Query of the Week: “How do I get a Federal Job?”
RECIPE: Snickerdoodle Cookies
During the month of September, you’ll meet representatives from Federal agencies with lots of great jobs just designed for people like you – State Department, the CIA and FBI, DEA and DHS, and oh, the IRS. A whole alphabet soup will be offered and you’re probably wondering how to get these jobs and internships.
In my last blog, I talked about worthy goals always having obstacles in their path. A Federal job must be the worthiest since you’ll be forced to climb small mountains in order to secure an appointment. Alums who have ascended swear it’s worth it – and they’re willing to help you. The recruiters will, too, and you already know my door is open.
The rewards of Federal service are many:
· service to your country
· job security
· normal hours for most people
· competitive salaries
· wonderful medical benefits
· generous vacations
· attractive – and early – retirement options
Still, the real reason our MPPs have found Federal jobs irresistible is a factor few think about, looking at the bureaucracy. The work is interesting; even, fascinating – and important.
Not one of our almost sixty grads in Federal employment has ever copped to being bored or feeling like “just a cog in the machine”. Instead, they talk about what a “privilege it is to serve”.
So, how do you get one of these jobs?
This year, the Federal government will hire 127,000 new employees. Getting one can’t be impossible.
Here are your steps:
1. Find the Opening
2. Submit a Competitive Resume
3. Ace the Test
4. Ice the Interview
5. Pass the Clearances
6. PATIENCE!
7. Hit the Ground Running on Day One – and don’t be dismayed if the job you thought you had is different from the one you’ve now got. It will work out.
For today, I’m going to focus on the first two steps, since you’re nowhere without them. That said, take a deep breath and prepare for a process that will try your patience and weaken your will. Keep breathing. Remember the rewards are bountiful.
FINDING THE OPENING
First, create an “agent” on www.USAJOBS.gov.
Some keywords I recommend are:
· California
· Analyst
· Specialist
· “Career Intern” or “FCIP”
· Management
If you’re just starting out, check every week for new openings that are in the GS-07 to GS-09 range, knowing that you’re leaving out hundreds of openings that are not in the government’s standard Civil Service database. Some agencies use a different classification scheme, so check for jobs in the same salary range, roughly mid-forties to high fifties. (Don’t worry, our MPPs move up fast).
Now that you’ve got your agent, about half the jobs – and virtually all the internships – you want will not be posted on USAJOBS. “Gee, thanks” I can hear you mutter. Do not despair.
Team up with your classmates and set one of you to keep track of openings on the agency websites you care about. Scan for jobs that might say “MBA Fellows” or “MPP Fellows” or even, “MPA Fellows” or graduate interns – these are all full-time jobs at competitive salaries with one to two-year terms. They’re the fast-track paths. You WANT these. Watch for them. We’ll post them on EPPIC when we find them, but don’t count on our scans. Find them yourselves.
When you do, file for the job right away. Even if the deadline is a week in the future, Human Resources may decide to stop reviewing after the first hundred applications. You won’t want to miss out.
WRITING THE COMPETITIVE RESUME
There’s a detailed explanation of “how to” in the online EPPIC Document Library, but here are some critical tips:
1) Use the space available to you. These resumes offer you lots of room to write about your accomplishments in each and every relevant experience. Don’t limit yourself to the skeletal bullet points of your standard one-pager, but stick to the word or character limit. Anything longer is truncated.
2) It’s not just about Employment, Internships, Academic Programs and Volunteer Experience count. List not only the jobs for which you were actually paid, but anything that led to your acquiring the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) the job specifies. Although the government is officially phasing out KSA’s as screening tools, the principles still exist in masked form (see below).
3) Those dreaded KSA’s. Here’s what they are:
Knowledge – Factual learning gained either on the job or in school. You may be knowledgeable about Federal regulations in some particular issues area. If it has any relevance, put it in, especially if you are expert.
Skills – These are tools in which you develop proficiency through use, usually languages and technology usage, of some sort.
Abilities – “Soft skills” or things you’re born with that you have developed through experience, such as team-building or leadership, presentation, writing.
In the past, government applications had a section entitled KSA’s in which applicants were asked to answer questions about requisite KSA’s, giving examples of where they had been used. For a variety of reasons, mostly having to do with manpower, this approach was abandoned in favor of computer screening. Now, computers seek out the KSA’s (see below).
4) Keywords in Context (KWIC). Since your resume will first be screened by a computer that crawls through your words looking for specific keywords, make certain every keyword you can truthfully insert is in your resume. It will boost your score. Also, if you have reasonable fluency in a critical language – Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, Pashto, Russian, Korean – put it in. It may not be relevant to this particular job, but you might get bonus points for it. Veterans and ROTC/ National Guard members also get bonus points.
5) Do NOT hit submit until you’re ready. Preparing this resume is a cut-and-paste exercise. Prepare carefully crafted Word snippets just the length you want with all the keywords you need. Copy and paste into the federal application slots. Just keep hitting “Save” as you fill in the form. Before you submit, print it out and review it – and, have your friends and counselors check it over. Never hit “Submit” until you’re happy.
Note that some agencies, including the CIA, only give you 72-hours to start and finish the resume. Make sure you start it on a weekend when you’ll have plenty of time to work on it.
6) Don’t lie – or, omit any important details. This should be obvious, but it catches up even the most honest applicant. On their one-pagers, most people leave out lots of jobs that don’t seem relevant. For the Feds, include every job for which you were paid with an IRS record. One of the first checks the system makes is for non-disclosure. That can get your application tossed. If you’re male, you must have applied for Selective Service. Check the box. If you don’t, your application will be tossed. If you had a traffic ticket you forgot about and it went to warrant, include it. In most cases, the ticket won’t disqualify you; the omission will.
