The summer months are an excellent time to explore your interests, deepen your learning, and gain experience beyond the classroom. In this session, Jacklyn Fischer & Mandy Netzel (Career Center), and Peter Blitstein (Associate Dean of the Faculty and Professor of History) will help you explore the many options you have to gain meaningful hands-on experience this summer. Topics covered will include internship programs, funding for experiential learning and research, and more! They will also help you walk through the timeline and process for successfully mapping out your high-impact summer!
Category: General
Video: Shattering the Glass Ceiling as Women & People of Color (2021)
Ted Fleming, Head of Talent, CVS, discusses strategies for shattering the glass ceiling. Have you ever felt like there are hidden keys to unlocking career success, or have you been left wishing that you knew how to play “the game” in a more strategic and effective way? This session will tap into that frustration and lay out key moves you can make to increase your likelihood of success. Some of those include mastering your image, managing your spheres of influence, and thinking like a leader. Join Ted, who has helped hundreds of individuals advance in their careers, to learn helpful tips for mastering your own success.
Video: Secrets of Career Success Kick-off Event (2021)
Kick-off event features a welcome address by President Laurie Carter followed by Dr. Greta Raaen Dzieciaszek ‘05, CVS Health. Translating a liberal arts education into a corporate career, leading into a CVS recruiting conversation about open internships and early career opportunities. Keynote: The Networking Quadrant, Ted Fleming, Head of Talent Development, CVS Health, and author of Develop.
#VPA Summer Opportunity Guide
Choose:
One of the hardest parts about pursuing a summer program in any field is choosing one that is right for you. Musicians have many different types of summer opportunities they can apply for. Whether it be playing in a summer festival, performing in a summer opera program, or interning in arts administration the possibilities are endless.
- Location:
First you will want to choose where you want to complete your summer program. Do you want to stay within driving distance of your home town to spend time with your family over the summer? Do you want to travel to a new city you’ve been wanting to explore? Maybe you just want to live in Appleton and live on campus for the summer? There are many different options, however, location is the first thing you should consider before searching for summer opportunities since it will narrow down your search by a lot. Some summer music festivals and programs actually provide housing, so be sure to look into this as well!
- Paid vs. Unpaid vs. Pay to Play/Sing
The next thing to consider while searching for summer opportunities is if you will be paid for your work, unpaid, or if you will have to pay for the experience. Sadly, many arts internships are unpaid, however, here at Lawrence we have many funding opportunities for internships. Many music festivals and summer programs are “Pay to Play” or “Pay to Sing”, meaning you actually pay them for the opportunity. This cost usually includes a place to stay and tuition. Very rarely does it include music printing, transportation, and meals but some do. Many of these opportunities offer scholarships as well as work study.
- What do YOU want to gain from the experience
There are so many different experiences that look amazing on a resume. Though some opportunities are at more “prestigious” places that doesn’t mean you wont get equally as good opportunities at smaller programs. An Arts Administration Internship at the Lyric Opera of Chicago can be equally as rewarding as an Arts Administration internship at Opera Carolina. If you find an opportunity or program that looks like something you would like to do, apply for it! It doesn’t need to be at a big name company for the experience to be rewarding. Find one that works best for you and what you would like to do with your career.
Prepare:
Well, you’ve narrowed down summer opportunities you would like to apply for… now what? Next it is time to prepare and send in your application. Depending on how many opportunities you are applying for, this could take awhile so be sure you have your deadlines in order before diving in.
- Audition Prep
Many summer programs require an entrance audition. Sometimes these may be posted by video, or they have regional and on site auditions. It is important to know what repertoire you should prepare for your recording or in-person audition ahead of time so you can have enough time to practice them efficiently.
Tip: Find out what teachers/coaches will be at the particular program you are applying for, and schedule a lesson with them! Often times teachers give student discounts, and having a lesson or coaching with them can make them remember you once they see your audition.
- Application Materials
Most internships and programs require you to submit a resume. For summer music programs or festivals this resume will most likely be a Performance Resume. Whereas if you are applying for an internship or fellowship it will be a Chronological Resume. If you need resume help check out our article here or create an appointment at the career center and we can get you started! You may also need to create a cover letter to go along with your application, you can see a sample cover letter here. Be sure to triple check deadlines in order to get your materials in on time!
- Gather References
References get handed in with your other application materials, however, they require a little more explaining. Many opportunities require you to list references for the company to reach out to to learn more about you. Some opportunities require you to list your academic advisor or current employer, but many leave it up to you who you want to list. We suggest listing any teachers, current or past employers who know you and your work ethic very well.
- Interview
Very rarely do summer music programs and festivals require an interview, especially if an entrance audition is required. However, if you are applying for an arts internship or fellowship you will most likely be asked to do an interview after they review your materials. Don’t stress! Interviews can be scary but once you get the hang of them they are a breeze. If you are feeling nervous, set up an appointment with us at the Career Center and we can research the position you will be interviewing for and conduct a mock interview for you to practice. You can also do the same thing with a friend or two if you need the extra help.
Career Spotlights: Product Manager
Interested in pursuing a career as a Product Manager? Read and find out more information about what a career as a Product Manager will look like!
Job Duties
As a Product Manager, your main job is to make strategic decisions related to product management and provide in-depth expertise to improve the product. This profile is one of the most important profiles in every industry, especially in IT and manufacturing companies. A product manager is often considered as a “mini CEO” of a single product as they work closely with marketing, engineering, sales, and support to ensure customer satisfaction goals are met.
