Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Kiki Hui: On Using the CDC

Here I will talk about my love for the CDC.

For the past year, whenever I would get the feeling that I was lazing off and not doing anything with my life, I would decide it was time to take charge. It was time to take up an opportunity and to apply for jobs and internships that seemed interesting to me.

I don't know if any of you have utilized the great source that is the Career Development Center, particularly the Cardinal Careers website, but you all should. Even my freshman RA said that if he wish he knew about something sooner, it was the CDC. Being the bored child I was the summer before freshman year, I stumbled across the CDC and was fascinated by all the job listings. Things of course that I was completely under qualified for and jobs I could not even understand but nonetheless, I was astounded by how much is out there for Stanford students. Everything from babysitting to software engineering to investment banking opportunities are thrown onto the career website, and it is ours for the taking.

Being the eager college student I was, I applied for a job teaching recreational gymnastics at the Ford Center before I had gotten to campus. The head coach got in touch with me, and I practically got an on-campus job before arriving on campus. And it was a fun, challenging job that had nothing to do with my major or my future career plans, but I got to make money, work with kids, learn to multi-task, meet people, and use the gym to test out my ancient tumbling capabilities.

The career website is like my guilty pleasure. I browse it when I get bored or I need motivation. Why? Because it's not only practical and got me another internship for this fall, but it also inspires me to do things. By showing me all the things I can do, I have confidence in all the things that I will do.

So. Use the Cardinal Careers website. You may not find it as fascinating as me, but it's gosh darn useful.

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