By Lauren Johnson
First of all, I want to say sorry to the author of "Is leadership really a ‘bright idea?'" I am sorry you have not learned anything from most of your jobs, and I am sorry that you do not have skills to make your experiences sound applicable to future employers.
While you may look to urban dictionary for your definitions in order to better prepare you for job interviews, I look to the Oxford English Dictionary where I find the definition of leadership to be "the position of a group of people leading or influencing others within a given context." This is a skill that I have learned from every paying and non-paying job or position I have held on and off campus.
I am also a senior and was in the same boat most of the summer: looking for, and not hearing back from, half of the jobs I was applying for. I eventually turned to volunteering. I started at a place called Our House, a community home that houses people with HIV/AIDS. While my experience here so far has been working in the kitchen during breakfast and lunch, I have learned to communicate with people from different backgrounds, ages and social classes. I have built relationships and learned a great deal about what it is like working in a big kitchen.
Why not look for something starting at a place with the word leadership in the title, such as the Moreau Center for Service and Leadership? It would be difficult to be involved with anything at the Moreau Center and not develop any leadership skills. Even from one day of service or participating on a plunge you can learn so much that will be appealing to future employers.
I was fortunate enough to land the hall receptionist leadership position. I would say that many people would not describe me as "perky," but they would definitely describe me as friendly, helpful and confident – traits I believe allowed me to get this job. It is a job where I can do homework but also work with others to maintain a welcoming environment in Kenna Hall. I learned to communicate with a variety of guests coming and going from the hall and answer questions that any resident or guest might have, communication skills that employers look for in a candidate.
College life is a constant stream of opportunities for you to learn and take advantage of what's there in front of you. I hope you start getting more involved on campus. Apply for a plunge or immersion trip, get involved with ASUP Senate or find a club that suits your interest – there's still time!
Whatever it is, I guarantee with the help of career services, your professors and your peers, you will be able to market yourself better by showing your involvement.
Lauren Johnson is a senior sociology major. She can be contacted at johnsola12@up.edu.
