So I decided to start my blog today: April 30, 2008.
I could have definitely found a better sentence to start with, something more original, but the white page kinda scared me so I preferred to jot down a first sentence quickly.
I guess that I should introduce myself in this first post. Here is what I wrote about me on my Facebook profile:
I could have definitely found a better sentence to start with, something more original, but the white page kinda scared me so I preferred to jot down a first sentence quickly.
I guess that I should introduce myself in this first post. Here is what I wrote about me on my Facebook profile:
"I am a French citizen waiting for her spouse visa to become a Massachusetts resident. I fell in love with my soul mate 3 1/2 years ago and now we are married and homeowners! I love you Mike ♥
I think of myself as a pretty easy going person even if I can get upset for silly reasons sometimes (but it usually doesn't last long at all).
I like simple things. It doesn't matter what you are doing as long as you are with people you love. I love my family and my friends and even though I can't see them as much as I would like too, it makes the moments we are together that much more special. My goal in life is to be happy, do what I like and make people around me happy.
I am romantic, shy, anxious, insecure and sensitive (sometimes a little oversensitive but I am working on it). I am a perfectionist but I like to start things and have to be better at finishing them. I am liberal, curious, creative and considerate and I value tolerance, modesty, open-mindedness and respect.
Once I get this (longed-for) visa, I am planning on trying to find a teaching position. I would like to teach French, ideally in high school."
I think of myself as a pretty easy going person even if I can get upset for silly reasons sometimes (but it usually doesn't last long at all).
I like simple things. It doesn't matter what you are doing as long as you are with people you love. I love my family and my friends and even though I can't see them as much as I would like too, it makes the moments we are together that much more special. My goal in life is to be happy, do what I like and make people around me happy.
I am romantic, shy, anxious, insecure and sensitive (sometimes a little oversensitive but I am working on it). I am a perfectionist but I like to start things and have to be better at finishing them. I am liberal, curious, creative and considerate and I value tolerance, modesty, open-mindedness and respect.
Once I get this (longed-for) visa, I am planning on trying to find a teaching position. I would like to teach French, ideally in high school."
This description doesn't say everything about me but I think that it is a good start.
Right now, I am at my desk, in my office, in my house, in Wakefield, in Massachusetts, in the United States of America, on Earth.
I decided to start a blog because I would like to talk about my life, my experiences and my thoughts. A lot has changed in my life recently: I got married 9 months ago, I moved to a new country, I applied for my green card last October (and I am hoping to get it this summer), Mike and I bought a house and I am starting to look for jobs and for the kind of career I would like to pursue. I humbly think that it might be of interest for some people even though I must admit that I created this blog primarily for me. I think that it can help me know myself better and gain some confidence.
I feel like I am just starting to be a grown-up. This feeling is really recent. Even after I got married, I felt more like a child (or maybe a teenager) than an adult. It was probably due to the fact that I lived either with my parents or my in-laws. But Mike and I have been living in our new house for more than a month now and I think that it changed my state of mind. I feel more responsible and I am less scared of calling people on the phone - Ok, I didn't say that I wasn't scared at all anymore - but I handle it much more easily.
I am also feeling more confident about my professional future. I think that I know what I want to be and this gives me a lot of self-assurance. As I said earlier, I would like to be a teacher. I attended three classes yesterday and I talked to several teachers at the Melrose High School and I feel really confident that it is what I want to do. After wondering for years what I wanted to do for a job, I think that I finally know and it makes me feel really good. Ever since I got my diploma from Sciences-Po, I have been considering teaching but I wasn't positive that it was what I really wanted to do. And this ambivalence, this uncertainty made me feel really uncomfortable. I started doubting that I would ever find a job. I think that, to be honest, those doubts originated from a letter I received from the administration of Sciences-Poin 2005, a couple of weeks before starting my Masters. I still have this letter in my email box and I copied it (sorry it is in French):
Right now, I am at my desk, in my office, in my house, in Wakefield, in Massachusetts, in the United States of America, on Earth.
I decided to start a blog because I would like to talk about my life, my experiences and my thoughts. A lot has changed in my life recently: I got married 9 months ago, I moved to a new country, I applied for my green card last October (and I am hoping to get it this summer), Mike and I bought a house and I am starting to look for jobs and for the kind of career I would like to pursue. I humbly think that it might be of interest for some people even though I must admit that I created this blog primarily for me. I think that it can help me know myself better and gain some confidence.
I feel like I am just starting to be a grown-up. This feeling is really recent. Even after I got married, I felt more like a child (or maybe a teenager) than an adult. It was probably due to the fact that I lived either with my parents or my in-laws. But Mike and I have been living in our new house for more than a month now and I think that it changed my state of mind. I feel more responsible and I am less scared of calling people on the phone - Ok, I didn't say that I wasn't scared at all anymore - but I handle it much more easily.
I am also feeling more confident about my professional future. I think that I know what I want to be and this gives me a lot of self-assurance. As I said earlier, I would like to be a teacher. I attended three classes yesterday and I talked to several teachers at the Melrose High School and I feel really confident that it is what I want to do. After wondering for years what I wanted to do for a job, I think that I finally know and it makes me feel really good. Ever since I got my diploma from Sciences-Po, I have been considering teaching but I wasn't positive that it was what I really wanted to do. And this ambivalence, this uncertainty made me feel really uncomfortable. I started doubting that I would ever find a job. I think that, to be honest, those doubts originated from a letter I received from the administration of Sciences-Poin 2005, a couple of weeks before starting my Masters. I still have this letter in my email box and I copied it (sorry it is in French):
Les champs couverts par le master Carrières internationales sont passionnants et attirent de nombreux élèves, français comme étrangers. Cette lettre a pour objectif de vous tenir informé(e) du caractère très compétitif et volatil des marchés du travail auxquels vous pouvez prétendre à la sortie du master de Sciences Po.
1) Pré-requis
Grâce à l’expérience des dernières années, nous savons que, avant d’entrer dans ce master et pour préparer au mieux votre entrée sur le marché du travail, il est préférable de :
- maîtriser au moins trois langues vivantes : français + anglais et une autre – que vous suivrez au moins en niveau 4 dès votre entrée en master ;
- disposer au préalable d’un domaine de compétence, c’est-à-dire avoir déjà eu une expérience professionnelle significative dans le secteur privé (en marketing, en finance, en ressources humaines, en communication…) et/ou disposer d’un parcours académique plus technique (école d’ingénieur, école de commerce, université de droit…). En effet, les entreprises, organisations internationales, ONG et associations sont à la recherche de jeunes diplômés compétents déjà formés et, si possible, possédant une solide base technique.
2) Un exemple de débouché
Le cas des organisations internationales :
- Vous pouvez être recruté(e) en tant que consultant(e) parce que vous avez une bonne connaissance de terrain acquise grâce à une double formation (par exemple ingénieur/Sciences Po) ou si, après votre master, vous faites l’équivalent d’un PhD – dans ce cas, attention, le master Carrières internationales ne permet pas d’inscription en thèse à Sciences Po.
- Vous pouvez travailler dans une organisation internationale en tant que fonctionnaire international(e), selon les modes de recrutement de chaque organisation (dossier, concours, annonce…) si vous êtes ressortissant(e) d’un pays sous – ou pas du tout – représenté en son sein. Attention, les organisations internationales étant en effet soucieuses d’atteindre un équilibre de représentation parmi leurs fonctionnaires, la nationalité devient un critère de recrutement discriminant pour les jeunes professionnels. C’est la raison pour laquelle ce master compte et attire autant d’étudiants étrangers, et qu’il peut se révéler une impasse pour des ressortissants de pays normalement ou sur-représentés. Sont visés ici – mais pas seulement – les étudiants de nationalité française, qui sont fortement encouragés à consulter les sites Internet des organisations internationales et à se renseigner sur les processus de recrutement (sur le site de l’Unesco, par exemple, vous avez un état des lieux de la « répartition géographique », c’est-à-dire de la représentation de chaque pays).
- Vous pouvez travailler au sein de la représentation de votre pays d’origine auprès d’une organisation internationale. Attention si vous êtes ressortissant(e) français(e) : si vous êtes intéressé(e) par une carrière diplomatique, le master Affaires publiques est plus approprié pour vous former dans la mesure où, face à la sur-représentation de la France dans plusieurs organisations internationales, les délégations nationales sont votre principale voie d’accès. Le master Affaires publiques vous préparera alors de manière très performante aux concours administratifs qu’il vous faudra passer. D’autre part, le master Carrières internationales attire aussi beaucoup d’étudiants étrangers parce que, en fonction de leur projet professionnel, sitôt leurs études terminées ils envisagent de rentrer dans leur pays d’origine afin de faire valoir la diversité et la qualité de leur formation et, ainsi, occuper des postes à responsabilité.
Aux étudiants issus des 1ers cycles de Sciences Po, aux étudiants qui proviennent des filièreslittéraires et similaires, etc. :
- Malgré votre forte motivation et la qualité de vos études, il vous faudra peut-être – pour être compétitifs sur le marché de l’emploi – chercher à suivre une formation complémentaire ou à obtenir des stages très variés, de longue durée et à responsabilité. Sans cela, beaucoup de recruteurs dans ces secteurs risqueraient de trouver votre profil moins dense que celui de diplômés disposant de plus d’expérience ou d’une compétence technique spécifique.
- Face à ce problème, voici deux solutions qui se fondent sur des visions à moyen et long termes :
1) Vous acceptez les règles du jeu de ces milieux professionnels, c’est-à-dire des stages successifs non rémunérés ou du volontariat dans des zones reculées (avec des indemnités tournant autour de 350 Euros par mois),vous faites vos preuves et acquérez les compétences techniques sur le tas, jusqu’à ce qu’on vous propose un CDD voire un CDI. Mais là encore, vous devez être conscient(e) que les postes qui vous seront proposés seront faiblement rémunérés – autour de 1.500 Euros par mois. Si vous n’avez pas choisi cette filière pour l’argent, interrogez-vous tout de même sur le coût de la vie dans la région où vous travaillerez.
2) Vous adoptez une approche différente et, dans un certain sens, plus pragmatique : vous partez des métiers pour atteindre l’institution et ses objectifs philanthropiques. L’UNESCO, le PNUD, l’AFD, Veolia Environnement, Médecins du Monde…, toutes ces institutions ont besoin de marqueteurs, de communicateurs, de juristes, d’administrateurs, d’auditeurs, de financiers ou encore de gestionnaires en ressources humaines. Vous suivez d’abord une formation dans ces domaines, puis, une fois diplômé(e) ou après quelques années d’expérience dans une entreprise – qui vous auront permis de maîtriser ces compétences techniques –, vous postulez auprès de ces institutions avec une réelle valeur ajoutée.
This letter basically said that choosing International Affairs as a major was a bad idea if your goal was to find a job after getting out of school, unless you were okay with spending several years during various internships (paid euro 350 per month)... I was probably very innocent at the time because now I recognize that everything in this letter is not wrong like I thought ; but I felt cheated when i received it because I had always been told that whatever you study in Sciences-Po, you'll get any job you want because it is such a great school. Ok, I know, I WAS pretty naive but that's what they told us at the time: "Wow, you're going to Sciences, you have Dominique Strauss Khan as teacher, you are the elite, blah blah blah." Inspite of this letter, I decided to keep studying international affairs because it was what I wanted to study from the beginning. As soon as I entered Sciences-Po right after High School, I knew that it was what I wanted to study. I have always been interested in international current events, the relationships between countries and I really wanted to work for an International Organization. I ended up keeping this major because no other one appealed to me. I didn't want to study marketing, communication or business. I already knew at the time that I wanted to live in the United States after graduating and I didn't see the point in studying French Law or French public administration. So, I studied International affairs with a concentration in Conflicts and Security. I don't regret it because I learned a lot of interesting things during those two years. The classes were great, the students and the faculty were more international than in other Masters and in the end, I am happy that I did it. But for the months that followed my graduation, I didn't know what I was going to do for the rest of my life and it scared me a lot. During all my school years, I was like on a path already written for me. I knew where I was going: towards graduation, I knew what I had to do: study, do well on the tests... Life was pretty easy. Once I graduated, I felt like I was left alone, I had to decide where to go and what to do on my own and it frightened me a lot. In addition, the fact that I didn't have my green card yet and therefore couldn't work in the United States added to my frustration. I felt useless, I felt like I was burden for Mike. I feel much better today, although I still don't have my green card but I know that it is on its way. The USCIS opened my application in January. I was assigned a number and I am now waiting. The process usually takes 3 to 6 months but this year, because they increased the fee (which we were not aware of), the number of applications tripled right before the deadline. They had to open a whole new service to take care of the surplus. It now takes closer to 9 months to get the visa. I hope to get it this summer because I would really like to find a job for next September. If I can't work right away, I guess that I'll try to find a position in the middle of the year - although it would be much harder - or I would do substitute teaching in order to get some experience with students. I would like to be able to work soon too because I hate to see the burden of paying for every expense rely on Mike. The mortgage and utilities are big expenses and at the end of the month, we don't have much more to spend. Another salary would really make things easier! But even without considering the money, I really feel like I want to do something, to feel useful and feel like I am making a difference, even if it is a small one.
Ok, that was my first post and it ended up being pretty long. I doubt that all of my posts will be that long but I really really hope that I'll stick to writing my blog every so often so that I can share what I am living, my experiences and my thoughts with others that might be interested.
Thank you for reading my first blog.
1) Pré-requis
Grâce à l’expérience des dernières années, nous savons que, avant d’entrer dans ce master et pour préparer au mieux votre entrée sur le marché du travail, il est préférable de :
- maîtriser au moins trois langues vivantes : français + anglais et une autre – que vous suivrez au moins en niveau 4 dès votre entrée en master ;
- disposer au préalable d’un domaine de compétence, c’est-à-dire avoir déjà eu une expérience professionnelle significative dans le secteur privé (en marketing, en finance, en ressources humaines, en communication…) et/ou disposer d’un parcours académique plus technique (école d’ingénieur, école de commerce, université de droit…). En effet, les entreprises, organisations internationales, ONG et associations sont à la recherche de jeunes diplômés compétents déjà formés et, si possible, possédant une solide base technique.
2) Un exemple de débouché
Le cas des organisations internationales :
- Vous pouvez être recruté(e) en tant que consultant(e) parce que vous avez une bonne connaissance de terrain acquise grâce à une double formation (par exemple ingénieur/Sciences Po) ou si, après votre master, vous faites l’équivalent d’un PhD – dans ce cas, attention, le master Carrières internationales ne permet pas d’inscription en thèse à Sciences Po.
- Vous pouvez travailler dans une organisation internationale en tant que fonctionnaire international(e), selon les modes de recrutement de chaque organisation (dossier, concours, annonce…) si vous êtes ressortissant(e) d’un pays sous – ou pas du tout – représenté en son sein. Attention, les organisations internationales étant en effet soucieuses d’atteindre un équilibre de représentation parmi leurs fonctionnaires, la nationalité devient un critère de recrutement discriminant pour les jeunes professionnels. C’est la raison pour laquelle ce master compte et attire autant d’étudiants étrangers, et qu’il peut se révéler une impasse pour des ressortissants de pays normalement ou sur-représentés. Sont visés ici – mais pas seulement – les étudiants de nationalité française, qui sont fortement encouragés à consulter les sites Internet des organisations internationales et à se renseigner sur les processus de recrutement (sur le site de l’Unesco, par exemple, vous avez un état des lieux de la « répartition géographique », c’est-à-dire de la représentation de chaque pays).
- Vous pouvez travailler au sein de la représentation de votre pays d’origine auprès d’une organisation internationale. Attention si vous êtes ressortissant(e) français(e) : si vous êtes intéressé(e) par une carrière diplomatique, le master Affaires publiques est plus approprié pour vous former dans la mesure où, face à la sur-représentation de la France dans plusieurs organisations internationales, les délégations nationales sont votre principale voie d’accès. Le master Affaires publiques vous préparera alors de manière très performante aux concours administratifs qu’il vous faudra passer. D’autre part, le master Carrières internationales attire aussi beaucoup d’étudiants étrangers parce que, en fonction de leur projet professionnel, sitôt leurs études terminées ils envisagent de rentrer dans leur pays d’origine afin de faire valoir la diversité et la qualité de leur formation et, ainsi, occuper des postes à responsabilité.
Aux étudiants issus des 1ers cycles de Sciences Po, aux étudiants qui proviennent des filièreslittéraires et similaires, etc. :
- Malgré votre forte motivation et la qualité de vos études, il vous faudra peut-être – pour être compétitifs sur le marché de l’emploi – chercher à suivre une formation complémentaire ou à obtenir des stages très variés, de longue durée et à responsabilité. Sans cela, beaucoup de recruteurs dans ces secteurs risqueraient de trouver votre profil moins dense que celui de diplômés disposant de plus d’expérience ou d’une compétence technique spécifique.
