myHR Archives
myHR: July 9, 2014
Career Forward: Staff Pathways at Penn
Ann Miller
Life as a sous chef had lost its appeal for Ann Miller. With her wide ranging interests and talents, she wanted a job that offered more stability as well as better avenues for personal growth. Penn seemed like the perfect place to relaunch her career. “I liked the idea of working with like-minded people in an environment where academics is important,” says Ann. But how could she prove that she was right for Penn? She had worked her way through culinary school as an administrative assistant, so she signed on as a temp with the Penn Job Center, managed by UA Staffing. And today, she has a full-time position as the Program Coordinator for the Wharton Innovation Group.
More than other temporary agencies Ann had worked with, UA Staffing offered the kind of “special project related jobs” that she found truly interesting. Ann’s first Penn assignment, scheduling interviews with ten CEOs for a research project, was supposed to run six weeks. The “sous chef” title on her resume may have confused some would-be hiring managers, but not Dr. Erwann O. Michel-Kerjan, Executive Director of the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Process Center. “Erwann, who’s originally from France, understood the value of a line cook,” says Ann. He could see that her quick thinking, attention to detail, and organization would transfer nicely from a restaurant into his department.
The six week assignment grew to eight months. As the research expanded, so did Ann’s duties and opportunities. She became an invaluable member of the team. All the while, she was searching for permanent jobs on campus. Soon, the center reorganized and one of her colleagues was promoted—and Ann was offered a full-time position.
Now she could take full advantage of Penn’s many skill-building seminars and brown bag lunch programs for employees. She also received specialized financial systems training. “Working at Penn isn't a zero-sum game,” says Ann. “They want you to move up.”
After two successful years as an administrative assistant, Ann started looking for even greater responsibilities. She found an opening at the Wharton Innovation Group. True to its name, the Innovation Group’s hiring process was a little unconventional. “Instead of doing a first round of interviews,” Ann explains. “They asked me to solve a problem and give them a one page memo on how I would present a particular solution to my boss.” Just as she had proven herself through her temp work, she proved her abilities through this sample assignment and landed her current job. The position utilizes her computer science education, which she’d put on the back burner during her sous chef years. It also allows her to travel regularly to Wharton’s San Francisco campus.
Whether Ann is working in San Francisco or in Philadelphia, Penn provides a place to combine her creativity and interest in technology in a setting that constantly offers new development opportunities. Ann appreciates the fact that so much of her work with the Innovation group is researched based and has a global impact. “I feel like a lot of places don't think about the ramifications of the way people do work, but we do here at Penn. And that really appeals to me.”
Money-wise Vacations
Summer travel pleasure can turn into financial pain when the gas, air fare, and restaurant bills start to pile up. But you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy a getaway. These money-wise tips will help you budget for the vacation you deserve while avoiding excess expense and debt.
Set Your Daily Budget
Research places you want to visit, then decide how much you want to spend each day of your trip. Go online or call ahead for information about admissions, car rental rates, and other costs. You’ll probably discover a few bargains in the process. Be sure to add a cushion to your budget for unexpected expenses.
Dine for Dollars
Dining at special restaurants can be the best part of traveling, but eating out for every meal burns your travel money fast. Look for hotels that include breakfast with your room rate, or chose a place with a kitchen where you can prepare your own meals. Soak up the local flavor by shopping in nearby food markets.
Put Away the Plastic
Instead of “treating” yourself to a credit card splurge, give yourself peace of mind with affordable travel. Nothing spoils a week’s worth of vacation memories like months and years of high-interest credit card debt. If you must use credit cards for security and convenience, be sure to pay off your balances right away.
Start Saving Now for Next Year’s Trip
If a dream vacation doesn’t fit your current financial situation, next year may be the right time for your big trip. Start getting ready now by factoring your future travel costs into your weekly and monthly savings plan. When you take a debt-free vacation, you can truly relax and reward yourself for planning ahead.
Take a Staycation
The Delaware Valley region is loaded with exciting and rejuvenating attractions that are only a short ride away. Check out listings like Phillyfunguide.com, the National Park Service website, or NJ Transit’s Jersey Shore guide for money-saving trip ideas. And visit Deals@Penn for staff and faculty discounts at local museums, concerts, and amusement parks.
