In conjunction with Volunteer Weekend on the hill, a variety of industry-specific career workshops were sponsored by the Career Center and the Office of Alumni Relations on Saturday, April 4. Alumni panels were designed to answer career-related questions and give advice to candidates for graduation on various avenues to pursue while job-searching, especially during the current economic climate. All of the workshops were centered on the theme, "The Power of the Hamilton Network: Career Connections."
The government and public-policy workshop included four alumni with backgrounds in lobbying, federal agencies, international development, law, state government and legislative affairs and was moderated by career center counselor David Bell. The alumni included Morgan Keane '03, Leadership Fellow at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Jarrel Price '04, vice president of Height Analytics in Washington D.C.; Kaitlin Nelson '01, federal career intern and program analyst at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington D.C.; and Frank Vlossak '89, principal at Williams & Jensen in Washington D.C.
The main issue proposed by the panel's moderator was how to translate a Hamilton education into real-world careers. To answer this question, each panelist gave advice based on their own job searches conducted upon graduation from Hamilton. In order to not only find but advance in government and public policy careers, each panelist underscored the importance of utilizing skills learned at Hamilton as well as making use of the Hamilton network.
As Morgan Keane '03 noted, "Hamilton teaches you how to learn quickly, write, and articulate your thoughts—all skills that helped me get my first job." Kaitlin Nelson '01 also emphasized the value of networking, stating that it is imperative to make contacts with alumni across the U.S. who also have important connections that can propel you forward in your career ambitions.
According to each alumnus, all of whom have been successful in using the Hamilton network to find jobs, relationship building is not only useful in learning what opportunities exist for you but also makes you stand out from a pool of applicants. As Jarrel Price '04 observed, "Government is the business of information and the Hamilton network is a great way to begin sharing that information."
The second issue posed to the panel was how to go about entering the job market in the current turbulent economic climate. Each panelist agreed that internships are a great way to begin your career path, because most internships will lead to future employment opportunities or relationship networks that will prove advantageous to your career search. Frank Vlossak '89 highlighted this point by noting that "being on the inside helps you maximize chances to get the job." For careers in government and public policy, it is also necessary to not only have a graduate degree but to get experience in the field.
Rather than worrying about shooting to the top, the panelists urged prospective government workers to build their way up, as government jobs will continue to grow and opportunities will continue to be abundant. One specific example of working your way up in government is to begin working on campaigns that allow you to network, apply and learn useful skills as well as to handle a variety of tasks that make you noticeable to future employers.
The panelists agreed that it is not only the Hamilton network but a Hamilton education that ensures future graduates will have success in any job market. The alumni encouraged students to contact them with any questions regarding government and public policy careers.
-- by Danielle Raulli '10
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The government and public-policy workshop included four alumni with backgrounds in lobbying, federal agencies, international development, law, state government and legislative affairs and was moderated by career center counselor David Bell. The alumni included Morgan Keane '03, Leadership Fellow at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Jarrel Price '04, vice president of Height Analytics in Washington D.C.; Kaitlin Nelson '01, federal career intern and program analyst at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington D.C.; and Frank Vlossak '89, principal at Williams & Jensen in Washington D.C.
The main issue proposed by the panel's moderator was how to translate a Hamilton education into real-world careers. To answer this question, each panelist gave advice based on their own job searches conducted upon graduation from Hamilton. In order to not only find but advance in government and public policy careers, each panelist underscored the importance of utilizing skills learned at Hamilton as well as making use of the Hamilton network.
As Morgan Keane '03 noted, "Hamilton teaches you how to learn quickly, write, and articulate your thoughts—all skills that helped me get my first job." Kaitlin Nelson '01 also emphasized the value of networking, stating that it is imperative to make contacts with alumni across the U.S. who also have important connections that can propel you forward in your career ambitions.
According to each alumnus, all of whom have been successful in using the Hamilton network to find jobs, relationship building is not only useful in learning what opportunities exist for you but also makes you stand out from a pool of applicants. As Jarrel Price '04 observed, "Government is the business of information and the Hamilton network is a great way to begin sharing that information."
The second issue posed to the panel was how to go about entering the job market in the current turbulent economic climate. Each panelist agreed that internships are a great way to begin your career path, because most internships will lead to future employment opportunities or relationship networks that will prove advantageous to your career search. Frank Vlossak '89 highlighted this point by noting that "being on the inside helps you maximize chances to get the job." For careers in government and public policy, it is also necessary to not only have a graduate degree but to get experience in the field.
Rather than worrying about shooting to the top, the panelists urged prospective government workers to build their way up, as government jobs will continue to grow and opportunities will continue to be abundant. One specific example of working your way up in government is to begin working on campaigns that allow you to network, apply and learn useful skills as well as to handle a variety of tasks that make you noticeable to future employers.
The panelists agreed that it is not only the Hamilton network but a Hamilton education that ensures future graduates will have success in any job market. The alumni encouraged students to contact them with any questions regarding government and public policy careers.
-- by Danielle Raulli '10
Related Information
Volunteer WeekendView photos
