By Will Link '20“What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson The world we once knew seems to be something from long ago, and we truly have no idea what life will look like in the next few weeks or even months. Suddenly leaving Marist has been a pretty rough experience for all of us. Like everyone else, I miss classes, friends, clubs, events, and the people that I didn’t get to say goodbye to. As I sit in my room at home reflecting on my time at Marist I am very proud that I was able to work for the Center for Career Services as the Promotions Assistant. I applied for the Promotions Assistant position during winter break of my junior year. To be honest I didn’t think I would get the job or even be interviewed for it. The position description seemed more suited for a Communications major so at first I wasn’t even going to apply. As a double major in Political Science and History I thought that I didn’t have the necessary skills for the role. It was my mom who convinced me otherwise. She said all of the work that I had to do for my classes gave me skills such as critical analysis and writing that would make me a good fit for the position. After getting hired as the Promotions Assistant I was assigned a variety of tasks. I made posters and graphics to advertise Career Services events around campus, took photos at those events, and helped set up and break down events such as the Career and Internship Fair. Most of my time however, was spent writing posts on professional development topics and a few student success stories that were published on this blog. Although I had written a lot of essays and assignments for classes, I had never written any content for this type of mass public consumption before starting my job in career services. I had to learn a lot about condensing my writing and presenting it in a format for larger audiences. The best part about being a member of the Center for Career Services team was that while I was working I was also learning all of the skills that I needed for my own professional development. While attending events and researching content for my blog posts I learned so much great advice about networking and I can’t wait to apply it in the workforce. COVID-19 has changed the world. In what seems like the blink of an eye, the U.S. economy has drastically changed. Over 30 million Americans have registered for unemployment in the last month and the job market for young professionals will be very different than before. Many companies want more of their staff to work remotely and most in-person interviews have been replaced by virtual interviews. Even before I left campus I had noticed new trends start to emerge. One practice in particular stood out at an on-campus event held in early March. A staple of networking is the handshake. But at Meet The Reps, the Spring 2020 Career and Internship Fair, a lot of people in the room were understandably wary of shaking hands because they feared spreading or catching the coronavirus. Like many students and employers at the event, I decided to wave to the alumni and employers I met with instead of using a handshake for my greeting. At times this felt awkward compared to networking advice I had previously received. As young professionals we will likely face many similar challenges in the years to come. These challenges will make the Center for Career Services’ advice more important than ever. I know that the career coaches and staff in the Center for Career Services are equipped to prepare students and 2020 graduates for the unprecedented times that lie ahead. They will always be working to make sure Marist students and alumni have the best chance to succeed in their chosen fields. In my year and a half working in the Center for Career Services I’ve seen the office host so many amazing programs and I have been proud to have been a part of them. I have learned so much about professional development, networking, and promotions and my role has inspired me to pursue a career in Public Relations. I would like to thank all of the staff and coaches at the Center for Career Services for all of their support over the past two years. You have all helped me grow and develop as a young professional and have made going to work an enjoyable experience. I would like to particularly thank my boss, Kevin McCall, the Coordinator of Outreach, Marketing, and Communications, for all of his support and helping me grow personally and professionally. I’ve enjoyed the experience very much and have learned so much from working with you. In the wake of this crisis we are facing a new world, and it will likely be very different for months to come. However, I am confident that we as Marist students and recent graduates still have bright futures ahead of us. We should never doubt ourselves, our skills, or our ability to learn because we all have the necessary tools and knowledge to pursue and achieve our goals.
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