7) CCAR - Challenge, Context, Action, Results. This is all you need to know to boost your scores. Familiarize yourself with both the duties and qualifications sections of the Position Description. Jot down key words. Now, look at each “job” you’ve held and think about how you developed the requisite KSA’s in the qualifications. There are stories here.
Distill those experiences into very short stories of 20 – 50 words that describe the CHALLENGE you faced; the CONTEXT of the challenge – sometimes your job title is enough; the ACTION you took to meet the challenge; and the RESULTS, quantified, where possible.
You’re the hero of this story, of course, but if the job you want calls for teamwork, note your role in the team and how the entire team benefited from your actions. It’s simple.
Now, try a few with your own resume, using this skill and ability for practice:
· Experience with creating content for a website
· Experience dealing with an authority figure or elected official
CCAR’s are very useful tools because you can quickly expand the little stories into interview responses. When you’re in the mood, write lots of CCARs even if they don’t fill the needs of this particular job. It’s good to have a stash so you can swap them out for another application when a new opening pops up.
8) The Personal Statement. Often, this is the last block of space to be filled on a Federal resume. Applicants are rushed for time and they skim over it. Don’t! This could the most important essay you’ll ever write. For most federal jobs, it will be the first thing the reviewer sees because that’s the way it presents to H/R.
The Personal Statement is so important, it warrants its own blog, but I’ll say just a few words here. Use the full number of characters allowed.
Make sure your essay does these three things:
1. States why you’re passionate about doing this particular job for this specific agency
2. Highlights your particular skills that make you an asset for this job
3. Explains why this particular job is crucial to developing you for the career you seek
9) A word About deadlines. They’re getting tighter every week. And, although a date is given, the surge in applications for GS-07 and GS-09 jobs is so high that many agencies stop review after a few hundred applications are received, regardless of deadlines. If you see a job you want, act fast! The way to do this is to …
10) … Store Sample Federal Resumes. Once you develop your first Federal resume and you decide you like it, have a friend and a career counselor, check it over. When you’re happy with it, store it on USAJOBS. You’ll be ready with a solid foundation when the next opportunity comes your way. Often, you’ll only have to swap out a few CCARs and you’re good-to-go.
Whew! Are you still with me? You probably need a break by now. Ready for cookies?
There is nothing more American than snickerdoodles. I love the name, and even though the original derivation is Dutch, these are not like anything you’ll find in Amsterdam. Crispy on the edges and tender in the center with a snap of spice – very American. Enjoy with friends!
SNICKERDOODLES
About 6 dozen cookies
1 ½ cups sugar plus 1/3 cup
¾ cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ¾ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1) Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
2) Whip together butter and 1 ½ cups sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
3) Mix together flour, soda and cream of tartar. Stir into butter mixture. Form into a large ball and chill 30-60 minutes, until firm.
4) Mix the remaining sugar with the cinnamon. Roll pieces of dough into 1” balls and roll them in the sugar mix before dropping them onto ungreased cookie sheets* in rows about 2” apart.
5) Bake 8 to 10 minutes until the edges brown and the center is still puffy. Overcooking results in a crispier cookie.
6) Cool on wire racks and store in airtight containers, up to 2 weeks. They ship well, if you want to send a gift to your favorite troops.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
I'm confused: What should I do with my life?
“Follow Your Grail”.
Recipe: Berry Fool
Saturday, I saw the Broadway export, “Spamalot”, at L.A.'s Ahmanson Theater. It was a crack-up!
Based on the equally funny 1975 film, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”, the modern musical is full of foolish wisdom under the guise of farce. For example - you public policy folk would enjoy a classical political dialectic worthy of inclusion in “Roots of the American Order” between King Arthur and the about-to-be Sir Galahad. Dr. Gordon Lloyd could use these three pages of script as a springboard for a three-hour lecture on rights of the governed.
A few scenes further on, John Cleese as God, commands Arthur and his knights to “find the grail - and get on with it; the people don’t have all night.”
“God be praised,” cries Arthur. “We have a quest!”
Sir Robin cheers, “To the quail!”
“No, no, the grail. The vessel used at the last supper.”
“They had a boat at the last supper? A sort of dinner cruise?”
Galahad interjects, “The grail is a cup.”
Robin sputters, “God the Almighty, all-knowing misplaced a cup?”
Galahad shrugs. “Apparently”.
“Can’t we just buy him another one?” suggests Robin.
Arthur stands and addresses his assembled knights. “Look, it’s not about a missing cup, it’s a metaphor. We must all look within us. That’s where we’ll find the grail.”
So on, they march into “The Very Expensive Forest”, each person seeking his own personal grail. In no time, the knights paths diverge, each seeking his own route to fulfillment.
Behind them, a chorus of Laker girls pops up singing this very good advice:
“Life is really up to you. You must choose what you pursue.
Set your mind on what to find – there’s really nothing you can’t do.”
So in the way of everone, including well-guided public policy students, Arthur and his knights stumble on, encountering perils and occasional humiliations along the way. They wander down dead-ends, and when they do, they get back to their feet, proclaiming, ”I’m not dead yet!”
As long as you’re still alive, pursue the goal that lies within - and only you can know when you find it. Over the course of your life, that grail may lose its luster. That's perfect - it's the way of things. Go, seek another one.
In Spamalot's finale, another foolish bit of wisdom tumbled out of the mouths of Arthur’s hapless knights: “Always look at the bright side of life.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_tgjj4ieQc.
