But, things have slowed down a little (I'm waiting on some go-aheads before I can actually go ahead), so I figured I should jump on the Peer Blog.

The job has been great. I have been able to have a real impact and take ownership over some major projects that are impacting the University's new Business Engagement Center. A cool thing that I am working on right now is finding a solution to our client management problem, because our officers need a tool that allows them to keep track of relationships and interactions with or corporate clients.

What kind of things are you doing in your internship? anything really cool? unexpected?

Also, last week I received a job offer to stay on in the fall, so that has led to a whole bunch of dilemmas. It is quite a nice problem to have, but has forced me to really weigh the experience that is available at the BEC and the Career Center.

And for those of you who are in the same boat, or maybe thinking about staying on and skipping the fall semester, the Career Center is a great place to get some advice. However, in case you aren't quite close to the SAB, the best advice I can give you is to keep these things in mind:

1) Opportunity for Growth: What kind of promotional possibilities are there? Is the business gonna be around for as long as you want to be there? Is it a job that can sustain you after you graduate?

2) Impact: What is your role? Are you going to be a glorified coffee-maker, or are you going to have a real impact on the operation? Are you going to be at the table for the big-decisions, or just the lowest rung on the ladder?

3) Enjoyable: Is it a position that you enjoy and you really want to dedicate your time to? Maybe (as in my case) you enjoy them both, which keeps it complicated.

4) The cost of rejecting/accepting the offer: Is this a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity, or might it be a door that is open at anytime? Maybe this offer is great, but not quite right for you right now - is it possible that the relationship will still be there later, and you can come back to the table in the future?

5) (of course) Money: which pays more? Is the salary worth the cost of lost opportunities? Does it make up for not liking your job quite as much?

Weighing all of these different metrics is tough, but these are all things to keep in mind (which I will be) when you are deciding whether to stay on or keep looking.

Wish me luck!
-Nick

• Who are the clients of the Partnership for Public Service (PPS)?
• What products or services does PPS offer? How does your field of study contribute to the products/services of PPS/your team?
• Describe the relationship between PPS and the surrounding community? How do they interact?

This is an interesting question to ask, because I was thinking the other day, we don’t make anything here. There are no widgets produced in our office and our deliverables are knowledge, advice or influence. Crudely put, we’re information holders and information brokers at the Partnership. I think its an interesting problem to have—for most non-profits and government agencies—to produce knowledge or provide services because the results are difficult to track and measure. Sure, we see some movement in pieces of legislation that the Parternship supports and it’s easy to track attendees at the various events that the Partnership hosts. However, I can’t think of any direct measures of success that show whether the Partnership’s work is successful. If people keep coming back, we’re probably doing something right.

Then the thought of clients. Who are the clients here? Is it the public? The “average” federal employee or agency officials? Is it all of the above, can it be? I’d say the client is probably Federal Agency leaders and members of the workforce, in general. Though, the partnership forays into the public as a client and congress as a client, I think. The funny thing about the Partnership is that it caters to many clients, but doesn’t act bluntly. The approach to clients is comprehensive, but still scrupulous.

So, this reflection seems to be an exercise in fitting into an organizational background. I fit into the products and services of the partnership—as a student of Political Science and Organizational Studies—by being able to relate directly to the cause of the organization, instead of the functional areas of the organization. I think my field of study helps me see the major players in the macro-organizational structure of Federal Human Capital issues (because of political science) and then be able to look at structures that dictate the organizational behavior of the major players. It’s a nice combination, I think, because even though I don’t really have a functional specialty, I think I can be a bridge between various departments of the organization as a generalist. In the long run, I wonder what liberal-arts graduates (like most of us) will do. Will we quickly find functional specialties, or will be float along and be the “glue” of people who have functional specialties?

I’m really curious about where the Partnership is headed. They are in a stage of growth, so its interaction with bodies external to the organization are in a state of development and flux. Sustained management success and a balancing of short-term and long term are in order, I’m sure.

What does this all mean though, why is this talk of organizational background important? I think of it kind of like a puzzle box. With an awareness of the box, the puzzle pieces fit together more quickly, accurately and easily. I hope you're having a great time this summer!

Go Blue,
nt

Specifically, I have also been reading about human capital frameworks in the federal government and that one of the key strategic goals in federal human capital management is to tie individuals’ goals/performance to agency goals/performance/values. In turn, getting the employer and employee’s values in alignment provides utility for both. So, what are the values of the Partnership?

It seems that the values of the organization are also distinguished by internal values (how the organization runs itself) and external values (why the organization exists). Overall the organization seems the value authenticity. For example, my colleagues really seem to have a genuine passion for improving the federal workforce and also want to “practice what they preach” by having a really dynamic, model environment in our own office.

