Wellness Journalism: Will Work For Bliss

“If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. Wherever you are -- if you are following your bliss, you are enjoying that refreshment, that life within you, all the time.” –Joseph Campbell

Occupation: what you do with your time.

Recently, I had an encounter with a sales representative named Tom. When he finished telling me about the services his company had to offer, we got to chatting about jobs in general. He said to me, “It’s tough out there. You gotta make a living, pay bills, and work hard. When I was in college, I got my degree and got out. And I have been in sales ever since.”

It’s clear that Tom has a job in which he is using his strengths: self-motivated and outgoing, he is good at talking to people. In his line of work, however, success is measured by the number of units he sells. And I doubt that Tom is truly passionate about adhesive flooring.

Sadly, our society has pushed the philosophy that you find a job in order to make money. If you happen to like your job, that’s an added bonus. If you don’t like your job, well, suck it up—neither do the rest of us. This is so depressing. Making a living should not come at the expense of having a life.

Work for your bliss, not for your wallet. Otherwise, at the end of the day, you will be missing something that money can’t buy: time to do something that really matters to you. When you find a career that balances interests, values, skills and personal strengths, the result is worth much more than the sum of its parts (or paychecks). Bliss, the deep satisfaction and fulfillment that comes when you put yourself to your highest and best use, arises naturally. The key? Get your strengths working for you, then put yourself to work for a cause that means the world.

Keep in mind that your most valuable strengths aren’t taught in classrooms, and they are not dictated to you by your parents. They are inherent in your personality and cultivated through real life experience and interaction. Examples of these “signature strengths” are curiousity, optimism, persistence, humor, kindess, and bravery. Every environment presents you with opportunities for self-cultivation. No matter where you are or what you are doing, identify your strong points and begin to exercise them more consciously in your life. From grunt work to glory, developing your strengths will keep you moving toward meaningful occupation—even when you feel stuck. And most importantly, spend time with exploring your hobbies, interests, and passions. They hold clues to your life's work.

The Career Services Center offers two free self-assessment tools that can help you gain a better understanding of your inherent capabilities. FOCUS is a self-paced, online career and education planning tool which enables you to assess your aptitudes and intrigues, and explore career fields and areas of study that are most compatible with your assessment results. TypeFocus assesses your personality type and offers insight into career choices that best fit your personality. You can make an appointment with a career advisor to review your results.

Do what is you, love what you do!

Setting Sail? Consider an Intern-ship!

An Intern-ship can carry you to new and wonderful places!

As a student you are getting plenty of education; however, you may wonder how you are going to have any experience under your belt by the time you graduate and begin looking for work. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, a staggering 95% of employers say that experience is a factor in hiring decisions! What’s the best (and sometimes only) way to gain experience with no prior experience? Internships.

"Not only does participation in an internship make the student a more attractive candidate," says NACE Executive Director Marilyn Macke, "but it can also be an avenue to a job." Surveys show that hiring from the intern program is growing. Matthew Zinman of the Internship Institute reports that IBM hires up to 2,000 interns annually and converts more than half of them to full-time hires. Recruiting guru Dr. John Sullivan writes on the Electronic Recruiting Exchange that "the most effective sources I have worked with have consistently found that quality internship programs produce the highest quality candidates, the most productive hires, and the hires with the highest retention rates."

Some internships pay you wages, and others do not—but they are all worth it. With an internship on your resume, not only are you more attractive to hiring managers down the line, you are more valuable. Even in 2005, NACE reported that employers who hired entry-level candidates with internship/co-op experience paid them 6.5% more than those without experience. In addition, you could earn college credit toward your degree!

An internship is a great way to get an inside glimpse of a company, an industry, and a particular occupation, while building your network. In addition, it can help you discover if the career you are considering is the right fit for your foot, before you walk off the graduation stage. You may discover gaps between your classroom learning and what you need to know in the real world, and be better prepared (and more confident) when you arrive. Finally, you'll sharpen your personal tool-set by interacting with people on a professional level, something no classroom can offer!

Visit the Academic Internship Program for more information.

Wellness Journalism: Get to Work.

Job Acquisition in 2010

Need a job? With so many decisions and distractions, it can be difficult to settle down and apply yourself. Keep the following in focus to improve your position:

Cast a wide net. Look beyond your usual industry; many of your talents are transferrable. Browse through on-line job search engines such as Career Builder or Monster to familiarize yourself with available positions and the qualifications employers seek. There are also many jobs on campus where you can work conveniently between classes, and you can find lots of interesting full or part-time gigs on Craigslist . Be creative and keep and open mind!

