Take it From Me: Career Addition

By: Jolie Femia

As a young hopeful college student, I have sought every opportunity to improve my resume, or get the next job to prepare for the future. This led me to feelings of overwhelming doom and pressure that I must accept every academic and professional opportunity that came my way. I used to think there is a linear path I must take to get to the next step in my future career. I convinced myself there is a rule book, and list of prerequisites for the end goal to being successful and finding a job that is self-fulfilling. Everyone is different but for me, that future was law school. A turning point in my path happened last year, when I met with a pre-law advisor, and after she asked why I was there, I remember saying “so basically what should I be doing right now, to prepare for law school?”. I expected to be given a rigorous timeline with set steps, resume builders and internships, yet to my surprise the advisor said, “you should be doing things that make you happy”. I remember being shocked. I’d never heard such informal career advice, but it has stuck with me to this day.  Every time I overwhelm myself with the thought of what I “should '' be doing, or comparing myself to what others are achieving, I forget the most important question we should be asking ourselves and that is what do I “want” to be doing. We, as ambitious college students, should be doing more of what brings self-fulfillment and less of what brings external validation. Career discovery is about the connections you make, and the exploration of your own ideas. Those things do not need to have pressure attached to them. We are all on a different path, with different passions and therefore have different priorities. It is up to us! Success is not self-destructive. We can make decisions that bring happiness and help us reach our goals!

Career Prep with Kim Figueroa!

Happy Sunday! 

Join us for our next meeting tomorrow, Monday, September 26th at 7pm in Isenberg 137 (Flavin Auditorium) where we will be welcoming Career Coach, Kim Figueroa! Kim will be helping us to prepare for future career fairs and interview opportunities (including the Isenberg Career Fair on Wednesday, September 28th).

We also will be live streaming this meeting on Zoom for virtual viewers to attend at the following link:
Zoom Link: https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/j/98339046651 
Meeting ID: 983 3904 6651

Headshot Fundraiser: Our historian, Sophia Trischitta, will be taking professional headshots on Friday, September 30th from 2-4pm in the Isenberg Hub. This is a great opportunity to update your headshot for start of the new school year! Headshots will be $5 per person, and all are welcome! 

Yoga with Dasha: In need of a Sunday reset? Come join WiB for yoga in the Isenberg Hub on Sunday, October 2nd from 11am-1pm, led by our very own Dasha Shterenberg! Make sure to RSVP using this form and bring your own mat or towel!

Membership Dues: Dues for the year are $10. These gain you access to special events (field trips and social events), are the first consideration when applying for E-Board, allow you to put “Active Member of WiB” on your resume, and gain you access to our new WiB Membership Packet! Either Venmo @UMassWiB with your full name and UMass Email OR bring cash at the end of our meeting and sign the excel sheet 

Peer Mentorship Sign-Ups: If you are interested in being a mentor or mentee sign up here! This is a great opportunity to make new friends and get more involved in our club. Reminder: you do have to reregister each year!

Committee Updates:

• Community Service Committee: Thursday, September 29th at 6pm (Herter 201): Community Service x Dell Technologies - Join us in welcoming Dell Technologies to learn more about the importance of community service for large corporations. Pizza and prizes will be provided!

  • To sign up for the committee, fill out this form!

• Marketing Committee: Wednesday, October 5th at 7pm

  • To sign up for the committee, fill out this form!

If you would like to learn more about WiB, check out our website and follow our Instagram (@IsenbergWiB), where we post regular updates about meetings, events and opportunities. 
 

UMass Opportunities

UMass Smart Women Securities
UMass SWS is hosting “Beyond your Degree: Careers in Finance” on Saturday, October 1st from 9am to 4pm in the Business Innovation Hub! There will be faculty speakers, panel discussions and networking opportunities all aimed at exploring career paths in finance. To learn more or register, click this link!

