Is having a positive outlook all you need to “have it all”?

August 20, 2012 By

With the recent appointment of Marissa Mayer as CEO of Yahoo!, there has been a lot of discussion surrounding the issue of women trying to “have it all.” She has been praised as a trailblazer, and she has been criticized as a bad (future) mother. Articles on the issue tend to rely on immeasurable terms like “fulfillment,” recounting personal tales of women who felt they had succeeded or failed at balancing a career and a family without any evidence beyond speculation of what might have been. I believe a more scientific approach provides a clearer answer: For women who are personally and financially secure, it is more psychologically healthy to “have it all.”

Much of social psychology is based on Erving Goffman’s theory that one’s life is like a series of plays, and we must negotiate and maintain a different role, or “self,” in each of them; for example, the professional tone of an interview sounds nothing like the slang-ridden banter between friends, and it helps to establish the participants’ relationship and allows the candidate to present himself in a way that is consistent with the image of a good employee.
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Corporate Health and Wellness

August 8, 2012 By

Two weeks ago the biggest sporting event of the year began in London bringing in people from all over the world. Thousands of athletes have been training intensely for this global competition. However, they’re not the only ones who have been dedicating time and resources to fitness; as part of Corporate Social Responsibility practices, many companies have started wellness programs to promote better health among their employees and communities.

Under Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, businesses hold themselves accountable for their impact on employees, consumers, communities, and the world. CSR has been spreading since the second half of the twentieth century, and corporations have pursued this philosophy through increased employee benefits and training, community service, charitable donations, safer or more energy-efficient products, and environmentalism. It is typically seen as an important part of a sustainable business model; whether by limiting pollution and use of natural resources, developing the communities in which a business operates, or improving employee health and morale, CSR can help corporations conserve resources and maintain production levels and sales.
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POSTED IN: Corporate Policy and Employment Law | 1 Comment

Moving Beyond Your Native Tongue

July 20, 2012 By

The world is changing. Between political conflict and economic competition, the way we relate to other countries has shifted; however, few schools have changed their language instruction. Most high school students can choose from Spanish, Italian, French, German, or Latin. Very few high schools, almost none of them public schools, offer what the U.S. Department of State considers the largest “critical languages”: Arabic, Hindi, Mandarin, Korean, Persian, Russian, or Turkish. The government actively recruits speakers of these languages, and they even offer scholarships for students to study them in-country.

Colleges are doing a better job of addressing the need for language skills, with many offering intensive courses in a few critical languages. Still, the government has recognized that many smaller nations are beginning to play a critical role in the world, whether because they are growing their economies or because of political and social conflict. Only twelve universities in the United States offer Pashto, the language of Afghanistan, and only five go beyond the elementary level. This implies that the government has had to train hundreds of people—an expensive proposition—and rely on native speakers over the course of our conflict.
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Time Management: A College Student’s Perspective

July 9, 2012 By

As an intern in the Marketing Department, I work 40 hours per week. At any given moment, I know almost exactly how much longer I will be in the office. I also know that the only tasks I will have in the evening or on weekends are those my parents give me.

But the idea that my work cuts off at a certain time is very bizarre to me. I’m more accustomed to a college schedule, which involves a 45-60 hour workweek for a typical 15-credit schedule and plenty of assignments to do on weekends. I’m used to staying up past midnight, only sleeping when I’ve finished my Intro to Ethics reading or edited my history paper.

It may sound like I put in a lot more work at school; however, the long hours I put in are interspersed with time spent socializing, playing Tetris, or maybe just napping. Depending on my schedule, I may only complete assignments for two classes each day. Even when they demand the same amount of work, a job and a class schedule require very different time management skills.
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POSTED IN: Job Seeker Advice, Work-Life Balance | 4 Comments

Finding a Job That Actually Relates to Your College Major

July 2, 2012 By

I’m an intern at Adecco Group this summer, and this fall I will return to Georgetown University to begin my sophomore year. Next spring, I will be required to declare a major; however, I’ve known what I want to study for a while – the growing field of Linguistics.

I used to think I wanted to be a French major; however, after I began learning German, Latin and Russian, I realized that my interest in language went far beyond a desire to speak them. I wanted to truly understand them. By my senior year of high school, I knew I wanted to major in Linguistics. More college students are pursuing this major because the analytical and writing skills are applicable to a number of areas. But it is not a degree for people without a direction. It is a fascinating science that seeks to understand what really happens acoustically, cognitively, psychologically, socially or culturally when people communicate, and it is my passion.
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