Customize each resume. Tailor your resumes to the job description (which will also provide useful key words). It is essential to identify the specific value you will add to the organization. Take your time, check your spelling, and remember that this is the first impression you make on a hiring manager. "Not tailoring a resume is a huge mistake, because employers want their particular needs and problems addressed," says Lauren Milligan of ResumeMayDay.com. "Tailoring a resume shows that you have researched the company, or at the very least, read their job posting.” Click here for free step-by-step resume writing guidance.

Stay connected. Although there is no substitute for face-to-face networking, today's online technology is nothing to scoff at. Business networking sites such as LinkedIn allow you to view a person’s career history, education, community involvement, and hobbies. LinkedIn has over thirty-five million members in over 140 industries. Most of them are adults, employed, and not looking to post something on your wall or take you on a date. Use LinkedIn to ask questions and make connections. It is a virtual vehicle for real-work research, and completely free.

Give a clear interview. Even the best resume or referral can't get you the job if you do not represent yourself in an intelligent, confident fashion when interviewing. Prepare for job interviews with the Job Interview One-Sheeter. Created by "Life After College" expert Jenny Blake, this template will help you articulate your strengths, goals, work-style, ideas, challenges you've overcome, questions for the interviewer and an answer to that dreaded "weaknesses" question.

Keep producing. Commit to action every day. Looking for work is a full-time job in and of itself! Follow up with each resume or contact, and stay organized. Set goals for yourself such as sending out a certain number of resumes or meeting new people in your target field. JibberJobber provides an easy way to keep track of all of the information that you collect during a job search. Track where you have sent your resumes, the jobs you apply for, and log the status of each job as you proceed through the hiring process. In addition, you can track and organize your personal networking contacts and keep a log of how they have helped you.

Be Professional. Sanitize your MySpace and/or Facebook page. You don’t want hiring managers gazing upon beers or bikinis. While you're at it, fix your phone: no potential employer wants to sit through two minutes of rap music while waiting for you to answer, only to hear a voicemail greeting that says, “I’ll hit you back.” Finally, open a professional e-mail account (Sexylady619@yahoo.com is not going to make the cut).

Support Yourself. A lengthly job search can really wear you down, inside and out. To keep your spirits up, spend a reasonable amount of time with friends and family, laughing about your adventures. Maintain healthy eating habits, get enough sleep, and exercise…these three little jewels will keep you fit for hire. Your attitude is your best asset!

Wellness Journalism: A Special Case Study

A young college student—studying to be a lawyer, or FBI agent, or something—was sitting in a bar. Out of the blue came a pilot, and next thing she knew, she was learning to fly.

Cindy loved it. One thing led to another, and air-mileage accrued, until she found herself flying big airplanes and answering to the name of Captain.

16 years later, after bringing a small aircraft in from Dallas, Cindy is riding passenger-style on her way home to San Diego. Little does she know, she is sitting beside UCSD’s intrepid Wellness Journalist. I notice the friendly, joking mannerisms between her and the flight crew, and it occurs to me that my seat-mate is “occupationally well.” Having uncovered the uncanny origin of her career, I ask her what she likes best about her work. “The freedom,” she says. “No boss hovering over your shoulder. And if you don’t like somebody, you don’t have to work with them.” Cindy is the captain of her own ship, or airplane, as it were. I can imagine how refreshing this must be, compared to folk stuffed in an office with the same personalities day in and day out. Variety and mobility are woven into her routine. Furthermore, work never comes home with her. “If you have a bad day, it doesn’t carry over to the next day.”

“Isn’t piloting a rather, um, male-dominated profession?” I ask, recalling the many captain’s announcements I’ve heard crackling over the intercom (which all sound to be the same middle aged cowboy, more or less). She tells me that 5% of professional aviators are women.

I wonder if this imbalance poses a challenge, but Cindy quickly shakes her head no. “Maybe it did at first,” she says. “But I just don’t care.”

This simple statement is a stroke of brilliance. There are so many excuses for deferring a dream or postponing a passion. Take a statistic some women would be daunted by, discount it, and poof! It’s not a problem.

Striking in her captain’s uniform, Cindy is a prime-time example of how life guides your feet, hands, eyes, ears, and/or nose in unexpected, wonderful ways. Maintain an open connection to that which brings you joy; your hobby can become your career!

