Jungle Campus, spring 2010 by WetFeet

No. 1 in Modern Energy

Winnovation 2009 For the second year, Vestas hosted the Winnovation Challenge for Master of Engineering and Master of Business students. 40 students representing 20 nationalities were selected among hundreds of applicants and ﬂown to Vestas’ R&D facility in Aarhus, Denmark, to take on real business and engineering cases and to network with Vestas top employees and top students from around the world.

The grand prize winners of the 2009 Winnovation Challenge and winners of ﬂight tickets for two around the world were Christopher Rowe, engineering student from The University of Newcastle in Australia, and Josie Fung, MBA student from Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto in Canada. Read more about the event and see the ﬁnalists at www.vestas.com/winnovation

vestas.dk/jobs

Table of Contents 03 Insights EDITOR IN CHIEF Denis Wilson Special Projects Editor Liz Seasholtz Web Manager Lindsay Hicks Writer Michelle Grottenthaler Photographer Matt Soriano Design and Illustration Michael Wilson

JUNGLE CAMPUS IS A MEDIA PROPERTY OF UNIVERSUM Universum publishes a portfolio of products, including WetFeet Insider Guides and MBA Jungle Magazine

20 Unilever

09 Diversity Today

Companies make diversity their business

14 Deloitte

CEO Michal Kalinowski US Media Manager Sean O’Grady UNIVERSITY RELATIONS, MARKETING, AND DISTRIBUTION Jonas Barck Kristina Matthews Jeremie Haynes Kate Balog For information about advertising in Universum publications, please contact Lesley Umbrell at lesley.umbrell@universumusa.com or 215.546.4900 ext. 102 SALES AND ADVERTISING Tracy Lynn Drye Mikael Eriksson Camille Kelly Kevin Kelly Kortney Kutsop Neha Patel Emilio Javier Emma Moretzsohn Entire contents copyright 2010, Universum All rights reserved. Universum’s goal is to improve communication and understanding between employers and young professionals. Our annual Undergraduate, MBA, Diversity, and Young Professional surveys are answered by more than 300,000 people in 31countries. Universum also produces MBA Jungle, WetFeet Insider Guides, Career TV, events, and websites.

Cover Photo: Jimmy Hubbard

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Spring 2010

Enterprise Risk Services Consultant

Indirect Supply Management Specialist and Product Engineer

Lead Financial Analyst in Corporate Finance

Computer Scientist

f r o m the

By being more process-oriented when it comes to making important career decisions, you can really get ahead

36 Exit Ramp

L et t e r

2010 grads who survive a job hunt in a down economy may be better for it

32 Use Your Noggin

19 NSA

What is it really like to be gay in today’s work place?

28 What Doesn’t Kill You…

17 Liberty Mutual

Sales Support and Client Relations Specialist

24 Coming Out

16 John Deere

UNIVERSUM 1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1800 Philadelphia, PA 19102 215.546.4900 www.universumusa.com

23 Universum

10 Top 100 Diversity Employers

Assistant Customer Brand Planning Manager

The worst jobs in the world

e d i to r

Make Up Yo u r M i n d Jungle Campus is here to help you make the tough choices. In Use Your Noggin (page 32) writer Dave Allen explores how to make good decisions and offers a systematic approach to help you arrive at your objective. It’s an article that makes you think—pun intended. And what could be more professionally trying than worrying that you won’t be accepted for who you really are? This is the ongoing dilemma that gays, lesbians, and bisexuals face in the workplace on a daily basis as they consider whether to be open about their sexual orientation. If your holding this magazine (or clicking on it) you know this is the focus of our cover story, Coming Out (page 24). Though we’re fully aware that only a segment of our audience will be able to practically apply the advice offered in Coming Out, we think the article holds an important lesson for all job seekers: If an employer is not welcoming to gay employees, then chances are they won’t be open to a diversity of lifestyles, ethnicities, ideas, or education. Such is the modern definition of diversity as we understand it from speaking with employees of your generation and by looking at the companies that were ranked as Top Diversity Employers for 2009. Certainly, diversity includes skin color, but it also goes far beyond what can be detected with the eye. “It’s a composition of distinguishable experiences, lifestyles, cultures and thoughts,” says Danielle Coppock from Unilever. Also, note the color of this issue’s cover. We used yellow and green because—well, it’s spring and we’re feeling festive! New horizons! Time to spring forth into bigger and better things! Right…? Of course, we can’t deny that 2010 grads will emerge into the roughest job market since 2001. In What Doesn’t Kill You… (page 28) we examine what affect graduating into this cruddy job market will have on your career. Forget the naysayers—we think battling for a job in this economy will actually make you a stronger job hunter. ’Cause at the end of the day, the decisions you make (and how well you make them) will have the ultimate impact on your career—not the economy.

DENIS WILSON

How to Use LinkedIn P04 :: Green Grad Programs P05 :: Mean Interviewer P05 :: No Internship? No Problem P06

WHAT I DIDN'T LEARN IN COLLEGE

By Michelle Grottenthaler

[PROFILE] NAME Will Yip AGE 23 TITLE Music Producer / Audio Engineer employer Will Yip Music degree B.A. Temple University 2009

t 16, music producer and audio engineer Will Yip started charging bands $5 an hour to record and mix tracks on an old Dell computer in his parents’ basement. Now, at 23, he’s touring with performers such as Lauryn Hill and recording artists for his business, Will Yip Music, at Studio 4 in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Though Yip earned a Bachelor of Arts from Temple University in 2009, it takes more than a degree to break into the highly competitive music industry. While technical skills, like soldering wires and fine-tuning audio tracks are essential to his work, Yip admits college can’t teach passion or instill a strong work ethic. “I knew I loved music, so I just did what I could,” says Yip. “I always found a way around the [expensive] equipment and the money to at least make music with people.” While attending Temple, Yip managed to work full-time hours for his business. Any time not spent in class or sleeping was spent making music. Now, he often puts in 12-hour days at the studio. If you’re passionate about the gig you won’t mind putting in the hours, Yip says. Yip also thinks it’s best to surround yourself with creative and talented people: He completed four internships while he was in school and says the time he spent in each studio has shaped his career. Yip recommends volunteering your time and soaking up as much advice as you can from each mentor. Anyone can push a fader on a soundboard, but the ability to establish a connection with your clients will help your business grow, says Yip. Before working with an artist, Yip will take them to lunch and get to know them to make sure they’ll work well together. “I came from my parents’ basement. So when people come in, we treat ’em like it’s home.”

You can read more at WetFeet.com, and check out his video on CareerTV.com.

insights

Reel ’Em In How to Use LinkedIn to Hook Recruiters

By Liz Seasholtz

ocial networking sites. They’re all the same. Slap up a goofy profile pic, add some personal information, make a few connections. Good to go, right? ¶ Nope. Pull that on LinkedIn and you’ll end up working at Uncle Slappy’s Fishstick Emporium. When it comes to your professional online identity, you’ll need to be a little more refined. ¶ Just as you use Facebook to see which friend’s doing what, you can use LinkedIn to see who’s hiring who. But before you rub cyber elbows with valuable networking contacts and hiring managers, you need to put some shine on your profile. We spoke with Lewis Howes, author of LinkedWorking, to learn a few tricks to help lure recruiters.

Be Complete LinkedIn says that you’re 40 times more likely to turn up in a search if your profile is fully complete. Before you start networking, make sure all the components of your profile, such as the photo and recommendations, are in order, so it reads “100% profile completeness”.

Customize Similar to Facebook, LinkedIn lets you create a custom URL, such as LinkedIn.com/JaneDoe. Custom URLs are easier to remember, look better in an email signature, and increase your profile’s rank in search results when people Google your name.

Fly Under the Radar Unbeknownst to some users, LinkedIn allows you to see who has viewed your profile. If you’re browsing multiple profiles, you may want to turn this feature off. To do so, go to the homepage and click into “Who’s viewed my profile?” in the right column. Then click “Edit Visibility Settings” and select “Don’t show users that I’ve viewed their profile.” Voilá, you’re hidden!

Create a Compelling Headline Your name and current position take up prime real estate at the top of your profile. If you’re unemployed, take advantage of the opportunity to create something catchy to take your position's place. Instead of putting “Looking for Design Internship,” Howes suggests stating your specialty, like “Graphic Designer Specializing in Logos.” You’ll come off more focused and professional.

Start a Group Not only do you want to join groups, but you should consider starting a group as well. Use your background at school as a starting point: For example, create the “NYU Women Accountants” group, or “The Campus Gazette Alumni” group. Being the owner of a group raises your visibility, says Howes. Anytime someone joins it, they see your name and website. Illustration by Michael Wilson

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Say Cheese! Keep your LinkedIn profile pic professional. That means no shots of you playing beer pong or on the beach in Jamaica. If you’re in a Greek organization, consider using a picture from its composite, or if your school offers senior photos, take the opportunity to get a professional headshot you can use for years to come. 

