You’re Hired! Quick Tips for Finding a Job in the Consulting Field

By Michelle Migdalovich | BA in International Affairs and Economics | Class of 2016

There is no word to describe the job-search process better than daunting. You will be permanently in a suit and heels, checking GWork incessantly, and your bag will be filled with a million random business cards. Get ready to wait anxiously by the phone like never before (which will NEVER ring when you want it to. FYI—it will almost always ring in the middle of your thesis presentation). However, for me, On-Campus Recruiting (OCR) made this stressful, scary and nerve-wracking process manageable and allowed me to learn skills and techniques in order to become employed post-graduation.

If you are like me and are all over the place in terms of searching for a job, I would first suggest that you choose the top firms in which you have an interest. That way, you get to sincerely focus on those companies. From there, attend all the info sessions you possibly can for those companies to get the general vibe. Info sessions are crucial:  you learn for which positions the firm is recruiting, expectations/procedures, and you get to network with current employees.  Networking with these employees is VITAL. It may be scary and seem unnatural, but they are there to help, so put yourself at ease and get out there! You might not even think about it, but even staying after a session and asking some questions will help those employees remember your face – you never know who will be conducting your interview!

Quick tip: Always ask for a business card after you speak to someone, add him or her on LinkedIn if you feel comfortable doing so, and always, always, always send a friendly thank you e-mail note!

Next: the dreaded interview.  When preparing for the consulting field, the case study is seemingly the scariest part of the interview process. Grabbing a buddy and doing practice case studies is truly what helped me the most – you start to understand the patterns of the cases and for what the interviewer may be looking. There are different strategies to the case study, and most companies post practice cases online that are very helpful (Deloitte’s are broken down by sector and are great!). YouTube and the MConsulting Prep videos are lifesavers. Another odd tip is to learn how to write down the information presented in the case study in an organized way, so that when you are under pressure, you can easily keep your thoughts straight. For behavioral interviews, grab your buddy and practice potential questions out loud. There are a bunch of practice questions you can find both online and in the Interview Prep Guide from the Center for Career Services. The more you practice, the easier these questions become. Soon enough, your answers will come automatically and authentically!

Another helpful tip for interviews is to become knowledgeable about the company. This includes going on their website or Wikipedia and learning the company structure, reaching out to people on LinkedIn and asking them why they enjoy where they work, or looking at the firm’s charity efforts and programs. Be specific about why exactly you would like to work for this firm. For example, before my second round Deloitte interview (I will be starting there in October as a Strategy and Operations Analyst), I spoke on the phone with an employee from Boston. He described the competitive and stimulating environment at Deloitte and told me how he was never bored. This was exactly the kind of environment I felt I could succeed in. When asked “Why Deloitte?” in my interview, I had a very succinct answer that displayed initiative and genuine interest. Employers find this initiative and specificity very impressive because it demonstrates thoroughness and passion.

Another important thing to do is to know your resume inside and out. I was asked during one Super Day to take each interviewer through my resume. Include interesting activities you enjoy such as music, hiking, reading, etc. and be sure that for all of your previous jobs, you explain not what you did, but what you learned.

Quick Tip: your resume should show not only tasks you’ve completed but also how those tasks were useful to the employer. For example: instead of writing, “Prepared and compiled extensive research of the U.S. Code,” write “Prepared and compiled extensive research of the U.S. Code for UN use.” This will show the interviewer not only what you completed, but why you did so and what it was used for.

Lastly, the one piece of advice that I received during the process that really changed the way I viewed interviews was “be confident”. That might sound simple and obvious, but it makes all the difference. If you are in a case study and are not sure what the interviewer is looking for, describe your reasoning and be confident in it.  I had one interview in which I simply could not grasp the case study.  I took a breath and started talking about something I knew and in which I was confident: how to build a regression. Little did I know that my interviewer’s specialty was econometrics.  You may not provide the exact answer, but your answer might be the creative and different outlook for which your interviewer is looking. Don’t question your answer: during an interview, your goal should be to show that you are passionate, excited, and confident in your abilities – so simply be confident!

