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    Why You’ll Love Working as a Financial Representative at Northwestern Mutual

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    Working with a variety of different people to unlock their financial, personal, and professional goals, the work of a Financial Representative is vast and unbounded. Given that there are so many different options and ways to build your financial health, representatives have the ability to use tools and resources to help design plans for their clients. 

    But what does that actually look like? To find out, we spoke with Josh Chandler, a financial representative at Northwestern Mutual, about why he loves working as a  financial representative. 

    Despite being at an intern level, Josh has already been given several opportunities to drive his career forward. In our conversation with him, we learn a little bit more about what working at Northwestern Mutual as a financial representative is like and how he became so successful early on in his career. 

    Impacting Your Clients

    When I first asked Josh what it was about financial consulting and planning that interested him, he shared an anecdote about a family member who he wished had help from a financial representative. 

    Today, Josh is inspired to help other people reach financial wellness because of the story his family member went through. For him, working with people from all different walks of life is what really makes him feel fulfilled. 

    Although blue-collar folks are Josh’s favorite clients to work with, they only represent a  portion of the clients that representatives get to work with. Maybe you want to help out single moms, maybe you want to work with athletes, or maybe you want to work with people like yourself who just got their first job!  

    The beauty of being a financial representative is getting to build your own portfolio and working with the people whose lives you truly get to make a difference in. 

    Celebrating Wins

    Another rewarding part of being a financial representative is that you get to enjoy celebrating the success of your clients every single day. The work you’re doing with these people is very real and impacts their lives in very meaningful ways. What you’re doing might help someone buy a new car, pay off debt, or even send their child to college! These are all milestones that you get to celebrate with your client. 

    It is clear that financial representatives have a really big impact on people’s lives and well-being. This means on any given day, you could be helping someone reach their goals that wouldn’t have been possible without you! It works like this that makes the day-to-day of a financial representative so fulfilling.  

    Interns Do the Same Things as Full-Time Representatives

    By the end of my conversation with Josh, I had to ask him again if he was still an intern  because it hardly seemed that way. Josh had his own office, tons of clients, and was  continuing to build his career in profound ways. 

    However, a good portion of his success can be attributed to the fact that Northwestern  Mutual gives interns the chance to work as full-time representatives right from Day 1  and work with people who inspire them to succeed. Senior advisors help guide in the beginning and along the way as needed, but the role is still very autonomous. 

    The financial representative internship at Northwestern Mutual is hardly an internship at all. Take Josh Chandler’s story as proof that you can have a limitless impact on the  clients you serve while building a business for yourself, but not by yourself. 

    Northwestern Mutual is looking for more people to join their internship program and start  experiencing what life working as a financial representative is really like! Check out their  WayUp profile for more information on jobs, news, and the company itself. 

    Northwestern Mutual Financial Representatives are Independent Contractors whose income is based solely on production. 

    Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with the titles “Financial Advisor” or “Wealth  Management Advisor” are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide advisory services. 

    Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) and its subsidiaries in  Milwaukee, WI. More

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      Day in the Life: Working at One of the Biggest Accounting Firms in the US

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      There is nothing that compares to an energetic, engaged, and sociable office environment. A place that feels like a second home, where you know everybody, where you can put your best foot forward, and where you can grow and thrive with a group of diverse minds who aren’t just your colleagues but your friends too.

      We’re happy to say that such an office exists in the heart of Minneapolis. KPMG Minneapolis has built a culture and community that goes far beyond an office space. In our conversations with employees from the KPMG Minneapolis office, both new and old, we discovered what makes their office perfect for those who want more than a run-of-the-mill office experience.

      Collective Problem-Solving

      A very common worry that a lot of entry-level employees or early career professionals come across is what to do when faced with obstacles. As is the case with any new job, challenges will arise, so this is very natural.

      When we spoke with Reece English, a former intern and current Tax Associate at KPMG, he mentioned that having a bunch of fellow colleagues in the same position as him was incredibly helpful. For example, one day Reece was having an issue with a platform he was using at his desk. After firing off a question to a fellow colleague, instead of replying in the chat, she stopped what she was doing and went over to Reece’s desk and walked him through it.

      Whether it’s asking a fellow intern for a ride to work or getting a managing partner to look over a review you did, everyone at KPMG seeks to support one another whenever possible.

      Social Life

      In our conversations with employees from KPMG, we discovered that they cultivate a culture that values socializing and employee interaction. Pizza days, taco Tuesdays, morning coffee and donuts, and happy hours are incredibly common at the KPMG Minneapolis office. These events help build camaraderie and meaningful bonds between employees.

      The Minneapolis office even has a basketball team and kickball team. While the basketball team is company-wide, the kickball team is exclusively for interns and gives them the chance to compete in a tournament against the other Big Four accounting firms. KPMG won in 2021 but lost in 2022 so they are hoping for a big comeback next year.

