Category: Internships

Such a ‘Bler: IGNITION – FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS

Such a ‘Bler: IGNITION – FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS

I attended my first theatre festival! 

Ignition is an annual new plays festival hosted by Victory Gardens, one of the many extraordinary theatres in Chicago. Victory Gardens is a short walk off of the Fullerton Redline stop and that was where the festival was hosted this year.  

The festival originally began to showcase work by women. Immerging playwrights would submit their pieces and the theatre would curate the selection and then proceed to work with the playwrights who get chosen to craft debut readings at the festival. Throughout the years, it has branched out to celebrating works by other artists including coloured artists, young artists and artists of the LGBTQ+ community as well. I think it’s so wonderful, because it gives new artists the rare opportunity to be discovered by one of the biggest theatres in one of the biggest theatre cities in the world. One of the playwrights this year was even an intern at Victory Gardens just last year. The variety of the showcase really proves that greatness can come from anywhere at any time. I hope I am just as lucky. 

Throughout all the readings, I couldn’t sit still in my seat. This was partly because of the masterpieces being displayed and partly because I was just so proud to be a witness of their blossom. Ignition chose to focus on plays in process in year, which means the plays are not yet done and the readings were of the draft that the playwrights are currently at with the story. Frankly I don’t know how they could get any better, but this also taught me that things can only get better. I often leave my pieces when I think I’m done and choose to not look back with the belief that they can only be as good as they are right then. Perhaps, I should take another look. 

My favourite piece of the entire festival was a play called Tasters by Meghan Brown, which follows three women on their journey of being tasters for food served to the kings of different lands to make sure no poison was being served in the palaces. The reading was directed by my playwriting professor, Devon De Mayo (I KNOW RIGHT SMALL WORLD) and it was a match made in heaven. I had met Devon before the festival but couldn’t find her after the reading. With all my courage, I went up to Meghan on my own after the playwrights’ panel on the last day of the festival and introduced myself. I offered to buy her coffee but unfortunately, she was flying back to California right after the last reading that afternoon. She did however say we could Zoom video call because she loves chatting with students and fellow writers, so I’m super excited for that. She is a screenwriter and playwright based in LA and I hope to learn lots from her because that is the path that I hope to embark on myself. 

I also perked up the courage to shake hands with Victory Garden’s Artistic Director, whom would hopefully be my boss in the near future. I am particularly proud because I went up on my own (after not being able to locate my professor after all the readings.) This isn’t out of the ordinary of me but I will say that my eagerness to introduce myself was sparked even more by the passionate environment. I would absolutely be honored to work alongside the people I met that weekend, and contribute to the ever impressive flame. 

Truly, ignited. 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS! 

HERE’S THE SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST: 

Such a ‘Bler: VOLTA CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

Such a ‘Bler: VOLTA CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

One perk about being a summer intern at a performing arts company: performance comp tickets! And so I had brunch and saw the circus one Sunday. And I remembered.  
 
I am quite upfront with you all and do talk a lot about my brain. However, I don’t actually talk about how the introverted side of my brain peakabooed during my first two years of university (probably mainly because it scares me, but it did happen.) But it’s okay. Although (luckily) not everyone experiences it, it’s normal. And that’s why I am here to tell you about my experience and where I’m at as a rising junior. 
 
A fellow artistic intern and I went to see Volta – Cirque Du Soleil. I thought something was wrong with me or i was doing something wrong but the more I practice opening myself up again, the more I realize how much my environment affected my interests for interaction. But in those moments, I was surrounded by a kaleidoscope of spins and wonder. I witnessed passion and curiosity as those before me explored the infinite creativity found in the space around them, and the bravery of experimentation and taking a chance. Leap after leap, I felt my heart drum the walls of my fears down. 

Towards the show’s finale, I found myself watching the crowd more than the performers and I felt this warm buzz I adore. I remembered that: 
– I love it when a group of people come together for a specific purpose  
– I love it when people are excited, celebratory and supportive 
– I love people 

Being away from home, and in a new environment has both its ups and downs. I definitely found more ups but I will never deny that I was not always able to see all of the good parts of what university has to offer. And sometimes all it takes for you to remember is to go out and explore something new. That day I saw the circus live for the first time, and I realized that there was no use in just sitting with my sadness for too long. I need to take time for myself, but I also need to keep in mind that I am here to experience. And experience I will. 

Chicago is one of the best cities for your undergrad years. It has both the hustle of downtown streets and the quiet of a college town. And you never know where you’ll find what you’re looking for, or where you misplaced your inspiration. Sometimes it’s under a striped tent! 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS! 

