One Day, One Job » Washington DC

Environmental Law Institute

Willy Franzen — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:17:04 +0000

It’s amazing how a good snowfall can quiet a city down. It may not be as serene as a natural landscape, but it reminds you that nature still exists in a setting that has been almost completely altered by man. It’s easy to forget about the environment when you live in a city, but I’m sure that’s not a problem for the people at the Environmental Law Institute. It’s a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “makes law work for people, places, and the planet.” That’s an important role because environmental health is a public good that can be ruined by the actions of a few. Environmental changes can have all kinds of externalities, so it’s important that our legal system is set up in a way that promotes “a healthy environment, prosperous economies, and vibrant communities.”

A Good Environment for You

The Environmental Law Institute was founded in 1969, and since then they have been providing “insightful and impartial analysis to opinion makers, including government officials, environmental and business leaders, academics, members of the environmental bar, and journalists.” They do this with a focus on six program areas: Freshwater & Oceans, Land & Biodiversity, Environmental Governance, International Programs, Climate & Energy, and Environmental Health. One of the organization’s major accomplishments is training “over 50,000 lawyers and managers as well as 1000 judges from 16 countries in basic and advanced environmental law and practice,” and that has led to some of the success stories you’ll find on this page. If you’d like to be part of future successes, then you should take a look at the ELI’s Careers page. Right now they’re looking for a Research Associate and a Graphic Designer. There are also postings for some Law Clerk positions and a Public Interest Environmental Law Fellowship, but the application deadlines have passed.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about the Environmental Law Institute?

Partnership for a Healthier America

Willy Franzen — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:29:57 +0000

I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. I don’t mind using a superficial date to initiate positive personal change, but it seems that using January 1st as that date makes you more likely to fail. Maybe that’s just because I know that my gym will be packed when I go this week, and in two months it will be half as full. It seems that most New Year’s resolutions are centered around weight loss and physical fitness, so I thought that it would be a good theme to run with. I went looking for non-profits that focus their mission on physical fitness, and I was surprised at how few there are. The only one that really stood out was the Partnership for a Healthier America, which is a Washington, DC based “independent, nonpartisan organization focusing on reducing the nation’s childhood obesity prevalence by facilitating meaningful action from the private sector, foundations, thought leaders, media, and communities to improve children’s health.”

Be Healthy

You may have heard about Partnership for a Healthier America because Michelle Obama is its honorary chairperson and the organization does a lot to support her Let’s Move! initiative. We all know how big of a problem obesity is in the United States, and it’s especially bad for children. It’s a hard problem to tackle, because it’s all about behavioral change. Still, Partnership for a Healthier America is doing whatever it can to help the more than 23 million overweight adolescents and children in this country. If you’d like to join them, you can check out their page on Idealist. They don’t have any jobs posted right now, but they did have a Finance & Grants Associate position a few months ago. Maybe if you reach out to them you can learn about new positions for the new year.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you make a New Year’s resolution>?

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Willy Franzen — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:24:10 +0000

New Year’s Eve is a wonderful holiday for celebrating a great year past and the prospects of a great future. It’s a time that we spend with family and friends and think about how we can better ourselves. Yet for many alcohol plays a prominent role in the celebration, and the new year begins with a hangover. That’s not my style, but you’re free to have a great night however you want. Just make sure that your alcohol use doesn’t negatively affect anyone else. Most importantly, that means don’t drink and drive. That’s the message that Mothers Against Drunk Driving has been spreading since it was founded in 1980 by Candy Lightner “after her daughter, Cari, was killed by a repeat drunk driving offender.” Three decades later MADD, which has national offices in Irving, TX and Washington, DC and chapters all across the country, has made a lot of progress fighting drunk driving, but there’s a long way to go considering that there is an injury from an alcohol-related crash every minute.

Get MADD

MADD is best known for it’s work to stop drunk driving, but they also do a lot of work to prevent underage drinking and to provide victim services. The organization played an extremely prominent role in pushing for the .08 BAC limit in the U.S., and now they’re setting their sights on legislation that requires convicted drunk drivers to “blow before they go” by installing in car breathalyzers. Some criticize MADD for fudging their statistics and being part of the “alcohol prohibition lobby,” but they’re really just about saving lives. For 2012 their goal is to get U.S. drunk driving fatalities under 10,000. It’s hard to argue with that. If you like what MADD is doing, take a look at their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for:

Court Monitoring Project Specialist (Chicago, IL)
Court Monitoring Project Specialist (St. Louis, MO)
Program Coordinator (San Diego, CA)
Program Coordinator (Los Angeles, CA)

All of these jobs require some prior experience, but they’re still worth checking out. Have a happy and safe new year!