I will leave you with this: the job-search process is daunting and not particularly what anyone wants to be doing the fall of their senior year, however, the ends completely justify the means. The Center for Career Services is truly there for you – for interview prep, resume workshops, and to answer any questions you may have (I bothered them incessantly and have the inbox to prove it).  So grab a Redbull (or three), a coffee, some resume paper, post-up in GelHell, and best of luck!

My Post-GW Life in Health Insurance

By David Harvey | B.A. Political Science ’15

At The Meltzer Group, we help companies find world-class benefits to attract and retain the best employees. Health benefits are often every business’s second largest cost, which means that CFOs and HR directors turn to The Meltzer Group to help guide them through the complexities of health insurance.

It has been a few months since I joined The Meltzer Group. On any given day I analyze a company’s sources of health claims, perform actuary duties, track monthly trends and benchmark market trends among other responsibilities.

My liberal arts degree from George Washington University has helped me in the workforce in ways most people would not expect. No one said health insurance is easy to understand and our clients often want it both ways: More generous benefits for less money.  These two goals often work against each other in the benefits world. However, my political science degree helped me develop critical thinking, analysis,and problem-solving skills, among others, therefore I understand how to weave through contradictory goals and find the best insurance products for our clients.

Learning is extremely important in this industry because health insurance is always changing. In just one week a new regulation could be passed, a carrier may announce it intends to spike premiums for their renewals, and an expensive brand name specialty drug could hit the market. That is why in order to balance new trends and information I tell my people the most important thing anyone can learn in college is how to learn! You can do this by reading more than your required materials in class, keeping up with your industry’s news, and most importantly doing independent academic research. Challenge yourself and become an expert in an industry that speaks to you.

A strong sense of math and statistics is also extremely important. If it were not for the series of statistics classes I took at GW, it would be difficult to understand the complex claims information I work with every day. Like learning an instrument, statistics takes time so start early!

In conclusion, the advice I would give to GW students and recent graduates is to work hard and learn hard! My experiences during my time at the university made this evident to me and now that I am in the “real world”, I am able to put these practices into play each and every day.

 

Maximize Your First 90 Days in a New Job

By Alessia Marsiglio | BA International Affairs ’15

Just a few weeks after the GW commencement on the National Mall, I moved to the UK and joined CEB as an Account Management Associate. Ever since then, I have grown immensely and taken away so many valuable lessons about the business world and life in general! Exactly a year later, I’m happy to share some of the best tips I’ve learned and would give anyone looking to maximize their first 90 days in a new job.

1. Be attentive

Remember to interact with everyone you come across. Simple things like shaking everyone’s hand and making an effort to remember people’s names can go a long way!

2. Get out there!

You will have plenty of opportunities coming your way when you immerse yourself in a new office and role. When someone asks you to join them for lunch, your neighbor asks you for a quick favor, or you have the opportunity to participate in a company-wide event, be willing to put yourself out there and get involved.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

As a new person to the office, team, and company, it’s normal to have many questions. In fact, over the first few weeks, you may find yourself questioning more and more things. This is normal and understandable, so don’t be afraid to ask those questions. Take advantage of the fact that this is the time when people are most willing to help.

4. Find your support system

Like any change in life or new experience, there will always be highs and lows. Be sure you make an effort to get to know the people with whom you work. After all, you will be spending the majority of your time with them. It’s important to find a group of people with whom you can celebrate your successes and also lean on during challenging times. Take the time to build friendships and find people you admire who can become your mentors. These relationships are crucial to your professional development and overall happiness wherever you work!

5. Make a plan of action

When you start a new job, it’s often easy to get caught up in the excitement of it all and only focus on the day to day. However, it’s actually never too early to think long-term. Take the time to sit down with your manager to understand career progression opportunities within the organization and where you can fit in the longer term. Of course, this is subject to change, but being conscious of the path your development must take will help guide you, not to mention show real dedication to those around you.