HERE’S THE SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST: 

Such a ‘Bler: Internship Orientation

Such a ‘Bler: Internship Orientation

Say hello to the official Summer 2019 Artistic Administration/Dramaturgy Summer Intern of Lookingglass Theatre Company (I am screaming this!)  

First order of business: Orientation.   

It was strange because I initially thought I would be working at the theatre. Well, I still am, but little did I know, Google Maps would take me to the John Hancock on my first day. The Lookingglass Theatre can be found in the Chicago Water Tower, often mistaken for the shopping center Water Tower Place. And the Lookingglass administrative offices are in the John Hancock, located only a few steps away from the Lookingglass Theatre.  

Lookingglass Theatre is a Tony Award winning, non-profit theatre company founded in 1988 by Northwestern graduates. One of them is actually a very familiar face – David Schwimmer, or some of you may know him as Ross from the TV series Friends. Lookingglass operates along three core values: collaboration, transformation and invention. And I feel very lucky to get the chance to learn all about them. 

More of Lookingglass: https://lookingglasstheatre.org/ 

All the way on the 13th floor of the John Hancock, I found the home of my theatrical adventures for the next three months. I was given an official desk, which had already been decorated with fairy lights (wow!) On the first day, I was given a tour of the office space as well as the costume shop and the said theatre a few streets away. I met the heads of each department and got to discuss a working schedule that would best suit my summer working experience. The coordinator of my department unfortunately recently left for grad school so there were some bugs to work around but I was ready to begin. 

More snapshots to come. Happy (working) summer, ‘blers! 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS! 

HERE’S THE SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST: 

Such a ‘Bler: Summer in the City

Such a ‘Bler: Summer in the City

Hi there, it’s my first Chicago summer! 

I’ve successfully secured an Artistic Administration/Dramaturgy internship at Lookingglass Theatre for the next three months, an apartment for junior year and am beyond ecstatic to continue sharing my Loyola lens with you. It took some time but since orientation, I’ve been told that I NEED to spend at least one summer in the city. Without the chills and snow, Chicago is a completely different scene. Towards the end of sophomore year, I already spotted tulips blooming everywhere! More importantly, despite living right next to it, I’ve only gone to the beach twice in my two years at Loyola. And that is unacceptable. 

There’s a huge line up of summer events as well, including the Chicago Blues Festival, Lollapalooza, Chicago Food Truck Festival, Chapter II of the WNDR Museum, Volta Cirque Du Soleil, Les Miserable’s Chicago showtimes and Pride Fest! (Honestly, you yourself should spend a summer in the Chicago!!!!!) 

I compiled my list from the links below. Make your own list and make this summer the best yet! And if you’re away, you can still get to see plenty of action through my upcoming blogs right here. I can’t promise that I will be attending every single event, but I am on a mission to experience as many as I can. Who knows when my next summer here will be? 

  1. https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/reich/ct-ent-fest-schedule-1030-story.html?fbclid=IwAR2sMYdLI_Rc4D1Jzbp6ljSpEYimrLtJP3YRifKg4m0Udo59iAZv3REypbw 
  1. https://www.facebook.com/events/565127213958979/ 

I also plan to do a lot of throwbacks to sophomore year. I know I disappeared for a while, but a lot of exciting things still greeted me in the last few months and I still want to share them with you. For instance, MY HAIR IS PINK! WHAT?????? 

Speak soon. Happy Summer! 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS! 

HERE’S THE SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST: 

What Makes a Good Resume: 101

What Makes a Good Resume: 101

 

A cartoon hand shakes and quivers while holding a resume.

Many of us may need to start working on our resumes whether it is for a job, an internship, applying to a school, etc. Now what is the function of a resume you may ask? It is a concise summary of your education, work/volunteer/internship experiences and other qualifications relevant to your audience’s needs. Employers use resumes as a first impression and will use it to compare you to other candidates. NOTE: a good resume does not guarantee you a job, it just allows you to be considered. A resume demonstrates the skills and capabilities that the reader would value and it is essential for you to demonstrate your abilities and is showcases a sense of direction in your career.