Green Your Degree

Big Meany

How to respond if your interviewer has a case of the grumps Michelle Grottenthaler

If you’re applying to grad school this spring, you might want to consider a program that will prepare you for a green-collar career. Job growth in the sustainable sectors and students’ growing desire to “do good” have led many universities to add green twists to traditional graduate programs. Consider the following fields of green. Environmental and Natural Resources Law Schools such as the University of Oregon School of Law and Lewis & Clark Law School offer programs that teach earth-friendly law practices, such as environmental justice and animal law. Environmental law grads work in private practices, public interest, the government, or corporate America. Master’s in Sustainable Design Courses in green material and eco-friendly construction practices prepare students for a career as a LEED-certified architect. Columbia College Chicago, Philadelphia University, Carnegie Mellon University, and University of Texas are a handful of the many universities that offer master’s degrees in the field. Master’s in Environmental Journalism Many journalism programs are adopting an optional environmental concentration. Columbia University, University of Colorado, and Michigan State University are some top schools offering degrees for journalists who want to inform the public about discoveries, insights, and controversies in earth and environmental sciences. Engineering Sustainable Systems Students learn to protect, restore, and create systems that are socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable. Villanova University, Arizona State University, and Appalachian State University all offer master's in sustainable engineering. Tracks of study may include alternative and renewable energy, watershed sustainability, environmental sustainability, and sustainable infrastructure. Sustainable Agriculture Master’s and PhD This degree focuses on components like landscape and watershed management, food security, as well as crop and livestock production and protection. Iowa State University and Aquinas College offer both a master’s of science or PhD in sustainable agriculture. -LS

You may think you’re perfectly prepared for your big job interview. You know the company inside out. You’re equipped with well-informed questions. You’ve got resumes at the ready like a gunslinger in a showdown. What you couldn’t prepare for is the lousy mood your interviewer is in. Maybe he spilled SpaghettiOs on his khakis or just got chewed out by his supervisor. Or maybe he’s just a nasty person. You cannot allow an unpleasant interviewer to affect your performance, even if he’s flat out rude. Here are some tips to maintain your composure.

Small Talk PhD Larina Kase, author of The Confident Leader, recommends starting off with some small talk to help build rapport. Ask how the interviewer’s day is going. It’s possible she may just be having a bad day, says Kase, so be empathetic and don’t get frustrated. Employers are more likely to hire a candidate they feel a personal connection with. Shake it Off Still seeing scowls? The worst thing to do is focus on what your interviewer’s thinking. He could have a prickly attitude with everyone, so don’t let his mood unsettle you. “You want to be the person that’s got poise and can still do a great job with the interview,” says Kase. And don’t forget about body language: Most people respond

to rudeness by slouching or crossing their arms, so sit up and stay confident. Leave a Message Many interviewers are more concerned with results than personality, says Kase. Before the interview, think about how you’ll bring value to the organization. Rehearse your message and practice selling yourself. If you feel confident talking about yourself, you’ll be fine when you don’t receive positive encouragement from a cranky interviewer. Re-evaluate Find out whether the person conducting the interview is someone you’ll work with on a daily basis. If his attitude is just plain terrible, you may want to reconsider working for him. 

Illustration by Michael Wilson jungle campus

spring 2010

No Internship? No Problem. Bypassing the Standard Internship Route Does Not Necessarily Lead to Disaster

1. Lend a Hand Joining a worthwhile cause can brighten any resume—plus, it’s a great networking activity. Pick projects that align your professional passions. Consider organizing a charity event or leading a volunteer group. If you’re super-ambitious, show it by initiating your own project or group. Nonprofits typically can’t afford to pay interns, but they’re always looking for new volunteers. Search municipal and county websites for local organizations, or check sites like VolunteerMatch.org and Idealist.org.

By Liz Seasholtz

insights

ou’ve heard it before: An internship is the key to gaining invaluable real-world experience and getting your foot in the gilded doors of leading companies. ¶ You may have heard it a million times, but you still don’t have an internship lined up for this summer. For whatever reason—maybe you missed the deadline for a key internship, or maybe you botched your interviews—you’re summer will be spent sans internship. ¶ Well, chin up; your career is not doomed. There are plenty of ways to build your resume with an array of experiences and activities beyond the standard internship.

2. Learn A New Tongue Knowing another language is an impressive qualification that makes any candidate more marketable, particularly in our increasingly global society. Languages like Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Russian, and Arabic are high in demand for international business and the federal government. Spanish is also valuable in a variety of fields, such as human resources and social work. Consider signing up for classes at a local community college during the summer. 3. Get High-Tech Learning relevant computer programs could add great value to your current skill set. An art major, for example, could make himself a more attractive candidate by gaining a working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, or Flash/ Flash Action Script. (Even a working knowledge of Microsoft Excel could push one applicant ahead of another.) But remember: You should be able to demonstrate the skills listed on your resume on day one, so skimming The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adobe Photoshop won’t cut it.

4. Start a Startup Even if it’s just Betsy’s Babysitting Service or Larry’s Lawn Care, starting a grassroots business shows entrepreneurial drive, organizational skills, and a go-getter attitude that appeals to employers— especially if you’ve managed employees or made a steady profit, with the figures to prove it. 5. Seek Out a Mentor Sure, you might feel like you suck up to your professors enough during the school year, but offering to help for a summer project allows you to build a relationship with someone with valuable life experiences and connections in your desired industry. Plus, you might learn something new about yourself or discover a new interest. 6. Get a Job If you can’t snag your ideal internship, getting a part-time job in a related field can help build your resume so you’re more qualified the next time around. For instance, finance and accounting majors can benefit from holding positions as bank tellers, and nutrition majors can familiarize with dietetics by working in hospital cafeterias. By immersing yourself in the industry you’re interested in, you can get into the trenches and make important contacts. 7. Be a Leader Student organizations are a great way to build people skills and gain leadership experience before you get out in the working world. A journalism major, for example, can get a feel for the publishing world and published clips by writing or editing for the school newspaper. A student majoring in political science can benefit from being involved in the student government or a political organization on campus.

for more ideas go to wetfeet.com

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Spring 2010

Need a summer internship? FACT: More than three-quarters of employers said they prefer candidates with the kind of relevant work experience gained through an internship.* FACT: Last year, 30% of students started applying for internships early because they anticipated increased competition.**

Visit InternshipPrograms.com, where you'll find hundreds of new opportunities every week.

*Source: NACE ** Source: WetFeet.com

It’s hardly what you’d call joining the rat race “Life is what happens while you’re busy working,” doesn’t apply to Deloitte’s Cedric Nabe. He’s able to work in risk consultation and toward his dream of running the 100 m dash in the 2012 Olympic Games, simultaneously. All thanks to Deloitte’s belief in career-life fit. Catch up with Cedric at www.deloitte.com/yourfuture. It’s your future. How far will you take it? As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Copyright © 2010 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

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diversity

TO DAY

Forward-looking companies are discovering that diversity is now part of the bottom line By Fred Cohn

And that’s what’s being measured by the board.” or some of today’s top corporations, a commitment to Bye points to IBM as a diversity success story. The computer giant diversity is no longer a matter simply of doing good: it’s about has a long history of embracing diversity: As far back as 1953, its thendoing well. A company’s key relationships—with customers, CEO Thomas Watson sent a letter to all employees announcing that with suppliers, with partners—now often reach all the IBM had to hire the best workers, regardless of their ethnicity, race, corners of the earth. In any given day, its employees will be and origin. The definition of diversity has expanded since then; now working closely with people of different races, ethnicities and IBM extends health benefits to same-sex partners of employees. The cultures—which means that an ability to cope with diversity company also has a forceful global VP of diversity in is often key to success and even survival. Ted Childs. He works closely with CEO/board chairman “The bottom line: this is one of the toughest economies Samuel J. Palmisano and he has enlisted the company’s globally that we’ve experienced,” says Kim R. Wells, a senior brass in his efforts. “He got people understanding career-services veteran who’s now director of the office of this was about the business,” Bye says. graduate programs at Howard University. “It’s all about On the corporate website of consulting firm Accenture, a company’s ability to collaborate, expand into emerging CEO Bill Green states: “Operationally, the responsibility markets, and engage those markets effectively. You have to [for diversity] starts with me.” That kind of from-theunderstand how to maneuver around different cultures. If maneuver top commitment is reflected in the company’s recruiting you can’t do that, you will not succeed—point blank.” around efforts. Its relationships with the National Society of Black And of course, there’s no better guarantee of bringing Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers typically this about than to cultivate a diverse workplace. By different encouraging diversity in the workforce, a company helps cultures.” result in the hiring each year of several employees and interns. The Accenture Student Empowerment Program create an internal identity that affects the face it presents targets minority sophomores; over the course of three to the world. years, students learn about consulting, get hands-on The corporate world has not moved in lockstep to experience, and develop mentoring relationships with company achieve this—clearly, some companies are working more effectively to execs. Accenture’s Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund provides attract and maintain a diverse workforce than others. Peter Bye, the scholarships to historically black colleges and universities and its president of the MDB group—a consulting firm focused on diversity American Indian Scholarship funds targets Native American students. and inclusion—says the key to achieving diversity is support from on “Accenture is a stronger, better company because of our diversity,” high: The directive has to come from the CEO’s office. “You have to says LaMae Allen deJongh, managing director of Accenture U.S. be able to articulate the need in the CEO’s language,” he says. “Most Human Capital & Diversity. It’s a sentiment that might be echoed by CEOs don’t talk about nice things to do—they talk about market share, any company that has successfully built a diverse workforce. profits, customer satisfaction, and some will talk about reputation.

