A R E E R CWHAT TO DO WITH A MAJOR IN FRENCH? You’ve decided on a major and are not sure what career path to follow after college. To help you out, we asked three Barnard alumnae who majored in human rights to share their career experiences with you!

Alexandra Chapman’98, Maître de Conférences, Sciences Po, ParisI spent my high school years in Paris and majoring in French seemed a logical extension of that experience. Besides, I loved the language and the literature. After graduation I worked in publishing  at George Braziller, where my knowledge of French was very useful (readers' reports on French fiction). Ultimately, I headed back to Paris as Doubleday's foreign rights representative there. Most of my career was in international publishing - a field combining a love of language and literature. About fifteen years ago I decided I needed a sea change and switched to teaching English/American literature at Sciences Po in Paris. Getting students enthusiastic about American literature is a constant challenge. My advice to students is to choose a major you absolutely love and can be passionate about it.

Shara Grau’10, Assistant English Teacher, Teaching Assistant Program, ParisI graduated from Barnard as a French major in 2010. I had begun studying French in high school for my language requirement. Once I began learning the language, I was sure I wanted to continue because speaking French would allow me to communicate with many new people and learn about new perspectives. During my time at Barnard, I discovered that I wanted to be a teacher in order to get other young people as enthusiastic about learning a foreign language as I am. This enthusiasm was encouraged when I enrolled in Barnard’s education program. The professors there made my goals more concrete by helping me to learn about teaching methods and school politics. Right now, I’m an assistant English teacher, participating in a program called the Teaching Assistant Program in France. I work with Parisian high school students each day, and my main job is to help them speak and have conversations in English. I will return to New York at the end of this school year, and I hope to continue teaching when I do.

Danielle Jakob’10, Admissions Counselor, Barnard College I came to Barnard very much undecided in my major but knowing in the back of my mind that foreign languages would be an important part of my college experience.  I told myself I wasn’t allowed to major in French because it wouldn’t lead to a career, but I found myself returning over and over again to the cozy French department in the back corner of Milbank, swooning over the culture, history, and, of course, food I learned about in classes. Throughout the course of my four years at Barnard, I discovered a passion for Italian and Arabic as well, and dabbled in each as I sought connections with both my immediate peers and to the larger world around me.

December1, 2012

PHONE NUMBER: 212 854-2033EMAIL: ocd@barnard.edu

STAFF

Robert Earl, Jr.Director

Won Kang Senior Associate Director

Rachel TannenbaumAssociate Director / Student Programming

Valerie ChowAssociate Director / Civic Engagement & Experiential Learning

Karen WorthingAssociate Director / Employer Relations & Campus Recruitment

Victoria PassarellaAssociate Director / Student & Alumnae Career Education

Christine ShinAlumnae Counselor

Katherine Hendry Assistant Director

Lindsey AllenAssistant to the Director

Hiraida Crespo Office Assistant

Bruce RossAdministrative Assistant

Nancy Ferro Recruiting Program Assistant

Alicia MorriseyStudent Employment Assistant

Maria CastexNewsletter Editor

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O N N E C T I O N SBarnard CollegeCareer DevelopmentElliott Hall, 2nd Floorwww.barnard.edu/cd

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ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

CareerBuilder.com was launched in 1995 in Chicago and is one of the largest online employment sites in the country. With 24 million unique visitors a month, the website provides online career search services for more than 1,900 partners. Operating in 21 countries outside the United States, Career Builder works with 300,000 employers around the world, many of which are Fortune 1000 companies. Visit the website for online job boards, advice and resources, salary calculators and career tests.

INFORMATION: http://www.careerbuilder.com/

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TEN CAREERS FOR A FRENCH MAJOR1. International Law: represents client's business issues involving two or more

independent countries. Issues can include international trade law, securities and banking. The international business lawyer must be familiar with each country's laws and policies, as well as the international agreements that govern trade and business law.

2. Foreign Business Consultant: help businesses exchange goods and services with organizations located in other countries. Some consultants also work for the government, maneuvering through the many rules which dictate the terms of international trade.

3. Public Relations: write news releases, pitch letters, craft newsletters, etc. PR strategies are generally aimed at helping companies get coverage, using the media to shape the public’s perception of a company.

4. University Faculty: teach related courses in their subject and may instruct undergraduate and/or graduate students. College and university faculty lecture in large halls, lead small seminars, and supervise student research. They prepare lectures, exercises, and laboratory experiments, grade exams and papers, as well as advise and work with students individually.

