UBWA strives to bring together all students interested in empowering women by encouraging personal and professional growth. Three core pillars of empowerment are furthering ourselves and others, being in the know about the issues, news, and advancements in the world, and communicating to start a conversation about how we can change and better the world. The UBWA blog, The UBWA Post, strives to further this mission by sharing professional development materials and women’s news, advancements, initiatives, or issues in the world of business, to equip all students interested in empowering women with the knowledge and tools to do so! Communication and knowledge are essential to start conversations and to take action to change and better ourselves, others, and the world and The UBWA Post serves as a tool to get students one step closer to doing that.
Stop by for new posts every other Sunday!
For any inquiries or topic recommendations, please contact Elizabeth Kazemi at Kazemi.18@osu.edu.
April 14th, 2019
Gabriela Pereira: Turning Scattered Light Bulbs Into Lasers
One in four college students struggle with some diagnosable form of mental illness. It is an issue that a lot of us hold close to our heart and have been affected by in some way. Even though the effects of mental illness reach far and wide, that doesn’t mean it has to hold you back from carrying out your dream. That’s exactly the mindset that entrepreneur and author Gabriela Pereira has had towards her career.
Pereira is the founder of DIY MFA, a company with various resources to help participants receive a do-it-yourself version of a Masters degree in writing. Her mission is to “empower writers, artists, and other creatives to take an entrepreneurial approach to their education and professional growth.” DIY MFA members gain access to the Starter Kit, which includes a 2-week mini course, worksheets, and bi-weekly newsletters for writing inspiration. Pereira’s company has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Writer’s Digest, Bustle, and more. She is also the host of DIY MFA Radio and she is a published author.
In June 2018 Pereira had a very transparent and personal interview with Forbes that highlighted how her struggle with bipolar disorder actually inspired her to start DIY MFA. She wanted people to understand that “writing is an act of service and that as writers it is our responsibility to use our words for the greater good.” Before starting her own company, she worked as a top designer at a toy company where she eventually had to take a medical leave due to her mental illness. Ten years after her leave, she made DIY MFA a major success, published her own book, and was traveling across the country to speak at major conferences. When President Trump was elected into office, her primarily liberal fan base was shook. However, she took this opportunity to speak out about how she deals with her own fears from bipolar disorder in the hopes of helping others deal with their fears related to the election.
Pereira made it clear in her Forbes interview that although bipolar disorder affects her every day, it’s not going to hold her back in her career. She said, “Early on, I decided I would not let my illness define my success or my identity.” She applies her methods of coping with bipolar disorder to her business. According to Pereira, “The ‘interpersonal effectiveness’ techniques help me negotiate successful deals. The ‘emotion regulation’ skills help me manage my frustration when I have to work with difficult people. And when something in the business goes wrong, the ‘distress tolerance’ skills help me recenter myself.” Living with this mental illness has helped her become resilient and it has pushed her to achieve her success.
Gabriela Pereira is a great example of someone who embodies perseverance, hope, and ambition. These are all characteristics that anyone that is hoping to become an entrepreneur should have. She channels her struggles with mental illness to drive her business and everyday life. Mental illness doesn’t have to be something that holds you back from doing what you want to do because as Pereira says, “Constraints force us to focus our efforts and be more creative in our problem-solving. Embracing constraints is especially important in creative or entrepreneurial fields, where the tendency is to come up with a million ideas and be all over the place. When we learn to work within our limitations, we can turn those scattered light bulbs into lasers.”
Author: Lindy Behling
Editor: Nicole Egel
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/melodywilding/2018/06/20/how-mental-illness-inspired-one-entrepreneur-to-start-her-dream-business/#25ff45603027
https://www.csc.edu/bit/resources/statistics/
https://diymfa.com
March 31st, 2019
A College Student’s Guide to Money Management
College, for many young people, comes with facing a plethora of new things. A new environment and a new sense of financial responsibility can be daunting when you are away from the safety of your parent’s wallet for the first time. According to LendEDU’s 2016 study, there is an extreme lack of financial literacy in the United States that is negatively affecting college students. The study found that forty-three percent of college students do not track monthly spending at all, fifty-eight percent indicated that they are not saving anything, and forty-three percent of students cannot name a single difference between a credit card and a debit card. Managing one’s day-to-day finances requires more than a little financial knowledge.
While most college students have a primary goal of ensuring that they will have a stable job after they graduate, many do not consider how the choices that they make in college will impact their future finances. Many college students rack up thousands of dollars in credit card or student loan debt because they are spending more money than they can afford. Others simply fail to plan for the future at all. Here are several tips that all students should follow to ensure that they are financially responsible and that they leave college in the best financial condition possible.