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Drive safely!

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:41:20 +0000

For me there’s nothing better than spending time outdoors fishing and being surrounded by wildlife. I think I’m particularly lucky, because I live in a time where I’ve actually seen many of my favorite fishing spots get better over the years. A lot of the conservation work done by organizations like Trout Unlimited and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is paying off. That’s not to say that we’ve eliminated the threats to nature, but it feels like we hit an inflection point some time during my lifetime. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a non-profit organization that was created by Congress in 1984 to direct “public conservation dollars to the most pressing environmental needs and matches those investments with private funds.” They’re based in Washington, DC, and they’ve “awarded over 11,000 grants to more than 3,800 organizations in the United States, investing a total of $1.8 billion for conservation” over the past 3 decades.

Get Wild

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is all about bringing public and private conservation projects together. They don’t seem to actually do any work on the ground, but they have the money to significantly influence where conservation funding goes. You can get a sense for how the NFWF works by reading up on their Grant Programs, and you can browse their Grants Library to learn more about the specific projects (though this feature is currently giving me a server error). There isn’t all that much else on the NFWF website, though they also have a Impact-Directed Environmental Accounts Program that “receives, manages, and disburses funds that originate from court orders, settlements of legal cases, regulatory permits, licenses, and restoration and mitigation plans.” If you like what NFWF is doing for conservation, then you can get involved by checking out their Careers page. The Digital Media and Web Services Manager could be a fit for a recent grad, and there’s also a Grants Administrator position posted on Idealist that seems like a good fit for a new grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite place to experience wildlife?

Council of State Governments

Willy Franzen — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 14:44:41 +0000

A lot of people overlook the importance of state and local governments. They get all excited about federal elections, but overlook the elections that are closer to home. I’m sure there are a lot of reasons for this, but I’d generally like to start seeing states taking back some power from Washington (though the thought of the State of Illinois having more power scares me to no end). Anyway, states have a huge advantage in governing in that they have 49 peers (more if you include territories, foreign provinces, etc.) who are dealing with similar issues. State governments can work together, share ideas, and benefit from each other’s experiences. A lot of that is done through the Council of State Governments, which is a nonpartisan non-profit organization that “fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy.” They’re headquartered in Lexington, KY (with multiple other offices), and they work in all three branches of state governments.

Sharing Capitol Ideas

Much of what the Council of State Governments does is done through region-based forums that bring together state officials to give them “opportunities to network, develop leaders, collaborate and create problem-solving partnerships.” A state governor always acts as the organization’s President, and a member of a state legislature always act as chairman. CSG’s programming is split into three key areas: Leadership Programs, Policy Programs, and Innovations. The best way to get a better understanding of what is going on at CSG is probably to read their Capitol Ideas Magazine. If you find yourself reading for a while, you may want to take a look at the Council of State Governments’ Career opportunities. Right now they have a few opportunities that might be suitable for a new or recent grad including:

Project Assistant – Just Reentry (New York, NY)
Project Associate – Justice Reentry (New York, NY or Bethesda, MD)
Project Assistant – Justice Reinvestment (Seattle, WA)
Logistics Assistant – Justice Center (Bethesda, MD)

Hopefully one of these opportunities will be a good fit for you. There are also offices in Sacramento, CA; Atlanta, GA; and Lombard, IL; so watch out for future opportunities in those locations.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you get excited about state elections?

Crain Communications

Willy Franzen — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:35:49 +0000

Now that I’ve lived in Chicago for three years, I’m starting to feel more like a part of the Chicago business community. And a big piece of being a part of a community is keeping up on your local news. I rely a lot of sources, but I’ve found that Crain’s Chicago Business consistently does great reporting on the Chicago business scene. Crain’s Chicago Business is published by Crain Communications, which is “one of the largest privately owned business publishers in the U.S., with more than 27 leading business, trade and consumer publications and related websites in North America, Europe and Asia.” Crain is headquartered in Detroit, MI, but their publications are headquartered in a variety of places. Crain was founded in 1916 by GD Crain Jr., and it remains a family owned business to this day despite a few bumps in the road that would be expected for any company in the publishing industry (like layoffs a couple of years ago).

