As my status as a senior and, therefore, a soon-to-be graduate of the University of Illinois dawned on me less than a year ago, the frantic pursuit of post-graduate plans began. Fortunately, the University of Illinois provides countless resources for undergraduate students to plan and pursue careers. Even more fortunately, I ultimately found my most valuable resource within the English department. During my first three years at the University, I had grappled with the idea of several career possibilities which led me to consider law school, editing, marketing, and PR among many others fields. While I felt I had the confidence, skills and broad range of experiences necessary to eventually excel in many of these, I lacked a concrete direction. The Alumni Mentoring Network provided me with an outlet to discuss my career considerations and, eventually, played a crucial role in my job search success.
Julie Glassman, a graduate of the University of Illinois English department herself, was eager to help me find my way it what seemed like a daunting professional world. Julie and I discussed my concerns and eagerness to discover the intricacies of different industries. She was candid about her experiences in a variety of industries, including but not limited to copywriting and event planning. All of this insight proved invaluable to my decision to pursue a career in marketing and, ultimately, an internship with the Chicago Screenwriters Network as well as a full-time position with a Digital Marketing company. The Alumni Mentoring Network proved integral to my career search and helped to ensure my own success as an alumna of the University of Illinois English department.