One Day, One Job » health care

Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund

Willy Franzen — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:49:51 +0000

Today’s the big game! By the end of tonight there will probably be a new football hero for many fans. Unfortunately, even being the star of one of the world’s biggest sporting events doesn’t guarantee a carefree future. Football is a brutal sport that takes a terrible toll on the body. This is doubly bad for players. First, it causes all kinds of long-term health problems, and, second, it shortens careers significantly. This becomes a major problem for retired players who no longer have a source of income and are dealing with the physical aftermath of a career in football. Nobody wants to see their heroes down and out, which is why Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund was started. They’re based in Northbrook, IL, and they “provide financial assistance and coordinate social services to dire need retired NFL players who are pioneers of the game and have greatly contributed to the NFL’s status as the most popular sport in America.”

A Great Organization

I know that it’s hard to empathize with someone who played a game for a living, but even today’s players with their salaries that are often millions annually have a tough road ahead of them. Imagine if you made all the money that you’d make in your life in your first three years after college. It’d be pretty hard to be responsibly manage the money–especially knowing that there will likely be long-term medical problems. Fortunately, the NFL has realized the problems that life after football can present, and they’ve gotten much better about taking care of players after retirement; however, that still leaves many retired greats without help. Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, which is chaired by Mike Ditka, is helping to take care of these players by “treating them with dignity, and addressing the post-football related issues in their lives.” While Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund doesn’t have a jobs page, you can contact them here. They’ve offered internships in the pat, so it many not be unreasonable to inquire about a job. It’s at least worth trying if you’re a big football fan. You may also want to check out our past posts on the National Football Foundation, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, USA Football, and, of course, the NFL and its teams.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Who do you think will win the Super Bowl?

Internet Brands

Willy Franzen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:07:03 +0000

In case you missed our e-mail from last week, Kembrel loved the response from our post about them so they’re offering a free VIP card (usually 20 bucks) to all ODOJ readers and $5 in store credit. Sign up here.

On Monday we took a look at Vertive, a company that builds internet properties to help people save money. Today we’re going to look at a company with a similar model of building and buying websites, but a much broader approach. Internet Brands is based in El Segundo, CA and started as CarsDirect.com in 1998. It was a successful brand for them, but in 2005 they realized that the platform they had built could be applied to other verticals. Now Internet Brands operates more than 100 websites that reach over a billion visitors every year. Amazingly, they’ve been able to generate almost all of this traffic organically (without buying advertising). This is all because of the platform that they’ve developed and the ability to share resources across brands. Internet Brands is a case study of how economies of scale can work on the web.

Get Branded

The best way to get a better feel for Internet Brands is to explore their… brands. There are a lot of them, but they typically fit into one of nine verticals: Automotive, Careers, Health, Home, Legal, Licensing, Money, Shopping, and Travel. Chances are that most of the brands will be new to you, but I found a few that I was familiar with. Unlike Vertive, Internet Brands doesn’t shed much light on how they operate. Even the Internet Brands Careers page is filled with mostly generic stuff like “Do you have energy, drive and ambition?” and “Do you have a strong sense of where you are going and how to get there?” Would any job seeker answer no to those rhetorical questions? At least Internet Brands makes up for it with a ton of job postings. Here are the ones that look well suited for an entry level job seeker:

That’s a lot of jobs. Hopefully a few of them will catch your interest.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Internet Brands?

HDIS

Willy Franzen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:40:52 +0000

I last wet my pants in 2nd grade. I knew I had to go, and I was waiting outside the bathroom with my legs squeezed together. I didn’t want to break the rules and use the bathroom down the hall, so I waited… and waited… and waited. Eventually I couldn’t hold it any longer, and I went. I told my teacher, and she did a great job of keeping it discrete so none of the kids in my class found out. But it was still terribly humiliating. Looking back I can laugh about it–and I often do (I love bathroom humor!), but I know there are plenty of people for whom things like this aren’t funny anymore. Incontinence is an extremely common problem, yet it’s not one that many people talk about openly. That’s why HDIS has been able to build such a successful business. The Olivette, MO based company’s full name is Home Delivery Incontinence Supplices, and they’ve “specialized
in providing quality care to those who experience loss of bladder control” since 1986. You’ve probably seen their commercials on tv–especially if you watch shows geared towards an older audience.

At Your Discretion

At first it seemed odd to me that a company like HDIS would exist when you can buy the products that they sell from a retail store or even Amazon.com, but then I realized just how specialized they are. They put a huge emphasis on personalized care, while also ensuring that they are always discreet. When you combine this level of service with exceptional branding and targeted advertising, they’ve become the nation’s largest direct supplier of incontinent supplies. It also helps that their pricing seems to be quite competitive (I checked it against Amazon on a few products, which I though was going to haunt my Recently Viewed Items, but Amazon seems to know better). HDIS may not be a trendy startup or a huge brand name, but they’ve built a business on serving a group of people who have a very specific need. If you’d like to be a part of what HDIS is doing, check out their Careers page. Right now they have a few jobs that you may want to consider including Marketing Specialist, Telesales Representative, Medicare Billing Supervisor, Customer Care Representative, and Outreach Representative.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about HDIS?

IMMCO Diagnostics

Willy Franzen — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:43:16 +0000

Yesterday, I was watching a tv news segment on holiday etiquette, and a viewer e-mailed in a question about how to deal with throwing a party when nearly every guest has submitted “dietary restrictions.” The “expert” responded that the host should just serve what she wants to serve considering that none of her friends are likely at risk for starvation. My guess is that a lot of the guests don’t really have dietary restrictions but dietary preferences; however, there seems to be an increasing number of people whose health is significantly affected by eating certain things. A lot of these reactions are caused by autoimmune diseases, which are caused by “an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body.” I’m not sure if autoimmune diseases are becoming more prevalent or if they’re just getting more attention, but IMMCO Diagnostics based in Buffalo, NY has built its business on battling autoimmune diseases. They incorporate “innovative medical devices, diagnostic laboratory testing expertise and pioneering research for a comprehensive solution to autoimmune disease diagnostics.”

