care.com on WayUp right now! More

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      Learn About Lumen With Car And Pizza Analogies

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      Let’s say you’ve read about the amazing benefits and inspiring mission of Lumen—the Platform for Amazing Things. But you’re still silently wondering, am I the only one who doesn’t know what this means? Read on to discover what the rebranded company and the platform are all about, how they’ll help their customers realize their potential and how laser tag and pepperoni can help explain it.
      Why Lumen? Why Now?
      Lumen’s goal is to further human progress through technology (their stated purpose) in the 4th Industrial Revolution. That’s the explosion of data and applications that has changed the way we live and work. To access the cutting-edge technology required to compete, Lumen customers need better application performance and security. Because things change quickly and constantly, they need it now. And so – The Platform for Amazing Things.
      A simple, and admittedly loose, analogy: Your car is unreliable. You stay close to home in case it breaks down. That limits you to a small local market with boring fruit, four mediocre restaurants and a movie theater with one screen. Your friends, who have new cars, can access faster, newer, better, tastier, more amazing stuff, like laser tag and farmer’s markets. You hate being left out, so you buy a new car (the platform) right away.
      This new vehicle, with its upgraded sound system, doesn’t just serve as your mode of transportation; it’s your primary means for getting you everywhere you want to go – and with a new car scent as a bonus. It’s so amazing, it becomes your new identity (like our updated name).
      The Platform for Amazing Things
      The platform will enable each of Lumen’s four product lines: Adaptive Networking, Edge Cloud and IT Agility, Connected Security and Communication and Collaboration.
      Adaptive Networking provides high bandwidth that the platform automatically adjusts up or down, in real time, depending on their customers’ data and application needs. The platform is intelligent and flexible to help change network services on demand. It is also a high-performing machine. This is what people require to tap into the newest technology.
      Another car analogy: You land an amazing job in the city, but it’s 20 miles away with heavy traffic. Congested roadways translate to inefficient travel and slow speeds. Imagine Lumen – unlike the rude Department of Transportation who makes you share the road with everyone else – opens an express lane you can travel alone, with streamlined pathways through the interstate (network) to improve performance and reduce congestion.
      Edge Cloud & IT Agility moves computing power closer to the devices that use it—at the “edge” of the network. The Edge Computing features of the Lumen platform help customers move workloads (digital stuff) even closer to digital interactions around the world. Being closer to the network edge means faster processing and better performance, because that digital stuff doesn’t have to travel as far. With that speed and goodness, the platform helps customers open the door to more amazing technology. More on this here.
      Now we’re going to put Lumen in the driver’s seat. Your usual pizza joint (cloud) is far from your business and you’re not in their delivery area. By the time you drive to the restaurant and back, your pie (data) is cold, and you’ve also wasted your time.
      Now what if the restaurant opens some franchise stores (edge cloud) closer to you? With a shorter distance to travel, a reliable car and his thermal-enhancing rich Corinthian leather seats, your pizzeria driver delivers an amazing customer experience in the form of a piping hot, hand-tossed pepperoni pizza in 30 minutes or less. Mangia!
      Connected Security has embedded superpowers to protect customers’ precious data and apps. With Lumen’s huge network, they can see and proactively thwart malicious attacks with automated threat detection and response, which is pretty cool. It’s also invaluable for Lumen’s customers, whose assets are beyond important.
      Back to the car: With that ugly commute, you are dependent on your AM-radio “eye-in-the-sky” segment every 10 minutes on the 10s. Because the reporter/pilot can see so much more of the landscape (network) from her bird’s-eye view, she can protect you against accidents, slowdowns and an errant mattress in the far left lane. And with its integrated security protections that come standard with the platform, it’s like you’re driving a car with the world’s most powerful OnStar system that is fully integrated to your airbag, your lane-departure detection, your pre-collision throttle management and your blind-spot indicator on the side mirror.
      Communication and Collaboration tools, like Lumen’s Engage, Cisco Webex and Hosted Collaboration are built into the platform. These tools help businesses adapt to changing work environments and keep dispersed teams connected and engaged. That’s corporate speak for: “Fantastic. I don’t have to drive all the way to your house to work on a presentation.”
      Just one more: You love your ’88 Pontiac Fiero, but it’s a two-seater. You can only drive one friend at a time to a party, concert or hoe-down, and you end up missing the conversation and tomfoolery in your other friend’s bigger Toyota Camry. What you need is a Lumen luxury passenger van that allows everyone to ride together (collaboration tools) in a private express lane (adaptive networking), to a closer destination (Edge Computing), protected by Chopper 9’s commuter reports (security). Pile in!
      Want to learn more? Check out stories and open opportunities at Lumen on WayUp! More