6. Don’t dodge KPI’s

KPI’s or Key Performance Indicators are one of the most dreaded aspects of many roles. This is essentially how your company and boss will be assessing your performance and impact on the organization. This may sound daunting, but if you ask and inform yourself clearly about your KPI’s and what is expected of you early on, this will help you immensely and be a source of motivation.

7. Learn from the best

When you are new to an organization you will most likely have many chances to shadow some of your coworkers with more experience. Whether this is part of your onboarding or not, take a moment to decide who are some of the top performers that you would like to learn from and go ask them for advice. Actively seeking out opportunities to learn from the best will help set you up well from the start and certainly will help you learn faster than by figuring everything out on your own.

8.  SMILE 

This may seem like a small detail, but people tend to be drawn towards and remember a friendly face, so smile and exude positivity!

We Will Change It

 

By Sarah Dahnke
M.A. International Development Studies
Concentration in Water Resource Management in the Middle East and North Africa
(Expected 2017)

It was only 9 a.m., but the sun loomed overhead like a furnace. As we walked to the baptism site – the place where John the Baptist baptized Jesus – the Jordanian youth water trustees chatted with my colleagues and me in English. We talked about our studies and joked about the American election.

Having graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Global Studies with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies and now pursuing a master’s in International Development, I assumed that I knew a great deal about this broad concept called the Middle East. What this internship and my experiences in Jordan have taught me, is that I still have so much to learn. I had no idea how generous and inviting the Jordanian people were, and I underestimated the great sense of pride my coworkers would have in their king and the progress they made as a country. Most importantly, I have a newfound appreciation for my Jordanian colleagues as sources of vital knowledge to enhance my understanding of local and national issues.

My feet slipped on the stone steps leading to the Jordan River. I was here with my office – EcoPeace Middle East – to document a cross-border interaction between Jordanian and Israeli youth water trustees. Today’s activity was part of the Good Water Neighbors (GWN) Project, which works to unite cross-border communities in Israel, Palestine and Jordan around shared water problems. Through collaborating on sustainable water management, they build trust and arrive at common solutions that make way for peace and understanding, even during times of conflict.

Only 15 feet wide and an opaque green, the Jordan River serves as a natural barrier between Israel and Jordan, further emphasized by armed guards on each side. I looked across the river with my Jordanian colleagues at the tourists on the opposite bank, as they slipped into the dark water to be baptized. Next to the tourists stood a group of Israeli youth water trustees, from the EcoPeace Middle East office in Tel Aviv. One of their signs read water has no borders. Taking the cue from their counterparts across the river, the Jordanian youth trustees lined up at the water’s edge.

Altogether the students sang, “We will, we will change it.” The words echoed in the arid valley. Although the students could not physically join hands in solidarity, their voices rose up and became a force of their own. They would inspire the restoration of the Jordan River for generations to come. It was in this moment that I truly understood the importance of unity in environmental stewardship.

For updates on my work with EcoPeace Middle East, please visit my blog at involvetheworld.com.

 

Connecting the Dots on a Winding Path

By Chrissy James
Career Exploration Coach
GW Center for Career Services

I found my career path through a mixture of self-assessment and the leveraging of transferable skills found through myriad experiences. It took almost a decade, but I did it, through trial and error and a lot of work. During my undergraduate career, I focused on being an academic first and an athlete second. I did not take advantage of the resources available (read: career services), chose majors I was most interested in (Behavioral Sciences and Spanish), went abroad to Spain, and took classes in the true style of the liberal arts education (i.e. in everything), without much thought about how it would all fit into the long-term possibilities for my career. Strategic thinking is not my strength, but more on that later. Through networking, I worked a few internships in the field of child advocacy and as the amazingly strong, passionate women I met in the field had been to law school, I thought I should go to law school, too.