      Lastly, the training at the KPMG Lakehouse in Orlando also underscores the firm’s dedication to building a well-connected community. Every year, all KPMG professionals from, intern to partner, head down to the training and innovation center to upskill, socialize, and get to know one another better. Fit with a gym, social venues, and tons of other amenities, the experiences at Lakehouse goes to show KPMG’s dedication to creating fun and lasting bonds between employees.

      Real Experience with Clients

      The KPMG Minneapolis office is particularly unique because of its close proximity to its clients, many of which are Fortune 500 companies. In fact, Minnesota is home to over fifteen Fortune 500 companies, most of which are audit, tax and/or advisory clients of the Minneapolis office. What this means is interns and associates get the chance to interact and work directly with clients on a regular basis.

      Whether it’s through coffee chats, boardroom meetings, or onsite engagements, employees get the chance to work directly with these clients as they help influence business decisions in real-time! For Lilli Denison, that meant no day was the same.

      This communal aspect, paired with the client engagement that even interns get to partake in, made Lilli realize that employees at the Minneapolis office would always be exposed to new, exciting, and meaningful work.

      A Supportive Network

      Another one of the most alluring aspects of the KPMG Minneapolis office is the bottomless support network provided by fellow colleagues and partners. In our conversation with James Powell, the office managing partner in Minneapolis, he spoke about the “pass it forward” mentality that exists throughout the organization.

      James emphasized how there is a “whole network of people who, yes, have a job to do, but at the same time also find it very important to make sure that the people around them are successful.” James went on to say how much of a proud culture the KPMG Minneapolis office has and how that pride reverberates off the behavior of employees helping one another. This pride stems from their devotion to helping fellow colleagues and lifting each other up whenever possible.

      At KPMG, it doesn’t matter if you’ve been with the company for a day or a decade, everyone is treated the same and given the same opportunities to grow and succeed.

      Make the Minneapolis Leap

      People choose to stay at KPMG for a variety of reasons. Some include the ones we mentioned earlier, but many of them are discovered by the employees themselves. Whether it’s the support system, the social life, or the paths to success that are paved for each and every employee, the KPMG Minneapolis office is the destination where early career professionals go to thrive.

      Learn more about the internships and open roles that KPMG is looking to fill at their Minneapolis office and locations across the country here and begin your road to success! More

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      Five Job Application Tips from Full-Time Business Analysts

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      When you’re applying for a job, there are several questions that are likely to run through your head. Does my resume need to be updated? Am I portraying myself well? Have I prepared enough?

      Unfortunately, a lot of these job application questions don’t get answered until the process is over. However, we’ve been put in a unique position to give you the answers you’re looking for no matter what stage of the application process you’re in. We recently had the opportunity to get those behind-the-scenes answers firsthand.

      Recently, we sat down with two junior business analysts at Maximus, a consulting company tasked with protecting health, supporting families, and streamlining government services, to hear how they crushed the interview and application process. In our conversations with them, they revealed what it takes to stand out to recruiters both at Maximus and in the professional world.

      Format Your Resume for the Job You Want

      Odds are you’ve been hearing different kinds of resume advice over the years – keep it to one page, think beyond your job duties, highlight relevant skills, etc. While some advice is better than others, what Zain Baig, Business Analyst and former intern at Maximus, believes is most important is to format your resume for the job you want.

      Zain didn’t have experience in the industry or department that he was applying for. However, by reframing the past experiences on his resume in a way that was aligned with the internship he was applying for, he seemed more like a fit in the eyes of the recruiter.

      Make Use of Networking Opportunities

      Recruiters and employers also want to see prospective students attend networking opportunities available to them.

      While it isn’t likely to land a job on the spot at a career fair, that’s not necessarily the point. Making this first point of contact sets you up for your second, third, and fourth moves. Now you have established familiarity with the recruiter or employer, which will make you stand out in the application process. However, that’s not the only benefit.

      Benefits of attending a career fair/networking event:

      Gain more knowledge about a company

      Establish familiarity with recruiters

      Practice interacting in a professional setting

      Find out what you do and don’t like

      Whether it shows you something you never thought you’d like or just helps you stretch those networking muscles, there really isn’t a reason not to take advantage of these events.

      Know the Basics About a Company

      This next piece of advice might seem obvious but is often overlooked by so many students and young professionals looking for a job. When you’re applying for a job, a major red flag in the eyes of recruiters is a candidate who doesn’t know anything about the company.

      What Edda did to prepare for the interview process was simple. She went to the Maximus website, clicked through various pages, read about the company’s offerings, and caught up on the most recent articles they published. This gave her just enough information to speak with interest and familiarity for the company, something always stands out to recruiters. 