A Diagnosis for Your Job Search

One might think that IMMCO Diagnostics would be a relatively new company as the awareness surrounding autoimmune diseases has exploded, but they’ve actually been working in the field since 1971. I wish I could really dig into what they do, but autoimmune diagnostics comes with a lot of big words that I don’t understand. If your medical/scientific vocabulary is a bit bigger than mine, you may want to look over IMMCO Diagnostics’ Products to get a better feel for what they’re working on. If you want to work to help people overcome autoimmune diseases, check out IMMCO Diagnostics’ Jobs page. Right now they have two positions that may interest you: Research Associate/Technician and Marketing Assistant. Check them both out and see if they’re worth applying for.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about IMMCO Diagnostics?

Public Health Solutions

Willy Franzen — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:03:54 +0000

For most people health is a deeply personal issue that is only to be talked about with close friends, family, and medical professionals, yet “public health” is a term that you hear used more and more. It’s because health isn’t an independent outcome–it’s closely tied to the health of others in your community. You’re better off if your peers are healthy, which is why governments and non-profits direct so many resources to improving public health. One of the organizations that does this work in New York, NY is Public Health Solutions. They are an “organization that develops, implements and advocates dynamic solutions to prevent disease and improve community health.” They were founded in 1957, and since then they’ve been building upon a “foundation of rigorous scientific research to link research and practice in dynamic ways to improve the health of communities.”

What’s Your Solution?

Public Health Solutions’ programs focus on addressing “critical public health needs such as maternal and child health, nutrition, access to health insurance, HIV prevention and care, and smoking cessation.” You can read up on their current programs here. All together the programs serve more than 200,000 low-income New Yorkers every year. Remember that everything that Public Health Solutions does is based on rigorous research, so you may want to read over some of their their publications to get a better feel for their work. If you find yourself lost in the research, then you may want to consider a job with Public Health Solutions. Their Jobs page has some positions posted, but I think you’ll find the jobs they have posted on Idealist more interesting–the most suitable position for a new or recent grad is Data Coordinator. Check that one out as well as Public Health Solutions’ other positions, and see what works for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Public Health Solutions?

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 14:22:36 +0000

Although I may not be a big fan of NPR, I guess it’s pretty useful for learning about new companies and organizations to profile. Yesterday one of the sponsors that was mentioned while I was listening was the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. They’re a Princeton, NJ based non-profit that is “devoted to improving health policy and practice.” It’s one of the wealthiest charitable foundations in the world, and it was founded after the death of Robert Wood Johnson II, the founder of Johnson & Johnson. During the 90s one of the Robert Wood Johnson’s main goals was to curb tobacco use in the United States. They spent nearly half a billion dollars on it, and they were quite successful. Now they’re using what they learned in that battle to fight childhood obesity.

A Solid Foundation

While Childhood Obesity seems to be the main focus of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, they do have a number of other Program Areas that focus on a variety of health related issues. It’s all about working “with a diverse group of dedicated people and organizations to address problems at their roots and to help make a difference on the widest scale—particularly for the most vulnerable among us.” If you want to be part of that mission, you should keep reading up on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation by checking out their Publications and Research and Health Policy. If you like what you see, then you can head ofer to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Program Administrative Assistant, which looks to be well suited to the entry level. They also accept general application inquiries at resume@rwjf.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation?

New England Healthcare Institute

Willy Franzen — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 13:50:47 +0000

Now that our country has a shiny new AA+ credit rating (that’s a downgrade from AAA in case you were wondering), we’re going to have to get far more serious about cutting our government’s deficit spending. Considering that 23% of Federal spending is on health care and that health care costs are consistently growing faster than GDP, we’re going to have to find a way to spend less on health care. Oddly enough, there seem to be a lot of people who strongly believe that cutting costs and improving health care can go hand in hand. Some of those people run the New England Healthcare Institute, a Cambridge, MA based non-profit organization that is “dedicated to transforming health care for the benefit of patients and their families.” They realize how broken our system is, and they’re taking an evidence-based approach towards fixing it.

Transforming Health Care

NEHI calls itself “the largest, most diverse, multi-stakeholder health care organization in the nation.” While many would consider them a think tank, NEHI prefers the term “think-and-do tank.” If you take a look at NEHI’s Programs and Initiatives, you’ll see that their main focus areas are Health Reform, Health and the Economy, Health Information and Technology, Medical Innovation, Waste and Inefficiency in Health Care, and Prevention and Wellness. It’s really interesting to dig into what they’re doing, because it’s an approach that makes sense, even if it’s not talked about much. Our country needs to take a new perspective on health care and start thinking about keeping people healthy instead of treating them when they get sick. That’s a big part of what NEHI is trying to do. If you’re interested in public health, you should really dig into their website and read up on them. If you like what you see, check out NEHI’s Jobs page. Right now they have two positions that could be suitable for new grads: Administrative and Database Coordinator and Health Policy Associate. Give them both a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about NEHI?

Schwartz Communications

Willy Franzen — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:43:42 +0000

When you land a job, let me know by e-mailing me at willy@onedayonejob.com. If you found it through our daily e-mails or site, we want to add you to our success stories. If you didn’t, we may want to feature your new employer and let the rest of our readers know about them. If they hired you, there’s a good chance that they’ll be hiring other recent grads in the future. A reader e-mail is how I found out about Schwartz Communications, a Waltham, MA based public relations firm that “has been helping technology and healthcare companies articulate compelling stories” for over 20 years. It’s all about taking a development that may sound super scientific and turning it into something that appeals to a wide audience.

Is Your Story Compelling?

There’s no better way to get a feel for a PR firm than to check out their client list and read through their case studies. Obviously big names are nice to see, but only firms that serve certain industries are going to have clients with familiar names. In tech and healthcare, big names aren’t necessarily familiar names. However, some Schwartz Communications clients that I recognize include Simply Hired, RetailMeNot, and Versant. Luckily, Schwartz Communications has a ton of case studies posted, so you can really dig into learning about the kind of work that they do. You can also check out their client coverage to take a look at the kinds of results that they deliver. If you like what you see, then head over to Schwartz Communications’ Jobs page. While the only current opening that they have for a recent grad is an Account Executive position in Twickenham, United Kingdom, don’t let that stop you from reaching out to them about positions in their Waltham and San Francisco offices

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Schwartz Communications?