The pilot Cindy met in the bar is now her husband. They both work for United Airlines. They have a seven year old son and a three year old daughter.

Wellness Journalism: Works Well With Others

Working well with others involves more than saying "good morning" and cleaning up after yourself. It’s about effective interpersonal communication.

You may be the brightest and bushiest individual at your workplace, but unless you communicate efffectively your colleagues will never know. Because of the nuances of thought, feeling, tone, posture, and expression, much may be lost in translation—even though you’re speaking the same language. When it comes to communication, apply quality control. Ensure that what you feel, think, do and say are in alignment. Humans are such sensitive intruments; if you don’t communicate well, you’re bound to create smog in the collective atmosphere.

Keys for Keeping the Lines of Communication Clear

1. Open sesame. When you are relaxed and open (and you know it), your body and face will show it. This is the single most important tool in effective communication: solid eye contact arises naturally out of this state of being, as does clarity, and even humor. When you’re open, you are being yourself—genuine—and this creates trust. Others feel comfortable around you; they will share their feelings/ideas/concerns…and you, being open, will do the same. In this expressive environment, magic happens.

2. Listen up. Actually listening, which means that you are not running your own simultaneous internal monologue, is another critical component. Communication is a two way street, but often times we drive on both sides of the road. Stay in your lane—let the other driver have right of way.

3. Respect. In any given environment, each person has their own unique contribution to make. This means differences of opinion, style, form, and delivery. Respect the mannerisms of others and allow them to think how they think—don’t try to change what isn’t yours. When somebody’s perspective seems foreign, ask questions. The more you understand the reasons behind their mentality or behavior, the more constructively you can work together.


Every day of your life is an adventure in interpersonal relationship and communication. As such, it is a process, and a practice. Learn from your interactions. If you have a really good conversation with someone, think about why it went well and remember the key points for next time. If it was bumpy, try to learn something from it.

Good to know: The Express to Success program at UCSD offers a 9-week, non-credit interpersonal relationship seminar each quarter. It emphasizes development of social self-confidence and "people skills" through experiential learning activities that address initiating and maintaining conversations with peers and professors, assertiveness and managing conflict in relationships, skills in listening and self-disclosure, and understanding personality styles and group dynamics. It’s of tremendous value to anybody who lives and works amongst other human beings.

Ready, Set, Rent!

Ready, Set, Rent! is a preventative legal education program offered by Student Legal Services. Ready, Set, Rent! provides new and experienced renters an opportunity to learn more about their rights and responsibilities as tenants and to foster a positive renting experience. Students who participate may be eligible to win a prize!

How does the program work?

Ready, Set, Rent! is a series of 4 workshops, each offered twice during May 2010. Students who attend 2 of the 4 workshops will be entered into a drawing for a $75 gift card to Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

To participate, pick up a Ready, Set, Rent! card from SLS or attend a workshop and ask for a card. You must have your card initialed at each workshop you attend. If you attend 2 or more workshops and wish to be entered into the drawing, you must return your completed cards to Student Legal Services no later than Friday, June 4, at 4:30 p.m.

Workshop schedule

Moving Ins and Outs

Location: Student Legal Services (Student Services Center, Room 527)

• Wednesday, May 5, 3 p.m.
• Thursday, May 27, 11 a.m.

Plan your next big move with a little help from SLS! Some of the most common questions that SLS attorneys answer concern the beginning and the end of a business relationship with a landlord. Come to this workshop and get practical tips for a smooth transition.

Renters' Rights

Location: Student Legal Services (Student Services Center, Room 527)

• Thursday, May 6, 3 p.m.
• Monday, May 17, 11 a.m.

Do you know your rights as a tenant? Even if you do, your landlord may not. Find out what rights and responsibilities tenants have regarding repairs, habitability, the landlord's entry into a residence, homeowner associations, and much more! An attorney will explain your rights as a tenant and how to assert them.

Renters' Resource Panel

Location: Price Center West, Roosevelt Room

• Tuesday, May 11, 11 a.m.
• Wednesday, May, 26, 2 p.m.

SLS will assemble a team of experts to answer your questions about the transition to off-campus living, finding a place to rent, budget considerations, how to stay safe off campus, and how to handle roommate conflicts. Discover many of the resources on campus that are available to support renters.

Special thanks to our partners in Muir Residential Life, Financial Aid, the UC Police Department, Counseling & Psychological Services, and Commuter Student Services.

