Even in the midst of a pandemic, members of the School of Professional Studies are continuing to excel and further their careers. Throughout the past semester, students, alumni, staff and faculty have contributed blogs detailing their own experiences, thoughts, and advice regarding career development.
Here you can find all of the career development blogs written this past semester.
My Springboard to the Future
Sandra Cespedes Allen
Founding Partner & CEO, Almora Advisors; Alumni, Nonprofit Management
“Upon graduating from Columbia’s Nonprofit Master’s program, I knew I was ready for a fresh and exciting challenge. Additionally, from being the Chair of the National Domestic Violence Hotline and serving on boards such as The Lawrenceville School and The Watershed Institute, I was very familiar with the frustration of selecting consultants who could not actually provide nonprofits their promised deliverables with actionable recommendations that truly help achieve an organization’s vision. There originated the concept of creating my own women-led consulting firm built on my Columbia academic grounding, my personal network of School of Professional Studies alumnae, and my experience in the nonprofit sector….”
Read the rest of Sandra Cespedes Allen’s article here.
Success — Breaking the Ice (Machine)
Stuart Cubbon
Student, M.S. in Strategic Communication
“Imposter syndrome is the feeling that you aren’t good enough to be in a particular role. How do you get rid of it? That’s an undoubtedly complex question. For me, though, the answer was simple — diet orange soda.
Years ago, I was in New York City, midway through a job interview with a prominent consulting firm. I had recently shut down my 18-month-old startup and, quite frankly, my confidence had taken a blow.
In-person consulting interviews are all about “fit”. Hard skills like financial modeling and analysis get tested with at-home case studies. Firms bring you in the door to figure out how well you might fit with the team. Can you spend 70-hour-weeks on the road together without driving each other crazy? Fit is important. But on this particular day, fit was my enemy in every sense of the word….”
Read the rest of Stuart Cubbon’s article here.
Let ‘em See You Work
Stuart Cubbon
Student, M.S. in Strategic Communication
“During my grandpa Frank’s first G.I.-Bill-funded year at Allegheny College, two things caught his attention the most: a woman named Babs, and the municipal trash collectors.
At first, Babs — also known as my grandmother — didn’t understand Frank’s fascination with the garbage collection team.
“We didn’t have that where I grew up,” he pointed out.
“Trash collectors?” Babs asked, bewildered.
Frank grew up in Pithole, Pennsylvania, which was exactly what it sounded like. “We were so poor, we didn’t even have trash,” he explained….”
Read the rest of Stuart Cubbon’s article here.
How Columbia Transformed My Life Personally and Professionally
Kanchan Gyani
Student, M.S. in Applied Analytics
“I am Kanchan Gyani, a current international student in the Applied Analytics program. I had worked professionally for 10 years before I finally decided to give up that life to return to school and attend Columbia University. I also hold a Masters in Software Engineering and have worked both in India and the U.S. before beginning my life at Columbia.
My new journey began with the thought of moving to New York City, a place that I had always avoided for its crowds and limelight. With no friends around in the city, I turned to the Off-Campus Housing Association (OCHA) for housing options. Luckily, I found a beautiful apartment right next to Riverside Park with amazing roommates. OCHA is an incredible resource for housing options, and I highly recommend students to use it….”
Read the rest of Kanchan Gyani’s article here.
What Makes a Good Manager
Naureen Aziz-Wani
Student, M.S. in Information and Knowledge Strategy
“Middle managers – especially those promoted within technical roles, often face challenges in managing teams effectively. We have heard terms such as people skills, soft skills, power skills, and how important these are to create an inclusive environment where employees are fully engaged and feel valued, yet they are not always fully recognized.
Have we not all experienced this in our careers at some point or the other? Working for managers who bring joy to the team, boost morale, and inspire team members to deliver their best versus those who, knowingly or unknowingly, bring stress and anxiety, which lowers team morale and productivity….”
Read the rest of Naureen Aziz-Wani’s article here.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of any other person or entity.