“When you’re feeling in the dumps, don’t be silly chumps. Just purse your lips and whistle – that’s the thing.”
And, smile – you’ll find your path. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? If you're lost or just cruisin', stop by and say “hi”.
The Recipe: Berry Fool
Fools are favorites of mine. They’re like court jesters, wise enough to admit they “simply don’t know the answers”. That's why there's a smiling clown on my wall.
Fools as desserts are delicious – easy to make and loved by all. The recipe originated, at least, in the late Middle Ages, where it was served weekly at Cambridge University. This 21st century version updates the classic with an infusion of creamy white chocolate.
WHITE CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY FOOL
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: Best, prepared in stages
4 cups sliced fresh berries – blackberries, strawberries (your choice)
Sugar, to taste (usually about 1/ 4 cup)
1/ 4 cup cassis or Chambord, optional
1 /2 pint very cold heavy cream
4 ounces white chocolate, melted
1) Mash berries with sugar to taste. If using liqueur, add. Let rest 30 minutes.
2) Whip cream plus 2-3 tablespoons sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in the white chocolate, gently. Stir in the berries, reserving ½ cup for garnish. Be sure to leave pale streaks in the mix for authenticity.
3) Chill for at least one hour before serving.
Recipe: Berry Fool
Saturday, I saw the Broadway export, “Spamalot”, at L.A.'s Ahmanson Theater. It was a crack-up!
Based on the equally funny 1975 film, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”, the modern musical is full of foolish wisdom under the guise of farce. For example - you public policy folk would enjoy a classical political dialectic worthy of inclusion in “Roots of the American Order” between King Arthur and the about-to-be Sir Galahad. Dr. Gordon Lloyd could use these three pages of script as a springboard for a three-hour lecture on rights of the governed.
A few scenes further on, John Cleese as God, commands Arthur and his knights to “find the grail - and get on with it; the people don’t have all night.”
“God be praised,” cries Arthur. “We have a quest!”
Sir Robin cheers, “To the quail!”
“No, no, the grail. The vessel used at the last supper.”
“They had a boat at the last supper? A sort of dinner cruise?”
Galahad interjects, “The grail is a cup.”
Robin sputters, “God the Almighty, all-knowing misplaced a cup?”
Galahad shrugs. “Apparently”.
“Can’t we just buy him another one?” suggests Robin.
Arthur stands and addresses his assembled knights. “Look, it’s not about a missing cup, it’s a metaphor. We must all look within us. That’s where we’ll find the grail.”
So on, they march into “The Very Expensive Forest”, each person seeking his own personal grail. In no time, the knights paths diverge, each seeking his own route to fulfillment.
Behind them, a chorus of Laker girls pops up singing this very good advice:
“Life is really up to you. You must choose what you pursue.
Set your mind on what to find – there’s really nothing you can’t do.”
So in the way of everone, including well-guided public policy students, Arthur and his knights stumble on, encountering perils and occasional humiliations along the way. They wander down dead-ends, and when they do, they get back to their feet, proclaiming, ”I’m not dead yet!”
As long as you’re still alive, pursue the goal that lies within - and only you can know when you find it. Over the course of your life, that grail may lose its luster. That's perfect - it's the way of things. Go, seek another one.
In Spamalot's finale, another foolish bit of wisdom tumbled out of the mouths of Arthur’s hapless knights: “Always look at the bright side of life.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_tgjj4ieQc.
“When you’re feeling in the dumps, don’t be silly chumps. Just purse your lips and whistle – that’s the thing.”
And, smile – you’ll find your path. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? If you're lost or just cruisin', stop by and say “hi”.
The Recipe: Berry Fool
Fools are favorites of mine. They’re like court jesters, wise enough to admit they “simply don’t know the answers”. That's why there's a smiling clown on my wall.
Fools as desserts are delicious – easy to make and loved by all. The recipe originated, at least, in the late Middle Ages, where it was served weekly at Cambridge University. This 21st century version updates the classic with an infusion of creamy white chocolate.
WHITE CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY FOOL
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: Best, prepared in stages
4 cups sliced fresh berries – blackberries, strawberries (your choice)
Sugar, to taste (usually about 1/ 4 cup)
1/ 4 cup cassis or Chambord, optional
1 /2 pint very cold heavy cream
4 ounces white chocolate, melted
1) Mash berries with sugar to taste. If using liqueur, add. Let rest 30 minutes.
2) Whip cream plus 2-3 tablespoons sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in the white chocolate, gently. Stir in the berries, reserving ½ cup for garnish. Be sure to leave pale streaks in the mix for authenticity.
3) Chill for at least one hour before serving.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Hot Query of the Week: “Tell Me All About Internships” - The Top Ten FAQs
Plus a topical recipe: Groundnut Stew (see below)
A student’s internship is the centerpiece of Pepperdine’s two year master’s program in public policy. Every student – without exception – has to do one, and most people choose to take advantage of the four-month break between the first and second year to do an extended internship during the summer. I think of it as a gift the school forces the students to give themselves since there is rarely a time in life that you can try on something completely new. For almost every student, their internship is a wondrous time of transformation. They go places they never imagined being able to visit, let alone work in, countries like Uganda and Rwanda, India and Bangladesh, Bolivia and Azerbaijan. Last summer, students worked in all of these nations and more. Another small group went to Washington DC. Check out the internship blogs at: http://publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/admission/student-blogs/.
When those students returned this week, every single one was charged up, passionate about pursuing their careers in public policy. They’ll be recounting their experiences at the Mixer Wednesday night, September 2nd, so get ready for a fun evening.
