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Self-Reflection in Your Career

Every now and then, we need to slow down, look inwards, and self-reflect.

The simplest way to define self-reflection is: thinking about YOU. Self-reflection can involve thinking about your…

  • Past, present, and future

  • Identity and the way it has been influenced by external and internal factors

  • Character and actions

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12 Ways to Change Your Life in 2022

New year, new intentions.

Whether you’re looking for a change or want to sharpen your current habits, there is always space to both acknowledge your growth and pivot to progress even more.

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Lessons Learned in 2021

It’s that time of the year. Holidays have passed. It’s almost time to get back to work or school. It’s the perfect time for a fresh slate, a new you.

But wait. If we hop into the new year so soon, how can we learn from 2021? The most underrated part of creating goals and resolutions is first reflecting.

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Shining a Light On… Us!

In October 2020, the Opal team launched the Shine a Light On podcast. Over the course of its first year, the podcast has explored a range of academic and career topics, shining a light on career centers, sustainable self-growth, international student experiences, and much more. Each episode features one or two guests, often college students or early career professionals, who share their experiences and advice with listeners.

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How to Learn Anything On Your Own

One of the greatest benefits of being a part of a team is the opportunity to network and build connections. Incidentally, this has become one of the greatest challenges as jobs, internships, and other organizations moved to the virtual — and isolated — workspace.

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Networking at Home: Team Leader Edition (Copy)

Finding and nurturing connections with cool people is one of the most effective strategies to explore your professional possibilities and develop your future. Virtual internships offer their fair share of perks, but perhaps one of the biggest drawbacks of going all-virtual is the lack of social interaction with coworkers. The typical image of what networking entails involves waving down people in the hall, grabbing a coffee together, or attending a lunch event. What does networking at work look like when you’re at home, surrounded by pets, family, and other unpredictable elements? How do you meet cool coworkers organically if you’re not in the same room?

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Networking at Home: Intern Edition

Finding and nurturing connections with cool people is one of the most effective strategies to explore your professional possibilities and develop your future. Virtual internships offer their fair share of perks, but perhaps one of the biggest drawbacks of going all-virtual is the lack of social interaction with coworkers. The typical image of what networking entails involves waving down people in the hall, grabbing a coffee together, or attending a lunch event. What does networking at work look like when you’re at home, surrounded by pets, family, and other unpredictable elements? How do you meet cool coworkers organically if you’re not in the same room?

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No Summer Plan? No Problem

Summer. The best season of the year. That is, unless you’re drowning in the pressures to find something productive, life-altering, or incredibly meaningful to do with your few months off from school (or permanent graduation from school!), as college students everywhere have been doing relentlessly. Even as many schools end this month, not everyone has been successful in their search for a job or internship, and unfortunately this is often due to factors beyond our control.

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When the Job Search Gets Dark

Sometimes, the job search gets a little dark.

Not like the thrilling murder mystery you’ve been devouring in your free time, but more like a dense and dangerous fog that leaves you stuck without a visible destination. This is a darkness that comes from within: your innermost insecurities and negative thoughts about the job search.

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Virtual Recruitment: Behind the Scenes

It’s that time of the year again: the season of caramel apples, cozy sweaters, colorful leaves, and collecting your nerves for the frenzy of job applications and interviews. As if online classes weren’t enough to keep us glued to the screen everyday, many college students, especially juniors and seniors, are settling into an almost daily routine of searching for the next internship or job opportunity.

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Staying Strong During Your Job Search

Job searching is a behemoth of a task for a student, and any student who dares to take it on is already a fighter. To fellow students who are spending hours polishing applications, networking, interview prepping, and learning in-demand skills, only to be handed 20+ automated rejection emails — I feel you.

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