The organization also values what I conceptualize as “rational impact”. At the core of this concept is making waves in federal human capital management. But also, the Partnership seems to value doing things the “right way” and having its work based on evidence, hard work and thoughtfulness. In other words the Partnership doesn’t want to make waves just for the sake of making waves, but rather exists because making the right waves in the right places improves the work of the federal government and is in the public interest.

The Partnership reflects this in many ways ranging from the way our office is designed—lots of collaborative spaces—to the branding of all our materials (check out the logo), to having snacks every Friday (this week is cake, yum!). Everyone here tries to help each other and advance the work of the organization as a whole. Take the “nook” for example. I sit near two other fellows in the office, Andrew and Sarah. We collaborate, advise each other on challenges, support each other and have a good time doing it. This sort of environment is symbolic of the Partnership’s mission—creating an outstanding federal workforce. I hope public servants can have a workplace that’s as energetic, engaging and purposeful as ours.

I’m realizing that an employee understanding the values of the organization they work for is critical. If I didn’t feel like I was doing something that I really care about, I would hate working here, or anywhere. To do that, I must continue to analyze my own values and the values of the Partnership for Public service throughout the summer. Thank goodness my value for fairness, ethics and persistence really jive with the mission of the Partnership

I hope you are having an awesome time this summer. Go blue!

-nt
ntambe@umich.edu

I’ll be keeping a blog during my time here as a means of reflecting on the time I’m spending here and as a means of adding some interesting content to our blog. Here’s a recap of what has happened so far.

The orientation process was very well planned and very helpful. A few of my U-M intern friends (almost 60 of us are currently staying in the George Washington University dormitories) had terrible orientation procedures, and I feel very fortunate to have been so well acquainted with the Parternship’s work, mission, culture and protocol.

Interestingly enough, the Partnership just released a research report about onboarding employees in the Federal Government. I’ve been very fortunate to have been onboarded well in all jobs that I’ve held. I’m quickly realizing its importance in the work place. Also, I’m noticing that the Partnership has a distinct culture—sharp, professional and results-driven intermixed with friendliness, snacks and compassion. Few other offices have had this seemingly incompatible mix of qualities.

Immediately I became immersed in a few research projects. And that’s where I’m at now. I’ll be sure to update at least once a week for the duration of the summer.

-nt

A big thing that we look for in peers are an understanding for the real impact of an experience that builds into a career or simply a goal of a career. For example, my internship with the DC Public Defender Service looks great on a resume or law school application simply based on what I was doing, but, I appreciate it for so much more.

As an intern I saw the bad side of the criminal justice system, the poverty that often spawns crime, and the terrible segregation that pervades throughout DC. I also helped, in a very personal way, clients who had rarely been given anything in life, so that they might avoid everything that goes along with jail time.

A similar understanding is what I have been looking for in every one of my interviews, and is the "question behind a question" that I have posed to all of our candidates.

The important thing to realize is that I am not going to ask:
"Do you appreciate your internship for both its extrinsic and intrinsic value?" Despite the fact that that is what I really want to know.

A more appropriate question is slightly masked:
"I see you experience with so and so, what was valuable about it? What did you take away from it? Why would you suggest it to someone else?"

It is tough to see these underlying questions, much less to answer a question that isn't even actually asked! However, you have to realize that each question has a purpose, and that an interviewer isn't looking for a restatement of what you put on your resume.

To get a little experience in seeing those underlying questions, think about the main goal of an interview: separating qualified candidates to find the perfect fit for a position. The only way to do this is to ask the same general questions of all candidates, so that you can compare and contrast the quality of their response.

This means that your generic response, describing the surface level of what you did, isn't going to cut it. They already have that surface level understanding, so take the opportunity that is the interview to give them a deeper understanding, so that they can answer the big question: Are you the best person for this position?

And if you can do that - you would make a great peer!

-Nick

With regards to resumes, the recruiters stressed how important it is to have ONLY the most relevant stuff on your resume. This has two positives:
1) You show your own knowledge of the company and what they need by what you showcase on your resume; and
2) You keep the content to a manageable level.

Keeping the most relevant stuff on your resume also means that you need to keep updating your resume on a regular basis, and in theory, you would actually rewrite your resume every time you send it to someone new. But don't worry, sometimes "updating" isn't too drastic because you might be applying to a single industry that is filled with companies who are often looking for the same things.

A resume that targets its audience is the best kind because it means that everything the recruiter reads is directly making the case for why you are the best person for the job. So keep it relevant!

-Nick

For some students, that "next best thing" is going to be an internship, which will definitely be an experience to remember. However, if you aren't in that position, there are tons of other things to be doing to build your resume for next year and beyond.