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      BlackRock’s Sustainable Investing Initiatives Are Changing The World (And You Could, Too)

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      Sustainable investing is a term that refers to the growing trend of tying investment strategies to their impact on society, specifically in terms of their environmental, social, and business outcomes. At BlackRock—a financial technology (FinTech) and asset management leader—innovation is a critical part of the company culture, so when it comes to the growing prominence of sustainable investing, they aren’t just capitalizing on a trend, they’re changing the way certain seemingly “intangible” factors are accounted for in investment strategies.
      That’s where their focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) comes into play. Through technological and methodological advancements, BlackRock gathers data and creates unique models that power sustainable investment initiatives across the company.
      To get an inside look at careers in this cutting-edge field, we connected with a few members of the various teams at BlackRock focused on ESG to learn about their experiences.
      What Is ESG? How Does It Power Sustainable Investing Initiatives?
      The ESG teams at BlackRock are dedicated to gathering data on environmental, social, and corporate governance factors that affect both present and future investments. While that might sound like a standard practice for an investment company, the way BlackRock approaches it is far from ordinary.
      For example, one of the biggest environmental factors is climate change. With far-reaching impacts from unpredictable weather to the availability of resources, climate change will shift everything in our world. But while some investment firms’ response to this is to allocate specific funds to “environmental investing,” BlackRock’s teams are creating new ways of tracking the potential impact of climate change and integrating that data into every investment decision.

      The ESG teams at BlackRock are dedicated to gathering data on environmental, social, and corporate governance factors that affect both present and future investments. While that might sound like a standard practice for an investment company, the way BlackRock approaches it is far from ordinary. For example, one of the biggest environmental factors is climate change. With far-reaching impacts from unpredictable weather to the availability of resources, climate change will shift everything in our world. But while some investment firms’ response to this is to allocate specific funds to “environmental investing,” BlackRock’s teams are creating new ways of tracking the potential impact of climate change and integrating that data into every investment decision.
      Larry Fink, Chief Executive Officer
      That’s one of the primary differences between BlackRock’s approach to sustainable investing and the traditional approach: It’s not a one-off venture or a side project, it’s about changing the way companies gather data about these factors in order to make investment decisions for the good of their clients and the world.
      And, as Manling, an Analyst on the Sustainable Investing team tells us, those things are often far more aligned than someone with a traditional understanding of investing might think.
      “Our research reveals that focusing on financially relevant ESG factors can lead to better risk-adjusted returns for our clients (i.e. good for business versus good for society),” Manling explains. “Instead, as market prices shift with consumer preference, regulatory changes, and technological innovations related to sustainability, we expect companies with better ESG performance to be better positioned in the long run.”
      Creating A Better World Requires More Than Just An Investment Strategy
      As a firm that manages over $7.4 trillion in investments on behalf of its clients and has more than 16,000 employees around the world, BlackRock recognizes that there are more ways for them to make a difference than through investing alone.
      From an environmental standpoint, BlackRock has taken aggressive action to reduce their carbon footprint. They’ve pledged to power all offices and data centers with 100 percent renewable energy and to offset the carbon output of 100 percent of their business travel by the end of 2020.
      On the human capital side, the company is continually working to enhance diversity and inclusion at the firm. One way BlackRock demonstrates this commitment is by truly listening to their employees who take part in an annual survey designed to anonymously crowdsource input on how the company’s culture can improve and evolve. This is part of the reason BlackRock invests so heavily in employee networks that are designed to cultivate inclusion and  support diverse talent.