Every year, there are a few – very few – who made an unwise choice for themselves and picked an imperfect fit. That’s okay. Truly. In fact, you might think of it as GREAT news! Only with an internship can you take a job, work awhile, and if it doesn’t work out, walk away. No harm; no foul. No hole on your resume. No failure to excuse. The internship disappears.
Here’s more good news about a bad internship. While you were working – wishing you were elsewhere – you learned some crucial truths about yourself: what you like to do and what you don’t. Next time, you’ll make a better choice.
Here, in Career Services, we work hard to help you make smart choices the first time out. We study your resume and your interest sheets, meet with you to really get to know you – how you work and how you like to work with others. We offer personality assessments and suggest career paths that might suit your personality and interaction style preferences. Where appropriate, we pair you with a student or alumni mentor who can help guide you to getting (and keeping) the job you want. And, as soon as we’re confident we know where your interests lie, we’ll shoot you email notices when there are openings that might appeal to you.
Every week or so, we have recruiters and alumni panels on campus showcasing career options. This week, Ed Kulakowski will be here from the State Department and, on Monday, recruiters will be here from the CIA and FBI.
Check out the four hundred internship organizations listed on the school’s database and browse prior year students’ comments about working in two hundred of them.
New postings are added daily to the EPPIC database, so watch for news and announcements. You can even check for jobs posted by Pepperdine’s Seaver College and Graduate School of Education and Psychology. The Business and Law Schools have separate proprietary systems.
So, take a breath – if you’re a new student, you needn’t do anything yet – relax and begin to dream.
Because there are always a few questions everybody asks, here are:
The Top Ten FAQ’s about Internships at Pepperdine SPP:
1) What are the requirements?
Every student in Pepperdine’s two-year Master of Public Policy program is required to do a minimum of 240 hours of professional-level work in policy formulation, assessment or execution – anywhere in the world. At least, anywhere that is not on the State Department’s Travel Watch list. That internship must be for a single employer – or, for certain international projects, on a single project with no more than two organizations and a single supervisor who can evaluate your work.
2) Is this just a summer thing? When should I do it?
You can do the internship at any time. In fact, more than half our students do two, and most students far exceed the 240-hour minimum on their primary internship. That said, we strongly suggest that you take the first semester to focus on your schoolwork. There is a lot of reading and at least some of the material will be very new to you, regardless of background. After that, many students arrange their electives to allow them two full days on the day in an LA-based internship.
3) Can I work for a corporation?
Sure. The only restriction is that the work must be public policy. Virtually every corporation has public policy issues to grapple with – regulatory affairs, taxation, permitting, foundations and community affairs, lobbying and government affairs, public service announcements, trade, international currency exchange, and a whole host of other activities that come under the purview of public policy. If you have any questions as to whether your proposed job is appropriate, simply stop by and ask.
4) I’ve already completed (name the number) public policy internships. Why do I have to do yours?
The purpose of the Pepperdine internship is for you to apply what you’ve learned at a professional level in a field you propose to work. Before you came here, you did not have the knowledge or skills you’re attaining. Isn’t that why you’re here? Remember, the internship is a gift; not a punishment. Enjoy the opportunity to explore new options or to build your abilities in the same organizations you worked before. You’ll find you do things better.
5) Where can I go?
Anywhere in the world that is not on the State Department Watch List. The university wants you to be safe – and does not want to incur any liability that might accrue is you went to a “hot spot”. If you have any question about a target country, here’s the link to the list: http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html.
6) Do you give me one? If not, how do I find one?
No – we are not a placement service. That said, we are in frequent contact with hiring authorities at the many organizations that regularly hire our students. We post their notices on EPPIC and I’ll alert you if you appear to be an exceptional fit for the position. Securing the job is always up to you.
In addition, employers visit campus to talk about jobs and internships that might interest you. Attend these sessions, even if you think you’re not interested. You’d be surprised at what these large employers actually do, and how you might fit in.
Alumni and second year students are great resources. Ask for help and introductions, but be discreet. You can overdo it if you’re not judicious.
Finally, dozens of openings for jobs and internships are posted every week on EPPIC, the Career Services portal. Check at least weekly because many employers cut off review after the first hundred applications, regardless of stated deadline. Remember I said, “Carpe Diem” during Orientation.
7) I’m interested in international affairs, what kind of work can I do in Los Angeles?
This is an interesting question for several reasons. First, you’re here and the school is here and L.A. is a huge, complex international area with 12 million people and a $698 billion economy. That’s larger than most countries.
Of course, if you’re truly interested in international relations, make your summer internship an overseas one, but when you come back, keep working. You can volunteer at an LA-based foreign consulate or at one of the State Department’s local offices. Consider interning for the Mayor of Los Angeles. With a hugely diverse constituency and trade, a big part of the economy, Mayor Villaraigosa has his own foreign policy, handled by the Protocol Office. Check out the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Or, take a look at the Department of Commerce International Trade Agency. Print and broadcast media news organizations. Corporations. International non-profits. The World Affairs Council. LA-based think tanks. You can learn a tremendous amount about the world working right here in L.A.
8) Are internships paid? Or, do I have to pay for it?
Until this year, about half our students’ internships were paid, but that number dropped drastically when the economy fell. Still, about a third of the LA-based employers pay modest hourly wages or stipends. Virtually no international internships are paid.
Students pay the university nothing – zip, zero – for the internship. It is a required, zero-unit course that is graded pass/not-pass. The reason we gave it zero units was to keep fees lower in recognition of the fact that internships typically cost the student something, at least in housing and travel. Students who invest in international internships universally report it “was worth it”. This is especially true for students seeking international jobs. That in-country work experience is an essential asset on their resume.