“You have to understand how to

Best Webfoot Forward For many jobseekers, the first encounter with a potential target employer is through the company website. And it’s the place where the company can start to make a case for its commitment to diversity—or potentially send out the opposite message. “There’s one universal question people have about an employer: ‘Am I going to

be comfortable here?’” says Peter Bye of the MDB group. “Let’s say I’m an African American man in his 20s, or a Chinese woman in her 30s. Then I go to the webste— look at that; they’re all white! Or maybe I’m gay, or maybe I have a disability. If I go to the website and it just talks about products and services—‘We’re a great innovative company on the leading edge’—do I see any message that reaches out to me in

particular? No, that’s a generic message.” Some websites make it a point to show a diverse range of employees; they show how different kinds of people have been integrated into the corporate environment, and they offer specific information of career development and growth opportunities. As likely as not, these are the companies that pay more than lip service to the concept of diversity.

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2009 TO P

DIVERSITY EM P LOYERS

On the following pages you’ll find the companies that diverse students rank as their most preferred employer. Based on a survey conducted by research firm Universum of over 27,000 diverse undergraduates at 176 schools, it’s clear that diverse students have some very specific criteria when it comes to evaluating an employer. A great significance is placed on an organization with a good reputation and high ethical standards. Diverse students also look for a home where there are clear opportunities for training and development, and a work environment that is friendly, creative, and dynamic. ¶ Atop the rankings is little ol’ Google. Behind that simple search window is a complex infrastructure—and it's run by an equally diverse group of people. As one student puts it: “Google is a company with reputation, creativity, challenge, and flexibility, not to mention it’s above average compensation."

01 02 03 04 05

GOOGLE Google offers the Building Opportunities for Leadership & Development (BOLD) Diversity Program, which is designed to provide students who are historically under-represented in this field exposure to the technology industry. INDUSTRY LEADER: Computer soft-

ware, Internet/e-commerce, Marketing/ advertising, Network communications/ data networking, Telecommunications 2008 RANK: 01 10

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A P PLE 2008 RANK: 03

WALT DISNEY INDUSTRY LEADER: Hotel/restaurant/tourism/ hospitality, Food service, Entertainment/media/public relations 2008 RANK: 02

MICROSOFT

U. S. DEP T. OF STATE INDUSTRY LEADER: Government/public service 2008 RANK: 08

INDUSTRY LEADER: Computer Hardware 2008 RANK: 05

RANK

COMPANY

2008 RANK

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

J.P. Morgan

Fbi

Goldman Sachs

Deloitte

Nasa

Pwc

Johnson & Johnson

15 16 17 18

Kpmg

Sony

Cia

Nike

American Cancer Society

21 22 23

Bank Of America

Coca-Cola

Bmw

Procter & Gamble

Centers For Disease Control

Morgan Stanley

Ibm

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Federal Reserve Bank 46

34 35 36 37

L'OrĂŠal

Mckinsey & Company

28 29

Merrill Lynch

Coach

Hilton Hotels Corporation

Major League Baseball

Yahoo!

Electronic Arts

The Boston Consulting Group

Toyota

ExxonMobil

40 42 43 43 45

Ernst & Young

INDUSTRY LEADER: Accounting/ auditing/taxation (corporate & public) 2008 RANK: 6

Teach for America

INDUSTRY LEADER: Education 2008 RANK: 14

Peace Corps

INDUSTRY LEADER: Non-profit 2008 RANK: 13

Mayo Clinic

INDUSTRY LEADER: Healthcare 2008 RANK: 27

U.S. Dept of Energy

INDUSTRY LEADER: Energy/power 2008 RANK: N/A

Boeing

INDUSTRY LEADER: Metals 2008 RANK: 30

General Electric

INDUSTRY LEADER: Utilities 2008 RANK: 33

Pfizer

INDUSTRY LEADER: Pharmaceutical 2008 RANK: 37

RANK

COMPANY

National Security Agency

Intel

Time Warner

Macy's Inc.

Target

Marriott

Citi

Hsbc

Starbucks

U.S. Air Force

Calvin Klein

Internal Revenue Service

Maxim Healthcare

Shell Oil Company

American Express

Amazon.Com

Bain & Company

Dell

At&T

Deutsche Bank

PepsiCo

Hewlett-Packard

U.S. Army

145

Cisco Systems

American Airlines

Genentech

Merck

Wells Fargo & Company

Hyatt

GlaxoSmithKline

Ubs

Credit Suisse

Accenture

Verizon

47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 54 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80

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2008 RANK

spring 2010

American Indian/ Alaskan Native

2009

No. of respondents = 433

TO P

DIVERSITY EM P LOYERS

THE

b r e a k dow n

RANK

EMPLOYER

Google

U.S. Dept of State

Apple Computer

FBI

Walt Disney

Teach for America

Microsoft

Nike

Mayo Clinic

CIA

NASA

Asian-Indian No. of respondents = 1396

Once again, Google is sittin’ pretty. The search engine behemoth ranked as the number one preferred employer in seven out of the eight breakdowns of minority groups. So what’s their secret recipe? Well, the diversity groups they play host to are a big part; among them are Gaygler (a gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender affinity group), Greygler (for Googlers over 40 years old), AAGN (Asian American Googlers Network), and GAIN (Google American Indian Network).

RANK

81 82 83 84 85 86 87 12

COMPANY

2008 RANK

Nestlé

Wal-Mart Stores

Honda Companies

eBay

Gap Inc.

Barclays Capital

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RANK

COMPANY

2008 RANK

88 89 90

Cbs Interactive

Adobe Systems

Southwest Airlines

United States Postal Service

RANK

EMPLOYER

Google

Goldman Sachs

J.P. Morgan

Microsoft

Deloitte

Apple Computer

Ernst & Young

PWC

Walt Disney

NASA

RANK

COMPANY

2008 RANK

Best Buy

Texas Instruments

Kraft Foods

105

95 95 97 97

Northrop Grumman

Chevron Corporation

D.O.D. - Missiles And Weapons

Starwood Hotels & Resorts

100

Rolls-Royce North America

Delta Airlines

Latino/Hispanic

Black/African American

Middle Eastern

No. of respondents = 5342

No. of respondents = 5272

No. of respondents = 659

EMPLOYER

RANK

EMPLOYER

RANK

EMPLOYER

Walt Disney

Google

Walt Disney

NASA

U.S. Department of State

Apple Computer

FBI

U.S. Department of State

FBI

Apple Computer

Ernst & Young

Microsoft

NASA

FBI

Nike

Microsoft

J.P. Morgan

Teach for America

Microsoft

Apple Computer

Central Intelligence Agency

Walt Disney

Johnson & Johnson

Peace Corps

Goldman Sachs

Ernst & Young

RANK

Asian/Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander No. of respondents = 7499

Sexual orientation (GLBT)

Physical disability

No. of respondents = 1536

No. of respondents = 495

RANK

EMPLOYER

Google

RANK

EMPLOYER

Google

Peace Corps

U.S. Department of State

Walt Disney

Walt Disney FBI

U.S. Department of State

Apple Computer

Deloitte

NASA

Teach for America

Goldman Sachs

Microsoft

FBI

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Nike

Central Intelligence Agency

KPMG

Central Intelligence Agency

NASA

Microsoft

Mayo Clinic

Centers for Disease Control

EMPLOYER

Google

Walt Disney

Ernst & Young

J.P. Morgan

Apple Computer

THE

RANK

big questions

Diverse undergrads come clean about what really matters to them

Which career goals are most important to you?

In which industries would you ideally like to work?

01 To have work/life balance 02 To be secure or stable in my job 03 To be dedicated to a cause or to feel that I am serving a greater good 04 To be a leader or manager of people 05 To be competitively or intellectually challenged

01 Healthcare 02 Government/public service 03 Accounting/auditing/taxation (corporate) 04 Financial services 05 Marketing/advertising

Which of the following do you include in your definition of 'diversity' when the term is applied to the workplace? 01 02 03 04 05

Ethnicity Gender Age Nationality Multicultural/multiethnic background jungle campus

spring 2010

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

Deloitte Cedric Nabe > Position: Enterprise Risk Services Consultant, Deloitte & Touche LLP > Education: The Florida State University: Information Technology, 2008 > My definition of diversity: Diversity is meeting people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and parts of world and watching how they collaborate.

DIVERSITY

How did you first become interested in working for Deloitte? I was featured as a student star on the FSU main website for winning the FSU Undergraduate Award for Research and Creativity, and an See Deloitte in action. Go to CareerTV.com to view company-specific career videos and get the inside scoop on top employers.

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Spring 2010

FSU alumnus who worked at Deloitte saw it. He decided to get in touch with me because he felt as an international student he could relate to my story. We became friends, and he told me about how great Deloitte is and how it would be the perfect fit for me. Since he had a similar background to mine, he convinced me that working at Deloitte could work for me. I loved the fact that Deloitte is one of the few organizations that sponsors international students and gives them an opportunity to get some experience in the U.S. after college instead of having to go back to their home countries.

And has the job worked out for you? Definitely. When I was in college and going through recruiting, I was looking for a job that I could have and still compete. I also like to travel, and now I get to travel for training and for work. During my first year,

For detailed information on Deloitte, check out WetFeet.com’s Employer Close-Ups.

Photo: Daniel Portnoy

edric Nabe was born to Congolese parents, grew up in Geneva, Switzerland, and came to the U.S. in 2004, when he was recruited to run track and field at Florida State University. In August 2009, Nabe won the 100 meter Swiss Championship title, and became an Olympic hopeful for 2012. Although it’s unusual to work full time and be an aspiring Olympian, Nabe says he’s able to make it work with the support of his colleagues at Deloitte LLP—and as the Official Professional Services Sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Committee, Deloitte understands what it takes for Nabe to succeed on and off the track.

