In addition to its international development work, PYXERA is also the base for the Center for Citizen Diplomacy. I served as one of the founding board members of the Center and now am honored to continue as a board member of PYXERA Global.

Note preference for someone who has participated in a World Learning Program.

We are often buffeted by so much bad news and tragedy that is is instructive to be reminded that there are many fine young people getting ready to be a force for good in our turbulent world.

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us. I learned a lot about the interview process I didn’t ever think of and in the future I know that will be helpful when starting a career.

- Madison Pagano

Thank you very much for meeting with our class. I very much appreciate your insight on how to shape our “building blocks” of life through your experiences of community service and internship opportunities.

- Catherine Sielaff

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come speak with us. After your presentation I have become more passionate about a career in public health as your career has demonstrated there is a whole lot one person can do.  Also I now have a heightened awareness of how one should dress as well as the importance of a follow up thank you. I look forward to reading your book and learning more about subjects we discussed like finding building blocks and mentors.

- Caroline Silver

Thank you very much for meeting with our class and discussing the importance of business etiquette. I thought that your concept of a business culture was very interesting and helpful.

- James Stinson

I’d like to thank you for sharing your immense insight and wisdom with us. It was wonderful to hear someone with such expertise talk about a field I’m so interested in. Your advice was fantastic, and I’ll be sure to remember that I’m “always on.”  I hope to discover what I’m truly passionate about in the coming years and your lecture has really inspired me. Thank you again, and I look forward to reading your book!

- Bridgit Hrubecky, Averill Park High School

Thank you for coming to speak with us on Thursday. I really found it interesting that the art of professionalism is being lost through the generations and I appreciate that you are taking steps to try to bring it back.

- Jake Henricks, Averill Park High School

Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to come visit with us. It really made me think when you talked to us about the importance of mentors. When you first started talking about them no one came to mind as my mentor. But it gave me confidence when you told us how you didn’t realize who was your mentor until years later.

- Sydney Hurley, Averill Park High School

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to have a discussion with us. The idea of creating “building blocks” for my resume and future career resonated with me. It will be very helpful in my future applications, and I will take be certain to carry your advice with me in the future. Thanks again!

- Emily Isenhart, Columbia High School

Talking with you has really inspired to me find my calling; take my passion and pursue it! I’m extremely intrigued on the topic of world health and travel and am so excited to purchase your book to find out more about how to do this! I think I can say that you would be considered one of my mentors.

- Haley Gubitz, New Lebanon CSD

Thank you so much for coming to meet with us. Talking with you has made me look back and think of who my mentors are, and who they inspire me to be.

- Lily Flynn, Averill Park High School

Dear Sherry, Thank you for talking to us about what you do and teaching us how to better ourselves. I really enjoyed hearing about your new book and I can not wait to read it! I also enjoyed hearing about the opportunities available for people our age to travel and study. As someone who has never been out of the country studying abroad will be a good experience for me and will allow me to experience culture I haven’t come in contact with before. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to visit with us it was an experience I will not forget.

- Joshua Anthony, Lansingburgh High School

Thank you so much for speaking to us about professionalism and how to break into a career in global health. I am unsure of my career path right now, but you gave me insight as to how to find my cause. I appreciate all your insight on NGOs and opportunities for volunteer work and internships. It was evident that you are an expert in your field, and I truly appreciate you taking time to speak to us.

- Molly Bergin, Lansingburgh High School

The photo below was taken after a lively discussion about careers and Working World at the Center for Global Health at the University at Albany. This group of high school seniors – participating in a “New Visions” advanced placement enrichment program—has already decided that they want some kind of career in global health. It was truly a privilege to share the structure and highlights of Working World with them. The Q&A section morphed into a spirited dialogue. They asked some thought-provoking questions. Mark and I welcome your answers to these questions.

Q: How are tattoos and piercings perceived during an interview?