9) Are there internship fellowships?
In recent years, the school has been fortunate to be able to offer a few internship fellowships. These fellowships are competitive with awards based on merit – a combination of GPA, essay, quality of the program proposed and faculty recommendations or references. At this point, there is no way of knowing was next summer’s funding will be. It could be nothing. We will try to make it happen, but don’t count on it.
10) From foreign students: The employer pays for this internship but it’s not legal for me to work in the US. Can I get paid?
Yes. During your two years with us, all foreign students are eligible for payment under a Federal program called Optional Practical Training (OPT). Your internship is a requisite part of your degree, so the US Government has ceded you the right to be paid while you work. The internship and the OPT must be pre-approved. Check with Judy Lee in International Student Services for details and paperwork: judy.lee@pepperdine.edu or (310) 506-4246.
The Recipe: Groundnut Stew
What do you eat when you’re interning in Africa? If you read their blogs, you’d think sub-Saharan Africa was an outpost of the Valley since Mike Belina’s stories were replete with burgers, pizza and Coke. Not so, in my experience. Sure, you can get a Coke and, as Mike pointed out, they’re pretty good made with cane sugar instead of the US recipe with corn syrup. It’s a safe drink, too, as long as your skip the ice.
HOWEVER, very few Rwandans, Ugandans or Kenyans eat cow – all that cattle is a sign of wealth and you wouldn’t cull the herd for supper. What most east Africans eat most often is some form of braised vegetables, almost always with squash and plantains, or bananas. Some like it mild; some like it spicy; but everybody likes it.
Here’s a version I tried out on my book club a month or so ago after we read Dave Eggers’ chilling fictionalized memoir of the Lost Boys of Sudan: “What is the What?”. If you care about Africa and what to understand it better, read the book. It’s a profound “read”.
GROUNDNUT STEW
Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40-50 minutes
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 chicken, cut in pieces
1 cup chicken broth (optional)
1 onion, chopped
4 sliced zucchinis (or 1 cup squash of your choosing)
1 small can crushed tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Pinch cayenne (or more, to taste)
1 teaspoon ground ginger and/or pinch coriander
3/ 4 cup peanut butter (I prefer creamy)
1 10-ounce package frozen okra
1) In a heavy Dutch oven or casserole, brown chicken in 1 tablespoon oil. Add salt and pepper. Add broth or 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and simmer.
2) In a frying pan, brown onions and squash and any other fresh vegetables in remaining oil. Add onions, spices and peanut butter with a splash of liquid. Stir to mix. Add to the Dutch oven. When it returns to a simmer, season to taste, adding garlic, herbs, raisins or whatever inspires you.
3) When the chicken is cooked through, add the okra and cook until the vegetables are firm but hot.
4) Serve over rice with condiments of your choice: chutney, chopped tropical fruits, nuts, hard boiled eggs.
Plus a topical recipe: Groundnut Stew (see below)
A student’s internship is the centerpiece of Pepperdine’s two year master’s program in public policy. Every student – without exception – has to do one, and most people choose to take advantage of the four-month break between the first and second year to do an extended internship during the summer. I think of it as a gift the school forces the students to give themselves since there is rarely a time in life that you can try on something completely new. For almost every student, their internship is a wondrous time of transformation. They go places they never imagined being able to visit, let alone work in, countries like Uganda and Rwanda, India and Bangladesh, Bolivia and Azerbaijan. Last summer, students worked in all of these nations and more. Another small group went to Washington DC. Check out the internship blogs at: http://publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/admission/student-blogs/.
When those students returned this week, every single one was charged up, passionate about pursuing their careers in public policy. They’ll be recounting their experiences at the Mixer Wednesday night, September 2nd, so get ready for a fun evening.
Every year, there are a few – very few – who made an unwise choice for themselves and picked an imperfect fit. That’s okay. Truly. In fact, you might think of it as GREAT news! Only with an internship can you take a job, work awhile, and if it doesn’t work out, walk away. No harm; no foul. No hole on your resume. No failure to excuse. The internship disappears.
Here’s more good news about a bad internship. While you were working – wishing you were elsewhere – you learned some crucial truths about yourself: what you like to do and what you don’t. Next time, you’ll make a better choice.
Here, in Career Services, we work hard to help you make smart choices the first time out. We study your resume and your interest sheets, meet with you to really get to know you – how you work and how you like to work with others. We offer personality assessments and suggest career paths that might suit your personality and interaction style preferences. Where appropriate, we pair you with a student or alumni mentor who can help guide you to getting (and keeping) the job you want. And, as soon as we’re confident we know where your interests lie, we’ll shoot you email notices when there are openings that might appeal to you.
Every week or so, we have recruiters and alumni panels on campus showcasing career options. This week, Ed Kulakowski will be here from the State Department and, on Monday, recruiters will be here from the CIA and FBI.
Check out the four hundred internship organizations listed on the school’s database and browse prior year students’ comments about working in two hundred of them.
New postings are added daily to the EPPIC database, so watch for news and announcements. You can even check for jobs posted by Pepperdine’s Seaver College and Graduate School of Education and Psychology. The Business and Law Schools have separate proprietary systems.
So, take a breath – if you’re a new student, you needn’t do anything yet – relax and begin to dream.
Because there are always a few questions everybody asks, here are:
The Top Ten FAQ’s about Internships at Pepperdine SPP:
1) What are the requirements?