      “Last year, I participated in Fast-track to FinTech, a program to introduce and hire women in STEM to opportunities in the financial services industry. I’ve also participated in BlackRock’s Hackathon, which is a firm-wide effort that connects people across teams and business functions to solve problems or create new solutions using a variety of different perspectives.”
      Richa, Analyst, Portfolio Analytics Group
      Getting involved isn’t just something that’s determined by the highest levels of the company either.
      “Throughout the year, BlackRock amplifies employees’ efforts to positively contribute to their local communities,” Rhoda says. “Our 23 BlackRock Gives committees award nonprofits nominated by our colleagues with funding each year. BlackRock Gives supports local non-profits in the communities that our employees live and work in through volunteering, donation matches, and grants.”
      And that means whether it’s supporting a local food bank or raising funds around the world for some of the most pressing crises like wildfires in Australia or earthquakes in Puerto Rico, BlackRock employees can count on their fellow colleagues—and the company—to help out. And while these efforts might seem far away from the firm’s FinTech and investment focus, supporting the communities that need it most is pivotal to BlackRock’s ability to achieve its purpose of helping more and more people experience financial well-being.  
      “As someone who works in sustainable investing, [efforts like these] reaffirm to me that I am at the right place to make a lasting impact,” Ashwin, a Vice President on the Global Fixed Income team, says.
      Cutting-Edge FinTech And Investment Strategies Mean Constant Growth Opportunities For New Grads
      Given the diverse backgrounds of the firm’s team—BlackRock actively recruits new grads of all majors—it’s no wonder that the firm is so dedicated to changing the way FinTech and investment companies operate, both for the common good and the bottom line. Working on cutting-edge initiatives (like ESG-powered investments) can also have benefits for your career trajectory at the firm.
      “Simply put BlackRock is a leader in everything it does,” Robert, an Analyst with the Global Public Policy Group who joined BlackRock in 2018, says. Robert’s team engages with policymakers and advocates for public policies that enhance financial market transparency, protect investors, and facilitate the responsible growth of capital markets.
      “It is a tremendous privilege to work at a firm that has the reputation of being a leader in the industry. Ultimately what keeps me at BlackRock is the challenge to live up to the firm’s reputation as a leader,” he says.
      Of course, you don’t have to work on a team focused on ESG to experience this at BlackRock. The firm’s constant growth leads to an abundance of opportunities for all types of individuals. When you work on exciting, successful projects at BlackRock, it’s only natural that your career advances alongside them.
      Alexis, who went from being an intern in 2010 to becoming the Chief Corporate Sustainability Officer last year, explained it through her own experience:

      The firm’s commitment to professional development is something that drew me to BlackRock and has definitely held true in practice. I stay for everything from the smart and talented people I get to work with every day, to the great mentors and sponsors who have guided me through different roles, as well as the entrepreneurial spirit of the firm, which means every day is something new and challenging.
      Alexis, Chief Corporate Sustainability Officer, started as an intern in 2010
      Interested in a different kind of FinTech or investment career? Check out open opportunities at BlackRock on WayUp! More

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      5 (Non-Technical) Roles You Thought You Wouldn’t Find In T-Mobile’s Internship Program