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Deloitte is one of the leading professional services organizations in the U.S., specializing in audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services with clients in more than 20 industries. We provide powerful business solutions to some of the world’s most well-known and respected companies, including more than 75 percent of the Fortune 100. At Deloitte, your work will be I have to put myself in another mind-set to challenging and meaningful. You'll excel on the track. When I was going through have the chance to give back to recruiting, I made it clear that I needed to inyour community and help the corporate training into my daily schedule. Afenvironment. You'll get the support, ter talking to different managers and partners, coaching, and training it takes to it became clear that Deloitte understood my advance. And you'll meet people Olympics goals. Then when I started, some from a variety of backgrounds and partners reached out to me to work on my experiences. schedule. I didn’t believe it was going to be posOur commitment to individual sible, but they’ve really shown a lot of support, choice lets you customize everything from your career path to your and we’ve made it possible. educational opportunities to your benefits. And our culture of Deloitte is also the Official Professional innovation and inclusion means your Services Sponsor of the U.S. Olympic ideas on how to improve our business Committee. How does that make you feel? and your clients will be heard. I think it’s fantastic. Again, it makes me feel very supported. I remember when I was Employees: warming up for a track meet in Switzerland, I Deloitte employs over 40,000 saw a Deloitte billboard, and I thought “Wow, professionals across the U.S., and 169,000 professionals worldwide. this is my company.” I felt very proud. Do most aspiring Olympians work full time? Of all my friends that are professional athletes, none of them work full time because they don’t think it’s possible. I want to inspire other athletes who want to have a professional life and do training. I don’t think many athletes think about what they’re going to do after training, especially if they can’t secure funding for the rest of their life. It’s not easy, and takes a lot of discipline, but I’m living proof that it can be done. I really feel that I am the master of my own career.

Photos: Weltklasse Zuerich

Deloitte sent me to France to work with a major retail client, and then we went back in 2009. I think the fact that I could speak French helped.

How does a typical day look for you? I wake up around 7:00 a.m., pack my track clothes, eat breakfast, hit the road, and get to my client at 9:00 a.m. I work until about 3:00 or 3:30 p.m., then I leave the client and go to practice for about 3 to 4 hours. After practice, I head home around 7:00 p.m., shower, eat, and get back to work. I work from home for a few hours at night. That’s an unusual schedule. It is, but I’ve made it work. When I leave work

Do you think your background plays a role in your interaction with coworkers and clients? Yes, I think it makes it more interesting. We can learn from each other. I’ve learned about their cultures, and they’ve learned about mine. Clients are often very interested in the fact that I train for the Olympics. I think it helps break the ice and facilitate the interaction with the client. Can you share an experience when diversity had a positive impact on your work? When I went to France, the French-speaking client could speak proper English, but sometimes there are things you are trying to express that if you haven’t lived in the country long enough, you can’t find the right words for. I speak five languages, so I understand how frustrating this can be. Several times they would talk to me and explain a problem in detail, and then I would translate it into English. There was no problem with communication.

Future Coworkers:

Deloitte is looking for leaders with strong communication skills. The ideal candidate thrives in a team environment, has strong analytical skills, and is willing to travel. Find out more:

www.Deloitte.com/yourfuture

Why is diversity important at Deloitte? Because it helps you see things from different angles. My view and experience on something might be different than someone else’s, but when you put all these opinions and thoughts together, you get better information. Whenever we face a problem with a project, it’s easier to solve it by looking at it from different angles. 

Deloitte is the Official Professional Services Sponsor of audit, tax, consulting and financial advisory services for the U.S. Olympic Committee. As a result of Deloitte’s commitment to provide the strengths of its organization for maximum social impact, Deloitte proudly provides a variety of in-kind professional services to help the USOC and U.S. Teams operate efficiently and successfully. Deloitte’s core values – integrity, strength from cultural diversity, and commitment to each other – are reflected in the Olympic Movement. Deloitte’s leadership believes the business community has a powerful role to play in answering the call to service to help nonprofit organizations deliver results. And we believe that there is no better opportunity to put the intellectual capital and business knowledge of our people to work than through the delivery of our exceptional professional services capabilities for the strategic, operational, and financial benefit of the USOC and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls. As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries.

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spring 2010

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John Deere Asisha King

> Position: Indirect Supply Management Specialist > Education: Western Michigan University: Integrated Supply Matrix Management, 2007; University of Iowa: MBA, anticipated graduation, 2012

> Position: Product Engineer > Education: University of Arizona: Mechanical Engineering, 2008; Iowa State University: Master's in Systems Engineering, 2010

avonga Siyavora was born and raised in Zimbabwe, and moved to the U.S. when he was 12. After studying engineering as an undergrad, he was accepted to John Deere’s Engineering Development Program, and eventually transitioned into a fulltime Product Engineer.

What surprised you the most when you started? I was surprised at how global John Deere is. I didn’t have much of a farming background, but since joining Deere, I see how much of a worldwide presence the company really has. I even saw a John Deere dealership in Zimbabwe when I visited my family over Christmas. How does a typical day at work look? Every day is different. In my current role I create test plans for some of our company’s in-cab display products. These can be similar to the computer interfaces we have in new cars these days, but are more focused on minimizing customer input costs and maximizing yields. This testing is carried out on a wide range of farming and construction equipment that could include tractors, planters, sprayers and more. One morning I can be at our test farm driving a piece of equipment and then come back to the office for the afternoon. What are your main career goals? I come from Zimbabwe and many members of my family are still there. In my time at John Deere, I would like to contribute to the development of the Southern African region, which is an emerging market for us. I’d also like to get a more well-rounded view of the business, as my current role is more technical. Why is diversity important at John Deere? Diversity is important because it helps provide a healthy sample of perspectives and creates more effective teams. Deere does a substantial amount of business outside of the U.S., so by having a well-rounded frame of reference we can understand some of the challenges that come with a challenging global marketplace. 

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Spring 2010

Employees:

27,000 in the U.S, 51,000 globally Future Coworkers:

John Deere offers immediate challenge in an environment of innovation, technology and teamwork. We offer internship and full-time opportunities in accounting/finance, engineering, information technology, marketing/product support, supply management, and other disciplines.

hen Asisha King was looking to start a career in supply management, she Find out more: had no idea it would begin www.JohnDeere.jobs at John Deere. But with the support of her professors, she began as a summer intern and later was accepted for Deere’s Supply Management Development Program after graduation. King says working in supply management has shown her a new aspect of the company, beyond the tractors that most people associate with John Deere.

How does a typical day at work look? At John Deere we have flextime, so we can control our hours. I work from 7 a.m. until about 3:30 p.m. During a typical day I attend meetings, create purchase orders, and connect with teammates on issues from suppliers. I’m also an indirect buyer for hydraulics, electrical, and janitorial supplies all over the U.S. What role do you play in making John Deere diverse? Using my own unique life experiences and ideas—like being an African-American female from Detroit, Michigan—are some of the ways I contribute to the diversity of John Deere. How does John Deere foster inclusiveness? We have a lot of organizations that get employees involved. As an intern in Waterloo, Iowa, I was a member of the first African-American network committee and I helped organize a picnic for all minority employees of John Deere Waterloo Works. I am now a member of NEAD (Networking Employees Across Des Moines). Lastly, I am a member of the Career Exploration committee for SMDP—(Supply Management Development Program). Has your diversity influenced your success? When I was in college, I looked at minority employment for supply chain management, and the numbers were pretty low, so I am proud of how far I’ve come. I’d say faith in God and myself as an individual has influenced my success. I also think I’m successful because of my hardworking and supportive mother. 

Photo: Brent Isenberger

Tavonga Siyavora

John Deere, a Fortune 500 company, is the world’s leading provider of advanced products and services for agriculture and forestry and a major provider of products and services for construction, lawn and turf care, landscaping and irrigation. John Deere also provides financial services worldwide and manufactures and markets engines used in heavy equipment.

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Liberty Mutual Group Chris Yong > Position: Lead Financial Analyst in Corporate Finance > Education: Bentley University: Economics and Finance, 2004; Master's of Science in Finance, 2005; Babson College: MBA, anticipated graduation, 2013 > My definition of diversity: Diversity is about understanding that each individual is unique, and leveraging people’s background to make the workplace better.

As one of the world’s largest property and casualty insurers, Liberty Mutual Group offers a wide range of insurance products and services. The company restores lives, and whenever possible, uses its knowledge base, employee talent, and research capabilities to help prevent accidents and injuries from happening. Employees:

45,000 globally Future coworkers:

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Photo: Chris Sanchez

hris Yong started his professional career at Liberty Mutual while a sophomore in college, and he hasn’t looked back since. In the seven years he’s been at the company, he’s risen the ranks through three internships and a rotational program to his current position as a Lead Financial Analyst, all while completing two masters degrees. He also started a trend within his family—both Yong’s brother and sister followed in his footsteps and work at Liberty Mutual.

see how flat the social structure is. It’s not uncommon for the CFO or Comptroller to come over and chat with us. I specifically remember on the last day of my summer internship, as I was leaving the office I passed the Comptroller’s office, and he came out to thank me for my work during the summer, and let me know I could contact him at any point if I had questions or needed anything. That really made a lasting impression on me, and it was a great way to end the internship.