Arthritis Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:02:30 +0000

While I was fishing yesterday (in a winter hat during the month of June I might add), I was tying knots, casting, wading through the river, and catching and releasing lots of fish. Though I wouldn’t by any means call it a strenuous workout, I was certainly putting all of my joints to use–from my fingers to my ankles. Most young people take for granted that their bodies work like they were built to, but it’s not so easy for some people. We often associate arthritis with aging, and it’s definitely linked to that, but it’s a group of disorders that can affect people of all ages (2/3 of people with arthritis are under the age of 65 according to the CDC). There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions, which is why theArthritis Foundation was founded in 1948. They’re an Atlanta, GA based non-profit organization that “helps people take control of arthritis by providing public health education; pursuing public policy and legislation; and conducting evidence-based programs to improve the quality of life for those living with arthritis.” Considering how debilitating arthritis can be for the more than 50 million people who suffer from it, it’s a good thing that the Arthritis Foundation is doing what they do.

Joint Their Team

In just over 60 years of existence, the Arthritis Foundation has invested more than $400 million through grants to researchers which has resulted “in major treatment advances for most arthritis diseases.” They continue to fund research at an extremely high level, and they’ll keep doing it as long as arthritis is a problem. In addition to the research, the Arthritis Foundation offers community-based services like self-help courses, water and land-based exercise classes, instructional videotapes, and more, while also advocating “to local and national governments on behalf of the 46 million Americans with arthritis and chronic joint symptoms.” They seem to be doing great work that really helps to make the lives of millions of people better. If you’d like to be a part of what the Arthritis Foundation is doing, check out their Jobs page. At their National Office they’re looking for a Community Outreach Coordinator, a Consumer Health Marketing Coordinator, and a Web Marketing Specialist. They also have positions with local chapter available like Special Events Coordinator (Cedar Rapids, IA). Take a look and see what appeals to you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you have arthritis?

Weight Watchers

Willy Franzen — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:53:50 +0000

A little known fact about me is that I earned “The Speed Limit” as a nickname during my Senior year of high school. It wasn’t because I drove slowly; it was because I somehow managed to lose 55 pounds between the end of Junior year and the beginning of Senior year. I still don’t know how it happened–I wasn’t even trying to lose weight–but it did (I’ve since gained much of it back, but part of that is because I don’t have the body of a scrawny 17-year old anymore). Apparently, there’s some mysterious weight loss secret out there that I used, but don’t know about. Unfortunately, weight loss isn’t usually that easy, and for most people it’s a huge struggle. I’m a big proponent of “the slow-carb diet” and other methods from Tim Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Body, but it’s all about finding what works for you. For many it’s Weight Watchers. The New York, NY based company was started in Queens during the early 1960s by Jean Nidetch who “began inviting friends into her Queens home once a week to discuss how best to lose weight.” Now more than a million people across the world go to Weight Watchers meetings every week.

Jobs to Watch Out For

The Weight Watchers business is based on providing “information, knowledge, tools and motivation to help you make the decisions that are right for you about nutrition and exercise.” Everybody knows that the science of weight loss is easy. If you’re burning more calories that you take in (or at least absorb), you will lose weight. Putting that scientific fact to work is what’s so difficult. Weight Watchers is really about overcoming the psychological obstacles that prevent people from losing weight. The meetings are one way that they help people achieve this, and their Points systems is another. By simplifying healthy eating into an almost game-like system, Weight Watchers makes it easier for people to make the right decisions. In a way, weight loss is a lot like the job search in that you almost have to trick people into doing the right things because they’ll rarely do what you tell them to do. Anyway, the weight loss industry is about as competitive as it gets, but Weight Watchers seems to continue to do well. They’re expanding their online presence, and they also seem to be hiring some new people. You can learn more on their Jobs page, where you’ll see positions like Administrative Assistant (Jericho, NY), CHAMP Reconciliation Specialist (Jericho, NY), Part-Time Collections Clerk, Corporate Sales Operations Coordinator, Field Coordinator, Program Innovation Developer, and Tally Clerk.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever tried Weight Watchers?

Child Mind Institute

Willy Franzen — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 15:05:40 +0000

Children are by definition immature. They can be confusing, frustrating, and annoying for adults, but nobody should ever be surprised when children act like… children. But when is it something more? Psychiatric and learning disorder issues can be particularly hard to diagnose in kids. Yet identifying and treating such issues as early as possible is essential to ensuring that a child can live a full and happy life. The Child Mind Institute is a New York, NY based non-profit that “is devoted to transforming mental health care for the world’s children to enable them to reach their full potential.” By focusing on finding new ways to identify and treat childhood psychiatric and learning disorders, the Child Mind Institute is helping those who are least equipped to help themselves.

A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

According to the Child Mind Institute’s website, there are more than 15 million in children in the United States with psychiatric disorders, and less than half of them will ever receive help. The Child Mind Institute is a relatively young organization, but they’re working tirelessly to change this. The key idea behind the Child Mind Institute is “turning science into solutions for the world’s children.” Their commitment to science includes conducting research, making information and resources based on this research available to parents, offering “evidence-based clinical care for children and their families,” and advocating “to destigmatize childhood psychiatric disorders and bring effective care to families around the globe.” If this sounds like a mission that you want to be part of, then you should check out the Child Mind Institute’s Careers page along with their Idealist page. Right now they have a few openings that seem appropriate for new or recent grads including Intake Coordinator, Receptionist, and Data Manager. It looks like a great organization, so maybe you can help them “build a global institution that will be a leader in turning science into solutions for the world’s children.”

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about the Child Mind Institute?

Caring for Carcinoid Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 16:08:01 +0000

Cancer sucks. We’ve all dealt with the pain it causes at some point. But things are getting better. We’re constantly making progress towards more effective cancer treatments, and a big reason for this is that we’re starting to treat different types of cancer as individual diseases. This means that organizations focused on specific cancers are becoming increasingly important. Take for example the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation based in Boston, MA. They’re a non-profit that aims “to discover a cure for carcinoid and related neuroendocrine tumors” while also working “to eliminate the suffering of patients, families, and caregivers affected by neuroendocrine tumors.” The Caring for Carcinoid Foundation is extremely research focused, which is why they direct “100% of all individual donations to fund breakthrough scientific research of carcinoid and related neuroendocrine tumors.” They’ve already awarded more than $6 million in research grants, and that number is going to keep on growing.