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      When you think of working at T-Mobile, technology is probably the first thing on your mind. You might picture rows of bespectacled programmers and engineers with sketches and pencils behind their ears. And that makes sense, too: They’re a wireless company leading the charge on 5G technology with one of the coolest summer tech internship programs around.
      But there’s way more than just technology at a company like T-Mobile—and that goes for internships, too.
      To learn more about some of the coolest non-technology roles at T-Mobile, we spoke to two recruiters for their internship program: Sean and Corey. Here are five great internships they told us about that could be your next summer gig.
      1. Strategy Internship
      “The Strategy Group are our internal consultants,” Sean says.
      This means, like people at major consulting firms, they work on innovative, high-level solutions to different business issues at T-Mobile. While that’s a broad description, so is the stuff they come up with. They could propose a new product offering, an investment in a bleeding-edge technology, or even a new methodology for an existing process that benefits the company and the customers.
      But that’s not the reason they’re one of Sean’s favorite roles to recruit for.
      “They work on cool, top-secret projects,” Sean says. “One example that’s now public: T-Mobile Money. It’s essentially a banking solution for T-Mobile customers.”
      Perfect For You If: You have experience in consulting, either at a big firm or a brand like T-Mobile.
      2. Events Internship
      “The events team does a little bit of everything,” Corey, who recruits events interns, explains. “Everything from our sponsorships and partnerships, like with major league baseball or our Pride events. We have a huge sponsorship partnership with Lollapalooza.”
      Events interns might put together a reception for T-Mobile investors at a baseball game in Seattle. They might also attend Lollapalooza and run a T-Mobile tent with swag, music, raffles, and more. It’s a hands-on role that deals with behind-the-scenes marketing aspects as well as logistics and execution for live, in-person events.
      “It’s more than a typical marketing role,” Corey says. “Although we have tons of marketing opportunities, this one is perfect for people with a specific interest in event planning as well.”
      Perfect For You If: You want to gain or have experience in event planning, brand repping, or other forms of in-person marketing.
      3. Corporate Social Responsibility Internship
      “Corporate Social Responsibility is a department dedicated to giving back and making a positive change in the world,” Corey says.
      The CSR intern takes on responsibilities that range from human resources—like creating a place in the employee benefits portal to make donations—to partnership management—like setting up volunteer days with charitable organizations. It’s a wide-ranging corporate office role that ultimately contributes to one incredible mission: Giving back to the communities that make T-Mobile what it is.
      Perfect For You If: You have experience in non-profit work, fundraising, or want to start a business career with a high social impact.
      4. Emerging Products Internship
      “The Emerging Products group also works on hush-hush projects,” Sean says. “But their main goal is to pave the way for T-Mobile products that will help shape the future.”
      This role is a combination of business development, technology, and partnership management. But what’s really exciting about it is that they’re building the future, not just for T-Mobile but for the millions of people who will use these products and services. Despite the clandestine nature of the work, Sean was able to tell us one category of product they’re working on: T-Mobile Home, the company’s answer to home internet and entertainment services.
      “They just launched a pilot out in Grand Rapids, Michigan,” he says. ”I’m proud because I know some of our interns worked on this project. And now people are using it for their home internet service.”
      Perfect For You If: You want to work on a cross-functional tech/business team on cutting-edge technology projects (aka building the future).
      5. Corporate Real Estate
      “You’d probably never look at T-Mobile and think you could get into real estate there,” Corey says. “But you really can.”
      As a massive company with thousands of employees, T-Mobile obviously has a growing need for office space. But even more important is the real estate required to build the 5G infrastructure of the future. (Read more about the field engineers working on this here.) This team works on the acquisition, planning, and development of these essential real estate projects for T-Mobile.
      “They’ll do everything from plotting our cell towers to picking and designing the next office,” she says. “And there are huge opportunities because of our merger with Sprint.”
      Perfect For You If: You’re studying real estate, development, or want to focus on a more operational business area.
      These Roles Are Just The Tip Of The Iceberg—Your Dream Internship Awaits You At T-Mobile
      No matter what your educational background or professional ambitions are, there’s a place for you at T-Mobile. That goes for your personality, too. The company’s #BleedMagenta culture  means they’re looking for people who—above all else—are passionate about changing wireless to make it better for the people using it.
      Think you’d look majestic in magenta? Check out open roles at T-Mobile on WayUp! More

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      From 5G To Family First: How T-Mobile Is Innovating With More Than Just Technology