How to layout and format a good resume:

There are a few basic resume types but lets focus on some things that are particularly helpful –

  • It is recommended to format chronologically so that the reader is able to see organization qualities as well as being able to follow your experience.
  • Aim to fit your resume on 1 page – unless you have more experiences that are relevant to the job, you should limit it to one page because it is a general overview of your skills and capabilities.
  • AVOID using templates as a basis for your resume because sometimes they can be difficult to alter and limits you from standing out if your resume looks just like everyone else’s. (Remember, the person reading your resume is most likely reading soooooo many others.)
  • Use CAPS, bolding, underlining, bullets, and indentation to direct the reader’s attention and separate different sections of the resume.
  • Do NOT use graphics or unusual fonts and colors to “dress up” your resume. It doesn’t look professional and you need to limit your space as well because you only have 1 page remember.
  • Use margins between 0.5″ – 1.0″ which leaves enough blank space on the page so that the document is comfortable to read and enough margin to allow for different viewing software and printers.
  • It would be better to save your file as a pdf before submitting electronically so that it preserves the format.

 

Sections within your resume:

 

Contact information

  • Include your name and email address as well as the phone number and street address you would prefer to be contacted at

Introductory Statement 

  • “Objective” statements are often considered awkward, obsolete, or unnecessary.
  • If you use a summary statement, make sure that your experiences live up to that statement.

Education

  • List degrees in reverse chronological order
  • List the official names of the school you have attended
  • You may list your GPA if it is strong
  • Course Work descriptions: which can include honors and awards (scholarships/fellowships)
  • Study abroad – list school(s), location, dates

Work Experiences 

  • List experiences in reverse-chronological order.
  • Show the name of the organization, your title, and dates of involvement.
  • Be consistent in your formatting of each experience
  • Use bulleted phrases to describe each experience which should demonstrate skills and capabilities – consider how your experiences demonstrate core work skills (communication/interpersonal skills, organization/time management/leadership, analytical/problem solving skills.
  • Use a professional and active voice

Internship, Co-curricular and Volunteer Experience 

  • List experiences that involve leadership or organizational responsibilities
  • Format the same way and be sure to demonstrate core work skills

Skills

  • This section is optional but this includes additional language skills you possess or certifications/licenses
  • This can also include technology or soft ware skills that are relevant to your career.

 

Hopefully this helps many of you! If you need additional guidance, refer to Loyola’s Career Development Center – they have many available resources, including sample resumes/cover letters!

 

Have No Fear, Resume Tips Are Here!

Have No Fear, Resume Tips Are Here!

 

It is that time where many of us are either beginning to apply to graduate school, medical school, a job, etc.!

Many of us may need to start working on our resumes whether it is for a job, an internship, applying to a school, etc. Now what is the function of a resume you may ask? It is a concise summary of your education, work/volunteer/internship experiences and other qualifications relevant to your audience’s needs. Employers use resumes as a first impression and will use it to compare you to other candidates. NOTE: a good resume does not guarantee you a job, it just allows you to be considered. A resume demonstrates the skills and capabilities that the reader would value and it is essential for you to demonstrate your abilities and is showcases a sense of direction in your career.

How to layout and format a good resume:

There are a few basic resume types but lets focus on some things that are particularly helpful –

  • It is recommended to format chronologically so that the reader is able to see organization qualities as well as being able to follow your experience.
  • Aim to fit your resume on 1 page – unless you have more experiences that are relevant to the job, you should limit it to one page because it is a general overview of your skills and capabilities.

  • AVOID using templates as a basis for your resume because sometimes they can be difficult to alter and limits you from standing out if your resume looks just like everyone else’s. (Remember, the person reading your resume is most likely reading soooooo many others.)
  • Use CAPS, bolding, underlining, bullets, and indentation to direct the reader’s attention and separate different sections of the resume.
  • Do NOT use graphics or unusual fonts and colors to “dress up” your resume. It doesn’t look professional and you need to limit your space as well because you only have 1 page remember.
  • Use margins between 0.5″ – 1.0″ which leaves enough blank space on the page so that the document is comfortable to read and enough margin to allow for different viewing software and printers.
  • It would be better to save your file as a pdf before submitting electronically so that it preserves the format.

 

Sections within your resume:

 

Contact information

  • Include your name and email address as well as the phone number and street address you would prefer to be contacted at

Introductory Statement 

  • “Objective” statements are often considered awkward, obsolete, or unnecessary.
  • If you use a summary statement, make sure that your experiences live up to that statement.