How did you first become interested in Liberty Mutual? In college I never thought about working in insurance. After my sophomore year, I was looking for a finance internship through INROADS, a nonprofit that places minority undergrads in paid corporate internships. Liberty Mutual is a national sponsor for INROADS, so I was able to get my foot in the door here through the program. I liked that Liberty Mutual was an established and stable company, and I continued to come back as an intern—I held positions in Planning & Analysis, Corporate Taxation, and Investment Accounting. After I graduated, I entered the company’s Fellowship in Finance and Accounting development program (FIFA), which consists of three eight-month rotations where I worked in Personal Markets Financial, Commerical Markets Financial, and International Financial. Then I accepted a full-time position in the Reinsurance Financial group.

What are you most proud about in your work? What was your most fun project? I really like seeing how my contributions impact the company’s goals. One of my most fun projects was Liberty Mutual’s acquisition of Safeco in 2008. I got to work directly on the acquisition. The newspaper article about the announcement is still hanging in my cube.

Has the job met your expectations? It’s met and exceeded my expectations. Liberty has really found a way to keep me busy. I’ve been with the company since 2002—it’s rare to stay with a company so long, especially when it’s your first job out of school.

Has your diversity influenced your success? I was taught that skill and hard work defines how successful you are. I learned these qualities at an early age, and that’s what I attribute my success to. However, because of my multiethnic background—I’m primarily Chinese, black, Portuguese, and Caribbean—I can identify with a variety of people, both fellow employees and clients. That certainly has been helpful. 

What surprised you the most when you started? I was surprised to See Liberty Mutual in action. Go to CareerTV. com to view company-specific career videos and get the inside scoop on top employers.

Why is diversity important at Liberty Mutual? At Liberty Mutual, creating an inclusive work environment is essential to our business success. Our growth is dependent on the ability, performance, and aspirations of our employees, and it’s always been our policy to treat everyone with dignity and respect—which we do. By fostering an inclusive environment, we can achieve our business goals and solve problems more efficiently, since we’re able to look at situations from different perspectives.

For detailed information on Liberty Mutual, check out WetFeet.com’s Employer Close-Ups. jungle campus

spring 2010

The Diversity Leadership Programs (DLP) is hosted by Monster.com, in partnership with the best companies in the nation. The Monster DLP provides exceptional college students of diverse background a highly dynamic, educational program that empowers students to leverage success through inclusive leadership, career skills, and diversity awareness.

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The National Security Agency (NSA) is a world leader in the protection and exploitation of intelligence. We gather and analyze foreign signals intelligence to produce vital information for U.S. policymakers and warfighters. And we protect American intelligence from the ears of our adversaries. Number of Employees:

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Photo: The National Security Agency

hayna Wells says working for the government is not like you see in the movies. Besides being able to participate in various clubs, like softball, Wells says her NSA coworkers are friendly and impressive people who share the common goal of protecting the nation—a job which happens to come with great benefits and job stability.

How did you first become interested in working for the NSA? I was in the NSA co-op program here during college. A recruiter came to my school and had an information session that I went to. I thought it would be an interesting job and I could get away from school for a little while, since it rotates every other semester. Before that, I hadn’t thought about working for the government, but computer science is a broad major that you can really go anywhere with. I completed my last tour my senior year, and when I was graduating I still had security clearance and experience with the agency, so I spoke with my team about the possibility of returning after graduation and luckily, they had an opening. Has the job met your expectations? Definitely. I really enjoy working here. In college I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do, but at the agency I’ve gotten to experience working in many departments. In November, I joined one of NSA’s developmental programs, which is a three-year full-time rotational program that offers the opportunity to diversify my career experience as a computer scientist.

See the NSA in action. Go to CareerTV.com to view company-specific career videos and get the inside scoop on top employers.

What role do you play in making the NSA diverse? I’m one of the many people who go on different recruiting trips to colleges as a technical recruiter and talk to students to give them insight about options they have at the agency. I really enjoy that. I’m able to talk to people of all different ethnicities with different beliefs and backgrounds. When I go on recruiting trips, I often go to my alma mater, so I’m able to connect with the students, because I’ve been where they are. Why is diversity important at the NSA? I think we wouldn’t be here without it. If everyone here was the same and thought the same way, there wouldn’t be any way for us to do our job. The security of our nation depends on us being able to predict future attacks, and we wouldn’t be able to do that if we all thought alike. We need people who think out of the box and can collaborate on different issues.

How does the NSA foster inclusiveness? There are many different group programs, not only for minority groups but for people with any interest. We have BIG (Blacks In Government), FEW (Federally Employed Women), and even different sport groups. The agency really stresses having a work/life balance, which is important because the nature of what we do can sometimes be stressful, and everyone needs a break. It’s good we are able to hang out with colleagues and have something else in common other than work. 

For detailed information on the NSA, check out WetFeet.com’s Employer Close-Ups. jungle campus

spring 2010

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Unilever

Unilever works to create a better future every day. We help people feel good, look good, and get more out of life, with brands and services that are good for them and good for others. Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. Employees:

Unilever employs more than 13,000 people across North America.

> Position: Assistant Customer Brand Planning Manager, supporting Knorr Hispanic and Ragu pasta sauce > Education: Temple University, Business Administration, 2008 > My definition of diversity: A composition of distinguishable experiences, lifestyles, cultures, and thoughts.

anielle Coppock grew up with an interest in consumerism. From a young age, she was intrigued by the science of buyer behavior and displays in the grocery store. With this interest in mind, she chose to pursue a marketing degree in college. Then through INROADS, a nonprofit that places minority undergrads in paid corporate internships, Coppock was contacted for and accepted an internship at Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer packaged goods companies. Now working in customer marketing, she plays a leading role getting many of Unilever’s products featured on grocery store shelves into consumers’ hands.

How did you make the transition from intern to full-time employee? I interned with Unilever during both my junior and senior years, and at the end of my senior year internship, Unilever offered me a full-time position. After graduation, I joined Unilever’s retail development program where I was assigned a territory of stores to visit every day. At these stores I’d set up displays, fix out-of-stocks, and make sure we had our fair share of shelf space. After the six-month retail program, I was offered a new position as an Assistant Customer Brand Planning Manager, and transitioned to Unilever’s North America headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The six-month program gave me a great foundation from which to enter the corporate environment. I really see the value in working your way up in a consumer products company, and starting on the retail side. The result is a much clearer picture of how things operate at the store level, and in the end that is where the success of our hard work is realized. See Unilever in action. Go to CareerTV.com to view company-specific career videos and get the inside scoop on top employers.

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Spring 2010

Future Co-workers

Unilever recruits for both MBAs and undergraduates. We look for students studying marketing, finance, logistics/ supply chain management, business and the sciences. Find out more

www.unileverusa.com

How does a typical day at work look? My particular role requires a lot of reporting and providing analytical support for our planning managers. There’s a monthly process we go through for setting forecasts for our brands and my job focuses on managing the expectations among our internal and field teams. There is a great deal of collaboration across the brand team, supply chain, sales team and our customer accounts. Why is diversity important at Unilever? Unilever is a global company—160 million times a day someone in the world purchases one of our products. If you think about the amount of lives we touch, there is no way a unilateral-thinking company could make this operation work. Without understanding different cultures and ways of life, and maintaining the human capital necessary to respond to those needs, Unilever would not be able to compete in the global marketplace and be successful. Can you share an experience when having a diverse outlook helped at work? During a performance review for one of our Hispanic brands, the consultants were telling us that the advertising on Hispanic television wasn’t delivering the expected incremental return. I remember thinking that one reason for this outcome could be because many people in the Hispanic culture are already very familiar with the brand. Introducing this traditionally Hispanic item to a new non-Hispanic market might help stimulate additional growth. In this instance, I was able to create an advertising direction for the brand to explore by looking at the problem from an outside perspective. 

For detailed information on Unilever, check out WetFeet.com’s Employer Close-Ups.

Photo: M. Scott Whitson

Danielle Coppock

Adding Vitality to Life

速

Diversity Is Critical to Our Success At Unilever, we have a diverse consumer and customer base with a variety of needs. By mirroring diversity within our own organization, we can develop powerful consumer insights and incorporate them throughout our business. www.unileverusa.com

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Universum Emilio Javier > Position: Sales Support and Client Relations Specialist > Education: Fairleigh Dickinson University: Communications Studies, 2007; Master's in Corporate and Organizational Communications, 2009 > My definition of diversity: Diversity isn’t just race: It's age, sexual orientation, family life, gender, mental or physical disabilities, differences in lifestyles, or any life experience that you bring to the table.

Universum is the global leader in employer branding. Through our Ideal Employer™ survey, we survey 300,000 students and 80,000 professionals and provide research, full-service media portfolios, and strategic consulting services to more than 1,200 clients in 27 countries. Universum’s mission is to be a global meeting place for talent and employers. We offer services and products that help employers attract, recruit, and retain ideal talent, while helping job seekers learn about ideal employers. Employees:

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milio Javier was born in the Dominican Republic, moved to Jamaica at a young age, and then moved again to Union City, New Jersey, in 2001. From these relocations, Javier developed an appreciation for people of different cultures, educational levels, and socioeconomic backgrounds. A self-described “people person,” he went on to study communications in college, and took courses in human relations and talent management. Now at Universum, he is building his knowledge of recruiting and talent management. Javier works with employers to improve their employer brand and recruit diverse employees.