Landlord-Tenant Jeopardy

Location: Student Legal Services (Student Services Center, Room 527)

• Wednesday, May 12, 11 a.m.
• Tuesday, May 18, 3 p.m.

Think you know enough about your rights as a renter? Test your landlord-tenant law knowledge during this fun, interactive workshop, and find out!

Spotlight: The Career Services Center

At your service...

The Career Services Center

As a member of the UCSD community, you have an abundance of resources at your fingertips! The Career Services Center is a one-stop-shop for all things job –related. They offer a variety of programs and resources to assist students and alumni with career goals, including career advising, on-line job listings and resource tools, workshops, job fairs, and special events.

Job Opportunities
CSC offers listings of part-time and full-time positions on-campus, through work-study and in the community. In addition, internships and summer opportunities are available. Various companies attend on-campus job fairs and conduct job and internship interviews on campus each quarter.

Career Development
Receive assistance in exploring career goals and job search preparation including resume writing, interviewing and job search strategies. Ask about career exploration panels and networking opportunities. Meet with career advisors, practice interviewing on camera and use specialized self-assessment software programs to explore career options.

Professional & Graduate School Opportunities
To help you explore various graduate and professional school options, CSC offers special orientations, fairs, individual advising, and an extensive library of directories, catalogs, handouts and videos. Learn about admissions tests, fellowships, writing personal statements and preparing for interviews. A reference file can be set up to allow us to distribute your letters of recommendation to graduate schools.

Career and Internship Library
Find information on various occupations, employers and graduate programs through directories, catalogs, books, brochures and annual reports in our Career and Internship Library. Use computers to access our homepage, research employment and graduate school opportunities and use specialized software programs to determine what careers match your interests.

Wellness Journalism: Inquire Within

What do you want to be when you “grow up?” When we are little, we know exactly what we want to be: ballet dancer, fire fighter, etc. Then the real world comes, washes out our mouths, and we must start from scratch.

Fresh out of high school, my highest grades were in physiology and english. Therefore, I went off to college as a biology major with intentions of becoming a doctor. After a few quarters I realized some things. Thing the first…I would have to take calculus. Thing the second…the degree to which I detested the taking of calculus was highly pronounced. These two things, once realized, resulted in a change of major to something equally practical, but sans-calculus: psychology. I enrolled in beginning level psych, went to class about six times, and passed with a C. I don’t even remember what the professor looked like—the reason being that, in addion to academic explorations, I was also pursuing a rigorous investigation into my social life (also known as partying). After about a year of nonsense I decided to re-assess. I withdrew from the university, got a job working as a teller in a bank, and started a nursing curriculum at the community college. Here, I resumed my love affair with physiology only to discover an acute aversion to microbiology; I signed up and dropped out numerous times before throwing in the towel. Higher education and I had come to an impasse.

Fast forward several years. I am working as a hostess and enjoying a free-spirited lifestyle. At this time I rediscover my connection to the written word, and the small spiral notebook takes up residence in my pocket. I become a self-appointed journalist. Preferred subject? The human experience! I investigate the nuances of relationship, the intricacies of emotion, the variations of expression. I document the many processes, mental-physical-spiritual, that I encounter.

Although technically a “hobby” at this point, my passion for inquiry, both internal and external, is tremendous. I line the shelves with notes, observations, and records of various types. Meanwhile, following the advice of my father, I obtain a real estate license and begin working in a small firm. There is plenty of opportunity in the field of real estate, and good money. The only problem is that I don’t seem to care. I have begun to think of writing as my primary passion, and my creative whims sweep me out of the office and into the world at large where I stumble upon a brilliant plan: go back to school for a degree in writing. Make a living on student loans and financial aid. Allow college to serve as a networking and support system, while strengthening my foundations.

And that is how, ten years after I started, I have returned to UCSD. I tracked down the Wellness Center during my first week on campus, walked inside, and offered my services.

Each of us has a calling, but the world is noisy; sometimes it’s hard to hear ourselves. Persistent exploration, assesment, and inquiry allow us to listen closely and follow through. Take advantage of the many resources here on campus—from student organizations to internships and employment—this is prime time for self-cultivation. Happy trail blazing!

Wellness Journalism: Network.

Networking is the art of building alliances—also known as making friends.
It starts long before a job search, and you probably don't even realize you are doing it.
In fact, anytime you meet somebody and establish a connection, you add them to your network. Think of yourself as a spider spinning a web.