5. Foreign Service Officer: deal with a variety of ever-changing challenges, which may include consular services such as screening visa applicants and issuing visas; political initiatives such as observing elections in host countries; or analyzing and reporting on issues such as HIV/ AIDS, rights, fair trade, and technology. Foreign Service Officers work in one of five different career tracks: consular, economic, management, political and public diplomacy.

6. Curator: direct the acquisition, storage, and exhibition of collections, including negotiating and authorizing the purchase, sale, exchange, or loan of works. Curators often oversee and help conduct institutions’ research projects and related educational programs. Today, an increasing part of a curator's duties involves fundraising and promotion and attendance at meetings, conventions, and civic events.

7. Interpreter/Translator: aid communication by converting information from one language into another. Interpreters must usually be fluent speakers or signers of both languages because they communicate back and forth among the people who do not share each other's language. Translators convert written materials from one language into another. The goal of a translator is to have people read the translation as if it were the original.

8. Editor: review and edit the work of writers. Editors also may do original writing themselves. An editor's responsibilities vary with the employer and type of position held. Editorial duties may include planning the content of books, journals, magazines, and other general-interest publications.

9. Foreign Language Teacher: teach courses in a specific language, including instruction in literature and cross-cultural studies. Foreign language teachers are masters of their language, demonstrating a high proficiency to read, write, and speak in the language they are are teaching.

10. International Business Administrator: oversee financial and trade transactions between companies and countries, ensuring that the exchanges are legal, as well as profitable. Formal business training and the ability to speak a foreign language are typically required to enter this field.

Sources: http://www.bls.gov/ http://whatcanidowiththismajor.com/major/

December 1, 2012

CONDUCTING BUSINESS ABROADWomen experience a unique set of challenges working away from home. Even if a woman has discovered how to navigate a domestic workplace, a transfer abroad would throw a whole new set of rules at her. American women, in particular, have both advantages and disadvantages working abroad. Therefore, women from the States may enter a foreign office with relatively little accumulated gender-bias baggage. To sort your way through the many dilemmas presented by an assignment abroad or even working with foreign customers and colleagues, consider the issues below.

Do I Need to Learn the Language? Some jobs will stipulate whether knowledge of the language is required but others may be more vague. I once asked the former head of Latin American Finance at Merrill Lynch if he spoke Spanish or Portuguese and he told me he didn’t. He added, “I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but if the potential clients don’t speak English, their companies are probably not significant enough businesses for us to pursue.” Clearly his understanding was based on his seniority and his firm’s target market. So experience level and playing field have a bearing on whether you will need to learn a language. The banker did tell me he was taking beginning Spanish lessons, though. When I asked him why, he told me that having an understanding of the language is like playing client golf. “You may not need to in order to win business, but you will learn a lot more about your client if you do.”

Get Briefed When you’re about to work abroad, ask others about the cultural differences in the office, or if possible, get intelligence on specific team members and clients. I know now that I should have dialed it back a notch when I dealt with an Argentinean private equity investor who was uncomfortable with confident women professionals. You don’t have to agree with a foreigner’s value system to realize you can moderate your approach to further a relationship. Yet the cultural faux pas you commit may be as simple as adhering to rules of etiquette particularly important in that society. I knew a French businessman who turned down any interviewer who salted their meal before tasting it. As we know, the French take their food very seriously.

Personal DilemmasThere may come a time when a female ex-pat needs to decide how to react when she becomes involved in behavior that might make her uncomfortable. I was once banker to a Czech Republic client who asked me to “take a letter.” I didn’t get it, “take it where?” I asked. “No, no…write this down” he said. Oh… he wanted to dictate to me, 1950’s style. “Just a minute,” I said, “I’ll get my admin. assistant, Michael, to take it down for you”.

Working abroad or even at home with colleagues and clients from elsewhere requires flexibility and an open mind. The most successful business people study the customs of the culture they’ll be exposed to before they arrive. If you are about to begin working with professionals outside of the U.S., be prepared- and find yourself a cultural mentor, or two or three, to guide you on your way.

December 1, 2012

Advice for The New Careerist By Terri Tierney Clark

Terri Tierney Clark is Editor of Advice for the New Careerist, a blog designed to help women in the early stages of their careers. A Wall Street veteran, Tierney Clark graduated from Smith College and earned an MBA at Dartmouth’s Tuck School. She spent ten years at Merrill Lynch & Co. where she was among  the first female Managing Directors in the investment banking division, managed the Real Estate Private Equity Placement business and was a member of the firm’s first Women’s Steering Committee, which sought to deal with issues affecting young women in the corporate landscape. She now runs an advisory business, Summit Equity Advisors, which offers private equity placement services to corporate clients.