Every student in Pepperdine’s two-year Master of Public Policy program is required to do a minimum of 240 hours of professional-level work in policy formulation, assessment or execution – anywhere in the world. At least, anywhere that is not on the State Department’s Travel Watch list. That internship must be for a single employer – or, for certain international projects, on a single project with no more than two organizations and a single supervisor who can evaluate your work.
2) Is this just a summer thing? When should I do it?
You can do the internship at any time. In fact, more than half our students do two, and most students far exceed the 240-hour minimum on their primary internship. That said, we strongly suggest that you take the first semester to focus on your schoolwork. There is a lot of reading and at least some of the material will be very new to you, regardless of background. After that, many students arrange their electives to allow them two full days on the day in an LA-based internship.
3) Can I work for a corporation?
Sure. The only restriction is that the work must be public policy. Virtually every corporation has public policy issues to grapple with – regulatory affairs, taxation, permitting, foundations and community affairs, lobbying and government affairs, public service announcements, trade, international currency exchange, and a whole host of other activities that come under the purview of public policy. If you have any questions as to whether your proposed job is appropriate, simply stop by and ask.
4) I’ve already completed (name the number) public policy internships. Why do I have to do yours?
The purpose of the Pepperdine internship is for you to apply what you’ve learned at a professional level in a field you propose to work. Before you came here, you did not have the knowledge or skills you’re attaining. Isn’t that why you’re here? Remember, the internship is a gift; not a punishment. Enjoy the opportunity to explore new options or to build your abilities in the same organizations you worked before. You’ll find you do things better.
5) Where can I go?
Anywhere in the world that is not on the State Department Watch List. The university wants you to be safe – and does not want to incur any liability that might accrue is you went to a “hot spot”. If you have any question about a target country, here’s the link to the list: http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html.
6) Do you give me one? If not, how do I find one?
No – we are not a placement service. That said, we are in frequent contact with hiring authorities at the many organizations that regularly hire our students. We post their notices on EPPIC and I’ll alert you if you appear to be an exceptional fit for the position. Securing the job is always up to you.
In addition, employers visit campus to talk about jobs and internships that might interest you. Attend these sessions, even if you think you’re not interested. You’d be surprised at what these large employers actually do, and how you might fit in.
Alumni and second year students are great resources. Ask for help and introductions, but be discreet. You can overdo it if you’re not judicious.
Finally, dozens of openings for jobs and internships are posted every week on EPPIC, the Career Services portal. Check at least weekly because many employers cut off review after the first hundred applications, regardless of stated deadline. Remember I said, “Carpe Diem” during Orientation.
7) I’m interested in international affairs, what kind of work can I do in Los Angeles?
This is an interesting question for several reasons. First, you’re here and the school is here and L.A. is a huge, complex international area with 12 million people and a $698 billion economy. That’s larger than most countries.
Of course, if you’re truly interested in international relations, make your summer internship an overseas one, but when you come back, keep working. You can volunteer at an LA-based foreign consulate or at one of the State Department’s local offices. Consider interning for the Mayor of Los Angeles. With a hugely diverse constituency and trade, a big part of the economy, Mayor Villaraigosa has his own foreign policy, handled by the Protocol Office. Check out the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Or, take a look at the Department of Commerce International Trade Agency. Print and broadcast media news organizations. Corporations. International non-profits. The World Affairs Council. LA-based think tanks. You can learn a tremendous amount about the world working right here in L.A.
8) Are internships paid? Or, do I have to pay for it?
Until this year, about half our students’ internships were paid, but that number dropped drastically when the economy fell. Still, about a third of the LA-based employers pay modest hourly wages or stipends. Virtually no international internships are paid.
Students pay the university nothing – zip, zero – for the internship. It is a required, zero-unit course that is graded pass/not-pass. The reason we gave it zero units was to keep fees lower in recognition of the fact that internships typically cost the student something, at least in housing and travel. Students who invest in international internships universally report it “was worth it”. This is especially true for students seeking international jobs. That in-country work experience is an essential asset on their resume.
9) Are there internship fellowships?
In recent years, the school has been fortunate to be able to offer a few internship fellowships. These fellowships are competitive with awards based on merit – a combination of GPA, essay, quality of the program proposed and faculty recommendations or references. At this point, there is no way of knowing was next summer’s funding will be. It could be nothing. We will try to make it happen, but don’t count on it.
10) From foreign students: The employer pays for this internship but it’s not legal for me to work in the US. Can I get paid?
Yes. During your two years with us, all foreign students are eligible for payment under a Federal program called Optional Practical Training (OPT). Your internship is a requisite part of your degree, so the US Government has ceded you the right to be paid while you work. The internship and the OPT must be pre-approved. Check with Judy Lee in International Student Services for details and paperwork: judy.lee@pepperdine.edu or (310) 506-4246.
The Recipe: Groundnut Stew
What do you eat when you’re interning in Africa? If you read their blogs, you’d think sub-Saharan Africa was an outpost of the Valley since Mike Belina’s stories were replete with burgers, pizza and Coke. Not so, in my experience. Sure, you can get a Coke and, as Mike pointed out, they’re pretty good made with cane sugar instead of the US recipe with corn syrup. It’s a safe drink, too, as long as your skip the ice.
HOWEVER, very few Rwandans, Ugandans or Kenyans eat cow – all that cattle is a sign of wealth and you wouldn’t cull the herd for supper. What most east Africans eat most often is some form of braised vegetables, almost always with squash and plantains, or bananas. Some like it mild; some like it spicy; but everybody likes it.
