Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Email to ELA Jeremy Kaiser
Friday, September 10, 2010
Taking Initiative in NOBE
Two days ago, I decided to take the initiative of attending the first general meeting of the National Organization of Business and Engineering (NOBE) at the University of Illinois. I had see them around on Quad day, though I did not sign up for their mailing list nor do I really have any interest in business and engineering. I'm quite sure (for now at least) that after my senior year I'd want to go on to do research at a graduate school, so in terms of the essence of NOBE, there is not a lot of relevance for me at this stage. NOBE, more than anything, provides the bridge between student and big corporations - they help you find jobs and internships.
So why did I go?
A common proverb in the English language is "it's never too late to do _____." Personally, I think that this phrase overused, and find that the alternative "it's never too early to do ______" is a much better as well as much healthier attitude. One day, inevitably, I will have to find a job. I might as well start preparing today. But more than anything, I believe that NOBE is the key to a vast network of not only prestigious multi-national corporations, but also a highly-motivated, ambitious and foresighted group of individuals who have also taken the initiative of joining NOBE with the aim of improving their prospects of a successful career. Surely this is a network I would like to be part of, and more importantly, contribute to.
The first general meeting was simultaneously a presentation/workshop entitled "The Ins-and-Outs of Internship." Here, several seniors and graduate students shared their experiences of internship, the stories, the challenges, as well as sound advice on how to do well. I personally found the stories very amusing in addition to informative. However, this small entertainment was trumped by the greatest delight of the night; instead of the standard delivery pizza (which I have begun to grow ridiculously sick of), fried chicken was served! Over a piece of chicken and French dressing, I briefly conversed with some of the other people who turned up, and some of the guest speakers. I then approached one of the officers of the group, Kevin Daley, and I inquired into the specifics of the events that NOBE was hosting.
At that time, several disjointed strands of information tied together; NOBE would be hosting a “Casino Night” with several big-name corporations, but space was limited and priority would be given to paid members of NOBE. Annual membership fees were 15$. Perks of membership include discounts at eateries (of special interest to me were 10% off at IHOP and Mandarin Wok), but I would find a night gambling and a dollar discount on one of the few occasions that I do eat off campus difficult to justify the 15$ payment. However, at the start of the meeting, the president had announced that they were still looking for junior officers and that the application deadline was that same evening. To be appointed a junior officer, one had to first be a paid member. Possibility knocked on the door.
We started talking more about what the responsibilities of a junior board member would entail, the magnitude of time commitment as well as the qualifications and traits that they were looking for in such an applicant. I found that the description, for the most part, matched my capabilities. Kevin Daley was in charge of the Professional Development committee, and he talked about the details of what junior officers in his committee would be doing, and what he expected from each of them. I was sure that I could handle the responsibilities, though he encouraged me to explore other committees as well. Overall, he seemed like a very agreeable person, and I hope to work with him and learn from him in the future.
I paid the membership fee on the spot, went home and submitted my application, and now I’m just waiting to hear back. In the meantime, I downloaded a free Yahoo! game called “Governor of Poker” to practice my Texas Hold ‘em skills. You may disagree with me, but I call this real initiative.
Cheers,
So why did I go?
A common proverb in the English language is "it's never too late to do _____." Personally, I think that this phrase overused, and find that the alternative "it's never too early to do ______" is a much better as well as much healthier attitude. One day, inevitably, I will have to find a job. I might as well start preparing today. But more than anything, I believe that NOBE is the key to a vast network of not only prestigious multi-national corporations, but also a highly-motivated, ambitious and foresighted group of individuals who have also taken the initiative of joining NOBE with the aim of improving their prospects of a successful career. Surely this is a network I would like to be part of, and more importantly, contribute to.
The first general meeting was simultaneously a presentation/workshop entitled "The Ins-and-Outs of Internship." Here, several seniors and graduate students shared their experiences of internship, the stories, the challenges, as well as sound advice on how to do well. I personally found the stories very amusing in addition to informative. However, this small entertainment was trumped by the greatest delight of the night; instead of the standard delivery pizza (which I have begun to grow ridiculously sick of), fried chicken was served! Over a piece of chicken and French dressing, I briefly conversed with some of the other people who turned up, and some of the guest speakers. I then approached one of the officers of the group, Kevin Daley, and I inquired into the specifics of the events that NOBE was hosting.
At that time, several disjointed strands of information tied together; NOBE would be hosting a “Casino Night” with several big-name corporations, but space was limited and priority would be given to paid members of NOBE. Annual membership fees were 15$. Perks of membership include discounts at eateries (of special interest to me were 10% off at IHOP and Mandarin Wok), but I would find a night gambling and a dollar discount on one of the few occasions that I do eat off campus difficult to justify the 15$ payment. However, at the start of the meeting, the president had announced that they were still looking for junior officers and that the application deadline was that same evening. To be appointed a junior officer, one had to first be a paid member. Possibility knocked on the door.
We started talking more about what the responsibilities of a junior board member would entail, the magnitude of time commitment as well as the qualifications and traits that they were looking for in such an applicant. I found that the description, for the most part, matched my capabilities. Kevin Daley was in charge of the Professional Development committee, and he talked about the details of what junior officers in his committee would be doing, and what he expected from each of them. I was sure that I could handle the responsibilities, though he encouraged me to explore other committees as well. Overall, he seemed like a very agreeable person, and I hope to work with him and learn from him in the future.
I paid the membership fee on the spot, went home and submitted my application, and now I’m just waiting to hear back. In the meantime, I downloaded a free Yahoo! game called “Governor of Poker” to practice my Texas Hold ‘em skills. You may disagree with me, but I call this real initiative.
Cheers,
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