LINK: www.thenewcareerist.com/

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PEER CAREER ADVISOR BUZZHow to Prepare for InterviewsBy Geraldine Cheung’14

How does your resume make you stand out to recruiters on a campus where everybody is a leader? First off, make sure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes,and that your formatting remains the same throughout. Don’t forget, however, that the content of your resume is the most important part. Be specific and quantify your skills and achievements, rather than using generic descriptions associated with your position. Here are a few tips to help you craft a resume that will separate you from your peers:

Be consistentEmployers will notice even the smallest of inconsistencies. Make sure that: bullet points are perfectly aligned, spacing is equal, dates are formatted consistently, bolding is uniform, and your use of punctuation remains constant throughout.

Quantify and Qualify when possibleInstead of writing “Planned a campus-wide event,” quantify and qualify by saying, for example: “Collaborated with a team of five to plan a campus-wide career development workshop for 100+ that resulted in 100% internship placement for all who attended.”

Start each bullet with a strong action verbThis will show employers what skills you have. For example: “collaborated” demonstrates your ability to work on a team, whereas “analyzed” will highlight your research skills. For a list of action verbs visit our website.

Be sure to avoid spelling and grammatical errors and be thorough about formatting. But more importantly, remember you have a lot to be proud of, so make sure that your resume reflects all your achievements!

Source: http://www.condenaststore.com/-sp/No-luck-my-resume-had-three-typos-Cartoon-Prints_i8639944_.htm

December 1, 2012

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THE PCA’S

KATE BERGIN’13 Sociology

GERALDINE CHEUNG’14Economics and math

JOHANNA COHEN’15Psychology

DEISY FLORES’15Political science and English

PRISCILLA FLORES’14Archaeology

LILY ICANGELO’13English, Art History (minor)

ALEXA HAMMEL’13Psychology

ELISSA MENDEZ-RENK’13Music, French (minor)

JACKIE ROSSITER’13Comparative Literature and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies

SYLVIA SCODRO’14Economics

December 1, 2012

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FEATURED INTERNSHIPSFor these and other great opportunities, check out NACElink at www.barnard.edu/cd.

Second Generation Productions - Interns. Second Generation Productions is seeking interns interested in learning from theatre professionals and cotributing to a vibrant community of Asian-American theatre artists. Positions available in casting, development, marketing, management and more.

Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand - Intern. Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand’s New York City Internship Program provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable experience in government and builds leadership skills. The Spring internship program runs from January through May 2013. Interns are required to work at least 15 hours per week and will be placed in a number of departments including constituent affairs, community outreach, press and operations.

Artforum - Editorial Intern. Artforum, a leading arts publication, is seeking interns with backgrounds in art, art history, film theory and history, comparative literature and other fields related to contemporary visual culture. Interns in the editorial department will assist with research and fact checking, cataloguing and library maintenance, book orders, correspondence and administrative tasks.

Cosmetic Executive Women - Spring/Summer Intern. CEW is a non-profit professional organization that works with over 5,000 executives of the beauty, fragrance and related industries. Interns will help with a variety of tasks and will be paid for their work.

Corporate Accountability International - Intern. Corporate Accountability International is a membership organization that protects people by waging and winning campaigns challenging irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions around the world. Interns will take on significant projects to advance Corporate Accountability International’s mission as well as receive training from senior staff on action planning, campaign research, media outreach, and fundraising.

NBC Universal - Intern. NBC Universal's internship opportunities give students real world experience and exposure to one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment. Positions are available in ad sales, business, casting, journalism, marketing, photography and many more!

SEO Career Program - Summer Internship. Since 1980, SEO has provided underrepresented students of color with paid summer internships leading to full-time jobs. More than 30 years later, Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans are still underrepresented in many top entry level jobs. SEO Career Program provides paid internships for students in a variety of areas including: asset management, consulting, engineering, finance/accounting, human resources, investment banking, investment research, law, non-profit, etc.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & FUNDING OPPORTUNITIESSPRING 2013 ALUMNAE & DONOR SPONSORED INTERNSHIP GRANT PROGRAMApply for funding for an unpaid internship through alumnae and donor sponsored grants, open to students from the classes of 2013, 2014 and 2015. NO late or incomplete applications will be accepted. Grantees are expected to have secured internships by the application date. Additional requirements include participating in an online discussion community, submitting a learning action plan, and attending a professional development event.