After college, I continued on the same meandering path, bouncing around in a number of different temporary positions, having connected to a temp-to-perm hiring firm in Boston, which gave me the time and flexibility to study for that dreaded LSAT test. From completing reception duties, to transcribing voicemails, and other administrative positions as needed, I was exposed to a wide variety of companies, from large, corporate law firms, to small, informal sales teams. One company, at which I performed office management tasks for a few months, was a global management consulting firm called Vantage Partners that specialized in relationship management for businesses (hey, that actually has something to do with my major after all!). I quickly canned the idea of law school because I found through the journey of taking the LSAT that analytical thinking was not a strength nor an interest, nor could I envision a worthy path at the end of the tunnel. Nine years, four positions – including marketing, corporate education, business development research and analysis work – and two coasts later (all at the same firm), I still found myself struggling. You see where this is heading, right? I spent a lot of time without a plan, amassing experience without much intention. So what did I do about it? I changed my approach.

I enlisted the help of a career coach, who helped me learn more about myself, unpack my interests, strengths and values, and identify the skills that I had acquired in my meandering path. For the first time in my career, I was intentional about what I wanted. I took the Strong Interest Inventory (main themes: Social, Artistic, Realistic) and did the research on the occupations that ranked highly on my scales (Career Coach was one of those!), intentionally developed my strengths (positivity, adaptability, empathy) and I put in the time to engage with what interested me in different roles. I conducted countless informational interviews and learned the power of networking. I explored my previous experiences and extrapolated important transferable skills for which employers are looking. For example, I became a strong writer while crafting the 100+ (give or take) papers for my major in college and came to appreciate the preparation of the liberal arts education. I learned the value of teamwork and collaboration while on my field hockey team. When I studied abroad, I learned how to be comfortable in the unknown, and how to be adaptable in times when I did not always have a full command of the language. I learned the importance of passion, of adding value, and feeling good about the work I was doing from my internships. I learned how to be a professional, how to build important relationships within a firm and how to leverage those relationships into opportunities for advancement.

In the end, I went to graduate school, earned my master’s in Higher Education, and INTENTIONALLY applied my skills, strengths, interests AND values to a field of which I am very passionate. I built relationships, earned my way through a Graduate Assistantship, to a full time position, and presently, as the wheel has come full-circle, as a Career Coach here at GW. Sometimes it takes a little bit to find the plan, but with work, a bit of coaching, and perseverance, it will happen. The moral of my story: the path can be winding, but with some attention, the dots along the path can be connected.  If any part of my story resonates with you, come see us at the Center for Career Services. Even if it doesn’t, we are here when you are ready.

Opportunities with Teach for America

By Juman Kekhia
B.A. in International Affairs and Dance, Minor in Sociocultural Anthropology
May 2016

When I look back and think about why I initially applied to Teach For America (TFA), a flurry of things come to my mind. It starts with my love of helping others, even if it’s just a single person, and it ends with believing that education is the most powerful tool there is. As much as I like to say that I’m not a planner and I go with the flow, I find myself planning out big life choices far in advance. When I was filling out my application and going through the interview process a year ago, around this time, it didn’t feel nearly as real as it does now. Funny how time can change things.

Despite having a random assortment of involvements and very few internships during my time at GW, I can see all the skills I’ve developed over the past four years and how they’re all coming together to form my next experience. I’m excited to have the opportunity to grow and learn while also knowing that situations in which a leader is needed, I have the skills to step up to the plate. TFA is providing me with the opportunity to continue to grow and learn more about what I want to do in the world.

I know a lot of people see the program as a “gap year” or “time killer”, but I think it’s quite the opposite. The same way GW has done a lot to influence who I am, I imagine my experience in Chicago and with Teach For America will influence who I become. If you ask me today if I plan on being a teacher forever, I’ll probably say no, but who knows what that answer might be in two years. While I might have planned far ahead and have known what I’m doing next year for a while, the opportunities ahead are largely unknown and that is what I think is most exciting about all of it.

Who knows where I will be in ten or twenty years? What I do know is that I want to help at least one kid realize their potential through education and empower them to become whomever they would like to be. The future is a little unclear, but I’m excited to find out where it will lead me!