Education

  • List degrees in reverse chronological order
  • List the official names of the school you have attended
  • You may list your GPA if it is strong
  • Course Work descriptions: which can include honors and awards (scholarships/fellowships)
  • Study abroad – list school(s), location, dates

Work Experiences 

  • List experiences in reverse-chronological order.
  • Show the name of the organization, your title, and dates of involvement.
  • Be consistent in your formatting of each experience
  • Use bulleted phrases to describe each experience which should demonstrate skills and capabilities – consider how your experiences demonstrate core work skills (communication/interpersonal skills, organization/time management/leadership, analytical/problem solving skills.
  • Use a professional and active voice

Internship, Co-curricular and Volunteer Experience 

  • List experiences that involve leadership or organizational responsibilities
  • Format the same way and be sure to demonstrate core work skills

Skills

  • This section is optional but this includes additional language skills you possess or certifications/licenses
  • This can also include technology or soft ware skills that are relevant to your career.

 

Hopefully this helps many of you! If you need additional guidance, refer to Loyola’s Career Development Center – they have many available resources, including sample resumes/cover letters!

 

 

Such a ‘Bler: Career Week 2019! | My Summer Internship Hunt! (Part 2)

Such a ‘Bler: Career Week 2019! | My Summer Internship Hunt! (Part 2)

 I walked in this Tuesday with my bright mustard yellow resume and interactive online portfolio. I was confident – I had been prepping for this review all Summer after learning from the previous year’s Career Week Workshops. However, I knew there was much left to learn.

The extravagance began with a panel discussion on good business writing and other crucial things to keep in mind when striving to put your best foot forward. The three guest speakers were informative, funny and inspiring. I can honestly say that I’ve even met the individual I hope I will have the honor to mentor me. But I got his card (!) and also gave out my business card for the first time – it was a very official conversation.

The next day continued with the circulation of our resumes through a group of professionals both from the more corporate and creative world. I also ran them through my website, or online portfolio and it was interesting to see the different insights. Overall, I need to be more specific with my information according to each desired internship, but my overall brand received many thumbs up!

The Career Week finishes with a a Networking Night and Job Fair but I am already learning so much and feel much more confident after 2 evenings. I can honestly not thank the School of Communications and Quinlan School of Business enough for such a helpful string of events.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to have my complimentary headshot taken and get my Linkedin ready.

Here’s my freshman photo from last year’s Career Week:

 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS!

HERE’S THE SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST:

 

Rambler Success: What to do Before Graduation

Rambler Success: What to do Before Graduation

“What’s next?” is the question that many recent college graduates have on their minds. There are many routes that one can take after receiving their diploma. Some decide to enter the work force, and hopefully pay down that college debt. Others, go onto graduate school to grab a master’s degree. There are also those who want to take a mental/physical break and travel for a bit. Whatever, your calling, it is always a good idea to have experience up your sleeve. This is where where these resources come into play.

Resumes: Resumes are textual photographs that tell your prospective employer your education, skills, work experiences, and a sprinkle of personal facts about you. Whether you have a ton of experience or you are still trying to find your niche, it is important for one put together their resume. Do you need help putting together what’s important and what would be better to be left out? You are on luck, on campus we have a service called the Career Development Center (in the Sullivan Center) where you can go to help you in your resume writing process. In addition they provide information on how to write a proper cover letter, how to interview well, and other business needs/questions that you might have.

LinkedIn: Often referred to as the Facebook for professionals, LinkedIn is a social networking site where jobs opportunities, employers, etc. go to connect and establish professional relationships with each other. Here, you can find people from business professionals (CEOs and Managers) to salespeople, professors, marketers, and more. As a tip, I would recommend connecting with your professors, friends, coworkers, and Loyola alums. They might just help you out on your job search.

Jobs on Campus: Want to feel what it is like to adult and have a job? Through Loyola’s job search engine, RamblerLink, you can find jobs that will allow you to find jobs both on or off campus. You can also find some job opportunities from pamphlets and flyers around the school. Whether you want to be a Peer Advisor, a person who works at the Undergraduate Admissions office, or an assistant for the Financial Aid office; there is always something that you can get involved in. These jobs will help you branch out your network and give you the work experience you need.

Job Fairs: Throughout the school year, Loyola brings in employers from around the Chicagoland area. Most Loyola schools have their own: School of Communication, Business, Social Work, etc. It is during these fairs where you get the opportunity to talk to prospective employers to talk about internship availabilities to entry level positions. All you need to bring are your resumes, business casual attire, your student ID, and a confident smile on your face. Who knows? You might just be offered an internship or a job! If not, just keep pushing through.

Image converted using ifftoany

Bring On the Opportunities

Bring On the Opportunities

IMG_5026

 

Being a college students means being constantly busy and constantly handed new opportunities (or so we all hope), and this isn’t a bad thing. Opportunities are the gateway to successful careers and lives, but there is a point at which you run out of time to accept these opportunities and their implied commitments. This is a problem that I am facing, not for the first time all together, but for the first time on my own.