Photo: M. Scott whitson

How did you first become interested in working in talent management? When I was in college, I worked in the office of admissions as a tour guide. While I was giving tours, students were always expressing to me that they didn’t know where to go to school and what to major in, and it was so rewarding when I’d see them a year later on campus, and they had figured out what path to take at school. From this, I really formed an interest in the development of students as it relates to their professional development and identifying a career. I became even more involved when I became a Resident Assistant (RA) and helped lead the training and recruitment of new RAs for the office of resident life. What brought you to Universum? I actually first heard of Universum when I was in school and came across an issue of Jungle Campus and saw the Universum rankings in it. Following that, my previous employer, Verizon Communications, was a client of Universum’s, which is where I learned about our wide range of employer branding services and

research. I was exposed to Universum’s services as a client—the data was so intriguing to me. When my fellowship at Verizon ended, one of my coworkers passed my resume on to Universum, and here I am now.

What are your main career goals? While I’m at Universum, I want to learn as much as I can while helping the company provide the best service possible. This industry and this company are in line with my interest in the field of employer branding, as it relates to attracting and retaining employees. At some point in my life I want to go back to a position that enables me to interact with college students. I think I identify well with that target group, because I enjoy helping them figure out their careers. I would also like to teach at a community college in the future. When I first came to the U.S. and lived in Union City, New Jersey, a lot of my classmates lacked the drive and resources to get themselves into college. I can relate to these kids because I know where they are coming from, which is why I’d like to teach at community college and help them develop professionally. Why is diversity important at Universum? I think diversity is important because we have to practice what we preach. We work in employer branding, and we do research that proves that diversity in an office makes a better work environment, and in turn, a better company. In addition, we are a global company: We have employees in 12 satellite offices in 5 continents, and we all need to work together because we have the same goal. I love that Universum understands, celebrates, and works to promote a diverse workplace where intellectual diversity is just as important as any and every other range of things that the word diversity encompasses. 

See Universum in action. Go to CareerTV.com to view company-specific career videos and get the inside scoop on top employers. jungle campus

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pg. 24

Coming Out Being openly gay at the office can be an anxiety-inducing thought. But by gauging how gayfriendly a company is and slowly letting the word out, you can keep office drama at a minimum. BY THE EDITORS :: PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIMMY HUBBARD

sexual orientation a protected status for the purpose of employment in the way race, gender, age and disability are protected. Also, coming out in the workplace has the risk of making the employee a target of increased scrutiny of a supervisor who might not approve of gays and lesbians. It’s vitally important to consider the unique workplace culture to determine whether coming out is likely to create an uncomfortable working environment. Even organizations that are inclusive to gays and lesbians on paper are composed of a host of individuals with differing values and perspectives. A nursing mom, for example, could breastfeed openly in one workplace, when at another she might be shunned for it. Coming out in the workplace can be such a tricky calculation for gays and lesbians because there are so many considerations that have little to do with the human resources department’s official stance on the issue. It’s an agonizing decision that can lead to negative consequences such as tense relationships with socially conservative coworkers or a “lavender ceiling” (the equivalent of the glass ceiling women often face in their careers).

The Upside of Coming Out

ondell Milton’s job wasn’t easy. As a consultant for a leading consulting firm, he spent 15 years jetting off to distant coasts and continents to deliver complex technology solutions for his clients. But the hardest part wasn’t the travel, the workload or the demanding hours. The hardest part was interacting with his coworkers—not because they were rude, difficult or incompetent, but because they always wanted to make small talk, and small talk was a big deal for Milton. He had to choose his words when he talked about his personal life, what he did during the weekend and with whom. “I’d always say something like ‘Oh I went out with this friend of mine,’ or ‘Me and a friend of mine hung out,’ so they wouldn’t know it was the same person,” says Milton, pausing to laugh. He felt if he told his coworkers the truth—that he was gay and that “friend of his” was actually his boyfriend—it could have a negative impact on his colleagues’ perception of him and his ability to do his job effectively. He didn’t want to be out of the closet if it would lead to being out of a job. Eventually, Milton came out to a coworker, which led to him coming out to another and another until his closeted status was no more—and with little consequence on his career. “I thought it was going to be a bigger deal than it was.” But his story is one that plays out on a daily basis in American workplaces as gays, lesbians, and bisexuals try to negotiate the boundaries between their personal and professional lives.

There is a general trend toward increased acceptance of gays and lesbians in America. For example, a majority of Americans favor the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy, which prevents openly gay personnel from serving. Attitudes toward gay marriage, or at the very least, legally similar civil unions, have also gotten more progressive. Yet, coming out at work remains an anxietyinducing thought for many because of the un-

hurried adoption of inclusive policies by some companies, the conflicting state laws governing discrimination against gays and lesbians, and the varying levels of acceptance of homosexuality from region to region and company to company. In fact, it’s still legal in 29 states to fire employees solely because they are gay or are perceived to be gay and there is no federal law that overrides a state’s decision whether to consider

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) specializes in issues of being openly gay in the workplace. According to its website, coming out at work offers the opportunity for deeper, closer, and more trusting relationships with coworkers, as well as increased productivity and happiness at work. Howard Warner, a business analyst at Sprint, came out less than a year ago because of his happiness in his relationship. “I wanted my co-workers to know why I was so happy, why I was smiling all the time, why my attitude had changed so much. It was because I’m in a terrific relationship and I got tired of having to hide something I was so proud of.” The reaction from his coworkers has been completely positive, and he feels like he’s being himself, what the HRC calls bringing “the whole self” to the workplace. He recalls a recent incident in which he spoke to a member of upper management about a person he thought would be a great fit for a job opening. “ ‘Is this your partner? I’ve heard about him,’ ” the manager said. “I felt like he was seeing the real me,” Warner says. “I’ve never felt more like I was part of the team than I did in that moment.” In addition, being openly gay in the workplace gives employees the opportunity to take advantage of same-sex domestic partner benefits, which allow gays and lesbians to extend their insurance coverage to a same-sex partner the same way married couples can. More than half of the Fortune 500 companies offer such benefits to their employees.

What’s Your Workplace Climate? Gauging the individual culture of the company is the most important part of determining whether the benefits of coming out are worth

“I thought

it was going to be a bigger deal than it was.” Rondell Milton, openly gay consultant

the risks. Doing homework before accepting a job offer is a good pre-emptive action. One source for finding gay-friendly employers is the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, which outlines employers’ anti-discrimination policies and domestic partner benefits. In addition, employees should read the company manual and look for anti-discrimination policies: If they’re not outlined in the manual and the city doesn’t have anti-discrimination laws, gay employees will have limited protection from discrimination.

Though Howard Warner has been nothing but pleased with his decision to come out in his current job, he says he wouldn’t have made the same choice at his previous job. Although Warner’s former employer, a Fortune 500 technology company, offers domestic partner benefits and has multiple diversity initiatives in place in order to be inclusive of gays, Warner didn’t feel welcome there. “I felt almost like what was going on at the top wasn’t filtering down to the bottom. It seems like a very progressive company, but the people working there seemed like they

were stuck in the past, and I definitely wouldn’t have felt comfortable coming out to them.” An efficient way of finding out the culture of the company is to see if it has a group for LGBT workers. Xerox, for example, has GALAXe, an organization that addresses LGBT issues. Joining such a group is a great way to interact with colleagues who can shed light on the best way to come out in the workplace. And don’t forget to employ some common sense. Do your coworkers make homophobic comments without remorse or irony? How accepting of homosexuals is the regional culture? If you’re a gay worker in an all-male factory in the Bible Belt, you might want to be more cautious. On-the-fence gay employees should also observe how other minority groups are treated at their work. Do managers seem understanding of “non-traditional” lifestyles? Do they often gripe about Orthodox Jewish employees having to leave at sundown on Fridays?

Riley Folds, the founder and director of Out For Work, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering LGBT college students entering the workforce, likens the decision to come out to coworkers to one’s decision to come out to friends and family. If a student is comfortably out of the closet in other aspects of life, it’s a natural next step to tell

interviewers should be judging professional skills, not a candidate’s personal life. Subtlety is key for an employee who wants to make it known to her coworkers that she’s a lesbian. Brian McNaught, an LGBT diversity consultant for Fortune 500 companies, says it’s best not to walk in with a bullhorn and announce, “Hi, I’m John and I’m gay.” He advises following the lead of heterosexual officemates. “Heterosexual people don’t come in and announce they are straight—they bring it up when it’s relevant.” This can be as basic as using pronouns that indicate a person’s sex when talking about a date, bringing a partner to the company holiday party, or sharing the gay market’s perspective on a product the company has just launched. Although an individual’s sexual orientation can be worked into conversation with coworkers, the employee may want to be a little more direct when telling a manager. Michael Lamb, editor in chief of Echelon Magazine, a magazine for LGBT professionals, says an individual should inform his boss because he will by default be informing a manager he is gay when he signs up for domestic partner insurance benefits or needs a day off to tend to a sick loved one. “I think it’s personal to come out to coworkers, but it’s professional and financial to come out to your boss,” Lamb says. In most cases, if an employee frankly states

coworkers. If a student is still somewhat in the closet, there’s no rush to inform the office of his sexual preference. Students who have determined to come out professionally should be direct from the start. Experience in LGBT clubs or organizations should be noted on a resume or brought up in an interview if it’s pertinent to the job (for instance, a former LGBT club secretary who is applying for an administrative position). However, it’s not unusual if sexual orientation doesn’t come up on a resume or during an interview because

he’s gay without creating a spectacle, managers and employees will react in kind. On the first day of a previous job, Folds says, his boss joked around that some of Folds’ female coworkers were asking if he was single. “I knew I needed to say something after he made that comment, so the next morning I went into his office and just said, ‘You know, in reference to your comment yesterday, I just wanted to share that I’m gay.’ My boss seemed surprised and apologized. I think it was a learning experience for him as well as me.”

