Syracuse University

By Erica Philippone '10

Waking up in my Arlington apartment, hopping on the Orange line, and walking to my office just off M Street feels routine lately.  In fact, sometimes it's hard for me to believe that less than six months ago I was getting ready to graduate from Syracuse University with no real idea of where the next chapter of my life would take me.

I remember the last few weeks of school flying by, as most of my friends and I tried to focus on what was to come after our four amazing years at SU.  It was hard to imagine a life outside of Syracuse University where everything felt so familiar.  It was also difficult to stay positive when it seemed that everywhere we turned people were talking about the economy and the lack of jobs for our graduating class.  When May came and I was without a full-time offer, I decided to take a chance on a paid internship in Washington, D.C.  I had never spent more than a day in the District before, but now, I can't imagine being anywhere else.

It was a Syracuse connection that brought me here.  While going through the Newhouse Alumni Database this spring, I came across the name of a sorority sister of mine who graduated three years ago.  She was at a public affairs communications firm, which really interested me.  When I got in touch with her for some advice, she told me her firm was hiring summer interns and passed my resume along.

My initial plan was just to stay for the summer so I could get some additional experience for my resume.  But when late July rolled around, I could not imagine leaving D.C.  This city has so much going on and so many different parts to explore - I just was not ready to say goodbye.

I made the decision to stay, but the reality was that my internship was ending.  That made the full-time job search even more daunting.  I hit the ground running, sending out resumes and networking with people in the industry who were able to offer advice.

As a student in Syracuse, I was constantly told by professors that our alumni network would become a huge resource to me.  At the time, I was not sure I believed that a bunch of people I had never met would be willing to take the time to help a recent graduate find her way, simply because we attended the same university.  However, my experience has shown me that the Orange network in Washington, D.C. is quite special.

Once I committed to staying in D.C., I contacted the SU Career Center for a list of relevant contacts in the area.  I was blown away by how helpful the names they provided were.  Through coffee dates and lunches, I met some amazing alumni who were more than willing to share their experiences and give me some insight on how to excel in tough times.  They edited and reedited my resume, offered me interview tips, and kept me posted on openings.  Their help was invaluable and made me feel a little more at home in a new city.

As my internship was ending in late August, I got a call from GMMB, a communications firm that I had applied to a few weeks before.  Although I had experienced a few setbacks in my job search in the prior weeks, I went to the interview, feeling hopeful and prepared.  After four rounds of interviews, I was extremely excited about GMMB's work and impressed by everyone I met there.  When the phone rang few weeks later and I was offered the position, I was ecstatic.  I am now a month into the job, and the experience has been great.

In March, if you had asked me where I thought I would be six months after graduation, working at a communications firm in Washington, D.C. would not have crossed my mind.  Now, it is an experience I would not trade for anything.  The job search was undoubtedly hard, but going through it made me more appreciative of the position that I landed and all of the SU help I got along the way.

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If you are currently job-seeking, make sure you read these SUccess tips from Career Services!