Crain Your Neck

What I really like about Crain Communications is that their lineup of brands serves a lot of different interests. They cover broader business news in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and New York, and they cover the Advertising and Media Industry with titles like Advertising Age and TelevisionWeek. They publish Waste & Recycling News, and they have 7 publications focused on the Plastics and Rubber industries. High quality publications that target specific niches are great for advertisers, which is why Crain has an advantage over more general business publications. If you’re digging Crain’s approach to niches and you like their “Readers First” mentality, then you should definitely give their Jobs page a look. Right now they have a variety of great opportunities for new or recent grads including:

Assistant Web Producer – Ad Age (New York, NY)
Digital Assistant Managing Editor – Investment News (New York, NY)
Digital Media Analyst – Pensions & Investments (New York, NY)
Digital Reporter – Ad Age (San Francisco, CA)
Editorial Assistant – Pensions & Investments (Chicago, IL)
Editorial Assistant – Business Insurance (Chicago, IL)
Freelance Reporter – Ad Age (Washington, DC)
Marketing Database Administrator (Detroit, MI)
Part-time Editorial Researcher – Tire Business (Akron, OH)
Research Analyst – Staffing Industry Analysts (Mountain View, CA)
Staff Reporter – Plastics News (Akron, OH)
Video Editor – Crain’s Chicago Business (Chicago, IL)
Web Developer – Ad Age (New York, NY)

There are all kinds of cool opportunities at Crain, so hopefully one of them will appeal to you. Ad Age may be a sexy name because you heard about it in Mad Men, but don’t overlook writing for Plastics News or Tire Business–sometimes things that seem mundane are actually pretty interesting.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you read any of Crain’s publications?

Ketchum

Willy Franzen — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:16:15 +0000

While we’ve featured a couple of companies located in Ketchum, ID (Smith Optics and SCOTTEVEST) and a company with a subsidiary called Ketchum (The Pursuant Group), we’ve never actually looked at Ketchum. They’re a global public relations agency that is headquartered in New York, NY and has more than 100 offices and affiliates in 65 countries. In other words, they’re pretty huge. Ketchum has five globe practices, which include Brand Marketing, Corporate, Healthcare, Food & Nutrition, and Technology, and 25 specialties, so they seem to cover almost everything. Some of their biggest clients are IKEA, Häägen-Dazs, and Diet Dr. Pepper, so that gives you an idea of the scale that they operate on. If you want the full rundown, Ketchum’s Quick Facts page is extremely helpful.

Ketchum If You Can

Some of the most interesting stuff I found about Ketchum isn’t on their website. That’s because they’ve been involved in a few scandals and slip-ups, and you can read up on them on the Ketchum Wikipedia page. PR is an industry where you often have to take risks, so I don’t think any of these issues reflect too poorly on the firm. Ketchum has won PRWeek’s “Campaign of the Year” award for the past three years, so some of that risk taking is certainly paying off. To see the work that Ketchum actually wants you to see, you should check out their Case Studies. There’s a lot more to see on Ketchum’s website, so you’ll probably want to do a little more exploring. If you like what you see, then take a look at Ketchum’s Careers section (which has a ton of content) and their current opportunities. Right now they’re looking for an Account Associate (New York, NY) and a Junior Project Manager (San Francisco, CA). Additionally, they have links where you can apply to future positions in New York, NY; Atlanta, GA; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Pittsburgh, PA; and Washington, DC.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Ketchum?

American Planning Association

Willy Franzen — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 13:17:50 +0000

For most of us, planning means looking ahead on our calendars and figuring out when we’re going to do things. For a small group of people, planning goes much further into the future, and is far more important. These people are… wait for it… planners! They’re the people who achieve physical, economic, and social outcomes through the design of communities (you may know it as urban planning, city planning, or regional planning). The American Planning Association is the professional institute for planners. They’re located in Washington, DC, and they “s together thousands of people — practicing planners, citizens, elected officials — committed to making great communities happen.” If you’re still not exactly sure what planning is you may not be a good fit for their jobs, but you still may want to read their What Is Planning? document. And if you’re really curious, you may also want to read Becoming a Planner too.

Career Planning

Good planning isn’t something that most people notice like they might notice good architecture. However, there’s a very good chance that you’ve been frustrated by the effects of poor (or out of date) planning. The job of a planner is to “help create a broad vision for the community.” So a planner may be expected to do any of the following:

research, design, and develop programs; lead public processes; effect social change; perform technical analyses; manage; and educate. Some planners focus on just some of these roles, such as transportation planning, but most will work at many kinds of planning throughout their careers.

The APA exists to help promote the profession of planning and to provide education and leadership. They’ve been around since 1978, and they now have more than 40,000 members. Interestingly enough, the APA doesn’t seem to have it’s own Jobs page, though they do have an entire Careers section on their website for people interested in careers related to planning. I found the APA’s job listings on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for a Program Associate – International Outreach and Professional Development. They seem to want someone with a Master’s in Planning, but the requirements for previous work experience are pretty slim.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about Planning?

