Ashoka

Continuing further into the week, BYU Career Counselors, Heidi Vogeler and McKenzie Lawyer Davies visited BYU Alumna, Amy Dalebout at Ashoka in Arlington, Virginia.

Ashoka leads the social entrepreneur field in Washington. As such, the student fit is especially important.

Here is some information that Amy shared:

• Ashoka has about 200 full-time employees, 40 temp workers (during needed times) and 30-50 unpaid interns (these employees are everywhere from Washington DC to Africa, Latin America, and Europe)
• Ashkoa does not receive government money, but does utilize the help of hundreds of volunteers around the world
• Ashoka's five-year strategic plan includes increased growth from entry-level to executive leadership
• Ashoka has specific fit and five criteria that they look for:
• Entrepreneurial abilities
• Resonance with the Ashoka mission
• Collegiality ("Everyone is a change-maker."
• Ethical Fiber
• Vision
• A new "A*Year" program is a pilot program at Ashoka to help find new talent
• 13-month position
• 80% teamwork, 20% other project work
• Goal to strengthen entry-level talent and expose them to various aspects of the organization
• Shorter hiring process  
• $33,000 Bachelors, $40,000 Masters
• Compensation is based on local and cost of living

Advice for Interested Students

Because there is so much interest, Amy offers this advice to students:

• Tailor your resume! (Draw entrepreneurial experience to the to the top focus)
• Network with alumni, but don't monopolize everyone's time (if there is more than one at any given organization, choose one to reach out to and be aware that usually alumni talk to each other)
• Think hard about the entrepreneurial field and whether it is your passion 

About Ashoka

Ashoka is leading a profound transformation in society. In the past three decades, the global citizen sector, led by social entrepreneurs, has grown exponentially. Just as the business sector experienced a tremendous spurt in productivity over the last century, the citizen sector is experiencing a similar revolution, with the number and sophistication of citizen organizations increasing dramatically.

Rather than leaving societal needs for the government or business sectors to address, social entrepreneurs are creating innovative solutions, delivering extraordinary results, and improving the lives of millions of people.

It is this insight into the power of social entrepreneurs that led Bill Drayton to found Ashoka in 1980 and that continues to guide Ashoka today.

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For more information or to connect with Amy Dalebout, contact BYU Career Services via our website or call us at (801) 422-6535.

The Smithsonian Associates

Shifting focus to the non-profit sector, BYU Career Services, Career Counselors, Heidi Vogeler and McKenzie Lawyer Davies made a stop at the Smithsonian Associates (TSA) along the mall where she spoke with BYU alumna, Hannah Hamill, and her colleague Meg Smolinski.

During their visit, Hannah and Meg share important information and advice from to help students, recent gradates, and experienced alumni. Here are some highlights of their visit:

• The Smithsonian as a whole has over 6,000 employees with the majority of those in Washington DC; other employees conduct research and studies in Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, Hawaii, Belize, and Peru
• While the Smithsonian at large has many employees, their office is very small, 50 employees
• TSA has a rolling 32-hour work week internship program with quite a few interns; Internships provided include various areas of interest (PR, e-Marketing theater, children, educational programing, etc)
• Key skill sets for the internship include communication abilities and a willingness to learn
• Residentassociates.org is the website with information on the internship program as well as the actual application process

Tips for Applying to TSA

To aid students in the application process, Meg and Hannah advise to students to do the following:

• Apply early--there are rolling applications, so the sooner, the better
• Start networking! Get in contact with someone at the organization and seek information from them as mentors
• Get yourself out there however you can; make business cards, e-mail contacts, create an online portfolio
• Monitor your professional image, protect your google quotient and make sure Smithsonian and others are seeing the image you want to portray.
• Always send a follow-up "Thank You" card, you never know when it can be the determining factor in getting a job
   

About the Smithsonian Associates

Established as the cultural, educational, and membership division of the Smithsonian Institution, The Smithsonian Associates is recognized as the largest and most esteemed museum-based continuing education program in the nation.

The Smithsonian Associates offers more than 700 educational and cultural programs each year. Programs include:

• Lectures & Seminars
• Studio Arts Classes
• Study Tours
• Free Members Only Programs
• Courses
• Performances & Films
• Summer Camps & Theater for Children

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For more information or to connect with Hannah Hamil or Meg Smolinski, contact BYU Career Services via our website or call us at (801) 422-6535.

The Heritage Foundation

This afternoon, Career Counselors, Heidi Vogeler and McKenzie Lawyer Davies visited with Matt Adkins, Job Bank Manager at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, DC.