      Be Prepared for Tough Questions

      One of the harder parts about applying and interviewing for jobs is answering questions on the spot. This is because there is only so much you can do to prepare for them. Chances are, you’ll be getting asked a question you didn’t expect or have a planned answer for.

      What’s most important about crossing this bridge is approaching the question genuinely. If you need a second to think about an answer, politely ask for a moment to reflect. Recruiters will appreciate that much more than you rushing to a conclusion or pretending to know something you don’t.

      Additionally, recruiters suggest not to over-prepare for questions with copy-and-paste answers. Recruiters can tell when you’ve put together responses in advance, especially when you’re reading them on your screen. Again, approach the question genuinely and craft your response with care, precision, and grace.

      Express a Desire to Learn

      While all the tips on this list will help you shine brighter in the eyes of recruiters, the most important thing young professionals should do when looking for a job is express a desire to learn. 

      For those who are early in their professional careers, chances are you don’t have a whole lot of job experience. So, what you need to let the interviewer know more than anything else is that you want to learn. But you have to be direct about it! What is it you want to learn more about? What skills do you hope to learn? What position would you like to eventually see yourself in?

      By expressing this desire to grow and learn with a company, recruiters will always be more willing to give you a chance to prove yourself.

      While both Zain and Edda followed different paths to get to where they are now, they both relied on these core tips to secure jobs that launched their careers.

      Now that you know what it takes to crush the job application process, why not try your luck? Start browsing open positions today! More

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      In Three Words: Dow Jones Interns Break Down Their Summers

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      Landing an internship at Dow Jones is an opportunity to work for a company that makes a worldwide impact. As a global company with over 5,500 employees, our mission is to provide the world’s most trusted journalism, data, and analysis to help people make decisions.

      Whether it’s helping our readers make decisions through our flagship publications, The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s Group, or helping companies make decisions with our world-class data and analytics services, we educate and inform people to make choices and form opinions everywhere.

      At Dow Jones, it doesn’t matter what area of business your internship is in, you can be certain it will be an immersive experience with meaningful and impactful work. During your internship, you will be working hands-on with real projects and business objectives. Additionally, you will learn how to grow and harness your skills through professional development sessions and networking events with executives and our CEO, Almar Latour.

      For insight into the “real” Dow Jones internship experience, read what former interns who have since transitioned into full-time employees have to say. Here’s how they described their internship experience in three words. More

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      10 of The Highest Paying Jobs for Early Career Candidates

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      When you’re young, it’s hard not to think about money. Money you want to spend, money you want to invest, money you want to share with your family, and money that you want to earn. Depending on who you are and what field you’re pursuing, expectations about your starting salary are bound to vary. But that doesn’t change the fact that everyone still wants to know how much money they could possibly make in a particular career.

      This being the case, we decided to create a list of some of the highest paying jobs for early-career candidates using data sourced from Salary.com. Although there may be jobs that exist in between these rankings and salaries that vary from company to company, this will give you an idea of what you can expect to make in each of the corresponding positions.

      10. Accounting Analyst – $56,076

      At the top of our list, we have a position that everyone reading this should be familiar with – accountants. Accountants can range from public, to personal, to private, serving a myriad of clients with ranging budgets. As you can imagine, an accountant handling the taxes of a typical citizen opposed to an accountant handling the profile of a Fortune 500 company will vary. So keep that in mind when choosing your route!

      9. Risk Analyst – $59,921

      Next up on our list of highest paying jobs, we have risk analysts who are responsible for reviewing and examining financial firms’ investment portfolios. This includes overseeing international investments and assessing the risk involved with certain financial decisions. Although this is near the top of our list, don’t doubt the ability to make serious money in a career like this.

      8. Financial Analyst – $61,769

      Although a risk analyst may sometimes be classified as a financial analyst, the jobs vary in depth. A financial analyst works in banks, pension funds, insurance companies, and a wide range of other businesses that exist outside the financial realm. Their official titles may be specified as securities analyst, research analyst, equity analyst, investment analyst, or ratings analyst.

      7. Inside Sales – $65,729

      An inside sales rep is an extremely broad category just because of how many different sectors they operate in. The reason this may be weighed down is because of the sheer amount of sales companies that exist in our markets. Although there may be bigshot inside sales reps who are making up to 6 digits including commission there are also reps selling cheaper products somewhere else. This is a position for the grinders as you put in what you get back.

      6. Investment Banking Analyst – $75,934

      In one of the more popular positions on our list of highest paying jobs, investment banking is an incredibly lucrative career. Placed in a variety of different industries such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, or any of the other emerging markets, investment banking analysts serve a critical role in securing and/or saving money for a wide variety of clients.