Show How Much You Care

The Founder of the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation is named Nancy Lindholm. She’s currently living with Carcinoid cancer, which unfortunately has no cure. Here’s a part of her story:

A few days before my first wedding anniversary, at age 29, I collapsed on the subway in Boston. I was taken to the emergency room at Massachusetts General Hospital. There, I was diagnosed with extensive liver tumors that displace the majority of my liver, as well as with innumerable bony tumors. The doctors were grim and gave me a few months to live.

For years, I had experienced tremendous fatigue and abdominal pain and, eventually, intense flushing. My doctors always told me these symptoms resulted from the stress of working long hours as a tax attorney. In fact, these symptoms were caused by carcinoid cancer and its metastatic effects known as Carcinoid Syndrome. My diagnosis was confirmed several weeks later by a liver biopsy.

I founded the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation to support leading scientists whose research will lead to a cure for carcinoid. I know the lonely feeling of fighting an incurable cancer that receives little governmental research funding and little pharmaceutical company interest. I also know that greater insight into carcinoid cancer will result in greater insight into other cancers such as neuroendocrine, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and prostate.

If you’re moved by Nancy’s story, then you should check out the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation’s jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for an Entry Level Executive Assistant / Communications Coordinator. It looks like a great opportunity to work with a great organization, so check it out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Had you heard of Carcinoid cancer before?

Voxiva

Willy Franzen — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:14:52 +0000

Looking for an entry level job in Boston, MA? MATCH might have just what you’re looking for.

If you’ve been a reader for a while, you probably know that I love using magazine lists to find interesting companies. I just found out that Fast Company released their list of Most Innovative Companies. It’s led by names like Apple, Twitter, and Facebook, but there are also some unfamiliar names on there–and that’s what we’re looking for. One of the names on the list that caught my eye was Voxiva. They’re a Washington, DC based company that delivers “interactive mobile health services.” They’ve been around since 2001, and they offer patient engagement services that “combine multiple technologies – SMS text messaging, interactive voice, email, mobile apps, devices, and the web – to support prevention and wellness, disease management, adherence, and more.”

Text4Jobs

When most people think about health care, they think about complex things like insurance, surgeries, and pharmaceuticals. These are all very important pieces of the overall health care picture, but the truth is that simple behavioral changes often offer far more benefits than most medical interventions. The trouble is that changing behavior isn’t easy; however, mobile technology is making it easier. While they do offer custom solutions, Voxiva has three core products: Text4Baby (Maternal Health), Text2Quit (Smoking Cessation), and Care4Life (Diabetes). Each of these services delivers customized messages and reminders to help individuals better address specific health issues. There’s much more to what Voxiva does, but these three services should give you a clear idea of how powerful mobile technology can be in health care. If you’re excited by Voxiva’s innovation, you should check out their Careers page. The current postings require some prior experience, but I know that they’ve had entry level jobs like Project Associate in the past.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of Voxiva?

The Partnership at Drugfree.org

Willy Franzen — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 14:29:24 +0000

I don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t do drugs, and have never have (I also avoid caffeine and can’t remember the last time that I took an aspirin). This makes me a bit unusual among my peers, so I often have people ask me why I am the way I am. I don’t have a good explanation. It’s not really a religious thing or a family thing—it’s more that I want to be healthy and be able to focus 100% on the things that I like to do. Or maybe D.A.R.E. worked really well on me. Regardless, I’m sure the folks at The Partnership at Drugfree.org would love to figure me out so that they can replicate it. They are a New York, NY based non-profit organization “that helps parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children.” While many people are skeptical of the anti-drug movement in general, there’s no doubt that substance abuse continues to be a major public health problem in our country.

Drugfree Is the Way to Be

I’ve seen friends lose parents to alcoholism, parents lose kids to drugs, and friends lose control of their lives because of addiction. And these were all people who had access to the best resources available for treating their problems. The truth is that the best way to fight substance abuse is to keep people from ever using in the first place (and if they do start, to stop them while they’re still young). That’s why The Partnership at Drugfree.org began in the mid-80s when “a small group of advertising professionals discussed how to best use their talents to address the nation’s drug problem” and thought “if advertising could be used to sell products, couldn’t it be used to unsell them as well?” Over the years The Partnership’s mission has evolved, and now they devote significant resources to giving “hope and help to the parents of the 11 million teens and young adults who need help with drugs and alcohol.” They’ve identified parents as the “key leverage point,” and now much of what they do is focused on working with parents. If drugfree has a special meaning to you, then you should consider Careers at The Partnership at Drugfree.org. However, for job postings you’ll want to check the organization’s Idealist page. Right now they’re looking for a Special Event and Major Gift Manager and Parent Support Specialists. Neither job is explicitly entry level, but they’re still both worth checking out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of The Partnership at Drugfree.org’s ads?

Volunteers of America

Willy Franzen — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:22:13 +0000

When you’re job searching, volunteering is a great way to both put your skills to use and develop new skills. There are countless non-profit organization that put volunteers to work in situations where they can really make a difference. One of our country’s largest volunteer organizations is Volunteers of America, which is a faith-based non-profit headquartered in Alexandria, VA. With their staff of 16,000 paid employees and 70,000 volunteers, they’re able to help “more than 2 million people in over 400 communities in 48 states.” Since the organization was founded in 1896, they “have supported and empowered America’s most vulnerable groups, including at-risk youth, the frail elderly, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, people with disabilities, and those recovering from addictions.” An organization that has been around as long as Volunteers of America has must adapt to changes over the years. While they continue to remain focused on providing neighborly aid to all people, it looks like Volunteers of America is putting more emphasis on helping the growing population of aging Americans.

Volunteer for a Job

Volunteers of America has a nice video on their About page that goes more in-depth in describing how they work and what they do. I’ve embedded it below (e-mail readers need to click through).

Volunteers of America also has this Overview sheet that provides some really specific information about the organization’s work. If you’re moved by their mission, then you’ll want to check out Volunteers of America’s job opportunities. They separate these into three groups: National Office, Nationwide, and Health Services. The Nationwide section actually has over 200 positions posted, along with 25 entry level opportunities, so it probably makes the most sense to check out. They have a wide range of opportunities, and they’re in a variety of locations, so you should be able to find something that piques your interest.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Volunteers of America?