UMass UMASS Aeronautics Team
The UMASS Aeronautics Team is looking to fill two year long positions: Head of Marketing, and Operations Manager. Both of these positions would require 2-3 hours a week, and a chance to work closely with the aeronautics team. To express your interest, fill out this form!

Minutemen Equity Fund UMass
The MEF is a student-run investment fund on campus, and their application for their Diversity Development Program for the fall semester is open! Freshman and Sophomores of any major are invited to apply, the deadline is TONIGHT Sunday, September 25th at 11:59pm. Click this link for the application form, and reach out here if you have any questions. 
 

Additional Opportunities

TJX
TJX has begun recruiting for their Merchandising opportunities, and invites members to apply! Click here for more information on their Merchandising Internship Program and here for more information on their Merchandising Career Path Program. They will also be hosting a virtual information session to learn more about merchandising on Friday, September 30th at 11am, click this link to join!

Girls Who Invest
Girls Who Invest is a program dedicated to increasing the number of women leaders in the asset management industry. Click here for more information about their programs!

TEKsystems
TEK Systems in Framingham/Andover is a IT service management company interested in recruiting UMass students for careers in recruiting and sales! For more information, reach out to this email address! 

Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney invites students who are interested in supply chain/materials management and logistics to apply for their Summer 2023 Materials Management & Logistics Internship! The company will also be at the Isenberg Virtual Career fair, and encourages students to visit their virtual booth for more information. Use this link to learn more, and reach out to UMass alum Haley Chupka with questions.

Cognex Corporation
Cognex Corporation is currently recruiting for their Finance Development Program! They will be at the Isenberg Virtual Career Fair event on Wednesday, September 28th, and coming to campus for an information session on Thursday, September 29th at 6pm! Click here for more information about the program.

Seaboard International Forest Products
Seaboard International Forest Products is located in Nashua, NH, a premier commodity trading firm. The company invites interested students to visit them on Wednesday, September 28th from 11am to 4pm at the Isenberg Virtual Career Fair, at the table in the Business Innovation Hub on Thursday, September 29th from 10:30am to 1pm. For more information about the company, click this link. 

Grant Thorton
Grant Thorton invites WIB members to apply for positions across all service lines! Applications are due Friday, September 30th. Use this link to find more information, or reach out to campus recruiter Lacy Kirks with questions. 

Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual is looking for UMass students to apply to their Summer 2023 Associate Consultant position within Corporate Strategy & Research. For more information about this position, check out this link.

Cornerstone Research
Cornerstone Research is an economic and financial consulting firm that is accepting applications for Summer 2023 Analyst positions! The deadline is Sunday, October 2nd. For more information, click this link or email UMass alum Aoife Coady with questions. 

GenHERation
GenHERation is a network where young women and companies can partner and connect. GenHERation offers a wide range of opportunities, like meet-ups, internships, competition and full time roles. To find out more information and view application deadlines, click this link. 

Top Shelf Academy 
Top Shelf Academy specializes in teaching and training students on how to underwrite investments in the commercial real estate industry. They are inviting UMass students to sign up for their Real Estate Finance and Excel for Real Estate courses for free using code umasspromo! Use this link to find out more information. 

Tomorrow: TJX with Laurie Lynch!

Happy Sunday! 

Join us for our meeting tomorrow, Monday, September 19th at 7:00pm in Isenberg 137 (Flavin Auditorium) for a company visit from TJX! Recruiter Laurie Lynch will be focusing on sustainability and female empowerment in the company. This is a great opportunity to learn more about TJX, and opportunities that the company has to offer!

We also will be live streaming this meeting on Zoom for virtual viewers to attend. Join us using the following link:
Zoom Link: https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/j/98339046651 
Meeting ID: 983 3904 6651

Reminders:

• Membership Dues: Dues for the year are $10. These gain you access to special events (field trips and social events), are the first consideration when applying for E-Board, allow you to put “Active Member of WiB” on your resume, and gain you access to our new WiB Membership Packet! 

