Tag: Career counseling

Career counseling · Old blog

Recruitment do`s and don`t`s

Codrin PO1 Comment

This was supposed to be an article posted in my “Career counseling” series. But, because it is a more personal content, to which every person reacts differently, it is a standalone piece. This article is meant for organizations that recruit themselves, whatever the position is.

In my life, I have been on both sides of the recruitment process. I drafted the ad and job description. I’ve sipped through countless resumes and cover letters. I was mean enough not to reply personally to those who were rejected, but to send an automated response.

I also sent tens of CVs when I was desperate to find a job, sometimes customizing the CV and cover letter to fit the job description perfectly, but sometimes just sending the standard one with just a click of a button. The advices are here.

Blog · Career counseling · Old blog

Career counseling #6: the IAU/UNESCO list

Codrin PO

My friend Greg recently applied for a position in an United Nations specialized agency (I won’t give the name). As you remember, Greg has lots of diplomas in his field of expertise, from Bachelor to PhD. He also has several years of experience in the same field. These things would definitely get him a similar job (as the one he applied for) in any international organization, corporation, iNGO or research institute.

But there is a catch (again). After he applied, Greg saw a small paragraph in the job posting under “Additional information”. It said: “Please note that this UN agency will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list”. IAU stands for International Association of Universities. UNESCO, well, you know what it stands for (the culture and education part of the UN). Read more on what the UN asks from you.

Career counseling · Old blog

Career counseling #5: the illusion

Codrin PO

I read this morning an article on the web about a private college professor with a Master`s degree from an Ivy League university. The professor, let`s say he`s Greg`s brother Hugh, finished his studies magna cum laude and was considered by his colleagues “most likely to succeed“.

Hugh got married to his college sweetheart, had a beautiful baby boy and was as happy as anyone can be.

And then things started going downhill. His wife died in a car accident, leaving him with a baby that was, soon after, diagnosed with a chronic illness. Because of the time spent in the hospital with his baby, he lost his tenure track professor job and was obliged to get a teaching job at a skills and trade college, with only a few courses to teach per year. The job was bringing him around 24,000 euros/year. The house which he bought together with his wife was taken back by the bank and he was left only with 3,000 euros in debt and 200 euros in his bank account. Continue reading “Career counseling #5: the illusion” →

Blog · Career counseling · Old blog

Career counseling #2: How to choose what to study

Codrin PO

Every adolescent face a tough choice: to choose their studies, their high school studies when they are just 14-15 years old. It`s a hard choice to choose your path in life, even for adults. Because this is what this choice means: beginning to carve your way in life.

When I was 15 years old, I faced the same choice. And, from my point of view at that time, I failed terribly. My options at that time were to either study foreign languages or IT. I didn`t study either.

I was considered by my teachers a high achiever and, because of this, I was arrogant, arrogant enough not to study for my final exams out of secondary school. For the last 3-4 months before my exams, I did not study at all, except for the lessons that I was obliged to learn to get the same high grades that I was accustomed to. More about my choices