For more information on personal finance, including retirement savings and financial guidance, visit the Benefits website and the Worklife Resources web page.
Source: TIAA-CREF
5 Beliefs That Prevent Effective Planning
Is planning something you’d love to do if you could ever get around to it? The way you think about planning may stop you from doing it effectively. See if these five common planning beliefs sound familiar.
“I don’t have time to plan.”
It’s hard to think about planning when you’re overwhelmed with projects; but if you ever hope to take control of your work, task management is the solution. As a low-risk experiment, invest 10 to 15 minutes in planning and see how much time you save on your next project.
“I work better when I wing it.”
Too often, winging it is just another form of procrastination. The pressure that comes with it may fire you up, but it’s more likely to burn you out in the long run. Getting by with last-minute papers or improvised presentations is not the same as doing your best. Imagine what you’ll achieve when you give yourself time to check your work or add that unique finishing touch.
“I’m the creative type. Planning will crush my creativity.”
Have you noticed that creative breakthroughs often happen while you’re doing something relaxing or routine instead of rushing? Give your creative projects more breathing room by managing your other tasks better.
“The kind of work I do just won’t fit into a fixed schedule.”
If your work is tied to unknown events, you can still save time by planning what you can control. Firefighters don’t plan emergency fires, but they’re certainly well prepared to put them out.
“I can keep track of it all in my head.”
Even with a steel-trap mind, it’s difficult to prioritize and nearly impossible to delegate when all your plans are in your head. By using a few systematic tricks along with your trusty brain, you’ll increase your productivity. You may even lighten your work load by giving someone else the opportunity to pitch in.
To learn more about finding time for what matters most in your life, join us on September 30 from 9am to 12pm for Mastering Time and Task Management. At this lively seminar, you’ll discover a variety of time- and stress-saving strategies to help you work more effectively. Click here to register. Your department will be charged a nominal fee of $75 for this course.
For more professional development programs, visit the Learning and Development website.
Source: Skillpath Time and Task Management for Busy People Participant Workbook
Career Development Resources at Penn Libraries
The Penn Libraries’ collection of books, journals, and online databases is a wellspring of practical and enriching professional development information. Staff and faculty are welcome to tap into Penn Libraries to build software skills, keep up with the latest trends in your field, and discover opportunities for your organization and yourself.
If you’re new to Penn Libraries career resources, Cathy Ogur, Business Research Librarian at the Lippincott Library of the Wharton School, has some excellent recommendations to get you started.
Lynda.com
Lynda.com online training is available through the Penn Libraries and several other centers at Penn. (Visit the Lynda.com @ Penn web page for a list of participating schools and centers.)
Lynda.com provides over 50,000 professional training videos across 750 online courses on topics such as Photoshop, PowerPoint, Excel, Dreamweaver, and much more. Lynda's videos also have searchable closed captions which allow you to quickly find the exact videos you want to learn a specific task.
Library users can access Lynda.com in the Weigle Information Commons, located in the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center on Locust Walk, or reserve remote access to use the tutorials on your local computer.
Safari Books Online
Safari Books Online is a collection of almost 300 e-books on topics such as programming, databases, digital media, and network administration. It’s like having nearly every manual you could want right at your desk.
Trade Publications
To track news in higher ed, check out the Penn’s online subscription to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Log in with your PennKey for access at any computer with an internet connection.
To find trade publications in other fields, search Franklin, the Penn Libraries online catalog. For example, if you want to find online trade publications for organizational psychology, you would search “organizational psychology” in the search box. You can narrow your results by using the “Limit your search…” filters on the left side of the screen. Under Access – select Online; under Format – select Journal / Periodical.
Books
Sometimes nothing beats a good, old-fashioned book. New and classic professional development books are easy to find on Franklin by using a subject heading keyword search for topics such as:
Leadership
Customer Services
Time Management
Stress Management
For more information on Penn Libraries resources for staff and faculty, visit the Penn Libraries Ask Us/Get Help page.
Did You Know?
The Ryan Hospital at Penn Vet offers all Penn faculty and staff a 20% discount on its primary care services. Call 215-746-8387 to learn more about Penn Vet’s animal wellness practice.