Alumni Panel on PostGraduate Life by Addy Camisa '21
In early April, RMI was fortunate to welcome back five program alums to discuss aspects of their postgraduate life with questions sent in by younger members of the institute. Members of the young alumni panel included Angelina Hazzouri, Katie Kelley, Lyssa Urrutia, Anelly Allmen and Olivia Kem, all of which graduated in Santa Clara University’s Class of 2020. All individuals offered a unique perspective to life after college and careers in retail, bringing knowledge from various industries.
What have you learned from RMI that has helped you in your career?
What do you think are the best ways to secure a job post-graduation?
How has working from home and the pandemic affected your work life balance?
Kem recommends being open to connections anytime, in and out of RMI, because you never know when you will meet people Hazzouri states that you would be surprised how often you will come across fellow RMI alumni in your career; it is always beneficial to check LinkedIn for RMI alumni at a company you are interested in
Kelley suggests reaching out to individuals you think have an interesting job, even if their company does not have any openings Urrutia reminds students the importance of remaining open to opportunities because your first job may not be your forever job Hazzouri encourages students to be mindful of not stressing out too much, given the unusual world we are living in
Allmen emphasizes setting a strict schedule for yourself early on in order have a separation of work and outside life; she also encourages students to be honest with your team with how much work you have because they cannot necessarily tell behind a screen Kem states that it is good to teach people how you want to be treated early on and what they can expect from you, especially at after-work hours
What challenges have you experienced in the early stages of your career?
How can one find a mentor?
Kem has found that the technical side of parts of the business like their wide range of acronyms can make you feel overwhelmed initially, but you will learn just like everyone else has Hazzouri suggests asking coworkers to have zoom meet and greets to combat the difficulties of getting to know people working from home Kelley emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries for yourself for your mental health
Kem suggests that rotational programs like the one she is currently in is valuable because of the built-in mentors it provides Urrutia suggests setting up meetings with people you connect with on projects to develop those relationships and keep in touch
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