Create a Budget
Most college students and young adults neglect the importance of establishing a budget. Listing your expenses and tracking your spending helps to separate needs from wants. Budgets also help to eliminate both stress and overspending.
Utilize Online Resources
Taking advantage of online financial services via apps or websites makes money management easy and convenient. Apps, such as Mint, enable users to upload bank account and expense information so that you can handle all of your accounts in one place. This helps you avoid missed payments and penalties, as well as easily access all of your account balances. Online banking and banking service apps are another type of resource and they allow you to easily transfer money and make mobile deposits.
Take Advantage of your Student ID
In addition to free entertainment options, many colleges offer advantages for students through their ID cards. Hundreds of brands and retailers offer discounts for students as well. Taking advantage of these discounts is likely to save you money on things that you already buy.
Choose and Use a Credit Card Wisely
There are certain situations where a credit card can be extremely convenient. A strong credit score can also make you eligible for loans that you may need or want during or after college. However, it is vital to do your research before applying for any credit card because different cards offer a variety of different perks and/or drawbacks. Using your credit card wisely and avoiding debt can positively impact your financial future.
Learn to Save
College is the perfect time for young people to begin to understand the value of saving for a large purchase or unexpected emergency. Learning to save money now will lead to a lifetime of increased financial security.
College is loaded with new experiences, and while it is important to get involved with activities, meet new people, learn, and have fun, it does not have to involve extravagant spending. By being responsible, logical, and using your financial knowledge, you can learn to take a hold of your finances early and it will benefit your financial future. With practice and time, students in college can learn the vital money management skills that they will carry with them throughout their lives.
Author: Hannah Grayem
Editor: Nicole Egel
Sources:
https://lendedu.com/blog/college-students-and-personal-finance-study
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2014/08/21/7-simple-steps-college-students-should-take-to-build-financial-literacy-and-responsibility/#63c689dd25bb
https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2013/10/03/6-must-follow-money-tips-for-college-students
March 17th, 2019
Women in Power: What this Means for Upcoming Businesswomen and Leaders
The 116th Congress was not only one of the most ethnically diverse groups to have taken power, but it also contained the most women to date. There are a record 102 women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from 34 different states. Today women comprise 23.7% of the United States Congress, 25% of the Senate, and 23.4% of the House of Representatives. These numbers may seem small; however, they show that women are taking strides by being represented in the government. The 115th Congress only contained 20.1% women. This shows that the numbers are continuously rising. Hopefully, these numbers and percentages will continue to rise in our lifetime until all genders are equally represented.
In addition to the increasing female representation in Congress, there are a record number of women running for president in the 2020 presidential election. There are currently five female lawmakers who have announced their candidacy and another woman, a political outsider, who is a spiritual advisor. The citizens of the United States have never had the opportunity to witness a televised presidential debate that included two female candidates, and there could possibly be six or more female candidates in the next election. More and more women have been coming into power and it isn’t going to stop here. The rise of women in government, business, etc. is going to continue to escalate throughout the upcoming generations. The women that are currently in high school and college have an increasingly large number of successful female role models, and they are able to use these mentors as motivation to work towards their aspirations.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Among the amazing women who are currently in office is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). AOC represents a woman who is a great example to motivate other women to work towards their aspirations. She works hard to achieve her goals and she fights for what she feels is right. A little over two years ago, AOC was waitressing and bartending in New York City and now she is a member of Congress and a popular activist. After her father died of cancer in 2008, she had decided to take on a second job as a bartender to help her mother with expenses. She had been employed at the immigration office while helping with some other nonprofit organizations to work towards her eventual seat in Congress. Also, AOC graduated cum laude from Boston University even after losing her father during her college career. She is not afraid to voice her opinions and to challenge others in power. At only 29 years old, she has surpassed many others twice her age by becoming a female member of Congress at such a young age.
What This Means for the Upcoming Generations
The rise in the number of women in leadership roles and positions of power is inspirational for our generation. Women today have the opportunity to look up to other women that are accomplishing their goals and successfully making it in the government and business field. Past generations have not had as many female role models to look up to. The percentage of women attending colleges, and more specifically business schools, is higher than ever before. All of these facts and numbers should encourage you to push through to achieve your goals and to not be afraid to go after your dreams. There are other women who have done it successfully, so that means that you can too. With the right mindset and determination, women can achieve their goals better than they ever have before. There is no better time to be a woman than now.