Networking is the number one preferred method of job acquisition, for both the employing and the employed. This is because no resume or interview can substitute for a first-hand, personal relationship. Making inside connections truly gives you the advantage, and unlike insider trading, is completely legal.

You may be saying, “I don’t have much of a network. I really don’t know anyone.” First of all, this isn’t true. Between past and present teachers, employers, neighbors, co-workers, friends, on-line associates, and family members, you have access to thousands of contacts—and there are always more. You never know where you are going to meet someone who can give you a lead.

The benefits of a strong network? Opportunities to learn new things, to build value and credibility in your community, to help others, to propel your professional development, to find suitable mentors, and to enjoy your work outside of the job. Actually gaining new employment and/or a promotion is icing on the cake!

A few pointers:

• Ask your networking prospects for advice, not for a job. Networking interactions should be a source of career information and personal contacts.

• Be genuine; begin with a firm handshake, eye contact, and a warm smile! The key to networking is in making a good connection. Ask questions, be a good listener, and get to know the real person.

• Volunteer in your field and other areas of interest. When you selflessly invest your time and energy, people notice. It’s a great way to get involved, while demonstrating your talent and worth.

• Be patient—networking is like gardening. You do not plant the seed, then quickly harvest. It requires cultivation, time and effort for the process to pay off.

"The road to success is always under construction." - Lily Tomlin

Wellness Journalism: The Active Balance

Strike a balance, not a pose.

Do you experience burnout, low productivity, insomnia, and/or stress related illnesses? Do you ever feel consumed by your obligations? If so, you may be amongst the many people suffering from life-work imbalance. Since we spend mass quantities of time “on the job,” it is easy to become absorbed by the demands of the working atmosphere; even when we’re off the clock, the brain keeps ticking away. Some people become psychologically addicted to work, while others adopt the belief that work comes first—at the expense of friends, family, and personal fulfillment.

Regardless of your work, task number one on the job description should read: maintain personal balance. This internal infrastructure supports your entire life! When the scales are tipped, everything suffers, from working productivity to health and relationships. Therefore, if your career (or anything else) is important to you, balance must come first.

Literally and figuratively, balance is a function of the inner ear, so tune in. This internal diagnostic tool is also commonly known as following your heart, nose, or gut. As you sharpen your deeper sense of hearing (and follow through), you gain the ability to finish daily work and responsibilities without feeling drained. You participate in activities you enjoy and spend time with your loved ones. You have time for exercise, relaxation, and fun. You’re satisfied when you fall asleep and motivated when you wake up.

In the whirling-dervish we call life in America, striking balance is a daily practice. The requests (or demands) of a given day pull in many directions; it can feel like you’re a juggler in a circus or a hat rack in a hallway. Nonetheless, balance is an act of nature; and as such, both attainable and maintainable.

Let’s take an example. In one evening alone, your friends want to see a movie, the laundry isn’t done, your mother needs help organizing the garage, a ten page paper is due, the hottie you met yesterday invited you to dinner, and you hoped to go for a jog. Everything seems to be a priority, but not everything can happen at once. What to do? Consult your internal compass. Listen to what your inner ear says is important, and follow course. Just say no (or later) to the rest.

The key aspect of inner-ear awareness is mindfulness. All impediments to balance begin at the level of perception—yes, it’s all in your head. When you’re listening in, you can filter and fix patterns of belief and behavior that pull you off course (dependence on external sources of approval, putting the needs and expectations of others before your own, fear of change, preoccupation with appearances, perfectionism, and procrastination contribute to tipsy-ness). When you’re listening in, you can hear the messages and signals your body sends to you throughout the day: food, drink, sleep, solitude, work, exercise, relaxation, or play. Tuning in to your inner ear allows you to work with, rather than against, yourself.

A Golden rule of thumb: set aside “Personal Space” in your schedule, for at least an hour, twice weekly. Call it a mandatory meeting for Me, Myself, and I. This time is not to be used for cleaning or catch up or congregation; it’s an opportunity for strong internal dialogue/inner ear connection. Don’t pre-fill it before hand. Rather, when you arrive to your appointment, ask yourself what you would like to do…and do it. Whether you end up practicing cartwheels, writing in a journal, taking a walk, reading Harry Potter, sitting under a tree people-watching, or doing absolutely nothing, this time is for You—and it will work wonders for your sense of balance.

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” - Albert Einstein