Here’s a version I tried out on my book club a month or so ago after we read Dave Eggers’ chilling fictionalized memoir of the Lost Boys of Sudan: “What is the What?”. If you care about Africa and what to understand it better, read the book. It’s a profound “read”.
GROUNDNUT STEW
Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40-50 minutes
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 chicken, cut in pieces
1 cup chicken broth (optional)
1 onion, chopped
4 sliced zucchinis (or 1 cup squash of your choosing)
1 small can crushed tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Pinch cayenne (or more, to taste)
1 teaspoon ground ginger and/or pinch coriander
3/ 4 cup peanut butter (I prefer creamy)
1 10-ounce package frozen okra
1) In a heavy Dutch oven or casserole, brown chicken in 1 tablespoon oil. Add salt and pepper. Add broth or 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and simmer.
2) In a frying pan, brown onions and squash and any other fresh vegetables in remaining oil. Add onions, spices and peanut butter with a splash of liquid. Stir to mix. Add to the Dutch oven. When it returns to a simmer, season to taste, adding garlic, herbs, raisins or whatever inspires you.
3) When the chicken is cooked through, add the okra and cook until the vegetables are firm but hot.
4) Serve over rice with condiments of your choice: chutney, chopped tropical fruits, nuts, hard boiled eggs.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
What do you do with a degree in Public Policy?
Hello from the Career Center –
This summer the School of Public Policy blasted into the blogosphere with eight student internship sites. Those blogs were a great trip into the universe of policy jobs, so this fall, I’ve grabbed a tail fin to hitch a ride into cyberspace.
Every day, students, prospective students and their parents, and even alums, stop by to ask questions. Often, they can be answered with a quick factual outline of what we do and how we do it. More often, and especially recently since the dawn of the great recession, they tend to be philosophical – the queries of searchers. Either way, I find myself repeating myself.
Once I had a parrot, a beautiful blue-and-gold macaw that I loved very much: Cracker Jack, or CJ; and that big bird was devoted to me. He keyed into everything I said, and if I spoke with some emotion – any emotion, at all – I could watch him store the sound and process it in his mind. He’d perch on my shoulder, round, grey eyes dilating and contracting quickly, like quivers in the wrinkled folds that surrounded them. When CJ was pretty sure he had it right, he’d stretch out his brilliantly colored wings and hop to a fresh perch to face me. When he was certain he had my attention, he’d squawk out the phrase in perfect pitch.
“Bad dog!” he’d snap. The sound mimicked my voice so well, the puppy would shoot under the couch, tail tucked tight between her legs.
Sometimes when I answer a student’s question, I see them processing my words with the same concentration CJ gave to expanding his vocabulary. Since students can read, wouldn’t print be a better way for them to assimilate ideas that require this kind of reflection?
So, let’s experiment. Every week, I’ll pick one or two of the oft-asked questions to answer in my blog. That means that you, dear reader, must continue to feed me questions, in person or online. I’m amenable to almost anything, including a request for my legendary chocolate chip cookie recipe. In turn, I promise to feed you food for thought – and I’ll toss in recipes to stoke the fires that fuel your study. Dorm munchies and food to share.
For starters, I’ll answer the most fundamental question first:
What (on earth) do you do with an MPP?
My quick quip is, “Anything you want”.
But, that’s too easy. True, an MPP is the gorilla of graduate degrees since it prepares the alum for virtually any profession that requires ethics and critical thinking, but my off-the-cuff answer is facile. A better approach might be to compare and contrast an MPP with the more familiar MBA.
Both teach essential skills for management – assessing situations and devising optimal solutions; leadership. Courses like Research Methods and Statistics, Finance and Economics, Strategic Negotiation, Business Writing and Presenting are all critical to success in the real world. But the MPP diverges from the MBA in its view of the world. The MBA is narrow, focusing on winning what is essentially a zero-sum game. MBA students learn to beat the competition through concepts like differentiation, unique selling points, SWOT analyses. A good MBA always eyes the bottom-line while grabbing for another point or two of market share.
An MPP is different, a little broader. Public policy examines the complete spectrum of constituencies affected by an issue, looking for an optimal, equitable balance between competing interests. In Platonic terms, an MPP seeks the “public good”.
So, here at Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy, and at a dozen other institutions like ours, students develop the critical thinking skills that enable them to shape, understand and sustain a balanced worldview. We bring together an exceptionally diverse group of students and immerse them in the crucible of highly-interactive seminars where each is challenged to discover his or her own understanding of public good. And, then, we send them into the real world as leaders in public service.
When I look at what our alumni do, they truly do anything. Here’s an example of how broad the choices are:
Professor of Economics Aerospace Executive
Speechwriter at the White House International Elections Monitor
FBI Special Agent CIA Analyst
City Planner Construction Executive
Children’s Education Advocate Oil Industry Energy Analyst
Director of HIV/AIDS Clinics Director at the CDC
Provincial Reconstruction Specialist in Iraqi governance
Program Manager – New Orleans Redevelopment Agency
Starting in two weeks, the alumni will have their own blogspace so you can read what Life is like after the MPP.
If you’re just starting on this journey, Carpe Diem! Seize the day! There will be so many wonderful opportunities open to you; your greatest challenge will be to choose.
A trademark of my writing has long been that I include a time-tested recipe with my essays.
This week, I’m honoring my big old bird with homemade Cracker Jacks. They’re easy – and much tastier than the packaged kind.
Home-made “Cracker Jacks” (serves 4)
4 quarts popcorn, popped
1 cup salted Spanish peanuts (or pecans, macadamias)
1/ 2 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/ 2 cup light corn syrup
1/ 2 teaspoon baking soda
1/ 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 250-degrees.