Precision Therapeutics

Willy Franzen — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:00:42 +0000

In just the past year and a half, I’ve lost two important people in my life to cancer. Chances are that you’ve been similarly affected by the disease considering that 1 in 4 deaths in this country are caused by cancer and that there were more than 1.5 million new cancer cases last year. The numbers sound grim, but every year we’re getting better and better at treating cancer. One of the major trends that I keep hearing about is that doctors are starting to see cancers as individual diseases instead of as one disease that affects many areas of the body. Precision Therapeutics is a Pittsburgh, PA based company that is taking this idea once step further. They believe that cancer should be treated at an individual level. In other words, they see every single case of cancer as potentially unique, and they want to help doctors and patients find the best way to treat it.

You Need Precision in Your Job Search

Precision Therapeutics was founded in 1995, and since then most of their focus has been devoted to a single product. It’s called the ChemoFx® Drug Response Marker, and it is “a test that quantifies an individual cancer patient’s probable tumor response to various chemotherapeutic and biologic agents—providing both sensitivity and resistance information.” It works by testing a range of different chemotherapies on a patient’s cancer cells. It then determines which of the different therapies are most likely to be effective and ineffective, so that doctors have a better chance of taking the right course of action. Obviously I’m not qualified to give you the full overview since my last Biology class was in 9th grade, but what I’ve told you should be enough to pique your interest. If it has, then you will want to take a look at Precision Therapeutics’ Careers page. Right now they’re looking for a Data Analyst, a Java Software Developer, and a Medical Records Coordinator. All three positions look suitable for a new or recent grad, so check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Precision Therapeutics?

Sabin Vaccine Institute

Willy Franzen — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 17:39:27 +0000

In the history of human existence, there are few technological advances that have had as much of a positive effect on our species as the development of vaccines. The truly amazing thing about vaccines is how cost effective they are when it comes to improving the human condition. A single intervention can give an individual lifelong immunity from or resistance to a variety of diseases, and the marginal cost of a vaccine dose after development is often ridiculously low. One of the great vaccine triumphs in human history was Dr. Albert B. Sabin’s development of the oral live virus polio vaccine. He was a scientist who “dedicated his entire professional career to the elimination of human suffering though his groundbreaking medical advances” and “waged a tireless campaign against poverty and ignorance throughout his lifetime.” In 1993 he passed away, and the Sabin Vaccine Institute was founded in his honor. It is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that is “dedicated to reducing needless human suffering from vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases through prevention and treatment.”

Job Search Immunity

Sabin Vaccine Institute does its work through three key programs: Sabin Vaccine Development, Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, and Vaccine Advocacy and Education. These programs are complementary in that they all have the shared goal of “developing preventative measures for diseases that place burdens on the world’s poorest countries.” Those preventative measures may be in the form of new vaccines, or they may be in the form of education programs that promote vaccine use. Sabin Vaccine Institute’s mission may seem simple, and in many ways it is. Unfortunately, vaccination isn’t as simple as just poking people in the arm over and over again. If you’d like to join Sabin Vaccine Institute in their mission to end suffering across the world, then you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they have two jobs posted, and both seem suitable for new or recent grads: Resource Development Coordinator and International Vaccine Advocacy Program Coordinator. Both jobs look great.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Sabin Vaccine Institute?

Golin Harris

Willy Franzen — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 16:51:38 +0000

It’s been a while since we took a look at a full-fledge PR firm (we’ve covered a ton in the past, check our public relations and communications tags). It’s not that they don’t offer great entry level opportunities, it’s just that they’re kind of boring to write about. As an outsider it’s hard for me to tell what makes one PR firm better than the other—I usually focus on clients lists, but even that’s not enough. You really need to dig deep and do some serious research to get a read on a PR firm. You’re probably wondering what about Chicago, IL (with offices across the world) based Golin Harris made them stand out to me. Well, someone I follow tweeted about the company’s jobs, and then I saw that they were named 2010 “Large PR Agency of the Year” by PRWeek. They were also a 2009 Holmes Report “Best Agency to Work For,” and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to honors and awards.

Golin or Go Home

Oddly enough, Golin Harris doesn’t seem to list their clients on their website; however, the company’s Wikipedia page mentions that they do work for Bristol-Myers Squibb, McDonald’s, Nintendo of America, Dow Chemical, Orange, Texas Instruments, and Toyota. Those are monster names, which makes sense for a company that was recently named Large PR Agency of the Year. The Golin Harris website is a bit lacking when it comes to providing information that can really give you a feel for a company, but their Capabilities section does give some insight into the kind of work they do and how they go about it. If you’re impressed with what you see at Golin Harris, then you’ll want to check out their Careers page. They have a number of entry level opportunities including Assistant Account Executive – Interactive Entertainment (Los Angeles, CA), Staff Writer – Interactive Entertainment (Los Angeles, CA), Assistant Account Executive – Healthcare (Chicago, IL), and Assistant Account Executive (Dallas, TX). Golin Harris’ locations U.S offices in Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Miami, FL; New York, NY; Orange County, CA; Richmond, VA; San Francisco, CA; San Juan, PR; and Washington, DC; along with plenty of international offices. So you may want to look out for opportunities in those offices too.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Golin Harris?

Visions in Action

Willy Franzen — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 17:33:28 +0000

It’s amazing what a single person can do to change the world. These days it’s as easy as ever. Whether you build a website that millions of people use or do volunteer work in a small town in Africa, you can have an amazing impact all on your own. And even better, you can find tons of people and organizations whom you can work with to magnify your impact. One of those organizations is Visions in Action. They are a Washington, DC based non-profit international development organization that “is committed to achieving social and economic justice in the developing world through grassroots programs and communities of self-reliant volunteers.” They work in Mexico, Liberia, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, and even in the United States.

Share Your Visions

Visions in Action was founded in 1989 as Africa Development Corps, but as they expanded they changed their name to be more inclusive. They now work in four key program areas: Food Security, Education, Health, and International Exchange. They do this with a grassroots approach and a strong focus on volunteerism. The goal is participate in projects where volunteers can go to work in a community and get a project to the point where the community can be self-reliant. Here’s an example of a Visions in Action success story. If you like what Visions in Action is doing, then you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re hiring Part-Time International Youth Exchange Coordinators in Washington, DC; Long Island, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Austin, TX; and Minneapolis, MN. These positions look perfectly suited for new or recent grads, and if you really want to dig in you should check out their Supported Volunteer Positions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Visions in Action?