A: Various managers will react differently. In my opinion, however, you do not want to distract the person interviewing you from focusing in on your experience and abilities. I remember interviewing someone with a tongue piercing and my mind kept drifting away from what she was saying. I kept wondering, “Does that hurt?” It’s always best to err on the conservative side until you can assess the culture of a particular organization.

Q: What is your greatest regret regarding your career?

A: One persistent regret is that I (so far) have never perfected one foreign language. I studied Spanish in high school and learned some German when I lived with a German family on an Experiment in International Living (EIL) program. I studied French in college and learned Russian after falling in love with a classmate who was fluent. I used my Russian when I served as group leader for American college students on an EIL program to the USSR. Later I learned Portuguese after my then husband and I lived in Brazil for a year. I wish that I had taken the time to master one of these languages.

Q: What are your tips for a successful phone interview?

A: This timely question generated many useful tips to consider:

• Smile, it is reflected in your voice.
• Be sure to speak clearly and project your voice so you can be readily heard and understood.
• Remove all distractions (close that computer) so you do not lose your focus.
• Have a notepad handy to jot down questions and possible key words of your answers.
• Have a warm beverage (not ice water) in case you get thirsty. A warm drink is much better for your vocal cords.
• One participant suggested standing up as you are interviewed. Another advocated dressing as though you were going to be interviewed in person (no pajamas!).

We welcome your answers to these questions.

Being co-author of a book on careers, I am keenly interested in ways people make a living, how they view their jobs, and the extent to which they deliberate about their careers.

The conversation began the way so many in Washington, DC, start. I asked, “What do you do?” My seat partner replied: “I work for an organization that brings high school students to Washington, DC, for a week’s immersion in government.” “The Close Up Foundation?” I guessed. “Yes,” he replied. I then learned a great deal more about this remarkable nonprofit organization founded in 1971. When I worked as a program officer at the Institute of International Education (IIE) early in my career, I often scheduled appointments with Close Up staff for participants in the (then USIA sponsored) International Visitor Program. It was the ideal meeting for foreign leaders interested in how young Americans learn to participate in a democracy. I even remember thinking at the time it would be rewarding to work for Close Up.

My seatmate was Jon Gerst who started at Close Up as a program instructor in 2010, advanced to program leader, and now serves as an Outreach Representative as of last August. Jon travels around the country—and sometimes to U.S. territories, such as Guam, as well as other countries—meeting with teachers and principals to help recruit the 16,000 students who participate in Close Up programs each year. Most programs (one teacher per ten students) begin on Sunday and end on the following Friday evening. Activities range from a day on Capitol Hill to Embassy visits.

“Inform, Inspire, Empower” is the Close Up mantra. Learn more at www.closeup.org.

When I asked Jon what he liked best about his job, Jon noted he totally embraced the mission. “I love that students from around the country learn to tackle weighty issues with in-person civil conversations.” He works with teachers who become community activists, not just for one week, but all year long. We agreed that it is vitally important for young people to get engaged in the political process.

“What characteristics do you need to work for Close Up?” I asked. Jon answered: “The ability to improvise and be quick on your feet, a willingness to work long and hard, and open-mindedness. You must not write anyone off too quickly. This is surely a set of traits any employer would appreciate.”

Many international jobs require at least a rudimentary knowledge of protocol. There are scary examples of international incidents that could have been averted if those involved had received basic training in topics ranging from appropriate seating at formal dinners to flag placement in cultural traditions. My young colleague Kim Starfield, who serves as Assistant Protocol Officer for the Secretary of Homeland Security, told me about an upcoming Protocol 101 Workshop on May 16. It is sponsored by the PDI-POA: Protocol Officers Association. Mark and I often write about the building blocks of your career. Knowledge of protocol is certainly one.

I’m not necessarily sure if the myth regarding rain on one’s wedding day reigns true outside the confines of a chapel, however, if events that occurred last week during a torrential downpour in DC are any indication of its transcendence – I’m a believer.