Where They Work
The role of Product Manager gained more and more popularity with the growth of technology companies. Based on a Statistic reported by Zippia.com, the biggest percentage of Product Managers work in tech companies and in Fortune 500 companies. However, Product Managers can also be found in other companies in the Manufacturing industry, Finance, Retail, and Health Care.
Working Conditions
As a Product Manager, you will work in a team with many different people to be able to ensure the success of the product. You will often work well over forty-hour weeks, including evenings and weekends. There is a great deal of pressure connected with this job due to numerous deadlines, schedule changes, and regular meetings with other managers. Many product managers must travel frequently throughout the United States and abroad to meet with their clients.
Education and training
Although every company will be different, candidates will usually need a Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field. Based on a report by Zippia.com, 72% of Product Managers have a Bachelor’s Degree, and 17% have a Masters’s Degree. Those who have completed a degree in economics, marketing, communications, or statistics will be preferred. Some companies even require a master’s degree in management. Before becoming the head Product Manager, a candidate will need at least two or three years of experience in the product management field. Other skills required to become a product manager are the following:
- Business Expertise
- Leadership Skills
- Operational Ability
- Strategic Thinking,
- Analytical skills
- Quantitative skills
- Time Management
- Negotiating skills
Pay and Benefits
The role of a product manager is one of the highest profiles in a company’s organizational structure (right below the CEO and board of directors). Therefore, the salary to work as a product manager can range from 70k/year in smaller companies to 140k/year in bigger ones. One of the biggest benefits of being promoted as Product Manager is being a step closer to being promoted as CEO of the company.
Oliver De Croock ’24, Student-Athlete at Lawrence University majoring in Economics and Career Peer Educator. Connect with me on LinkedIn.
My experience with the Harvard Business School CORe Program
During the summer of 2021, I participated in The Online Credential of Readiness (CORe) program by the Harvard Business School. In this article, I will share my experience so that future students that are interested in participating will be able to understand more about what to expect and decide if they are willing to commit to this program and gain an unbelievable experience. This program is funded by Lawrence University who is a collaborating college network with Harvard Business School.
What is CORe?
CORe consists of three courses: Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting. In each of the courses, you will get real-life scenarios from big companies like Apple, Amazon or Danaher, to smaller companies like a Yoga Studio in New York City or a Sports Ticket Seller in Boston. Classes are very interactive, with small videos in which the professors either explain the theory of the subject or interview someone relevant in the company, talking about that specific subject. These videos are usually between 2 to 15 minutes long. After each of the videos, there are usually some questions that you have to answer in order to go on or a page or two to read. There are also the so-called “Cold Calls” in which students will get randomly selected and will be asked a question that they will have only 2 minutes to answer. Although these questions aren’t graded, they are a way to keep the students on their toes, and personally, they forced me to listen and focus more, so that I could make sure to answer the questions correctly and move on. Throughout the course, you will also participate in discussions with your peers and ask them to try to explain a subject in a simpler way. In my case, one of my peers created a Whatsapp group in which we were all able to communicate and share our thoughts. I was even able to connect with many of them on LinkedIn.
Business Analytics
The Business Analytics class was probably my favorite one because it explained really complicated subjects in a very simple way that was easy to understand. It also demonstrated how real companies use these analytical techniques to manage and predict their sales, inventory, and forecasting staffing needs. This course taught me how to develop a data mindset, how to analyze and interpret data to make important business decisions and learn about regression analysis.
Economics for Managers
The Economics for Managers class was very interesting and was a good blend between economic theory and real-life scenarios, understanding how fundamental economic principles can be impacted by our day to day decisions. More in specific, we learned how to develop effective pricing strategies and identify sources of competitive advantage through differentiation.
Financial Accounting
Financial Accounting is the language of business, everyone that is willing to get into business needs at least some knowledge about how financial accounting works. This class will give you very important information that you need to know in order to understand how financial statements work, how to prepare and evaluate financial forecasts, and see how managers, Wall Street analysts, and entrepreneurs use accounting to drive strategic decision-making.
When is the best time to do it?
Although this course would be beneficial for anyone at any age, I believe that the best time to complete this course would be just after your first year at Lawrence. If you are studying economics, chances are that in your sophomore year you will go over the “sequence”, doing Microeconomics, Econometrics, and Macroeconomics. By participating in CORe, you will go over many of these subjects already, which will you an advantage in understanding these concepts early. This course can also be helpful for students who are not majoring in economics who are trying to get more of a business mindset and understand the basic concepts of these three very important courses.
Other than the advantage of understanding these concepts before anyone else, having completed a course from Harvard Business School will also be a great addition to your resume. Since getting an internship after the first year in college is unlikely, by completing this course, you will be able to add an incredible experience to your resume that is directly related to your major. This will show recruiters that not only do you have more knowledge than other candidates for completing the course but also that you are willing to go the extra mile to learn and improve yourself. HBS CORe is a great way to add the “Harvard” brand to your resume, learn some very important skills you need for any business setting, and put yourself on a higher pedestal that could be the difference between getting hired for a job, or not.
To apply to CORe, you will need to go through Lawrence Career Services who will help you get the funding necessary and give you the right directions to move on. Applications will open in the early winter term, so stay tuned for more, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Oliver De Croock ’24, Student-Athlete at Lawrence University majoring in Economics and Career Peer Educator. Connect with me on LinkedIn.