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      You’ve probably known T-Mobile for as long as you can remember. You know they’re a wireless company that works differently. You know they’re one of the biggest networks in the nation. And, of course, you’d recognize their signature magenta color anywhere. But that’s just the tip of the proverbial cell tower at T-Mobile.
      Something you might not know is that working at T-Mobile can accelerate your career by steeping you in a culture of innovation, diversity, and learning. They’ve got one of the hottest tech internships in the US and their employees work on high-impact work from day one.
      To get an idea of how T-Mobile’s #BeMagenta culture can kickstart your career— we spoke to Becky, a Program Manager who works on career growth projects. Here’s what we learned.
      Don’t Just Be Magenta, Stay Magenta
      If you were to pick one word to describe T-Mobile people, you’d probably go with “enthusiastic.” (If you were an English major, you might pick “zealous.”) The whole company is filled with people who aren’t just excited about their work—which ranges from building a world-class 5G network to creating innovative wireless plans that genuinely benefit consumers—but excited about the place where they’re doing it.
      This enthusiasm is valuable, and recognizing that value is what fuels the culture of career development at the company, Becky tells us.
      “It’s not about keeping people engaged, it’s about keeping engaged people,” Becky explains. “At T-Mobile, we’re focused on finding ways to continue to grow our employees careers within the company.”
      Given T-Mobile’s unusually enthusiastic (and talented) team, it’s no surprise that there is a big demand for career growth opportunities within the company. If you love where you work and the work you do, the only question is: What’s next?
      Thanks to people like Becky, T-Mobile always has an answer for that question.
      From Your First Day, T-Mobile Helps You Figure Out Your Next Step
      Besides a culture that encourages mentorship and gives its full-throated support to inclusive, cross-functional events, T-Mobile takes a lot of concrete steps to help advance their employees’ careers. One such example is Careerfest, which isn’t actually one career fair–style event like you’d find on a college campus, but a series of networking events and learning opportunities specifically built for people looking to move into a particular business area.
      “Careerfest is an event platform that all of our internal employees have access to,” Becky says. “The events are geared toward raising awareness for our employees about what other opportunities there are within T-Mobile around the company.”
      But it’s not all learning. T-Mobile also gives their employees the chance to try out new skills through their internal internship program.
      “Our employees looked at our internship program and loved what we were doing for these students’ careers,” Becky tells us. “So, we created an opportunity for them to do the same.”
      So, whether you’re a mobile expert working in a T-Mobile store or a programmer working in their technology division, you can apply to complete a 12-week internship program on an entirely different team. This is an opportunity to get real experience in a different field and boost your resume, without necessarily having to leave the building.
      This isn’t just valuable for the employee either. T-Mobile benefits from the fresh perspective, too. For example, there have been internal interns who work in the T-Mobile stores that bring a direct customer experience to a corporate role.
      “We love to leverage people who work so closely with our customers. That’s how we know what works,” Becky says.
      Build The Future, Build Your Future
      No matter what your work is—from finance to marketing to technology—you’ll be building the future when you work at T-Mobile. And that’s because 5G is going to rapidly change the way we’re able to interact with technology. That’s an exciting prospect for T-Mobile employees, Becky included.
      “We are living in a world unknown, in a lot of ways,” she says. “It’s so refreshing to work for a company that is forward-thinking, values their employees, values their customers, and continues to find ways to raise the bar and challenge their competitors.”
      This combination of “family-first” values and 5G tech possibilities creates a perfect storm of opportunity to work AND opportunity to learn.
      Want to start your own #BeMagenta journey? Check out open opportunities at T-Mobile on WayUp! More

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      5 Career Lessons From People Who Made It From Intern To Full-Time At The Clorox Company

