Heading Back to School? Here’s some Advice from the DiS Team.
As we approach September, the incoming fall season is an exciting time for students—the new month means a new school year and opportunity to grow, learn, and excel as both a student and an individual. However, for BIPOC/BAME students, especially first-generation students, this transition can be riddled with anxiety and confusion. Oftentimes, minority students lack the same resources that equip them to navigate the academic and post-graduation world, including networks, understanding school and work culture, and job search tips.
How do you prepare yourself for a career in sustainability as a student from a marginalized community? The team at DiS has some experience from you to draw from.
Here are some tips from some of the folks behind Diversity in Sustainability. The topics range from tricks for organization, advice on networking while at school, and wise words on how to approach internship/post-graduation interviews.
Read below what the DiS team has to say for students heading back to school this fall.
From Heather Mak, co-founder of Diversity in Sustainability.
Follow your curiosity and take the initiative to create your own opportunities. “Sustainability is filled with emerging topics. For example, when I was starting my Masters program, I started a website called “Packaging Probe” to critique excessive packaging and some suggestions to the manufacturers for change. Also, because I was interested in working in the UK and had a background in consumer packaged goods, I also conducted an independent study focused on carbon labelling as a way to build relationships with potential employers abroad. After I published the research at a conference, I spent time debriefing the people I interviewed to let them know the outcomes of the research.”
Get involved. Many of the people that I was part of various student clubs with during my Masters program are still my friends and are now counterparts in sustainability. We catch up with each other from time to time, and have shared opportunities/intel with one another.
Tap into alumni and professor networks. “If you don’t have direct experience, spend time getting to know alumni and professors. They are valuable sources of intel, referrals and even reference letters to help you land your first role in sustainability.”
Be wary of unpaid internships. You have a lot to offer an organization! Know what you're good at and the specific value you bring to organizations.
From Christine Bader, DiS Advisory Panel Member
On the stress of selecting a field. "If I work for an NGO, I'll wish I had the resources of the private sector," you fret. "But if I go into business, I'll be bound to the profit motive and might miss the primacy of mission. Ack, but regulation is so important: Maybe I should go into public policy? Or academia, which will allow me to go deep on the issues I care about? An investor or consultant kind of role would give me a good overview, but will I miss out on implementation?" ….. The answer: It doesn't matter. Every lever is potentially important, and every role you take will inform your future work – even if it tells you what you don't want to do. There is no single correct order to a changemaking career.
A tip for seeking advice. When people dispense advice, they're usually drawing a conclusion for you based on their experiences, expectations, and biases, some of which they might not even be aware of. You'd be much better served by hearing their stories and deriving your own lessons, rather than having them decide the takeaway for you.In other words: When someone gives you advice that begins with "You should," thank them and ask them to turn it into "I did."
For internships or post-grad job applications, view job descriptions as an invitation to a conversation rather than a strict set of requirements. Many candidates – particularly women – see job specifications as requirements, and take themselves out of the running well before the starting line. You may not meet all of the specs, but you might come closer than any other applicant. (And please don’t waste precious ink in your cover letter or minutes in your first interview apologizing for how you don’t meet the requirements: Tell me what I missed in the job description, and why your experience is a better fit for the role than what I listed.)
Throw your hat in, have the conversation. You know what will happen next if you don’t: nothing. "But I don’t know if I really want the job,” you say. Submitting an application is not a commitment to take the job if you get it. If there is zero chance you’ll take the job, don’t waste everyone’s time. But if there is any chance you would take it, go ahead and apply. If the process doesn't end in your sitting in that seat, here’s what can happen: Someone you spoke to during the process will reach out to you in one year, or two, or five, with another invitation. You will, of course, keep in touch with (or at least keep track of) the people you met during the process, and reach out in a year or two or five with an offer of your own, or a request to reconnect as you’re looking for your next role, and because you had such a great conversation, their virtual doors will be wide open to you.
From Julieta Mulangu, DiS Inclusion Blueprint Dialogues Intern
The power of timeblocking. Being a student is overwhelming - balancing classes, due dates, work shifts, and social events is stressful. I time block to organize when I'm doing what, breaking down all I need to do into smaller chunks within my calendar. This helps me to stay organized and productive.
Don’t be afraid of office hours. This is a great time to ask questions and get to know your professors. Building relationships with faculty comes in handy when you need references to future jobs or studies.