Author: Kylie Gambone
Editor: Hannah Grayem
Sources:
https://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/women-us-congress-2019
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/12/18/record-number-women-in-congress/
https://www.vox.com/2019/2/10/18219401/record-breaking-women-running-for-president
March 3rd, 2019
Stay Informed To Stay On Top
News travels faster in our world than ever before. New stories and headlines can hit the internet in a matter of hours, and they are at the disposal of anyone. Our generation has the opportunity to access more information than any previous generation. However, with this privilege comes a responsibility for us to stay informed and up to date on current events. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming, with everyone talking about news and spitting out facts that you may not know. In my first business class within the Fisher College of Business, I was surprised and impressed at how knowledgeable students in my class were about the business world. It made me realize that when you’re informed about something, other people will take notice and be impressed. Employers are looking for people who are knowledgeable about their field and who can stay on top of their job. So, I would argue that instead of looking at all of the information at our fingertips as overpowering, we should all use it to our advantage to stand out in jobs and other situations, such as interviews.
I am sure that every college student has learned countless definitions throughout their classes, but out in the real world how often are you going to be asked to recite them? Employers are looking for candidates who can take this foundation of knowledge and apply it to relevant, real situations. A great way to stand out in interviews is to be well informed about what is going on in your desired field. They may ask you questions about recent changes in the business world or hypothetical questions that require outside knowledge. Current events are a great conversation starter at interviews and networking events, and they give you the chance to demonstrate your awareness of what's going on in the world around you. Not only is it important to know about the specific company that you are interested in, but being knowledgeable in general about current events and what is going on in the world around you will put you at an advantage and ensure that you’re prepared for whatever employers and networking connections throw at you.
An easy and fun way to stay informed and learn about your interests that I have found and practice is by watching TED Talks, which are short videos from expert speakers in various fields. On TED’s website, which can be found here, there are videos on any topic that could possibly interest you. Whether you want to learn about SpaceX or about business in Africa, TED really has it all. A simple way to start getting informed can be by picking out one TED Talk a day to watch. Podcasts are another popular way to stay up to date on current events and to hear from different perspectives on different topics. Apple Podcasts is an app that is easily accessible to anyone with an iPhone and it has thousands of different talks about anything that you could be interested in. There are even series of podcasts for different topics that you may be interested in. Both TED Talks and podcasts are quick ways to learn more, and you can do it from the comfort of your bed so that it doesn’t feel like a chore.
I also urge everyone to start spending some time each week reading your pick of a business, or whatever your interest may be, website or newspaper. Whether it be Business Insider or The Wall Street Journal, we can all set aside some time to do this. Even just glancing over the headlines everyday can give you an idea of what’s going on in the world. We have all of these resources at our disposal, so why not use them? Taking a few minutes out of your day to gain more knowledge about your field, interests, or what's currently going on in the world can end up making a big difference when the time comes to put your knowledge to work. After all, knowledge is power!
Author: Lindy Behling
Editor: Kylie Gambone
February 17th, 2019
Make Your Dream Job a Reality
Many times in the modern workplace, women get discouraged. Women in business are often defeated by being rejected for certain positions or for not “measuring up” as a result of their gender. Women are frequent recipients of discrimination. They are often thought to be less efficient or dedicated than a man. It is important to realize, however, that women in the workplace are a force to be reckoned with. One prime example of someone who persisted while facing failures is none other than Anjali Sud. Anjali Sud is the face of a non-traditional career path and is someone who let all of her initial employment struggles fuel her desire to achieve the career of her dreams.
Anjali Sud left college with one goal: to get a job with a big bank in America. However, she soon found that companies were not interested in hiring her due to her gender and heritage. While many investment banks rejected Sud, she was still determined in her endeavors and eventually climbed the corporate ladder to become the CEO of Vimeo. She said during a Forbes interview that she has felt imposter syndrome many times in her career. Instead of dwelling on that, though, Sud simply focuses on the various accolades she has going for her, rather than against her. Many obstacles stood in Sud’s way on her rise to CEO of Vimeo, but she did not let that stop her. She’s the youngest chief executive for any IAC company. Sud said that though she never would have imagined being in the position that she is in today, it had always been a dream of hers.
Anjali Sud embodies a lesson that women and aspiring young professionals should listen to. No matter your background, there will be things that stand in your way. She persuades us to ask ourselves whether we want to accept an easily-acquired position or chase after our dream job. Would you rather give it your all to chase after your dream job or would you rather settle for less than what you deserve? Not every career path is going to be a straight shot to the top. Sud’s career path was definitely not a linear one, but she did not let that affect her overall go-getter attitude. Sud took her career in stride and so should we.