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      The transition from intern to full-timer isn’t easy. In fact, even getting a full-time offer takes hard work. But if you’re lucky enough to secure a full-time role at The Clorox Company—home to dozens of iconic brands—one thing’s for sure: You’re going to learn a lot, and fast.
      We caught up with five full-timers at the Fortune 500 company about what they learned in their first years at Clorox. Here’s what they told us.
      Ashley Found Out You Don’t Have To Pick Between Being Supported And Being Challenged
      No matter how hard you study or how great your resume is, your first full-time job is a huge adjustment. You want to be challenged so that you can become a full-fledged professional ASAP, but you also need to be supported as you take on this entirely new chapter of your life. Luckily for Ashley, a Staff Analyst on the finance team, she didn’t have to choose between those when she joined Clorox after graduation.
      “Everyone has been super nice and helpful,” she says. “My manager takes time away from her busy day to ensure that I fully understand my role and deliverables. Whenever I have any questions, someone is always there to offer an answer or recommend who to talk to next.”
      But it wasn’t like she was on training wheels either. In addition to her work, the Clorox team challenged her to build new skills through courses and contribute to innovation discussions with other teams. No matter how much work she had, though, her managers and coworkers were there to assist her and look out for her wellbeing.
      Having this support didn’t just allow her to succeed at work, but to feel at home in an entirely new place.
      “I moved out by myself to California without having any family here,” she explains. “Once I got to Clorox, I had a new family.”
      Matthew Made It To A Manager Role From His Internship—Thanks To The Values He Picked Up
      For many members of the Clorox team, what they learned in their internships stuck with them beyond just that first role. Matthew is one of those people.
      “My biggest takeaway from the six-month co-op/internship was that our ‘do the right thing’ culture and mentality were more than just words on paper,” he says.
      In his operations role, he makes a lot of decisions that impact on how people work and the integrity with which Clorox products are made. Knowing how seriously the company takes their values really did pay off, too, because prioritizing those values in his own work and leading with integrity got him to where he is today: an Operations Manager role.
      And learning to work the right way wasn’t the only benefit for Matthew, either.
      “Some of my best friends to this day are CLXers I met during my internship,” he says.
      Tara Saw That Inclusion And Diversity Follow Naturally From An Emphasis On Doing The Right Thing
      “Clorox really lives our values,” Tara, an R&D scientist, explains. “I think the biggest one is the emphasis on ‘do the right thing.’ We think all the time about what is the right thing to do and how to put people first, and we prioritize that over any other options.”
      That goes beyond efforts to include sustainability in manufacturing processes and give back to communities in need, too. It also means looking out for the people and culture at Clorox.
      “I’m very proud of the work that Clorox does for Inclusion & Diversity. Our motto is ‘bring your whole self to work’ and I personally feel empowered to do so,” she says. “I’ve received career mentorship through the women’s employee resource group and have a supportive network with the Pride group.”
      But I&D isn’t just something Tara enjoys. She actively contributes to it.
      “I’ve had the opportunity to partner with the University of Illinois and the Out for Undergrad Engineering Conference to recruit top diverse talent for the R&D internship program,” she says. “We also prioritize I&D on our teams through unconscious bias training and team building exercises.”
      Knowing this isn’t just a bonus to Tara. It’s a sign to her that her ideas, identity, and career are taken seriously at the company.
      Working In A Culture Like Clorox’s Leads To More Growth (And Maybe Even Faster Promotions)
      Asante is a Senior Analyst on the sales team, but he didn’t start that way. After his internship, he got the return offer for an entry-level role and started at Clorox after graduation. That’s when things really started to pick up for him.
      “Everyone wanted to help me get the resources I needed to be successful,” he says. “The manager who hired me was also big on being your true self. He’d ask me things about my culture and lifestyle and even more importantly, he’d reciprocate the interaction and share things about himself. I never felt ‘different’ as a member of Scott’s team. I could be me. That fostered a drive and hunger to want to grow with the company.”
      Working at one of the largest consumer packaged goods companies in the world, Asante knew there’d be no shortage of career opportunities. And his drive was met with equal enthusiasm from his managers, who let him know just what he had to do to grow his career.
      “If there is a role you’re interested in, you can let your manager know,” he says. “But you’re also challenged to do the backend work to gain visibility for the value you’ve added to show you can thrive in that new position.”
      Now, in his role as a Senior Sales Analyst, he’s continuing to learn from the people around him and aim for the next goal.
      You Don’t Have To Wait To Contribute To Major Initiatives (And That’s Really Good For Your Career)
      Being home to so many major brands, Clorox is overflowing with opportunities to take part in high-impact work. And that goes for first-years, too. That’s one of the things Ariana, an Assistant Marketing Manager at Clorox, likes best about her job so far.
      “I’ve met some of the smartest people, learned about real-world marketing, and experienced what it’s like to run a business,” Ariana says. “During my first year alone, I launched a product, presented to Clorox’s CMO, and participated in a brand video shoot. These experiences allowed me to learn through hands-on work that my peers at other companies weren’t getting so early on.”
      These experiences aren’t just for show either. They’re a part of a concrete growth plan she’s put together with her managers.
      “Career planning starts early on at Clorox. I’ve had the opportunity to chart out different career options, and to cater my experiences and projects to areas that I would like to develop my skills in,” Ariana says. “My three managers to date have all been very supportive of ensuring that my work not only progresses business objectives but also contributes to my career aspirations.”
      Apply These Lessons (By Learning Some Of Your Own)
      Think you’re ready to put this knowledge to the test. Start by checking out the open roles at The Clorox Company on WayUp! More