Cord Blood Registry

Willy Franzen — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:09:40 +0000

You can sell anything to new parents. They want to create a perfect world for their new baby, so they often tend to go overboard on things like strollers, cribs, mobiles, and clothes. Recently, an expensive new option for parents-to-be has come to market. It seems a little out there at first, but it has the potential to be the most valuable purchase/investment that a parent could make. It’s having your child’s stem cells banked at birth by freezing the blood from the umbilical cord. The mention of stem cells often creates a lot of controversy, but that’s almost always directed at embryonic stem cell research. There are plenty of other ways to procure stem cells—and umbilical cord blood is one of the best, especially for individual medical use. Stem cell therapies are still pretty uncommon, but the hope is that future therapies will be available to those who have had their stem cells banked—and there’s already a long list of diseases that have been treated with stem cells from cord blood. Cord Blood Registry in San Bruno, CA is the world’s “largest and most experience cord blood bank” having “already saved cord blood for more than 325,000 newborns.” Banking cord blood may not be all that common yet, but if you’re going to do it, it looks like Cord Blood Registry is the place to go.

Banking on the Future

Now, there are some people who criticize cord blood banks for taking advantage of naive parents and selling them an expensive product/service that isn’t really necessary. There may be some truth to that, but I’m sure the parents of children who were treated with stem cells from their cord blood are pretty happy with their investment. Now, there’s no way that I could explain the whole process of cord blood banking, but the Cord Blood Registry website does a great job of that. They have sections on Why You Should Bank Stem Cells, Why You Should Choose Cord Blood Registry, and a great database of Frequently Asked Questions. The site is extremely informative, even if it is focused on selling parents on the idea of cord blood banking. If you’re fascinated by what Cord Blood Registry is doing, then you’ll want to head over to their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Client Support Representative, a Human Resources Coordinator, and an Associate Manager/Content Scientist. I wonder if employees get free cord blood banking for their kids?

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Would bank your child’s cord blood?

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials

Willy Franzen — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 16:40:13 +0000

If you watch the news enough, there’s a good chance that you’ll never want to leave the house. The world is a dangerous place, and things like terrorist attacks, Black Friday stampedes, and infectious diseases are out there waiting for us. Obviously most of these dangers are overhyped—but who knows what to believe and what not to believe? Hopefully our public health agencies and their employees. They’re the ones that we need to be well informed and well connected, which is why the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials exists. It’s a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that is “dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy and to assuring excellence in state-based public health practice.” They do this by bringing public health officials together and keeping them connected.

Join the Association

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials has a vision of “healthy people thriving in a nation free of preventable illness and injury” and a mission “to transform public health within states and territories to help members dramatically improve health and wellness.” These are things that everybody can get behind. The ASTHO’s About page actually gives a great overview of the organization, so I recommend that you give it a look and browse its links. You’ll start to better understand what the organization does and how they work. Once you’ve done that, you’ll want to check out the Associate of State and Territorial Health Officials’ job postings on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for an Immunization and Infectious Disease Policy Analyst and a Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Program Coordinator. Both look relatively suitable for new or recent grads, so give them a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about the ASTHO?

Gerson Lehrman Group

Willy Franzen — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:57:18 +0000

Sometimes I get dubbed as a career expert. I guess in some ways that’s true, but I see myself more as an entrepreneur whose business is helping students and grads find jobs and internships. In my opinion it takes way more knowledge and experience to become an expert. I’m talking about people with PhDs and 30 years of experience, and, amazingly, there are experts on nearly every topic. But how do you find them when you need them? That’s where Gerson Lehrman Group comes in. They’re professional matchmakers when it comes to experts. Since 1998 they’ve created a global marketplace for expertise and “helped the world’s leading institutions find, engage, and manage experts across a broad range of industries and disciplines.” I have friends who have actually used Gerson Lehrman Group in their jobs to find experts, and I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about the people at Gerson Lehrman Group and their experts (who are not employed by the firm).

Become an Expert on Experts

Now, you’re coming from a college campus which is likely littered with experts. You can probably walk into a random professor’s office hours and gain insight from the foremost expert on some archaic topic. Usually expertise isn’t so free and easy. Businesses, consulting firms, and non-profit organizations are constantly seeking outside expertise to help guide their decision-making processes. Gerson Lehrman Group takes the pain out of finding the right expert for the job. While they provide experts in nearly any area imaginable, Gerson Lehrman Group calls out Accounting & Financial Analysis, Consumer Goods & Services, Energy & Industrials, Financial & Business Services, Healthcare, Legal, Economic, & Regulatory Affairs, Real Estate, and Technology, Media & Telecom as their main areas of focus. There’s a ton of information on the Gerson Lehrman Group, so you should really dig in and get to know the company in a little more depth. Then you can check out their Careers page and Job listings. Some examples of their entry level opportunities include: Business Development Associate (New York, NY), Event Coordinator (Austin, TX), Survey Associate (Austin, TX), Associate Copywriter (New York, NY), Associate (Dublin, Ireland), Recruiting Associate – Fluent Portuguese (Austin, TX), Member Solutions Associate – Fluent Portuguese (Austin, TX), and Front End Web Developer (New York, NY). However, you may want to pay most attention to their Associate and Associate – 2011 positions, which are both a two-year program for new/recent grads in Austin, TX.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Gerson Lehrman Group?

The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics

Willy Franzen — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:00:17 +0000

Just two weeks ago we were talking about market failures and externalities when we looked at The Institute for Market Transformation. Today we’re going to look at an organization that focuses on a single issue that is dominated by externalities. Antibiotics are truly wonder drugs. They can cure all kinds of ailments. One of their few downfalls is that the more that they’re used, the less effective they become. Now, this isn’t an individual drug resistance, but a worldwide one. If I use an antibiotic today, it may not work as well for you next year. Unfortunately, individual incentives for both doctors and patients lead to antibiotic overuse. The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics is a Boston, MA based non-profit organization that does exactly what its name says. Their “specialized staff provides field consultations and lend specialized expertise to guide policy makers, provider organizations, and other stakeholders seeking to improve antimicrobial supply, use, and management decisions.”