This year I have definitely been blessed with all the opportunities I have been given, but I have started to realize that I’m coming to the end of my availability to do anything else. The realization came the moment I opened up my instagram app and realized that I had five accounts logged in on my phone that I was working on or with or ran myself. It was that moment when I said, Hey, this actually is A LOT. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do. My work on social media both for the school, myself, and my sorority brings me so much joy, but the problem with working on social media is that you’re working all the time. Social media doesn’t stop, so I’m constantly posting or liking or monitoring something! Maybe I overbooked myself.

The last two weeks I’ve been stressing out more than usual, and missing assignments, something that I never like to do. Maybe you noticed I haven’t posted on this blog much, this is why. But I don’t want to live behind the excuse of overbooking myself, and neither should you. That’s why I’m taking all these things as another opportunity, one to learn where my balance is. These four years are all about finding yourself and finding out who you’re going to be for the rest of your life. Realizing where your limits are and where you can improve your time management/ procrastinating is just as much a part of this as picking a career path.

The biggest learning experience that I’ve had from this just over the past few weeks, is that I have the ability to manage a lot of things at once, but if I don’t stay organized it will all turn into one major mess. This year more than ever I have been writing things down. If it’s not written in my planner it’s probably not going to happen. Maybe you got away with just remembering it in high school or even Freshman year of college but, once life starts to move a little faster you’re going to thank god for your planner too.

Another important scheduling and time management tidbit I’ve learned, is consistency. If you do the same thing over and over again, it becomes a habit. Going to bed and waking up at the same time can seem like a drag, especially on the weekends. When it gets to be mid-semester and waking up to go downtown isn’t fun anymore though, you’ll be glad you wake up before your alarm.

Taking on more is scary and exciting at the same time. It’s the feeling of moving forward and learning hands on, and I know that I am thankful everyday for the opportunities I have had this semester, but it can be challenging. It’s okay to feel stressed out, even by something you love. Don’t forget to take breaks, and eat cookies, and when you feel like you don’t have time for anything anymore take a deep breath and tell yourself you can do this, because guess what, YOU CAN DO THIS!

To Job or Not To Job

To Job or Not To Job

Career_Fair

 

Loyola can sometimes seem to have a reputation as being a posh private university, and while it’s true, we are a private university, not all of us have super “posh” backgrounds. Finances are a real issue that most Loyola students deal with everyday whether they talk about it or not. So when is the right time to get a job? Where do you get a job? And most importantly, how do you get a job?

The perfect job is different for everyone. Some students can cope with a part time retail job downtown in addition to class, other’s find it easier to snag an on campus job. Your first stop no matter what should be Ramblerlink, this Loyola run online job source is a great way to connect with jobs and internships that work for you. All you have to do is log in with your Loyola ID, answer a few questions, upload a resume and you have access! On campus jobs are all on Ramblerlink and are a great way to stay close to home, meet other ramblers, and make a few extra bucks. Jobs on campus include, working as a desk receptionist, working at the IC desk, or the desk in Halas, and much much more. You can also visit Loyola job fairs, check out the events calendar and find out when the next one is too start your journey!

So maybe you’re a freshman and you haven’t got a great resume (or any resume at all) yet. Don’t worry, we have resources for that too! If you don’t know exactly where to begin when it comes to resume writing, stop by the career center, click here to find out more!

“But I don’t want an on campus job or an internship, I want to work at Topshop or Victoria Secret!” Don’t worry, I have advice for you too! There are tons of students at Loyola who have off campus jobs in retail or as hosts/hostesses or waiters around the city! When it comes to finding these jobs you’re going to have to do a little more work on your own. Take a trip to the career center to get your resume in order and then hit the web. Your one stop shop for jobs is going to be online. Check out the website of a store or restaurant you want to work at and scroll down to the bottom of the homepage, there’s usually a link titled ‘careers’ that will take you to their hiring site. In my experience, you don’t hear back from a lot of the places you apply, but sometimes you get lucky. Applying to stores in particular is a waiting game, so make sure your resume is killer, even if you don’t have any experience.

Juggling school and work is hard, finding someone older who has experience with it is a great way to decide if you can do it too! Make sure you don’t overbook yourself, even if it seems doable in theory sometimes work and school can be too much to handle. Keep an open mind and an open schedule and see where things go! Happy job searching!