Volunteering is a great thing to be doing over the summer, especially if you are interested in the non-profit sector. Random summer jobs are also a possibility (beyond the golf course from home). There is a great book in the Career Center on jobs like these. Studying abroad is another possibility.

The important thing is to take the opportunity to look beyond your typical set of experiences to see locations to expand in places you might not be already working on. The reality is that summers are a great time to build your resume, with or without an internship.

-Nick

"Put GPA on your resume".

This is a perennial question that has no right answer, but here are some thoughts.

In my humble opinion, I would err on the side of including a GPA. Anecdotally, I imagine that employers assume the worst if you do not provide your GPA. A rule of thumb is, if you have a 3.0 or above I think you can confidently include your GPA.

An alternative is to include your concentration GPA. For most people that I talk to, their concentration GPA is higher than their cumulative.

If you feel like you need to explain your GPA, utilize space that sometimes exist in applications for "further explanation/additional". Maybe you took a challenging class outside your major, maybe you had a major illness that tanked your cumulative. These details may be valuable.

Also, all this being said...whether or not you put your GPA on your resume is your call. There are many positives and negatives that apply. And at the end of the day, if employers really want to know your GPA, they'll ask.

-Neil

Spring Break is a great time to get internship applications in!

Everyone is really busy throughout the school year, and often a break is a welcomed relief. But a little cover letter, personal statement and resume writing goes great on a beach! (Ok, that might be a little of a stretch)

But truly, the week off is a great opportunity to catch up in many different ways - including the applications for the opportunities that will define your summer.

And now, more than ever, is the time to get started because we are in the middle of the internship season, with deadlines approaching in the next month or two.

So if you haven't started or aren't quite finished - now is the time to get your applications in.

AND if you haven't started, it is by no means too late. (I just sent in two more applications just yesterday!)

-Nick

Even if the opportunity doesn't turn out, it has been a great opportunity to refresh my interview skills, and my appreciation for the institution that is the interview.

The interview is great because it is some thirty to forty minutes dedicated to discussing YOURSELF with people with some amazing credentials.

Can anyone think of a better topic?

I think that this mindset is actually the most important thing to bring into the interview. When you walk in there, ready to talk about yourself and how well you are going to fit into the position because of your background, how can anything go wrong?

Further, if you are excited about the topic, that excitement will be conveyed to your interviewer and leave a positive air after you leave.

Even better, if you are excited, rather than gripped with fear, you are going to be able to build so much more rapport with your interviewer, such that the whole process will be much less stressful.

So if I could give one piece of advice to people before they walk into the interview it would be to BE EXCITED - because your interviewer is someone already involved in something you are interested in, and is interested in talking to you, about you!

-Nick

But as recruiters' decisions start being made, very soon you will have to make some decisions of your own as you sift through the "yes" pile.

Before you accept any offer, be sure to ask yourself (and your recruiter) some specific questions, because your decision should only be made with the most information possible.

But that information is more than the name of the office! A good internship isn't one that is with a prestigious company, its one that is filled with great opportunities to learn and grow within an industry you are interested in.

So be sure you are fully aware of what those opportunities are going to be before you give up other opportunities for one.

For example, last summer I had to turn down interview invitations with Congressional offices because I had already accepted a criminal law based internship. Despite how great it would be to work on Capitol Hill, I was confident in nicely saying "no thank you" because I knew my "less prestigious" opportunity was going to be filled with better opportunities to get involved and have an impact than on the Hill.

So think about what the experiences entail before you give any answer, because a good experience is only so if it truly is one that provides you with opportunities to develop and exhibit important professional skills.

So, I had a second here in the basement of Angell Hall at the PAAO office and heard about their Summer Academic Peer Adviser position. It sounds like a really neat program if you are planning on staying in Ann Arbor this summer.

Academic advising (to me) seems similar to Career Advising, but with a slight twist - answers to academic questions and study tips, etc.

The application is available here.
If you are interested send an email to Rob Gordon at rwgordon@umich.edu or call at (734) 936-1551

Never hold your glass in your right hand.

Why? Because your hand will be cold when you go to give a handshake and you'll have to (perhaps awkwardly) shift your glass from one hand to another. The risk of spilling is completely unnecessary.

Also, while standing, never try to consume a beverage and an appetizer at the same time. It's a difficult balancing act to have both (a plate in one hand and a glass in another), and having one item is just a little bit smoother and relaxed. You can always grab a bread-stick after you are done conversating!

-Neil

Allegedly its expense-paid and is based out of New Hampshire (I think...).

The website is www.thesca.org, I haven't checked it out, but let me know what you think.

-Nick