How Prudent Are You?

You’ve had your head in the toilet for four days. You have a stomach bug, and it’s not going away. You go to the doctor and beg for antibiotics. He tells you that your situation is most likely viral, but to shut you up he gives you some antibiotics. You start feeling better the next day, and you assume it’s the antibiotics that did the trick. You won’t only beg next time, but you’ll insist. It’s an ugly cycle, and it’s a big part of the reason that antibiotic resistance is becoming such a problem. Nobody cares about the long-term costs of their own use when the costs will be passed off to the next guy who gets sick. You may think that this is a relatively new problem, but The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics has been talking about it for nearly 30 years. They’re at the forefront of the field, and they’re constantly working on “Preserving the Power of Antibiotics.” If you’d like to join them, you can learn about job opportunities here. Right now they’re looking for an Executive Assistant/Project Coordinator and a Part-time Administrative Assistant. Both look like great opportunities, so check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How often do you use antibiotics?

Clarisonic

Willy Franzen — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:53:52 +0000

I’m constantly amazed by the beauty/cosmetics/consumer products industries. They seem to be constantly coming out with new stuff, yet most of their product developments are just marketing fluff. Yes, some soaps are better for your skin than others, and some shampoos smell better than others, but I rarely get the sense that a new product actually does its job better than its predecessor. Still, we all have our brand preferences. For me, I find the best way to wash my face is with a simple bar of Dove soap, but if you take your face washing a little more seriously, you may want to check out Bellevue, WA based Clarisonic (their parent company is Pacific Bioscience Laboratories, but all of the branding seems to be focused on Clarisonic). They “develop and market products that use sonic frequency to cleanse skin and help reduce dry patches, blemishes, and wrinkles.” Now, sonic technology isn’t something that you’re going to find in a face wash, so maybe there’s something more to Clarisonic’s facial brush skin care system. I’ve never tried it, but if buying it only gets you to spend more time washing your face, it’s already done its job.

The Complexion of Your Career

Clarisonic is truly a standout on the Inc. 500. Their growth rate may only be 984% over the past three years (which is still ridiculously high), but their revenues have ballooned to $58.2 million. That’s significantly more than most of the other companies that we’ve looked at. Part of the reason for Clarisonic’s success has to be experience—their technology came from the same guy who invented the Sonicare line of oral hygiene products. Clearly Clarisonic has succeeded on both the product development and the marketing fronts. If you are a fanatic about your skin and want to help Clarisonic continue to grow, then you should check out their Jobs page. They have a number of openings and quite a few seem suitable for new or recent grads. These include Customer Service Representative, Logistics Coordinator, Product Development Marketing Assistant, Mechanical Design Engineer, Order/Data Entry Specialist, and Quality Engineer. There’s a great variety of options, so check them out and see what suits you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you used any Clarisonic products?

Remote Medical International

Willy Franzen — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:11:08 +0000

Despite how much complaining goes on about the state of health care in this country, the truth is that we live in a remarkable time for medical treatment—especially in emergency situations. With 911, ambulances, and hospitals, we are extremely adept at addressing urgent medical situations. But what happens when those situations happen somewhere that traditional services can’t reach? That’s where Seattle, WA based Remote Medical International steps in. They provide “equipment, training, telemedicine, and onsite medical care for anyone who works or plays where going to the hospital is not an option.” They are yet another Inc. 500 company that seems to have found a great market niche. Over the past three years, Remote Medical International has increased revenues 1184% to $5.2 million. The coolest thing about that growth is that Remote Medical International is offering services that save lives—lives that may not have been saved just a few years ago.

Go Remote

Whether you’re a mountain climber or a member of our armed forces, it’s good to know that there’s someone there to help you get out of a sticky situation. Even in a worst case scenario Remote Medical International might be able to help. Their services fall into four key categories: Medical Equipment & Supply Provisioning, Medical & Rescue Support Services, Wilderness Medicine & Rescue Training, and Telemedicine Services. These are the types of projects that Remote Medical International has worked on in the past. Obviously, offering remote medical services is something that requires a ton of experience. This means that Remote Medical International may not be the ideal entry level employer, but it’s still worth looking at their Jobs page. For instance, I know a lot of students work as paramedics on their college campuses, and those are the types of students who would probably be best suited to a job like Remote Site Paramedic or maybe even Wilderness Medicine Instructor. If you love adventure and have an interest in medicine, there’s no better place to grow your career than Remote Medical International.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever needed medical care in a remote situation?

The Urban Institute

Willy Franzen — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 15:54:28 +0000

Yesterday I told you about Bonobos and their awesome men’s clothes. They’re having an amazing sample with ridiculous prices on a lot of their stuff. And on top of that you can get $50 off your first order.

One of the wonderful things about running this site is all of the reader e-mails that I get. Some of my favorites are from readers who have had success stories about jobs they’ve landed through the site, but I also love it when you guys introduce me to companies or organizations that I haven’t heard of. One reader recently wrote me to recommend The Urban Institute, where he had been temping. It’s a Washington, DC based non-profit that does “nonpartisan economic and social policy research.” They were founded in 1968 in response to President Johnson’s call for “independent nonpartisan analysis of the problems facing America’s cities and their residents,” and they now work in all 50 states and in more than 28 countries.

A Research Based Approach

Beyond hearing great things about what it’s like to work at The Urban Institute, I’ve also read some great things about what they’ve accomplished in 40+ years of operation. Yes, the list came from them, but you have to be impressed with a list of accomplishments like this one. And if you’re more concerned about the future, then you can take a look at The Urban Institute’s current projects. What I really like about The Urban Institute is that they are tirelessly focused on finding the facts, not promoting political opinions. It truly is all about the research. If you like what you see, then you should check out careers at The Urban Institute. Their current postings include quite a few opportunities for new or recent grads including Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center Research Associate, Health Policy Center Research Associate, Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center Project Associate, Grants/Contracts Specialist – Center on Labor, Human Services and Population, Health Policy Center Research Assistant, Programmer/Analyst, and a few other positions. Check them out and see what interests you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about The Urban Institute?

Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America

Willy Franzen — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 14:16:08 +0000

Today’s topic isn’t the most pleasant thing to talk about, and it may even give you a case of the “church giggles,” but it’s serious and important. You’ve probably had a time or two in your life where you so urgently needed to use the bathroom that you feared you wouldn’t make it (and I don’t mean #1). Hopefully you made it, and whatever was causing your discomfort eventually passed. Unfortunately, for some people that kind of discomfort is a way of life. People who suffer with Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, and other Inflammatory Bowel Diseases suffer from a variety of digestive maladies that you probably don’t even want to think about. What’s even more frustrating about these diseases than the actual symptoms that come with them is the fact that there is often a lot of uncertainty around diagnoses and there are few, if any, effective treatment options. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America is a New York City based non-profit organization that raises funds “to support basic and clinical scientific research to find the cause of, and cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis; to provide educational programs for patients, medical and other healthcare professionals, and the general public; and to offer supportive services for patients, their families, and their friends.”

Join the Foundation

Another frustrating issue for people suffering from Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, and other Inflammable Bowel Diseases is that it’s not an easy issue to talk about. Polite conversation doesn’t typically include what goes on in the bathroom, so most people end up suffering in silence. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America advocates for them while also paving the way for hopefully finding better treatment options or even a cure. It’s a truly important mission for a lot of people, and if you want to help move it forward, then you should consider looking at jobs with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America on Idealist. They have a number of entry level opportunities including Development Coordinator (Independence, OH), Fundraiser/ Sports Marketing Professional for Half Marathon (Pittsburg, PA), Fundraiser/ Sports Marketing Professional for Half Marathon (Jacksonville, FL), Development Coordinator (Garden City, NY), Fundraiser/ Sports Marketing Professional for Half Marathon (Garden City, NY), and Temporary Part Time/Development Assistant (Des Plaines, IL). Take a look at all of the openings and see what suits you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you know anyone suffering from Crohn’s or Colitis?

Malaria No More

Willy Franzen — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:42:02 +0000

Today we’re going to start with a mind boggling fact. Half of human deaths since the stone age can be attributed to malaria. Half. Starvation, war, cancer, AIDS, and natural disasters have nothing on a tiny little parasite. Chances are that you grew up in a place without malaria. You may have used insect repellent, but was to avoid having an annoying buzz in your ear and a few itchy bumps on your arms or legs. It wasn’t a life or death situation. Unfortunately, in much of the world—especially Africa—a little bug bite can lead to your ultimate demise. Malaria remains one of the biggest problems that the human species faces with 250 million annual cases and 850,000 annual deaths. This costs African nations $12 billion in lost productivity ever year, while consuming 40% of all hospital expenditures. Malaria No More is a New York City based non-profit organization that believes that fighting malaria is “the best humanitarian investment” that can be made right now. They’ve only been around since 2006, but they’ve already done some great work to curb the damage done by malaria.

Job Search No More

While many global health organizations have a singular focus like funding, advocacy, or implementation, Malaria No More takes an entrepreneurial approach and has its hands in all activities aimed at eradicating malaria. To better understand how Malaria No More works, you should first learn more about the disease that they’re fighting. Then you can take a look at their Approach and how it focuses on using business methods to make an impact. The three areas that Malaria No More focuses on specifically are Communications, Investments, and Resources Mobilization. If you’re intrigued by Malaria No More’s approach, then you should check out their Jobs page. Most of their positions require significant experience, but there are two positions that may be suitable for new or recent grads—Program Manager/Media Buyer for NightWatch and Part-Time Development/Fundraising Assistant. Check them out and see if you’re a god fit.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of Malaria No More’s approach?

National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare

Willy Franzen — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:44:54 +0000

I’ve done a good amount of traveling this summer, and it just so happens that a number of the cities that I’ve visited have significant homeless populations. San Diego stands out the most, but there’s also Denver, San Francisco, and my home, Chicago. It showed me how serious mental health issues can become for individuals and communities. Obviously, mental health issues affect people from all walks of life, but with the homeless it’s visible in a way that most other mental health issues aren’t. The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare is a Washington, DC based organization that acts as “the unifying voice of America’s behavioral health organizations.” They support more than 1,700 member organizations and serve the “more than 6 million adults and children with mental illnesses and addiction disorders.”

Fighting for Our Future

The best way to get a feel for the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare is to watch the video that I’ve embedded below called “Fighting for Our Future.”

The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare “advocates for public policies that ensure that people who are ill can access comprehensive healthcare services,” which means that they’re involved in all kinds of interesting work. If you’d like to be a part of it, you’ll want to check out their Jobs page. It actually doesn’t have their only posting right now, but I was able to find it on Idealist. They’re looking for a Membership Associate, and the position appears to be suitable for new or recent grads (although the description is a bit unclear on that).

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare?

Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 13:46:53 +0000

Over the past year I’ve seen cancer do a lot of damage, and I know that I will see it do more damage as I move through life. Still, I believe by the time I’m starting to get old, cancer won’t be nearly as much of a worry as something else that we haven’t even heard of yet. It doesn’t seem all that long ago when most cancers were death sentences, but now the majority of cancers have strong treatment options. The problem with cancer treatment is that its short-term effects are often worse than those of the disease. The Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation is trying to change this. They are a New York City based non-profit organization that was started by thankful patients of an oncologist/hematologist whose name is, obviously, Samuel Waxman. The Foundation is “dedicated to supporting a focused research program to develop targeted cancer cell-specific therapies with minimal toxicity, such as differentiation therapy.”

A Foundation for a Cure

I have little or not understanding of the science that Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation focuses on, but I do know that they’ve put $70 million to work since 1976. They have already had success with the treatment that they’ve helped develop for acute promyelocytic leukemia, and there hope is that their research will apply to treating many other forms of cancer too. What makes the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation unique is that their “research is not disease-specific but concept driven.” This means that they have focused on specific way of attacking cancer instead of focusing on treating a specific type of cancer, which is how many cancer related non-profits work. If you’re excited about the research that the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation is doing, you might want to consider a job with them. Right now they have one position posted on Idealist: Development Associate. It does require a few years of previous development experience, but that’s just the kind of experience that college students are gaining on campus every day (at least it is judging from all the phone calls I get from Cornell).

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation?