Comments for In The Driver's Seat http://www.allisoncheston.com In The Driver's Seat Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:02:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 Comment on Gen Y’s College Debt by Diablo http://www.allisoncheston.com/jobs-and-the-economy/gen-ys-college-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-1202 Diablo Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:02:20 +0000 http://www.allisoncheston.com/blog/?p=240#comment-1202 I am finishing up my last semester of college, having taken five years to get my undergrad. I didn't go into college right away from high school. While I don't recommend kids doing what I did (six years of active duty), I think it is crazy that we send teenagers, most having never lived one their own or made financial decisions, decide what they want to do with the rest of their life. While I think its important for people to "discover" themselves in college, the stark truth is that the cost now is crippling, especially if one makes a degree choice that they later regret. Students now are leaving with the equivalent of a mortgage except they don't have the equity of a home behind it. I don't really know how to fix anything on a national level...but its insane to me that we provide the same level of loans to students ignoring degree, potential future earnings, academic standing, etc. While everyone talks about the kids that graduate with a lot of debt, there are a huge number of kids that don't even manage to graduate before they take on crippling amounts of debt. By offering the same amount of loans as to STEM as Fine Arts, we will naturally produce more Fine Art majors. We have the statistics that show how STEM enrollments are stagnant while FA degrees are climbing. We need to realize that not every kid belongs or should go to college. If my GI Bill would have paid for it, I would have gone to trade school...but it wouldn't so I went to college. I am finishing up my last semester of college, having taken five years to get my undergrad. I didn’t go into college right away from high school. While I don’t recommend kids doing what I did (six years of active duty), I think it is crazy that we send teenagers, most having never lived one their own or made financial decisions, decide what they want to do with the rest of their life. While I think its important for people to “discover” themselves in college, the stark truth is that the cost now is crippling, especially if one makes a degree choice that they later regret. Students now are leaving with the equivalent of a mortgage except they don’t have the equity of a home behind it.

I don’t really know how to fix anything on a national level…but its insane to me that we provide the same level of loans to students ignoring degree, potential future earnings, academic standing, etc. While everyone talks about the kids that graduate with a lot of debt, there are a huge number of kids that don’t even manage to graduate before they take on crippling amounts of debt. By offering the same amount of loans as to STEM as Fine Arts, we will naturally produce more Fine Art majors. We have the statistics that show how STEM enrollments are stagnant while FA degrees are climbing. We need to realize that not every kid belongs or should go to college. If my GI Bill would have paid for it, I would have gone to trade school…but it wouldn’t so I went to college.

]]> Comment on Lousy Job Market Leaving You Feeling Isolated? by Sarah *(Rah) Bickley http://www.allisoncheston.com/jobs-and-the-economy/lousy-job-market-leaving-you-feeling-isolated/comment-page-1/#comment-1188 Sarah *(Rah) Bickley Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:58:05 +0000 http://www.allisoncheston.com/blog/?p=130#comment-1188 Dear Allison, Thank you for this post. I took a very good online course, Intro to Excel 2007, through Cape Fear Community College in North Carolina. The students were from all over the country. This course was excellent (especially in contrast to another computer course I took there) because the instructor had selected perfectly bite-sized pieces of information and given an exercise for each one. That way allowed me to learn Excel through experience, through doing, which is the way most adult learners learn. The other course that was not so good seemed to present the computer manual in a more conversational way and didn't break up the information into manageable bits, or offer nearly as many exercises to go along with it. Dear Allison,
Thank you for this post.
I took a very good online course, Intro to Excel 2007, through Cape Fear Community College in North Carolina. The students were from all over the country. This course was excellent (especially in contrast to another computer course I took there) because the instructor had selected perfectly bite-sized pieces of information and given an exercise for each one. That way allowed me to learn Excel through experience, through doing, which is the way most adult learners learn. The other course that was not so good seemed to present the computer manual in a more conversational way and didn’t break up the information into manageable bits, or offer nearly as many exercises to go along with it.

]]> Comment on You’re 90% There by Allison http://www.allisoncheston.com/work-life/you%e2%80%99re-90-there/comment-page-1/#comment-1171 Allison Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:47:48 +0000 http://www.allisoncheston.com/?p=1172#comment-1171 Hi Sara, thanks for the comment. I'm a big fan of Megan McArdle and The Atlantic's coverage and I had missed this. I have also read the research about women being labeled negatively and I realize that sexism is alive and well in the workplace. So I would always suggest that women use caution when negotiating but not the point of being mute--I think that' the danger. In both my personal experience and in my experience with clients, I have seen great results when women negotiate for title, salary or other benefits, provided they do it with the right care and finesse. Like anything, the delivery is at least as important as the message. Hi Sara, thanks for the comment. I’m a big fan of Megan McArdle and The Atlantic’s coverage and I had missed this. I have also read the research about women being labeled negatively and I realize that sexism is alive and well in the workplace. So I would always suggest that women use caution when negotiating but not the point of being mute–I think that’ the danger. In both my personal experience and in my experience with clients, I have seen great results when women negotiate for title, salary or other benefits, provided they do it with the right care and finesse. Like anything, the delivery is at least as important as the message.

]]> Comment on You’re 90% There by Sara Gallagher http://www.allisoncheston.com/work-life/you%e2%80%99re-90-there/comment-page-1/#comment-1167 Sara Gallagher Mon, 05 Dec 2011 02:21:12 +0000 http://www.allisoncheston.com/?p=1172#comment-1167 Great post, Allison. Confidence is an important element of career advancement, particularly for women who traditionally value humility over hubris. On the other hand, did you see the blog post on the Atlantic this week that suggests women may have good reason to keep a low profile? I'd be interested in your take....<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/12/dont-just-ask-why-women-dont-negotiate/249368/" rel="nofollow"></a> Great post, Allison. Confidence is an important element of career advancement, particularly for women who traditionally value humility over hubris. On the other hand, did you see the blog post on the Atlantic this week that suggests women may have good reason to keep a low profile? I’d be interested in your take….

]]> Comment on You’re 90% There by Allison http://www.allisoncheston.com/work-life/you%e2%80%99re-90-there/comment-page-1/#comment-1166 Allison Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:36:46 +0000 http://www.allisoncheston.com/?p=1172#comment-1166 Great question! It's something we all struggle with. I've said it before on this blog, but start as soon as you can in your career assembling a personal board of directors. This should be a mix of people whose opinions you really trust and ideally who will offer you different points of view. They may be mentors or sponsors. Relying on them for guidance as needed will build your confidence automatically because this special group respects you. And they should embolden you. Great question! It’s something we all struggle with. I’ve said it before on this blog, but start as soon as you can in your career assembling a personal board of directors. This should be a mix of people whose opinions you really trust and ideally who will offer you different points of view. They may be mentors or sponsors. Relying on them for guidance as needed will build your confidence automatically because this special group respects you. And they should embolden you.

]]> Comment on You’re 90% There by Jamie Farrell http://www.allisoncheston.com/work-life/you%e2%80%99re-90-there/comment-page-1/#comment-1165 Jamie Farrell Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:30:16 +0000 http://www.allisoncheston.com/?p=1172#comment-1165 Great post and interesting stats. So - what is one to do to GET confidence up and KEEP it up if female gen Y? Great post and interesting stats. So – what is one to do to GET confidence up and KEEP it up if female gen Y?

]]> Comment on Networking Oblivion by Claire Nelson http://www.allisoncheston.com/work-life/networking-oblivion/comment-page-1/#comment-1148 Claire Nelson Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:16:27 +0000 http://www.allisoncheston.com/?p=1151#comment-1148 I'm currently using LinkedIn to help my husband build a new client base in UK. Great tips! thanks! Claire I’m currently using LinkedIn to help my husband build a new client base in UK. Great tips! thanks! Claire

]]> Comment on How To Not Be a Boring Speaker by Allison http://www.allisoncheston.com/jobs-and-the-economy/how-to-not-be-a-boring-speaker/comment-page-1/#comment-1136 Allison Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:55:40 +0000 http://www.allisoncheston.com/?p=1129#comment-1136 Thanks, Chris! I agree we should start a movement:) Tell your kids teachers to cease and desist!! Thanks, Chris! I agree we should start a movement:) Tell your kids teachers to cease and desist!!

]]> Comment on How To Not Be a Boring Speaker by Chris http://www.allisoncheston.com/jobs-and-the-economy/how-to-not-be-a-boring-speaker/comment-page-1/#comment-1135 Chris Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:07:48 +0000 http://www.allisoncheston.com/?p=1129#comment-1135 Hi Allison -- I love the idea of no PowerPoint! I think that PowerPoint ensures that your audience's eyes are on the screen and they're not listening to you, they're too busy reading the PowerPoint. Time to start a no PowerPoint movement. Unfortunately, teachers are still using them at my daughter's middle school -- I really wish they wouldn't -- it starts bad public speaking habits that will be hard to break. Hi Allison — I love the idea of no PowerPoint! I think that PowerPoint ensures that your audience’s eyes are on the screen and they’re not listening to you, they’re too busy reading the PowerPoint. Time to start a no PowerPoint movement. Unfortunately, teachers are still using them at my daughter’s middle school — I really wish they wouldn’t — it starts bad public speaking habits that will be hard to break.

]]> Comment on Networking Oblivion by Allison http://www.allisoncheston.com/work-life/networking-oblivion/comment-page-1/#comment-1134 Allison Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:30:17 +0000 http://www.allisoncheston.com/?p=1151#comment-1134 Grazie Bella! Grazie Bella!

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