CAREERADVICE
leadership roles all still white men?
That can be a clue to the kind of
diversity of thought, diversity of
background that is really valued at
that company.”
She also emphasizes the impor-
tance of asking to talk to current
employees. “If you can find people
from diverse backgrounds that work
there, ask them about their experi-
ence,” she says. “Try to get them to
be open with you about how they
feel; do they feel that they are kind
of leaving their cultural heritage at
the door when they come in to work
every morning? Or do they feel
comfortable really being their full
selves at work?”
Ramos urges job seekers to tap
into established sources as well. For
LGBT and allied job seekers, he
recommends the Human Rights
Campaign’s Corporate Equality
Index, which evaluates companies
on their inclusiveness of LGBT
people, as well as DiversityInc’s lists
and professional networks.
PART II • GET YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR
Now that you’ve decided where you want to be, the next question is how to get there. Your
alma mater and your cultural background, as well as skills such as sharp communication and
networking, are all assets you can draw upon to land the job.
Make the College
Connection
Your alma mater can be important before and after you graduate. Whether you are a current
student or an alum, Fung advises not
to downplay the importance of your
college connection in your job
search, especially when it helps you
find common ground with potential
employers or valuable contacts.
“Look at a connection as an
opportunity to build relationships,”
says Fung. “I’ve always been a
believer that business is predicated
on comfort, which comes from trust.
And trust you can only earn through
similarity, things in common and
the ability to relate to someone else,
and the belief that someone is
genuine. I think that’s an important
feature to articulate because a
mutual connection to a school is
incredibly valuable, especially when
the school is smaller. Any time you
try to meet anybody or ask some-
thing of them, they have to have a
reason to help you.”
Stacy McMurray, territory vice
president, West, of INROADS, an
internship organization for students
from traditionally underrepresented
groups, says the services your college
offered, such as those provided
through the career-development or
career-services office, don’t end
when you leave campus on gradua-
tion day. In many cases, alumni are
entitled to useful resources for job
searching as well. McMurray urges
grads to get on alumni mailing lists
and any networking groups that your
alma mater may offer.
Get Involved With
Professional
Organizations
Being part of professional organi-
zations—such as PRIMER (Puerto
Ricans in Management and
Executive Roles) or NABA
(National Association of Black
Accountants)—not only gives you
opportunities to network with
individuals you might otherwise
not be exposed to, it also gives you
chances to expand your leadership
and organizational skills. These are
valuable experiences to share with
a potential employer during the
application and interview pro-
cesses. It shows that you have
initiative and that your culture is a
driving force in your career.
Informational
Interviews
Done Right
If you’re not landing interviews,
don’t get discouraged. Instead, set
up informational interviews. These
meetings can be just as valuable, not
only for their networking purposes
but also for practice putting on that