How Should I Come Out at Work?

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What

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doesn't kill you... Job Hunting In A Recession Can Make You Stronger By Liz Seasholtz // Illustrations by Jon Loudon and Michael Wilson

philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche couldn’t have foreseen the recent recession and collapse of the job market, but his popular adage, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,” rings very true for 2010 grads hoping to enter the workforce. Employers are expected to ratchet down recruiting efforts, keep hiring at a minimum, and offer lower starting salaries than in previous years. Upon graduation, members of the class of 2010 will be wading into the roughest employment waters for new college grads since 2001. ineteenth

century

Finding a position will likely be a struggle this year. But just as a battle-tested soldier emerges from combat wiser for the wear, by starting a career amidst the post-recession ruins, new grads will develop the grit and knowhow to find a job in any job market. Job hunting during a stormy economy also will have lasting effects—some positive and some negative—on the long-term career trajectory of new grads. Rachel Brown, director of Temple University’s career center says that most students will rise to the occasion, strengthening their job-hunting arsenal along the way. “The students that are going to excel will excel over the long term— no matter the economic climate they graduate into.” In fact, a difficult job search now can force grads to view their career options with a deep focus, engendering a mature perspective on their careers. “The 2010 class has had time to anticipate this job market and think about their

options,” says Brown. “I think some students were going into a default career, and not thinking about what they really want to do. Now they’re forced to think more broadly.” Besides gaining perspective, 2010 grads will need to quickly master networking and be creative on the job hunt. And even though students may need to settle for a less desirable starting salary, job title, or company now, adversity could have a hand in unfolding unexpected career paths.

ot-So-Great Salary Expectations

Those graduating into today’s rickety economy will likely be offered— and accept—a salary significantly lower than what may have been industry standard two or three years ago. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), recession grads will initially earn

about 9 percent less than non-recession grads. Recession grads’ salaries will catch up to those of their non-recession peers after about ten years. Although students will be taking a hit in their entry-level salaries, many mid-career and senior-level professionals are also experiencing a stutter in salary. “You absolutely may be accepting a lower starting salary than you would have three years ago, but then again everyone is experiencing these financial hardships,” says Kirsten Nicholas, director of external relations at Duke’s career center. “Many people are experiencing a lack of raises, and pay cuts.” In other words, salaries in general are ailing.

he Settlers

Instead of shooting for the stars, new grads may have to refocus and shoot for whatever they can reach. The National Association of Colleges and Employers reports that only 40 percent of 2009 students who applied for jobs received an offer, compared to 66 percent in 2007. As a result, some students are settling for less-desirable positions. “It’s always a quandary for students if they should take a job or keep waiting for the perfect position,” says Lonnie Dunlap, director of career services at Northwestern University. “It’s more a matter of ‘If I don’t take this position, nothing else will be open.'” jungle campus

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Companies expect to hire 7 percent fewer graduates this year than last year, and 29 percent less than 2008. Source: NACE

“Settling” for a less-than-ideal position can have positive side effects. Grads can learn skills that can be carried over to other jobs. For example, settling for a job as an administrative assistant can help develop knowledge of expense reporting or event planning. Moreover, recession grads are more likely to change employers a few times early in their career, offering a chance to taste test different jobs or industries. Some students may not get the position at the name-brand employer they desired and settle for a job at a smaller company. For instance, an accounting grad may be passed over by Big Four accounting firms and accept a job in the accounting department of a healthcare company. In turn, that accounting grad may develop niche expertise in medical billing, a marketable

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specialization for future career moves. “In terms of smaller companies versus larger companies, small companies have an amazing advantage because often students receive the opportunity to develop skills they may not have been able to at larger companies,” says Nicholas.

o Guerilla

The majority of 2010 grads will be unemployed come graduation this May. As a result, they’ll have to become fully adept in guerilla job search tactics, particularly networking. In the current economy, job seekers will need to depend less on job listings and more on professional connections, which can yield possible contract positions, unadvertised jobs,

and new networking connections. If new grads become good at networking at an early age, it’ll be easier for them to rebound when facing unemployment later in life. Just like riding a bike, it’ll come more naturally the second time around when students need to cold call, set up informational interviews, attend industry networking events, and confidently pass out business cards at social outings. And by establishing and cultivating professional relationships, students will have a network to fall back on later in life. Some grads are getting especially creative, developing clever job search strategies that demonstrate the crafty employee they could be. Nicholas says a current Duke student created an IT-themed blog, on which he discusses technology news and answers readers’ IT questions. He’s been able to network and prove his knowledge in the IT world, and he can direct prospective employers to his blog. Another extreme example, as reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer, is the case of two New Jersey-based graduates who handed out their resumes near the Ben Franklin Bridge to businesspeople commuting into Center City Philadelphia. Because of their ingenuity and persistence, one grad landed a financial services job that day. And a wealth management company hired the other three weeks later.

will include computer forensic investigators, computer security specialists, software engineers, and computer systems analysts.

4. Nuclear Engineering

Take Cover

Although the recent financial crisis brought some career goals crashing down, there are still some areas of the economy that offer shelter from the storm. Technological advances, new legislation, and an aging workforce are expected to boost opportunities in some industries and niche areas of expertise. Here are a few to keep an eye on. 1. Renewable Energy What it is: As climate change and dependence on foreign oil have swayed public opinion on U.S. energy policy, “green” solutions such as wind turbines, solar systems, and eco-building are gaining momentum. On the rise: Thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, $61.3 billion has been allotted to alternative energy and energy efficiency. The act offers tax credits and grants for renewable-energy developers, and funding for infrastructure projects, such as the smart energy grid. The jobs: Job growth will be across many functions (research and development, construction, sales, marketing, management) and many areas (private firms in wind, solar, and wave, and government agencies such as the Department of Energy).

2. Social Media Marketing What it is: Online outlets such as blogs, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook are becoming increasingly popular ways to build a brand. Social media experts maintain a company’s online activity and audience engagement. On the rise: Companies are capitalizing on the explosion of social media usage to build their brands. According to an online survey

conducted by Bazaarvoice and The CMO Club, sixty-two percent of chief marketing officers say they will boost their social media budget in 2010. Millennials with a background in communications or journalism are a perfect fit. The jobs: Positions exist in the communications department of companies large and small, public and private, for-profit and nonprofit. Social media specialists write blog posts, update Twitter and Facebook, post company videos to YouTube, and more.

3. Cyber Security What it is: Cyber security is growing increasingly important, especially as attacks are geared toward stealing sensitive information from businesses and the government. Students studying computer science, software design, and information technology can pursue careers in this field. On the rise: The Cybersecurity Enhancement Act passed in February will devote $395 million to the U.S. National Science Foundation to fund several cyber security research projects. The NSF will also get $108.7 million over five years for a cyber security scholarship program—good news for undergraduate and graduate students. The jobs: Jobs exists in all sectors. Positions

What it is: Nuclear engineers research and develop new industrial and medical uses for radioactive material, techniques to generate power, and processes to dispose of nuclear waste safely. On the rise: Nuclear energy has suffered a negative public opinion because of incidents such as the Three Mile Island accident, but is regaining support as new, safer technologies are implemented. The nuclear industry also has an aging workforce: The American Nuclear Society estimates the industry will need to hire 700 nuclear engineers per year to meet demand. The jobs: Nuclear engineers will be needed in government agencies, such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as well as defenserelated areas. In the private sector, companies such as Exelon and Progress Energy, will be constructing power plants and reactors.

5. Civil Engineering What it is: Civil and infrastructure engineers develop and maintain the transportation systems we use every day, including high-speed rail lines, roads, and bridges. On the rise: In January, President Obama announced the commitment of $8 billion to the development of 13 high-speed rail lines across the U.S. Approximately 320,000 jobs will be created for the building, upgrading, and planning of about 7,100 miles of track. The jobs: The majority of civil engineers work for government agencies or government contractors. High-speed rail construction will take place in high population centers in California, the Pacific Northwest, the Gulf Coast, the Midwest, Florida, and the Northeast Corridor.

6. Statistics What it is: Statisticians design research, formulate results, and turn those results into meaningful information that non-statisticians can use (such as the national unemployment rate). Statisticians also predict outcomes using past data (such as how many obese Americans there will be in 2030—which is 51.1 percent). On the rise: Statisticians are needed in almost all industries, due in large part to the availability of data that technology and the internet has made so accessible. When you hear things such as “evidence-based medicine” and “science-based policy”—these are backed by data compiled by statisticians. The jobs: Industries including the government, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and finance all have a demand for entry-level statisticians. jungle campus

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Family

Job Satisfaction

Love

East Coast

Signing Bonus West Coast

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Children

By Dave Allen

Money

use your noggin Sunny Climate

Fulfilling Work

By being more processoriented when it comes to making important career decisions, you can really get ahead

JC 033

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hat’s worth more to you: a huge signing bonus with a West Coast firm or being close to your family in New Jersey? Is taking a job near your high school sweetheart worth a lower salary? ¶ It’s nearing the time of year when college seniors are weighing these types of questions, and the decisions that are made are as much a product of what’s going on between your ears as with what’s hanging in the balance. How you use your head—the process you follow to actually make a decision—is often overlooked in the rush to make up your mind before it’s too late.

Even before the “what were they thinking?” investment choices that led to the global economic downturn in 2008, there was an impetus toward looking at how decisions are made in the business world—and how to make better ones. Applying some of the models from the field of decision science, which combines elements of statistics, psychology, and economics, can shine a light on your own career decision-making process, and hopefully help you improve your approach.