Redefining My Career Path: The Career Management Class

By Lorena Tapias De Pombo, GW ’17

Being a student at GWU has been an incredible adventure for me because of all the opportunities and things that I have been able to do. For me, the first year was all about getting used to classes and enjoying DC as much as I could. It was during sophomore year that I actually started to worry about my professional future and what I should do during the remaining years of college. GW is a very competitive university, where everyone has many internships on Capitol Hill or in other prestigious companies, which was something that worried me. I felt that I did not have much experience and I had no idea how to be able to get an internship that would accept me. Furthermore, doing things like resumes, cover letters or even networking intimidated me because I had no idea how to do any of that. Fortunately for me, I took a career management class for Elliott School Students, which honestly changed the way I saw the rest of my two years in college.

This class helped me not only learn how to build resumes, but also how to recognize my strengths and how to use all the skills that I had already acquired. Throughout the semester I started to see which aspects of my academic life needed improving and also the importance of getting involved in good organizations on campus that would enrich my resume.  This led me to get involved in the organization of Women In International Security and in Sigma Iota Rho, which both gave me great opportunities to connect with people that are already employed on the field were I want to work in the future. The course had also a very important goal, which was to guide the students on how to get an internship.

One thing that was hard for me was to find an internship in the security field of international relations where I would be able to work, given that I am a permanent resident but not yet a citizen. This was challenging and frustrating because the majority of places where I wanted to go required American citizenship. After researching for a while and using the tools that the Career Center gave me, I was able to find one that I actually liked and that was also in my field of study. I reviewed my cover letter and resume and sometimes I felt that I was under qualified or that there were students with resumes a thousand times more interesting than mine. This time, I had to put effort into not comparing myself with other undergraduates. It was not an easy task. I thought, “How can you convince someone to hire you when you do not really believe in yourself?”

I realized that it was important to believe in my capabilities and that my diversity could actually bring many valuable things to a workplace environment. After all of my hard work, I managed to get the internship that I wanted. It made me incredibly happy and I felt that I started to shape my career in the direction that I wanted.

College life is definitely a time where I have been able to grow thanks to all my trials and errors. I cannot express how grateful I am for everything that the Career Center has taught me. All of the skills I developed and things that learned in the course have also been implemented this Spring semester while studying abroad in Tel Aviv.  I  am currently interning in a private security intelligence firm, and I feel that this time the whole process has been somewhat easier because I already had an idea of what to expect. All I can say is that I recommend every student Elliott student to take this class at the Career Center because it teaches the tools that are essential in our professional lives.

5 Takeaways from GW Career Quest

By Avra Bossov, MA Candidate in Media & Strategic Communication (2016)

“The mission of an organization can’t be changed, but the traditions can.”

As these words percolated the air of the conference room in The New York Times building I found myself in on Monday afternoon – after having dreamed of entering the building since I was a child – I was struck by how this mantra articulated so much of what I’ve learned throughout my GW experience. Though they were esteemed NYT Business Editor Dean Murphy’s words, they have become part of my collection of mantras by which to live.

This week, I was fortunate to partake in the second annual GW Career Quest, made possible by the generosity of the Shenkman Career Services Fund. Career Quest is a two-day immersive employer experience, where GW students travel to NYC to meet with employers in various industries on various tracks. In these meetings, students hear about the industry, the employer, and the opportunities available.

An inspiring and busy two days later, what stuck with me were the following key takeaways, each being true to the mission and values of the employers my track visited:

1. Bustle –
   If you see an opportunity, take it and run with it. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

In 2013, the founders of Bustle saw an opportunity to create a digital publication that presents news, lifestyle pieces, health tips, and trends through a feminist lens. This kind of experimentation and cutting edge-ness of a changing media landscape keeps Bustle true to its core, in every article, video, and Tweet. As young professionals, it’s important to take risks and be ready to jump into something different.

2. The New York Times –
   The mission of an organization can’t be changed, but the traditions can change.

Standing on the shoulders of those who came before you, the New York Times employees think about how to retain the quality of “all the news that’s fit to print” and the legacy of their brand with how to distribute that content effectively to different audiences as technology shapes the media available. Amidst the daunting amount of change, Dean Murphy and Diana Henriques (GW alumna and current Board of Trustees member) were able to share that no matter what ‘traditions’ change, it’s important to remain true to the mission of your organization or company.