      5. Business and Information Technology – $81,100

      Business and information technology have always been a major presence across industries. But more so in recent times due to the advancement of technology within the space. As a business and information technology representative or analyst, you are responsible for the integration and oftentimes management of a business’ particular technology which, depending on the complexity of said technology, will range in compensation.

      4. Cyber Security Architect – $105,078

      Given the rise of cyber terrorism and the severity of the damage inflicted on victims, cyber security specialists have become a very high-paying job. Businesses across various different industries have enlisted the services of cyber security architects to make sure their defense systems are ironclad. Given the fact that finance companies with large quantities of money to keep safe are oftentimes the ones seeking out architects, you can expect to make a large chunk of change in a profession like this.

      3. Supply Chain Manager – $116,738

      A supply chain manager is responsible for coordinating, organizing, and overseeing multiple activities that revolve around the facilitation of a product. This includes the identification, acquisition, production, and distribution of said product all while making sure nothing goes wrong and saving money wherever possible. Given how fast product markets are growing, there is no wonder why this position is on our list of highest paying jobs.

      2. Software Engineer – $118,780

      Sitting comfortably at second on our list are software engineers. The degree of difficulty involved with becoming a software engineer, and a good one at that, is part of the reason why it is such a high-paying job. Depending on what kind of software you are designing and for who, expect this profession to keep you fed, well clothed, and living great.

      1. Data Scientist – $135,537

      There’s no denying the facts – data runs the world. In this information age of our’s where data and statistics have become currency, more and more companies, app developers, and entrepreneurs of every variety or seeking out knowledgeable and capable data scientists to help them turn numbers into profit. Profits that data scientists are given a large portion of. It’s for this reason that it stands at the top of our list as one of the highest paying jobs for early-career candidates.

      Although salary is an incredibly important factor when it comes to deciding where you want to work, it shouldn’t be the only factor. There are several reasons that make a job the right one for you and it’s critical that you weigh all of them with the intention of doing what’s best for you. 

      To find out more information on how to go about choosing a career path or determining what job is perfect for you, make a profile with WayUp and get matched with tons of employers all looking to fill positions today. 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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      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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      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

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      in Career Hacks

      Why joining a virtual info session can change your career

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      Why joining a virtual info session can change your career
      In the midst of a pandemic, typical ways of meeting recruiters and expanding connections through means such as career fairs have been put on hold. Information sessions that students and recent graduates are used to are not happening and finding an internship or a job has been more difficult than ever in recent months. This does not mean that companies aren’t sharing knowledge and opportunities with young talent. Virtual information sessions hosted by company recruiters, universities, or career sites like WayUp’s Lunch and Learn Series, are still connecting young professionals with mentors and career opportunities as well as providing information and knowledge that can change your future.
      Why Attend An Information Session?
      Attending an info session first and foremost shows that you are both interested in the company or subject, and are proactive in advancing your career.  They also provide valuable insight into the career that you are pursuing. For example, past guests at WayUp’s Lunch and Learn series included: Michael Seibel co-founder of Twitch and current CEO at Y Combinator, Cathy Polinsky, CTO at Stitch Fix, and Dan Rosensweig, CEO of Chegg.  At the top of their fields, these presenters and those to come next can share advice to help advance your current career path and expose you to a different opportunity you were not aware of before. 
      Information sessions with specific companies reveal what recruiters in a certain field are looking for in qualified candidates, and what roles are currently available. Most of the time, the company hosting the session will offer interviews to the attendees of the session! Even if an interview is not guaranteed after a session, you now have the knowledge and insight to bring to your future job application, use it as an interview talking point, or create networking opportunities through digital connections. This is especially important for recent graduates who are looking for that perfect entry-level position. 
      How Can I Prepare?
      Simply researching the company, and the individual speaking is the best way to get the most out of a virtual info session. You may not be able to speak one on one with the presenter since it is a large video conference, but being able to make connections between your research and the presentation is a great strategy. Come with a list of questions for a potential Q&A or just to even keep track of personally for potential future interactions or job applications.
      What About After?
      If a Q&A session does happen, be sure to ask well-thought-out questions.  A good question shows that you were engaged throughout the presentation and can help you to stand out for any future opportunities at the company. 
      Share your findings from the session on social media! Posting about the session and tagging the company or speaker, can help you stand out and improve your professional network. Lastly, remember to follow-up! Chances are the leaders volunteering to put on info sessions are open to connecting with young talent.  Use the notes that you took during the session to find what really grabbed your attention and start a conversation! Sending a follow-up email with questions about what interested you in the presentation or their career path can be a great way to build a new connection and grow your network.  
      Where Can I Find Them?
      Tons of companies are hosting information sessions over the next few months! We’ll be keeping the list below updated with all the different sessions hosted by WayUp—so be sure to check back here to see them all and apply! More