CAREER MATTERS

The decisions we make have a profound impact on our lives. As Ralph L. Keeney, co-author of Smart Choices and research professor of decision sciences at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, says, making decisions is “the only way, as an individual, that you can have any purposeful influence on your life.” And few decisions are tougher to make than those that pertain to your career. Why? Well, the career decisions you make will have an impact on your family, your love life, the clothes you wear, and the place you call home, and vice versa. Yet we put little effort into honing the process. In his book, Keeney puts forth a systematic approach to arriving at good decisions. While analysts in other fields take a normative or descriptive approach, decision analysts such as Keeney promote a prescriptive one. Rather than cataloging how people actually make decisions—an area of focus for social psychology and behavioral economics—prescriptive analysis posits how both individuals and organizations should make decisions. This comes down to minimizing poor alternatives and maximizing good alternatives. From the prescriptive analysis point of view, decision making is the same for individuals as it is for organizations—and many big companies have a department devoted to decision analysis and risk management, assessing the possible outcomes of all their big decisions. Individuals, though, have their own insights to guide—we call it common sense. “People have been making decisions for thousands of years, and they were as good at making decisions thousands of years ago as they are today,” says Keeney. Common sense, then, is the key to making a rational decision. And a rational decision is one that Keeney defines as consistent with your values based on the information available. “The reason to make a decision is to achieve something. It’s not just for the existence of a job. You could go down to McDonald’s and get a job.”

BREAK IT DOWN

In Smart Choices, Keeney outlines the PrOACT model of decision making: identifying the problem, specifying fundamental objectives, creating a range of alternatives, understanding the consequences of each one, and looking at the tradeoffs between the alternatives. This approach to decision making can be applied when seeking a job to more clearly assess the situation and get where you want to go. The first step of identifying the real problem in the decision-making process can often elude job seekers. “I think a lot of them frame this as a search process, not a decision process,” says Keeney. “They let other people control the alternatives they consider. They don’t back away and say, ‘What job would I really like?’” Rather than asking “Should I take this position?” job seekers should frame the “decision problem” differently: “Where will my work be valued?” or “Where can I best put my skills to use?” Most students have no problem grasping their objectives: pay, quality of life, proximity to family and friends. And some short-term objectives might take a back seat to more longterm considerations: the ability to make a contribution in your work, to keep learning, to have good colleagues, and overall job satisfaction. After clearly identifying your objectives, the path is clear to explore different alternatives. For an IT engineering major, this might include working for an established firm (Infosys or Cisco, for example), a small business, a brand

new startup, the government or a nonprofit, or even enrolling in graduate school. It could even mean off-the-radar choices such as setting up computer networks for schools in Africa. Any alternative that could help meet your objectives is on the table at this point. From there, though, you have to consider the consequences of all the different alternatives. Relocation costs and living expenses in a new city become factors at this stage. Or maybe you should consider start time: Will a firm need you the day after graduation, or months later, in the fall? Will you have time to visit the city and search for apartments first? Just as the alternatives were numerous, it’s important to try to rein in the possible consequences by listing them. According to Lindsey Pollak, a career consultant for Millennial job seekers and author of Getting from Campus to Career, students today are finding this step difficult. What she is seeing is fear—an almost-debilitating uncertainty in the face of making career decisions, and the worry of making the wrong choice and having to live with the consequences. “This is a generation that’s had a lot of attention from parents, teachers, tutors, and guidance counselors. They haven’t had to make a lot of decisions.” One client of Pollak’s was torn between an offer from a Fortune 500 company and a position with Teach for America. After accepting the offer from the prestigious firm but before starting work, he decided he couldn’t live with the potential consequences; he changed his mind,

backed out, and went with Teach for America. Pollak says the student worked harder than anyone she has seen, interviewing company employees and current TFA members, but a better process could have saved him that painstaking, intermediate step.

ADD IT UP

With all the alternatives and consequences in mind, how can you decide between them? It’s a matter of making value trade-offs, the tricky balancing act in which you have to try to quantify scenarios such as what it’s worth to be close to your family or being in a city with an active nightlife. Comparing personal relationships to salary may seem like a matter of apples to oranges; however, business students have to make this kind of calculation all the time. Matthew Bailey, assistant professor of business operations and analytics at Bucknell University’s School of Management, employs these value balance exercises in his classes, as well as in his advisory role outside of the classroom. “They have a set of skills that can be applied to any decision they go through. Benefit versus risk is a big thing they’re going to see when they get their jobs.” For both classroom exercises and his students' real-word decisions, Bailey frequently tells them to “quantify what you can”—salary, insurance and other benefits, cost of living, transportation—and then to weigh the difference between alternatives based on those terms. Students may not be able to put a price on being close to their families, but they can tell from a balance sheet of the quantifiable factors whether it’s worth, say, $3,000 in pay. “They might not know what it’s worth to them,” Bailey says, “but they can say, ‘I know it’s worth more than this.’” Even after these first five crucial steps of the PrOACt process, there’s plenty more to consider. As the decision-maker, you must still clarify the relevant uncertainties of your decision, figure out the risks involved, and how much risk you're willing to accept. Questions about job stability may come into play here: For example, if you’re going to work for a startup, could it go belly up in less than a year? If yes, then it’s probably not worth the trade-off of a $5,000 higher salary. Or you may need to consider the implications of interrelated decisions, such as the effect of an initial job choice on long-term career trajectory—weighing how an initial job choice could prepare you for another position later on. After all, today’s economy isn’t producing lifetime employees; more workers have multiple jobs in their first five years out of school than ever. The economy is limping along, reducing the number of available jobs and changing the way companies decide to hire, but Keeney’s emphasis on common sense endures. He feels the PrOACT model from Smart Choices is as valuable now as it was ten years ago—pre-dotcom crash and pre-subprime mortgage crisis. “Your personal values may change, but the fact that a decision comes from your personal values is not going to change.” The key is to step back, break down the decision process, and use your noggin.

BOOK Smarts

thers have weighed in on how we make decisions and, in particular, how we often arrive at the wrong ones. In 2006, Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner gave us the perspective-exploding Freakonomics, which delves into behavioral economics—a study of the personal factors behind economic choices—while in 2005 Malcolm Gladwell gave us the pro-snap-judgment manifesto Blink. Both books have a lot of cachet, but they’re not prescriptive analyses of decision making. However these books have brought the science of decision making to the mainstream. How are today’s students responding? Matthew Bailey, assistant professor of business operations and analytics at Bucknell University’s School of Management sees the crossover between classroom topics and their real-world applications every semester as he presents students with some of these books as both course material and extracurricular reading to give a sense of the factors that will weigh on their professional lives. “I try to bring things in that will allow them to see the connections.” Bailey adds that students are increasingly bringing in arguments from these popular books to classroom discussions as they realize the implications decision science could have on their futures.

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EXIT RAMP

Jungle Campus

Presents: The Worst Jobs In the World

You might not get your dream job right out of college, but at least you won’t be elbow-deep in cat food or sniffing car fumes all day—we hope

Tweet, Tweet…Cough? The Job: Canary in a Coal Mine The Work: Canaries were once used to detect dangerous gasses in coal mines. As long as the canary kept singing, miners could keep mining. If the canary croaked, miners knew it was time to high-tail it. The Drawbacks: The only indicator for your job performance is death by asphyxiation, so don’t hold your breath for that raise.

Clean Up, Aisle 7 The Job: Crime Scene Technician The Work: You arrive after the body is removed from the scene to remove any body fluids and tissues left behind. The Drawbacks: Hope you have a strong stomach. You’ll be exposed to some pungent smells and gruesome stains. And let’s not forget the psychological toll.

Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow The Job: Cat Food Quality Controller The Work: Responsible for making sure cat food will catch a cat’s fancy. Testing includes sniffing for freshness and removing bones and gristle from the mixture. The Drawbacks: Have you ever smelled canned cat food? Smells like an unidentifiable fish product that’s been rotting in the mid-day sun. Your sense of smell may never recover.

Keep the Change The Job: Toll Booth Attendant The Work: Sounds simple enough: Take a ticket, exchange some money, press a button.

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The Drawbacks: Claustrophobic working quarters, exposure to the elements, and the sweet aroma of car exhaust. Plus, you’re constantly in fear of being replaced by a machine.

Beast of Burden The Job: Work Mule The Work: Lugging stuff around—all day long—in the sun and rain. Oh, bother. The Drawbacks: Everyone expects you to do the heavy lifting—and you’re constantly getting poor marks on your performance review for being “too stubborn.”

That Bites The Job: Brazilian Mosquito Researcher The Work: Brazilian Mosquitoes need to be caught and studied, and unlike other mosquito species, they aren’t attracted to light or wind traps. The result? Researchers must set themselves out as bait at night and catch the little buggers in the act. The Drawbacks: Better stock up on calamine lotion. Calling out sick due to overwhelming itchiness is not an option in this line of work.

Burrrrrrrrrrrrr The Job: Working in Antarctica The Work: There are two main types of jobs in the polar desert: scientists and support staff. The Drawbacks: You thought the Northeast suffered seasonal depression. After six months of daylight, you’ll endure six months of darkness, average annual temperature is −70°F, and with minimal moisture in the air, you’ll be constantly battling dehydration.

Choose. Connect. Grow. Choose to work in an entrepreneurial culture where you will connect with high-profile clients and grow your career through valuable mentoring from senior financial services professionals. bankofamerica.com/campusrecruiting