- Face à ce problème, voici deux solutions qui se fondent sur des visions à moyen et long termes :
1) Vous acceptez les règles du jeu de ces milieux professionnels, c’est-à-dire des stages successifs non rémunérés ou du volontariat dans des zones reculées (avec des indemnités tournant autour de 350 Euros par mois),vous faites vos preuves et acquérez les compétences techniques sur le tas, jusqu’à ce qu’on vous propose un CDD voire un CDI. Mais là encore, vous devez être conscient(e) que les postes qui vous seront proposés seront faiblement rémunérés – autour de 1.500 Euros par mois. Si vous n’avez pas choisi cette filière pour l’argent, interrogez-vous tout de même sur le coût de la vie dans la région où vous travaillerez.
2) Vous adoptez une approche différente et, dans un certain sens, plus pragmatique : vous partez des métiers pour atteindre l’institution et ses objectifs philanthropiques. L’UNESCO, le PNUD, l’AFD, Veolia Environnement, Médecins du Monde…, toutes ces institutions ont besoin de marqueteurs, de communicateurs, de juristes, d’administrateurs, d’auditeurs, de financiers ou encore de gestionnaires en ressources humaines. Vous suivez d’abord une formation dans ces domaines, puis, une fois diplômé(e) ou après quelques années d’expérience dans une entreprise – qui vous auront permis de maîtriser ces compétences techniques –, vous postulez auprès de ces institutions avec une réelle valeur ajoutée.
This letter basically said that choosing International Affairs as a major was a bad idea if your goal was to find a job after getting out of school, unless you were okay with spending several years during various internships (paid euro 350 per month)... I was probably very innocent at the time because now I recognize that everything in this letter is not wrong like I thought ; but I felt cheated when i received it because I had always been told that whatever you study in Sciences-Po, you'll get any job you want because it is such a great school. Ok, I know, I WAS pretty naive but that's what they told us at the time: "Wow, you're going to Sciences, you have Dominique Strauss Khan as teacher, you are the elite, blah blah blah." Inspite of this letter, I decided to keep studying international affairs because it was what I wanted to study from the beginning. As soon as I entered Sciences-Po right after High School, I knew that it was what I wanted to study. I have always been interested in international current events, the relationships between countries and I really wanted to work for an International Organization. I ended up keeping this major because no other one appealed to me. I didn't want to study marketing, communication or business. I already knew at the time that I wanted to live in the United States after graduating and I didn't see the point in studying French Law or French public administration. So, I studied International affairs with a concentration in Conflicts and Security. I don't regret it because I learned a lot of interesting things during those two years. The classes were great, the students and the faculty were more international than in other Masters and in the end, I am happy that I did it. But for the months that followed my graduation, I didn't know what I was going to do for the rest of my life and it scared me a lot. During all my school years, I was like on a path already written for me. I knew where I was going: towards graduation, I knew what I had to do: study, do well on the tests... Life was pretty easy. Once I graduated, I felt like I was left alone, I had to decide where to go and what to do on my own and it frightened me a lot. In addition, the fact that I didn't have my green card yet and therefore couldn't work in the United States added to my frustration. I felt useless, I felt like I was burden for Mike. I feel much better today, although I still don't have my green card but I know that it is on its way. The USCIS opened my application in January. I was assigned a number and I am now waiting. The process usually takes 3 to 6 months but this year, because they increased the fee (which we were not aware of), the number of applications tripled right before the deadline. They had to open a whole new service to take care of the surplus. It now takes closer to 9 months to get the visa. I hope to get it this summer because I would really like to find a job for next September. If I can't work right away, I guess that I'll try to find a position in the middle of the year - although it would be much harder - or I would do substitute teaching in order to get some experience with students. I would like to be able to work soon too because I hate to see the burden of paying for every expense rely on Mike. The mortgage and utilities are big expenses and at the end of the month, we don't have much more to spend. Another salary would really make things easier! But even without considering the money, I really feel like I want to do something, to feel useful and feel like I am making a difference, even if it is a small one.
Ok, that was my first post and it ended up being pretty long. I doubt that all of my posts will be that long but I really really hope that I'll stick to writing my blog every so often so that I can share what I am living, my experiences and my thoughts with others that might be interested.
Thank you for reading my first blog.