  • Venmo @UMassWiB with your full name and UMass Email

  • Bring cash up at the end of our meeting and sign the excel sheet

Committee Sign-Ups:

• Community Service Committee: If you are interested in the Community Service Committee, sign up here! The first meeting will be held Thursday, September 29th at 6pm (Room TBD).

• Marketing Committee: If you are interested in the Marketing Committee, sign up here! The first meeting will be held Wednesday, September 21st at 6pm (Room TBD).

• Peer Mentorship Program: If you are interested in being a mentor or a mentee in our Peer Mentorship Program, please fill out the form here!

If you would like to learn more about WiB, check out our website and follow our Instagram (@IsenbergWiB), where we post regular updates about meetings, events and opportunities. 

 Additional Opportunities

Girls Who Invest
Girls Who Invest is a program dedicated to increasing the number of women leaders in the asset management industry. They will be hosting an information session, targeted at freshmen and sophomores, for their Summer Intensive Program and Online Intensive Program TOMORROW, Monday, September 19th, at 8:00 in Flavin Auditorium (Isenberg 137). Click here for more information about their programs and here to register for the information session. 

UMass Smart Women Securities
UMass SWS is hosting “Beyond your Degree: Careers in Finance” on Saturday, October 1st from 9:00am to 4:00pm in the Business Innovation Hub! There will be faculty speakers, panel discussions and networking opportunities all aimed at exploring career paths in finance. To learn more or register, click this link!

UMass UMASS Aeronautics Team
The UMASS Aeronautics Team is looking to fill two year long positions: Head of Marketing, and Operations Manager. Both of these positions would require 2-3 hours a week, and a chance to work closely with the aeronautics team. To express your interest, fill out this form!

Minutemen Equity Fund UMass
The MEF is a student-run investment fund on campus, and their application for their Diversity Development Program for the fall semester is open! Freshman and Sophomores of any major are invited to apply, the deadline is Sunday, September 25th at 11:59pm. Click this link for the application form, and reach out here if you have any questions. 

TJX
TJX has begun recruiting for their merchandising opportunities, and invites members to apply! Click here for more information on their Merchandising Internship Program and here for more information on their Merchandising Career Path Program.

TEK Systems
TEK Systems in Framingham/Andover is a IT service management company interested in recruiting UMass students for careers in recruiting and sales! For more information, reach out to this email address! 

Seaboard International Forest Products
Seaboard International Forest Products is located in Nashua, NH, a premier commodity trading firm. The company invites interested students to visit them on Wednesday, September 28th from 11:00am to 4:00pm at the Isenberg Virtual Career Fair, at the table in the Business Innovation Hub on Thursday, September 29th from 10:30am to 1:00pm. For more information about the company, click this link. 

Grant Thorton
Grant Thorton invites WIB members to apply for positions across all service lines! Applications are due Friday, September 30th. Use this link to find more information, or reach out to campus recruiter Lacy Kirks with questions. 

PepsiCo North Beverages
PepsiCO would like to invite UMass students to apply for the following Summer 2023 Internships: Sales Management Intern and Sales Management Associate. If you do apply for either of these positions, send your resume to PepsiCO campus recruiter Mayra Luna! 

Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual is looking for UMass students to apply to their Summer 2023 Associate Consultant position within Corporate Strategy & Research. For more information about this position, check out this link.

Cornerstone Research
Cornerstone Research is an economic and financial consulting firm that is accepting applications for Summer 2023 Analyst positions! The deadline is Sunday, October 2nd. For more information, click this link or email UMass alum Aoife Coady with questions. 

GenHERation
GenHERation is a network where young women and companies can partner and connect. GenHERation offers a wide range of opportunities, like meet-ups, internships, competition and full time roles. To find out more information and view application deadlines, click this link. 

Top Shelf Academy 
Top Shelf Academy specializes in teaching and training students on how to underwrite investments in the commercial real estate industry. They are inviting UMass students to sign up for their Real Estate Finance and Excel for Real Estate courses for free using code umasspromo! Use this link to find out more information. 