3. Katz Media Group –
   If you give to the company, the company gives to you.

Founded in 1888, Katz Media Group has adapted quite significantly over the years with the media industry ever changing and is now the largest media representation company in America. From the panel of sales coordinators and managers we heard from, each of whom had been at KMG for at least a few years, it was clear the reason each of them came to work each day was to work with one another. For them, it was all about loyalty and finding community from there—working hard, but doing what you love.

4. CBS Interactive –
   Identify your goals and the goals of your team, and define success based on how you accomplish those goals.

Hearing about the career paths, experiences, and insights into the company from GW alumni Mosheh Oinounou and Jorge Mitssunaga offered real feedback for our track for what’s out there post graduation. In such a changing industry and as we’re starting to build our career path, Mosheh and Jorge both stressed the importance of adaptability and what it means to be a team player.

5. Hulu –
   It’s all about the experience—down to the smallest of details.

Hulu’s mission is “to captivate and connect people with stories they love by creating amazing experiences,” as evident in our visit there. Recognizing that content is the currency right now, Hulu has made enormous strides as a SVOD (subscription video on demand) service in offering everything they can to better the user experience. From the presentation and tour, it was clear that Hulu believes in this mission and acts upon it throughout the company culture.

At each of these visits, recognizing and reflecting on the company’s mission, values, setup, culture, and how they operate made Career Quest such a unique and meaningful experience. As I continue in my job search and along my career path, I look forward to paying attention to these aspects and incorporating these lessons into what I bring to the table as an employee.

To learn more about GW Career Quest, visit: https://careerservices.gwu.edu/gw-career-quest

GW is the Epitome of Opportunity, But it’s What You do With it That Matters

By Zach Kahn, BA in Organizational Sciences 2016

As a second-semester senior, with graduation just weeks away, I’ve been taking some time to reflect on my entire collegiate experience. I have been reassessing the validity and implications of some of the most significant decisions I’ve made over these past four years.

Since January, I’ve thoroughly considered (and re-considered) whether or not Washington D.C. was the appropriate environment for me. Whether pursuing my major and minor would benefit me in my desired industry (technology) and specialty (marketing), whether joining my fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon,and other students organizations, including The GW Hatchet and TEDxFoggyBottom, were a good use of time. And whether internship programs at companies like Nest and Harry’s, would translate into marketable skills and formative, professional experiences.

Concurrently, as a second-semester senior, I’ve been repeatedly asked one specific question by parents, faculty, and younger members of the GW community. That question? Bearing the knowledge and experiences that you now posses, if you were granted admission to GW, would you accept it?

The answer? A confident and resounding “yes,” and here’s why…

In my experience, The George Washington University offers students a unique set of keys with which they can unlock, and later appreciate, their personal and professional identities. By virtue of sitting at the cultural epicenter of one of the most vibrant, diverse, and influential cities in the world, GW is endowed with a unique ability to present students — oftentimes from rural towns and developing countries — with a “traditional” college experience coupled with a genuine taste of what it means to live, and work, in the “real world.”

It’s rare, stimulating, and, at times, downright overwhelming. The opportunity to be a student in a city brimming with all kinds of political, economic, and social opportunity is leaps and bounds more qualifying than the textbook curriculum offered exclusively within the confines of an overpopulated lecture room, or campus quad, as is the case at many other institutions. It’s what you do with that opportunity, however, that will determine your propensity for success.

When I came to GW, I was certain of my desire to enter the technology industry in a marketing / business development capacity. I knew that I would need to enroll myself in programs and courses that pertained to these efforts. What I didn’t know, however, was the specific academic path that would facilitate my ability to achieve this goal.

On advice from my advisor in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, I chose not to internally transfer into the School of Business in order to pursue a degree in Information Systems Technology. Rather, I would remain in the Columbian College, with a minor in Business Administration from the School of Business. I would pursue the newly developed, and widely praised, Organizational Sciences program focusing on the means by which organizations, their leaders, and their teams communicate, grow change, and, eventually, succeed. It was a less clear path than the one I had initially anticipated, but the program and its faculty have equipped me with broadly-applicable insights and skills that I have been able to successfully employ in extracurricular and, later, professional experiences.

