Like her classmates, senior Ashley Starks will look for a job this year. But unlike her peers, Starks’ search will be open for all to read.
Starks will share her tribulations for the Wall Street Journal’s “Hire Education,” a blog that chronicles the transition from college into the job market.
To appeal to others preparing to graduate and help other students get through the stressful process, Starks, who is captain of the women’s soccer team and Student Association vice president of student affairs, said she hopes to keep the subject matter light.
“I hope to make this somewhat like a diary of what’s happening now and how I’m feeling about the process,” Starks said. “If I’m feeling awkward practicing interview questions in front of the mirror, I’ll say that.”
Her first post will detail her goals and objectives for the job search. She said she hopes to discuss topics such as the importance of female mentors who have impacted her educational and professional experience and skills that will prove to be helpful in a students’ job search.
“As typical GW students, we all do a million different things on top of this process,” she said. “That’s where time management becomes important.”
While Starks has some ideas about where she wants to apply for jobs, she said the opportunity to continue learning is a priority for the search process.
“I want to make sure I find a job that allows me to continue to grow and learn and also contribute to the greater good,” she said.
As a business school student, Starks said she has been exposed to several career resources, such as practice interviews and resume help. Coupled with two summers of D.C. internships and opportunities to interact with GW alumni, Starks said the University has prepared her for her future endeavors.
“The classroom has been great, but it’s all those additional experiences that I think give us the edge,” she said.
Starks said the blog will force her to think about the challenges she encounters in the course of the year. She said she hopes readers going through similar things will be able to learn from her posts.
“My posts are going to be a personal reflection on the process,” she said. “I hope to share the year’s ups and downs with readers. Hopefully, I will be able to help one person through the process.”