First Meeting Tomorrow!

Happy Sunday everyone!

Our first meeting of the semester is tomorrow night! Join us Monday, September 12th at 7:00pm in Isenberg 137 (Flavin Auditorium) for a welcome meeting! We are so excited to share what WiB is all about, ways to get more involved, as well as some of our fun plans for the semester. All are welcome, so bring your friends!

We will also be at the Isenberg Club Fair on Monday, September 12th from 3:30-6:00pm in the Isenberg Business Innovation Hub. Feel free to stop by and say hello! This is a great chance to learn more about our club and ask any questions you may have.

Additionally, we will be live streaming our meetings on Zoom for virtual viewers to attend. Join us tomorrow at 7pm using the following link:
Zoom Link: https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/j/98339046651
Meeting ID: 983 3904 6651

If you would like to learn more about WiB, check out our website and follow our Instagram (@IsenbergWiB), where we post regular updates about meetings, events and opportunities.

We cannot wait to meet you all tomorrow!

The Online Shopping Trap

By: Ayesha Devani

With developments in technology alongside an increase in convenience, online shopping is more popular than ever. The Covid-19 pandemic only encouraged the same. Amazon, eBay, and the clothing brand Shein are a few of the many popular companies that operate online. However, with an increase in access to resources, brands are beginning to provide their services in-store and online. Clothing brand Zara, for instance, has broken growth records with its online presence. From a consumption point of view, online shopping has various drawbacks that are rarely revealed to consumers. This, of course, is hidden from us to promote the brand and aid its profitability. This article uses personal examples alongside references to the biggest brands in the business.

Due to my personal bias towards online shopping, I believe I have explored various brands and the services they provide. This is particularly directed at clothing stores since online clothing stores have truly revolutionized the way people shop. People, in specific, refer to teenagers since our age group is more vulnerable to marketing on social media. As online shoppers not only are we deprived of an unbiased quality check, but we are also deprived of being able to evaluate our purchase. In terms of clothing, this often leads to a lack of understanding of sizing, texture, measurements, and many others. Due to advancements in technology, online shopping websites now allow us to view sizing, insert our own measurements, and identify the perfect fit for us. However, due to how diverse our bodies and choices, it is extremely rare that these perfect fits are indeed perfect. 

A huge aspect of online shopping is heavily dependent on personal preferences. However, there are other aspects of online shopping that work to manipulate consumers. Fabletics, a recently growing sports brands company, has expanded its marketing to social media. Amongst the many others targeted, the first time I heard of the brand was through an Instagram advertisement. Instantly attracted by the “Shop 80% off,” I chose to visit the website. After adding a few pieces into my bag, I was taken to a page that asked me to join a VIP club to claim the discount. One aspect of the VIP deal that the brand failed to communicate explicitly is that the account would be charged $40 each month in order to remain a part of the club. This, a personal example, is the smallest example of how brands market their products with discounts allowing consumers to believe that they are the ones at gain. AliExpress, another recently growing brand, is often found to be controversial. Its legitimacy is one that’s at question. Its cheap prices have always attracted a rather large pool of consumers. The cheap prices, however, often result in poor-quality merchandise. The Chinese marketplace is a third-party platform and hence, lacks control over important aspects like delivery and shipping time.

With an increase in controversy alongside an increase in access to resources, online shopping brands have adapted and now allow us to access the best of the products. However, this increase in technology alongside the increase in online marketing allows them to target us and present deals that are only attractive at first. This is exactly why online shopping is a trap.

Resources:

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/safe-shop-aliexpress/

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjZ4NWQ77L3AhVNUt8KHZo6CycQFnoECAQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yournextshoes.com%2Ffabletics-awesome-scam%2F&usg=AOvVaw1uyC3Y3tm3X95CTuhpZMwC