Anjali Sud said, “You don’t have to follow a traditional career path. There’s no rule book or playbook for success. Write your own roles. Don’t take people’s paths as the way that you have to do things. You have to do it yourself.” The moral of the story is, work hard to find your own success. Women are often underprivileged in the business workplace, but we don’t need to accept that as the norm. Each of us can fight for ourselves and our careers just like Sud did. Anything is possible for men or women. Women can achieve whatever they set their minds to - even in a “man’s world”. If you don’t believe me, just look at Anjali Sud.
Author: Nicole Egel
Editor: Hannah Grayem
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilyjoffrion/2018/06/07/how-vimeos-34-year-old-ceo-mastered-the-non-linear-career-path/#2ae385eb1628
February 3rd, 2019
Interviews: Showing What Your Resume Cannot
Communication and interview skills are a common area of focus when it comes to your college career. Most internships, jobs, and leadership positions require an interview. Many times, students do not understand that an interview can make or break an application process. By the time that you have a scheduled interview, the interviewer has already read your resume which means that they know your GPA, involvements, work experience, etc. What they are now looking for is how you present yourself and what sort of interpersonal and communication skills you have. Many bosses have said that if an applicant can demonstrate strong communication skills and a passion for their field of interest during an interview, a lower GPA does not play a huge role in their decision making. This is a common misconception among college students as many assume that employers are focused strongly on GPA. Your grades are very important, but how you present and sell yourself in an interview can get you the internship and the job of your dreams!
How to Have a Successful Interview Mindset
When it comes down to going out into the world and finding internships and careers, employers are not just looking for people who are book smart with a 4.0. Interviews are a time to showcase your skills that do not get conveyed on your resume. Even if you have all the requirements and accomplishments on paper, if you don't have the personality and the communication skills that they are looking for, you won’t get the position. They can see your accomplishments on a resume, but they can’t tell what kind of person you are and how you interact with others. Even for positions where you mostly work alone, at some point you will have to collaborate with others. Employers need to know that you have had experience with leadership, solving problems, and successfully communicating and collaborating with others.
Tips to Ace Any Interview
Here are some beneficial tips to help you ace an interview:
- Taking on any leadership position in a club or program at OSU will help you better understand how to be a part of a team. When you are put in charge of making decisions that affect other students, you will learn a lot about yourself and how to successfully communicate and work with others. To explore all of the different opportunities within Ohio State’s student organizations, click here.
- Going to career/internship fairs and meeting with your professors can also help better your communication skills because it puts you in situations dealing with employers and professionals.
- Make sure to dress appropriately for the interview. This is not a fashion contest; however, it is very important that you are dressed professionally to make a good impression.
- Make sure that you research about the company and that you prepare yourself for different questions that may be asked, so that you are not unprepared for any topic that may come up. Some great questions to look over can be found here.
- If you feel that you need extra help, you can apply to the program called QUIC right here at the Fisher College of Business that focuses on interview preparation. This program allows you to have the opportunity to dress up and go through the motions as if you were at an actual interview and it is a great tool to use if you are nervous or unsure of exactly what to say and how to act during an interview. For information about QUIC, click here.
Overall, it is important to understand that having good interview and communication skills will take you a long way. These skills are just as important as your grades and involvement. When going into an interview, be confident and be yourself. You want the employer to see who you genuinely are, what you stand for, and what kind of impact you would have on their company. Don't play the part of someone else, show them the real you. If you really want to make an impact on employers, never underestimate the power of an interview.
Author: Kylie Gambone
Editor: Lindy Behling
Sources:
https://fisher.osu.edu
https://activities.osu.edu/involvement/student_organizations/
January 20th, 2019
It’s Time for the Gender Pay Gap to End
The gender pay gap is a stranger to no one. Although the Equal Pay Act was signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, the gap still stands, surrounding each and every one of us and extending to all corners of the globe. It silently hovers above us, however its repercussions are as strong as ever. Women are earning just 80 cents for every dollar men are earning. That means $513 billion is lost in wages for women each year. If we are all so familiar with this inequality and the disadvantages are clear, why aren’t companies taking more action?
What we know about the gender pay gap…
A stunning fact of this matter is that there is only one job where women earn more than men. That’s right, one. It’s as a wholesale or retail buyer and in this job women earn about $4,000 more on average. Though, the largest gap is in financial services where women earn $40,000 less than men on average. California boasts having the smallest pay gap overall, but there is still a $6,000 difference on average. Women, men, companies, and governments should not and cannot settle for a $6,000 gap.
Taking a look within 462 companies that include 19.6 million people during a four year study conducted by McKinsey & Company, it is clear that women are underrepresented. Additionally women of color are the most underrepresented group of all. When taking a look into managerial positions, women hold only 38% of manager positions and only 79 women will be promoted to a managerial position for every 100 men. These are facts that cannot be denied, so it’s time that change and action stop being delayed.