2. Toss peanuts and popcorn together in a big metal bowl and pop in the oven.
3. Combine the butter, syrup and sugar in a heavy saucepan and heat over medium heat until it boils. Cook, STIRRING, until the mixture is thick and coats a wooden spoon. Don’t let it burn. (20 minutes)
4. Stir in the baking soda quickly. (Skipping this step just makes it stickier.)
5. Drizzle the caramel onto the popcorn mixture, tossing it lightly to coat.
6. Return to the oven for 15 minutes, stirring gently every 5 minutes.
7. Cool slightly on wax paper. Store in an air-tight can for up to a week.
This summer the School of Public Policy blasted into the blogosphere with eight student internship sites. Those blogs were a great trip into the universe of policy jobs, so this fall, I’ve grabbed a tail fin to hitch a ride into cyberspace.
Every day, students, prospective students and their parents, and even alums, stop by to ask questions. Often, they can be answered with a quick factual outline of what we do and how we do it. More often, and especially recently since the dawn of the great recession, they tend to be philosophical – the queries of searchers. Either way, I find myself repeating myself.
Once I had a parrot, a beautiful blue-and-gold macaw that I loved very much: Cracker Jack, or CJ; and that big bird was devoted to me. He keyed into everything I said, and if I spoke with some emotion – any emotion, at all – I could watch him store the sound and process it in his mind. He’d perch on my shoulder, round, grey eyes dilating and contracting quickly, like quivers in the wrinkled folds that surrounded them. When CJ was pretty sure he had it right, he’d stretch out his brilliantly colored wings and hop to a fresh perch to face me. When he was certain he had my attention, he’d squawk out the phrase in perfect pitch.
“Bad dog!” he’d snap. The sound mimicked my voice so well, the puppy would shoot under the couch, tail tucked tight between her legs.
Sometimes when I answer a student’s question, I see them processing my words with the same concentration CJ gave to expanding his vocabulary. Since students can read, wouldn’t print be a better way for them to assimilate ideas that require this kind of reflection?
So, let’s experiment. Every week, I’ll pick one or two of the oft-asked questions to answer in my blog. That means that you, dear reader, must continue to feed me questions, in person or online. I’m amenable to almost anything, including a request for my legendary chocolate chip cookie recipe. In turn, I promise to feed you food for thought – and I’ll toss in recipes to stoke the fires that fuel your study. Dorm munchies and food to share.
For starters, I’ll answer the most fundamental question first:
What (on earth) do you do with an MPP?
My quick quip is, “Anything you want”.
But, that’s too easy. True, an MPP is the gorilla of graduate degrees since it prepares the alum for virtually any profession that requires ethics and critical thinking, but my off-the-cuff answer is facile. A better approach might be to compare and contrast an MPP with the more familiar MBA.
Both teach essential skills for management – assessing situations and devising optimal solutions; leadership. Courses like Research Methods and Statistics, Finance and Economics, Strategic Negotiation, Business Writing and Presenting are all critical to success in the real world. But the MPP diverges from the MBA in its view of the world. The MBA is narrow, focusing on winning what is essentially a zero-sum game. MBA students learn to beat the competition through concepts like differentiation, unique selling points, SWOT analyses. A good MBA always eyes the bottom-line while grabbing for another point or two of market share.
An MPP is different, a little broader. Public policy examines the complete spectrum of constituencies affected by an issue, looking for an optimal, equitable balance between competing interests. In Platonic terms, an MPP seeks the “public good”.
So, here at Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy, and at a dozen other institutions like ours, students develop the critical thinking skills that enable them to shape, understand and sustain a balanced worldview. We bring together an exceptionally diverse group of students and immerse them in the crucible of highly-interactive seminars where each is challenged to discover his or her own understanding of public good. And, then, we send them into the real world as leaders in public service.
When I look at what our alumni do, they truly do anything. Here’s an example of how broad the choices are:
Professor of Economics Aerospace Executive
Speechwriter at the White House International Elections Monitor
FBI Special Agent CIA Analyst
City Planner Construction Executive
Children’s Education Advocate Oil Industry Energy Analyst
Director of HIV/AIDS Clinics Director at the CDC
Provincial Reconstruction Specialist in Iraqi governance
Program Manager – New Orleans Redevelopment Agency
Starting in two weeks, the alumni will have their own blogspace so you can read what Life is like after the MPP.
If you’re just starting on this journey, Carpe Diem! Seize the day! There will be so many wonderful opportunities open to you; your greatest challenge will be to choose.
A trademark of my writing has long been that I include a time-tested recipe with my essays.
This week, I’m honoring my big old bird with homemade Cracker Jacks. They’re easy – and much tastier than the packaged kind.
Home-made “Cracker Jacks” (serves 4)
4 quarts popcorn, popped
1 cup salted Spanish peanuts (or pecans, macadamias)
1/ 2 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/ 2 cup light corn syrup
1/ 2 teaspoon baking soda
1/ 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 250-degrees.
2. Toss peanuts and popcorn together in a big metal bowl and pop in the oven.
3. Combine the butter, syrup and sugar in a heavy saucepan and heat over medium heat until it boils. Cook, STIRRING, until the mixture is thick and coats a wooden spoon. Don’t let it burn. (20 minutes)
4. Stir in the baking soda quickly. (Skipping this step just makes it stickier.)
5. Drizzle the caramel onto the popcorn mixture, tossing it lightly to coat.
6. Return to the oven for 15 minutes, stirring gently every 5 minutes.
7. Cool slightly on wax paper. Store in an air-tight can for up to a week.
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