INFO: www.barnard.edu/cdAPPLICATION: www.barnard.edu/cd/students/funding/internship-grantsDEADLINE: Wednesday, February 6 at 11:59 PM

PUBLIC SERVICE FELLOWSHIPS INFORMATION SESSIONTuesday, 12/4 at 6:00 PMBCD Library Join us for an informal information session to learn more about post-graduate public service fellowship opportunities! The following Barnard and Columbia alumni panelists will speak about their experiences with public service fellowship programs:

Amy Chen (BC ’10): Current New York City Urban Fellow Mary Ann Bonet (CC '10): Public Allies’ Americorps Ally Program, 2010-2011 Isaac Lara (CC '11): Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs, 2011-201

RSVP: NACElink (Under “Events” and “Programs/Workshops”).

VOLUNTEER FOCUS: READING PARTNERSReading Partners is dedicated to transforming struggling young readers into confident readers who are excited about learning. With just 1 hour a week, you can make a huge difference in the lives of children from under-served communities by becoming a reading tutor for struggling young readers.

Reading Partners was founded by community leaders committed to improving children's literacy and life opportunities in 1999, when Mary Wright Shaw, Molly McCrory and Jean Bacigalupi launched the program at Belle Haven Elementary School in Menlo Park. By focusing on children from low-income communities, providing one-on-one instruction at each student’s reading level, recruiting and training community volunteers, and partnering with high-need elementary schools, and Reading Partners provides a way for volunteers to give a small amount of their time and make a huge difference in a child’s life.

INFORMATION: www.readingpartners.org/volunteer

December 1, 2012

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GET VOLUNTEER AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT RELATED INTERNSHIP AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN YOUR E-MAIL!

Sign up for the New York City Civic Engagement Program e-mail listserv. You will receive weekly announcements of newly posted civic engagement-related opportunities.

SIGN-UP: www.barnard.edu/nyccep

RACHEL’S CORNER

Great Listening Equals Great Interviewing

Active listening is the foundation of a successful interview. Active listening means paying close attention the speaker, conveying interest through your gestures and body language, and retaining what you’ve heard to deliver strong answers and follow up questions. Read below for tips on how to make this happen:

Have strong posture and eye contactAll the basics of proper posture should be brought to your interview. Keep your back straight, and lean in to the interviewer to convey active listening. As the appointment goes on, make sure you are making eye contact with your interviewer as she or he speaks and as you answer.

Take notes mindfullySome candidates take notes to remember key points during the interview. While this can be helpful, it can make one look distracted or disconnected from the conversation. Keep writing to a minimum, and only scribble down key thoughts or phrases, such as interviewers’ names, and topics for later inquiry.

Keep up with questionsAfter you answer one question, in many cases, the employer will ask specific follow up relating to your answer. Make sure to keep up with their pace, and don’t dwell on aspects of the prior question you could have answered better.

Use interjections wiselyEncouragers such as ‘right’ or ‘sure’ can demonstrate active listening and focus, but if overused, can be irritating. Save these for things that truly interest you. Also, remember that gestures such as a head nod or smile convey the same sentiment.

SOURCE: http://www.wetfeet.com/advice-tools/interviewing/listen-up-how-to-use-your-ears-in-a-job-interview

WHAT TO DO WITH A MAJOR IN FRENCH?

Danielle Jakob’10, Admissions Counselor, Barnard College A few months after graduating from Barnard, I participated in a Teaching Assistantship Program in France, through which I taught English in a few different primary schools in the northwest suburbs of Paris. It was a glorious year, and I came back even more empowered and independent (and ten pounds heavier) than Barnard had left me. Upon returning home, I started asking myself the questions my parents would ask me when I was a student: what was next, and what on earth will you do with your French major??As it turns out, what you do in life doesn’t need to have anything to do with what your major in college. I realized this practically mid-sentence during an interview for my current job as an Admissions Counselor at Barnard. My French major strengthened my communication skills in unexpected ways and I realized how articulate I’d become. I use those skills every day as I talk with prospective students and manage our tour guides. I had always been interested in Higher Education, and I saw the job as an opportunity to give back to my alma mater while finding my own niche in the professional world. I’m still unsure of my career path; but it may very well be a fusion between my two passions of languages and education.  

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CAREER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPSFor more information, visit NACElink at www.barnard.edu/cd

JOBS (Job Orientation for Barnard Students) Session Wednesday, 1/14 at 12:00 PM Tuesday, 1/22 at 2:30 PM Thursday, 1/24 at 11:00 AM Monday, 1/28 at 1:00 PM Thursday, 1/31 at 3:00 PM BCD Seminar RoomPlanning to work? First-time workers at Barnard are encouraged to attend. Students MUST pre-register through NACElink. Please arrive on time to get information on how to enter hours into Timesheet X (our automated timesheet system) and learn how to get your paychecks on time. Remember that J-1 students planning to work while here need to speak first to Rachel Romesburg.