After attending the first government-sponsored TED event at the State Department last Wednesday afternoon, I emerged from the auditorium optimistic about the impending job interview to which I was en route. That optimism was instantly smothered by the pouring rain, which greeted me upon exit. Down in DC for the day from Manhattan, I planned the contents of my bag strategically, leaving no detail unchecked or without consideration…needless to say, I was disheartened by my failure to execute a relatively routine exercise — verify the forecast. Hailing a cab sans umbrella in my newly pressed suit proved to be a sufficient challenge. And just as I was about to call my interview and apologize for my imminent tardiness, it happened. A kind, umbrella-toting stranger motioned for me to join her in the cab she had hailed.

Sharing a cab is a truly generous act…that soon paled in comparison to additional gestures of my cab companion. Sherry Mueller welcomed me into her cab during a tenuous moment of urgency, offered me valuable and constructive interview advice, and proceeded to gift me her umbrella, all before departing at her stop within ten minutes of our chance introduction.

Perhaps I’m just a jaded New Yorker, but Sherry’s random act of kindness and generosity was truly overwhelming, sincere, and deeply appreciated. The impact of my chance meeting only served to solidify my faith in ‘paying it forward.’ Furthermore, after reading up on Sherry’s professional endeavors, the irony of our introduction and its ripple effect emerged. Sherry’s recently published book, Working World, encourages professionals to take an active role in shaping their career paths through extra-curricular initiatives/activities and relationships – a mantra to which I’m a committed disciple. What’s more is that Sherry acknowledges the critical nature of developing relationships that transcend discipline, comfort zone, and age.

I look forward to encouraging my peers and colleagues to seek out the ‘Sherry’s’ in their own world and not only as an exercise in cognizance enrichment – it’s important to be aware of, engage, and learn from those available resources. You never know when you’ll get caught in a storm without an umbrella.

Sometimes — due to geography — I find myself doing an event solo. Despite missing Mark, I always enjoy the give and take with my audience — and their varied reactions to some of the ideas Mark and I share in the book and that I review in opening remarks that launch spirited discussions.

Last Friday was a particularly interesting occasion. Initially, my trip to San Diego was planned so I could speak at the 30th anniversary celebration of NCIV’s member organization there — the Citizen Diplomacy Council of San Diego (CDCSD). That festive event was held May 28 at the San Diego Yacht Club. CDCSD is a dynamic collection of dedicated citizen diplomats, and it was a privilege to be present in person to recognize their three decades of service to their community, our country, and to the foreign leaders whose lives they have touched and entwined with their own.

Last Friday evening, as part of CDCSD’s effort to draw more young people into their work as citizen diplomats, The Internationalists (a group designed to bring young professionals with global interests together) hosted a book event that turned into a lively discussion and a classic networking opportunity. The audience ranged from newly minted University of California, San Diego and University of San Diego grads to a Latina woman who works for Univision Radio to a Navy SEAL with experience in both Iraq and Afghanistan. I learned so much from each of them as I visited with them before and after the formal program.

I’m always quick to point out that we wrote Working World for idealists. Our target audience from the outset was readers who want to make a positive difference in our turbulent world. Now I am discovering how uplifting it is to interact with our readers who indeed are idealists. In this time of grim headlines and somber sound bites, it is truly heartening to interact with such impressive young people (and those seeking a mid-career change or an “encore career”) who are determined to be forces for good in this chaotic world of ours.

My thanks to Enrique, Mel, Christiana, and Eric — and all of your CDCSD colleagues for making the event such a success. The welcoming audience, the buzz in the room, the excellent questions and comments — all combined to provide inspiration and new connections.

Knowing I had a number of recent grads in my audience, I opened my remarks with a reference to Secretary of State Clinton’s commencement address at NYU (described in an earlier post—with a video— by Mark), where she said she hoped we could “harness the energy of a rising generation of citizen diplomats…My message to you today is this: Be the special envoy of your ideals…be citizen ambassadors using your personal and professional lives to forge global partnerships…”

It is a source of great satisfaction to know directly from our readers that Working World is helping them do just this.