As part of their outreach, they gathered information and advice to help students, recent gradates, and experienced alumni. Here are some highlights of their visit:

• Matt manages Heritage's Job Bank  that produces an extensive look at opportunities in Washington DC each week
• Heritage houses a formal internship program each season (fall, spring, summer)
• Internships at Heritage are paid and competitive (off-season internships are easier to acquire)
• Like many organizations in DC, Heritage often hires former interns for job openings
• There are often entry-level positions with Heritage (currently there are 16) and they can be found on their website (under the Careers tab)
• Matt hosts periodic "Job Seeker Seminars" and encourages students and recent graduates to attend

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Advice for Students

Matt had a few pieces of advice for BYU students and graduates interested in the Washington DC area. He encouraged students to gain experience. Period. There "is no real substitute for DC policy experience." Students should highly consider doing a semester in Washington DC and realize that interning is the perfect time to realize "I really like this." It's also often "the way in."

Matt also suggested that students volunteer while in school and after they graduate; get involved. Consider the importance of research, volunteering for campaigns, and having a well-rounded resume.

When Matt learned that almost 70% of BYU students speak a second language, he emphasized that those in that population should highlight their language abilities.

Finally, Matt encourages students to move to DC and says it's difficult to find work if you're not here. He says make to have a current and thriving resume. Volunteer. Blog. Do something.

Websites Matt mentioned included:

• policyexperts.org
• libertad.org
• heritage.org/jobbank  

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About The Heritage Foundation

The Heritage Foundation, Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institution—a think tank—whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

We believe the principles and ideas of the American Founding are worth conserving and renewing. As policy entrepreneurs, we believe the most effective solutions are consistent with those ideas and principles. Our vision is to build an America where freedom, opportunity, prosperity, and civil society flourish.

Heritage’s staff pursues this mission by performing timely, accurate research on key policy issues and effectively marketing these findings to our primary audiences: members of Congress, key congressional staff members, policymakers in the executive branch, the nation’s news media, and the academic and policy communities.

Governed by an independent Board of Trustees, The Heritage Foundation is an independent, tax-exempt institution. Heritage relies on the private financial support of the general public—individuals, foundations, and corporations—for its income, and accepts no government funds and performs no contract work. Heritage is one of the nation’s largest public policy research organizations. More than 710,000 individual members make it the most broadly supported think tank in America.

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For more information or to connect with Matt Adkins, contact BYU Career Services via our website or call us at (801) 422-6535.

Hope for the Warriors

Today, Career Counselors, Heidi Vogeler and McKenzie Lawyer Davies visited with Spencer Anderson, BYU Alumnus and CFO of Hope for The Warriors, a nonprofit organization in Annadnale, Virginia.

As part of their outreach, they gathered information and advice to help students, recent gradates, and experienced alumni. Here are some highlights of their visit:

• Hope for the Warriors (HFRW) has 40 total employees with main offices in New York, Washington DC, Virginia, and North Carolina
• Charity Navigator, a nonprofit rating organization, has ranked HFTW highly since their inception in 2006
• Annual organizational growth is currently hovering around 25% with 11 new full-time hires planned for 2012
• Internships with HFTW are unpaid, however they offer a lot of experience (they look for interns in PR, Marketing, Graphic Design, Generalist, Event Management, Therapeutic Recreation, and Finance among others | internships are based on employee needs)
• Internship conversion is on the rise with former interns having an understandable leg up
• Entry-level positions with HFTW include administrative assistant, outreach coordinator, and program coordinator
• Spencer encourages BYU students and alumni to reach out to him

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Advice about Starting a Career in Washington DC

Spencer had a few pieces of advice for BYU students and graduates interested in the Washington DC area. He encouraged students to do their research and learn about as many organizations as possible and pointed out a few sites of which students should be aware:

• idealist.org
• conservativejobs.com
• talentmarket.org

Additionally he encourages students that it's not a bad decision to move out to DC without a job. Having a local address and the ability to interview is important; consider that for every one job, there are at least one hundred applicants, even for a small nonprofit.

Finally, Spencer encouraged students to network. "People notice BYU students," so make sure to connect with me and other alumni.

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About Hope for the Warriors 

Hope For The Warriors® is a national, nonprofit organization that supports wounded U.S. service members, their families, and families of the fallen. A group of military wives founded the organization in 2006. They stood together as they witnessed, firsthand, the effects of the war on service members and their families. Since that time, Hope For The Warriors® has grown tremendously in the span of programs offered and the number of wounded and family members assisted.

While founded and headquartered in North Carolina, the organization maintains offices in New York, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Its representatives cover California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, and Wyoming, enabling us to maintain a nation-wide presence. The leadership of the organization still remains in the dedicated hands of military wives.

Together, our board of directors, staff, and volunteers work tirelessly to serve those who have sacrificed so much. The integrity of our organization is paramount and therefore our representatives are as honorable and noble as our mission and the people we serve.

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For more information or to connect with Spencer Anderson, contact BYU Career Services via our website or call us at (801) 422-6535.