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      Learn How This Company is Helping Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities Return Safely to Campus

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      Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, helps their customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics and therapies and increase productivity in laboratories. Today, they are also playing a critical role in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID-19 continues its global spread, certain populations, including people of African heritage, are being impacted more than others, both through increased risk of COVID-19-related illness, hospitalization and death and as a result of the economic fallout of the pandemic. 
      In the U.S., historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are experiencing major disruptions in their enrollment, fundraising and other revenue streams (i.e., tuition, housing, food services and bookstores) and many HBCU students, who may rely on student loans and other financial assistance, may have difficulty accessing online classes on laptops and through Wi-Fi at home. It’s therefore critical that these colleges and universities have a way to get students, faculty and staff back to campus safely as soon as possible.* 
      Thermo Fisher Scientific is uniquely positioned to help, not only because of the breadth and depth of their capabilities, but because of their commitment to advancing STEM education and giving back to the communities in which they live, work and serve. 
      Here’s a look inside this ambitious new effort by a company committed to enabling their customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.
      Honoring The Legacy Of Dr. Ernest Everett Just—By Providing Cutting-Edge Science Equipment And Testing To HBCU Students
      The Just Project honors biology pioneer and educator Dr. Ernest Everett Just, who uncovered the role of the cell surface in the development of organisms (and a former professor at Howard University, one of the oldest HBCUs in the nation). This initiative will bring no-cost Covid-19 testing to member schools, through a $25 million donation of cutting-edge lab equipment and reagents in an effort to bring students, faculty and staff safely back to campus during the 2020-21 school year
      Here’s a look at how that works: First, Thermo Fisher will provide the instruments, reagents, kits and technical support  to bring COVID-19 testing to up to 10 HBCUs that will serve as testing centers on their campus and for other HBCUs in their region.
      To date, Thermo Fisher has signed up several universities that will serve as testing centers, including Howard University College of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Xavier University of Louisiana, Hampton University, Tuskegee University and others. These will serve as hubs for processing the tests conducted at all of the HBCUs around the country.
      Not only will these efforts support the continued access of educational programs for HBCU students this semester, but they’ll leave a lasting legacy in the health care of scholars, faculty and staff on these campuses for many years to come.
      Building An Even More Diverse Team At Thermo Fisher: Hiring 500 Additional Interns And Full-Time Employees From HBCUs
      Thermo Fisher is already a leader in diversity and inclusion, especially in the science industry, with their unique approach to diversity and leadership development programs designed to advance the careers of all professionals. The Just Project is taking those efforts to the next level.
      As part of The Just Project, Thermo Fisher plans to hire an additional 500 students from HBCUs into internship, entry-level and professional roles over the next three years. And it’s not just candidates with a science background who can benefit from this, either. Thermo Fisher has development programs and internships in finance, marketing, sales, technology, and more.
      Plus, with innovation at the heart of Thermo Fisher’s culture it requires an ever-more-inclusive and welcoming environment in order to thrive and continue to lead in science and technology. Professionals of all backgrounds contributing and collaborating to solve the world’s biggest challenges make it a great place for anyone to succeed personally and professionally.
      Ready to start your career at a company that goes above and beyond for its communities? Check out open opportunities at Thermo Fisher Scientific on WayUp!
      *Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA Today, The Conversation More