As indicated, there is no better atmosphere to test and refine your academic acumen than in a student organization. Institutions like the Sigma Phi Epsilon (DC Alpha) fraternity and The GW Hatchet proved to be fertile environments to assess the means by which individuals communicate, collaborate, and challenge one another, their beliefs, and the enveloping organizational culture and structure. As a member, and later Vice President of Communications, for the DC Alpha chapter, I was able to witness and affect the opportunities and threats associated with a large, social organization chock full of rich, philanthropical history and communal norms. And as a Board Member of The GW Hatchet, I witnessed similar circumstances benefit, and plague, the political and economic sustainability of an organization with equally historic precedents. Apple and BlockBuster, the White House and Congress, were no better examples of organizational development, success, and decay than the day-to-day experiences of being an agent of the Greek Life and GW media communities.

The only superior means by which students can prepare for the working world and, more importantly, understand themselves, is by participating in a formal internship program. Just three weeks after arriving at GW, I was fortunate enough to happen into one such opportunity at a digital agency called iStrategyLabs (ISL), then-located off of Dupont Circle. It was a heavy dose of serendipity mixed with determination, and it was the single most transformative element of my college career. Suddenly, the potential of the “outside world,” or what exists off campus, was recognized and my passion and appetite to learn and grow accommodated few bounds. My year and a half at ISL helped me land a position at Harry’s, the men’s grooming startup in New York City. That then helped me find a marketing opportunity with the Uber DC team when I came back for my junior year. These internship programs equipped me with the skills, experience, and network necessary to further cultivate my marketing and business development proficiencies at Nest Labs in Palo Alto this past summer, with TEDxFoggyBottom today, and hopefully so on.

You’re in the cultural capitol of the world and, with that, the single best decision you’ll make as a young professional is to throw yourself in the midst of its chaos and work you way back to order. The George Washington University, and by extension Washington, D.C., is the epitome of opportunity- but it’s what you do with that opportunity that will set you apart.

Can You Hear me Now?

By Roulla D. Nau, Master of Healthcare Administration, GW 2008

As a young healthcare management professional, my first job required working with five clinical teams to open a new hospital. These colleagues had more training, education, and experience than me. Despite this disparity, we found a common platform – listening to and learning from each other.

Each team worked well and attempted to balance many responsibilities, including providing direct patient care. While each meeting teemed with excitement, the fear and anxiety was palpable. We focused on learning from our current operations to prepare for the new hospital. The leadership offered guidance to the team, but these recommendations changed frequently.

Struggling to plan in such a fluid environment, the teams felt they were not being heard by leadership or by one another.  After some reflection, I asked the teams to “pause” during meetings. We used the “pause” to disengage from our mobile devices and slow down our discussions. This intentional disengagement forced all of us to listen to one another and find ways to continue planning, despite key details lacking at times. After about a month of asking people to “pause”, our overall productivity increased, and the teams’ morale improved.  Staff entered our meetings with devices off and ready to work.  No one needed a reminder to “pause.”

The opening day of the hospital rapidly approached, and anxiety levels continued increasing.  We continued to support the current operations while also tackling the remaining tasks for the new hospitals.  We hired staff who were eager to join our efforts and understood the value of listening to one another and to patients.  One week prior to the opening of the hospital, several of the senior leaders asked the teams what worked well and what could have been done better to prepare for the hospital.  Nearly every person said “pausing” during meetings forced us to listen to one another.  One staff member said “I no longer felt like the Verizon ad asking ‘can you hear me now?’ We all actively listened to each other instead of remaining tethered to our smart devices. We made changes that will save lives.”

This year-long experience reinforced the importance of listening to our team members and colleagues.  In a society and era over saturated with communication and information, it is easy to forget the importance of face-to-face interaction and active listening.  Consider how you can help others stop wondering “can you hear me now?”