EMPLOYER FOCUS: HOULIHAN LOKEYHoulihan Lokey, Inc. is an independent, advisory-focused, global investment bank and the largest privately owned investment bank in the world. Founded in 1972 and headquartered in L.A., the firm advises large public and closely held companies as well as institutions and governments. Its main service lines include mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, fairness opinions, and valuations.

The company’s mission is to help clients achieve superior outcomes by providing thoughtful, caring advice while acting with honor and integrity. Claiming to maintain an intellectually stimulating, fair and fun place to work, Houlihan Lokey seeks to improve local and global communities through the responsible and direct actions of employees.

Join Houlihan Lokey for more information on the company and available positions in a site visit.

Friday, 11/30 at 10:00 to 11:30 AM245 Park Avenue, 20th FloorINFO: NACElink

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December 1, 2012

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“Half the Sky” ScreeningMonday, 12/3 at 6:00 PM Diana Center, Event OvalThe Barnard Chapter of UN Women invites you to a screening of Half the Sky. A panel discussion following the screening will be moderated by Catherine Sameh, Ph.D., Associate Director of the BCRW. The panel will include representatives from theInternational Rescue Committee, as well as Prof. Karestan Koenen of Columbia University.

INFO SESSIONS:

The BlackRock Multicultural Network Presents: An Evening with the CEO Tuesday, 12/5 at 12:00 PMTBDThis program’s aim is to increase awareness of and interest in financial services careers among Black, Hispanic and Native American undergraduate students from all academic disciplines.APPLICATION: NACElink

BMO Capital MarketsMonday, 1/28 at 6:00 PMMilbank Hall, Ella Weed RoomJoin BMO for an information session on their Investment Banking Summer Analyst Program. With over 2,300 employees in 29 locations around the globe, BMO Capital Markets is one of the leading financial services providers offering investment and corporate banking, advisory services, treasury and market risk management, institutional investing, and research. INFO: NACElink

BMO Capital MarketsMonday, 1/28 at 6:00 PMMilbank Hall, Ella Weed RoomJoin BMO for an information session on their Investment Banking Summer Analyst Program. With over 2,300 employees in 29 locations around the globe, BMO Capital Markets is one of the leading financial services providers offering investment and corporate banking, advisory services, treasury and market risk management, institutional investing, and research. INFO: NACElink

TIAA-CREFThursday, 1/31 at 6:00 PMMilbank Hall, Ella Weed RoomJoin TIAA-CREF, a leading financial services organization, to learn more about internship and full-time opportunities.The firm is a leader in helping those in the academic, medical, cultural, governmental and research fields plan for retirement, and life’s other goals.APPLICATION: NACElink

Wells Fargo Securities NYC Women’s SummitFriday, 12/7 at 11:00 AM375 Park AvenueYou're invited to apply to the Wells Fargo Securities NYC Women's Summit - an event for women at Columbia, New York University, University of Pennsylvania & Princeton interested in careers in Investment Banking & Capital Markets and Sales & Trading.APPLICATION: NACElink

DECEMBER AT A GLANCEEvents are listed alphabetically.

Alumnae-to-Student Mentoring ProgramThursday, 12/6 at 6:00 PMDiana Event OvalINFO: NACElink

Athena Summer Fellowship Information SessionsMonday, 12/3 at 12:00 PM Thursday, 1/24 at 5:00 PMBCD Library The Athena Center for Leadership Studies offers ten emerging leaders from Barnard's class of 2014 the opportunity to participate in the Athena Summer Fellowship Program. From 5/28 to 8/2 Fellows participate in self-selected high-level internships, live together at Barnard, and meet weekly to discuss leadership and how to make the most of their internship.APPLICATION: NACElink

Athena Summer Fellowship Program Application DeadlineFriday, 2/1 at 11:59 PM

JOBS (Job Orientation for Barnard Students) SessionWednesday, 1/14 at 12:00 PMTuesday, 1/22 at 2:30 PM Thursday, 1/24 at 11:00 AMMonday, 1/28 at 1:00 PM Thursday, 1/31 at 3:00 PM BCD Seminar RoomPlanning to work? First-time workers at Barnard are encouraged to attend. Students MUST pre-register through NACElink. Please arrive on time to get information on how to enter hours into Timesheet X (our automated timesheet system) and learn how to get your paychecks on time. Remember that J-1 students planning to work while here need to speak first to Rachel Romesburg.INFO: NACElink WINTER RECESS!

Friday, 12/21 to Monday, 1/21