…and what we know about the awesome things women are doing
Although the gender pay gap still exists, that isn’t stopping women from fighting back. This past year, women spoke out on social media about their personal experiences with sexual harassment by using the hashtag, #MeToo. The #MeToo movement was impactful and necessary considering the fact that a shocking 35% of women in the American workforce and 55% of women in senior positions have experienced sexual harassment. This movement even reached Beijing, where software engineer Luo Xixi experienced sexual harassment first hand from her Ph.D. thesis advisor. Just like countless other women, she turned this tragedy into change. In just one day she gathered 3,000 signatures on a petition that asked her Beijing university for an anti-sexual harassment mechanism. Stories like Luo’s are the ones that are driving others to demand for more respect for women in professional settings.
Actions that we can all take today!
The data presented earlier makes it clear that significant action needs to be taken now and we can all do a small part that will make a huge difference. Just like with any other issue, writing to your state and local legislators can make a difference. Let your own voice be heard and together we cannot be silenced. Raising awareness is the first step towards action, so sharing articles and research that you find about the gender pay gap could be a strong step towards equal pay. Learning how to negotiate your salary could also be a direct and impactful way to combat the gap in gender pay. You can take each of these actions to make a better world for women tomorrow. It’s time that these facts about gender pay are no more, and it can start with you.
Author: Lindy Behling
Editor: Nicole Egel
Sources:
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Living/career-america-pays-women-men-report/story?id=58686113
https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/gender-equality/women-in-the-workplace-2018
https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/chinas-me-too-moment
January 9th, 2019
Resumes: The Importance of Involvement
All of your involvements should be considered when making a resume! I’ve seen students who have had years of volunteering experience, and have never considered including it on their resume. Even though it’s not paid experience it’s still experience. If you’re just creating a resume, think about what you do on a weekly basis, in terms of non-academic commitments. Your resume can be broken down into 3 categories: Academic, Involvement, and Work/Professional Experience. These will be the 3 main portions of a resume. If you’d like to view sample resumes to get started, check out this great Fisher resource!
How should I include involvement in my resume?
When including your involvements on your resume, you want to write 2 or more bullets about each involvement experience. These bullets are supposed to describe what you specifically did, whether that be attending weekly meetings, serving on a committee, or something else. You want to start each bullet with a verb. Did you work on a team? Perhaps you want to begin the bullet with, “Collaborated on a team of 5 to…”. The key word here is to. What did you accomplish? Did you successfully implement a program? Did you plan an event? The to portion of your bullet will specify exactly what you did. The best advice that I can give when creating these bullets is to ask yourself, “How does this add value to my resume?”
How should I include UBWA in my resume?
UBWA is a great thing to put on a resume! There have been countless times in interviews where employers have honed in on this involvement. In a world where women’s rights and equality are being recognized and voiced in the professional space, recruiters love to see people’s passion for the cause.
So what if you only attend weekly meetings? First, I’d say you’re missing out on a lot of what UBWA has to offer. Our weekly meetings are only a small bit of our agenda as an organization. Regardless, you should definitely put your commitment to our meetings on your resume. Perhaps it’d look something like, “Committed to attending weekly meetings, learning about…”.
How else can you get involved? Our committees and other programs are the best way to further your involvement! For example, the exec board has prioritized the growth and involvement of our members this year by creating more opportunities for you all to get involved! We have a mentorship program, a philanthropy committee, a blog committee, and a Women’s Week committee this year. Maybe your bullet for this would be something like, “Developed marketing strategy to reach UBWA’s Buckeyethon goal of…”.
Even if you aren’t a part of any of these committees or programs, there are still a lot of ways to get more involved. You can sign up for volunteering opportunities, go to our professional development events, attend our socials, or even develop your own ideas. Freshman year, I launched a book drive for UBWA. If there’s something that you’re passionate about, we want to support you in achieving it!
Are you still unsure about how to get involved or how to incorporate involvements on your resume?
If you are wondering about how you can get further involved, whether that be within UBWA or outside of it, the Undergraduate Leadership and Engagement Office has Peer Impact Consultants that can help you. Their job is to meet with students to help them get involved. You can learn more about this offering here. If you’re still wondering about how you can incorporate your involvements on your resume, I invite you to stop by the Office of Career Management to see me or one of the other Peer Career Coaches. You can learn more about this offering here.
If you have any specific questions, or if you would like to chat further about professional development or getting involved, please feel free to email me at esker.12@osu.edu.
Author: Alli Esker, VP of Professional Development
Editor: Elizabeth Kazemi, VP of Communication