New America Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:01:46 +0000

There’s no question that America’s future is filled with challenges, and we’re going to be the ones who have to rise to them. It’s a huge opportunity, but it’s also a bit daunting. The New America Foundation is a non-profit organization that “emphasizes work that is responsive to the changing conditions and problems of our 21st Century information-age economy — an era shaped by transforming innovation and wealth creation, but also by shortened job tenures, longer life spans, mobile capital, financial imbalances and rising inequality.” They’re based in Washington, DC (and Sacramento, CA), and they’re working to ensure that every American generation is able to live better than the one that came before it.

Are You Part of a New America?

The New America Foundation has ideals that pretty much everyone can get behind, but how do they actually go about achieving their goals? They have a wide range of Programs and Initiatives that cover a number of areas including College Savings, National Security, Open Technology, Economic Growth, and lots more. These programs “combine ongoing research and publications with working groups, conferences and public events” to “bring innovative, cutting-edge policy solutions to the fore of the national debate.” The New America Foundation’s approach is broad, but if you think that you could help them build a better America, then take a look at their Jobs page. They have a number of positions available that look suitable for new or recent grads including A/V Multimedia Producer, Innovation Policy Research Associate, Program Associate – Global Assets Project, Research Associate – Global Assets Project, Schmidt Family Foundation Fellow, Events Associate, Field Analyst – Open Technology Initiative, and Research Associate. There are lots of options, so hopefully one of them will be a good fit for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your vision for a New America?

Pathways to Housing

Willy Franzen — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:38:43 +0000

It’s hard not to notice homelessness when you live in a big city like Chicago. I can’t even leave my apartment without seeing a panhandler–there’s one guy who is always sitting in front of the Starbucks down the street during the day and in front of the Hooters next door at night. I don’t give him money because I don’t think that it helps solve the root of the problem, but I often think about what would be an effective solution. Pathways to Housing is a non-profit organization that seems to have it figured out. They’re based in New York, NY with offices in Burlington, VT; Washington, DC: and Philadelphia, PA, and they’ve taken a “housing first” approach that is focused on “addressing homelessness among people with psychiatric disabilities.” In other words, they provide housing before any other services, and they’ve found that this is a far more effective way to attack the root causes of homelessness.

Where Does Your Pathway Lead?

If you give a person a home, they’ll quite obviously no longer be homeless. But you won’t have really solved anything. However, Pathways to Housing has found that providing housing first makes it far easier to offer “supportive treatment services in the areas of mental and physical health, substance abuse, education, and employment.” It’s a counterintuitive model, but it seems to work. You can read more about it and how it’s now being used all over the world here. If you like what Pathways to Housing is doing, you’ll want to check out their Work with Us page. For some reason their Job Openings link won’t work for me, but you can check out their current postings on Idealist or try using our job search engine. There are some entry level Assistant and Coordinator type positions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Pathways to Housing?

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Willy Franzen — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 15:09:04 +0000

I lived in the Northeast for most of my life, and now that I’m in the Midwest I miss out on the fun of repeated blizzards, an earthquake, and a hurricane. Ok, natural disasters usually aren’t fun, but I can’t help but be amazed by how powerful nature can be. I’m sure a lot of you will never read this (or read it late) since there are 4 million people without power because of Hurricane Irene, but that’s not going to stop us from taking a look at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. They are “a non-profit consortium of more than 75 universities offering Ph.D.s in the atmospheric and related sciences.” UCAR is based in Boulder, CO and they also work with the National Science Foundation to run the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

A Workplace with Atmosphere

The ability to predict and track Hurricane Irene is just one of the many reasons that atmospheric research is important. Now might be a good time to dig into UCAR’s online resources and read up on things like the background on the science, people, and issues involved in hurricane research. UCAR’s mission is three-fold, it is to:

support, enhance, and extend the capabilities of the university community, nationally and internationally
understand the behavior of the atmosphere and related systems and the global environment
foster the transfer of knowledge and technology for the betterment of life on Earth

You might get a better sense for what UCAR does by watching this video that they’ve put together:

If you’re all about atmosphere, then you should take a look at UCAR’s Jobs page. You can find all of their posted jobs here, which include Web Developer, Communication and Web Assistant (Washington, DC), Communications and Web Content Coordinator (Washington, DC), and a number of other positions and fellowships that require a PhD.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How are you weathering the hurricane?

Center for International Private Enterprise

Willy Franzen — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 13:17:03 +0000

Last Sunday we took a look at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems and how they’re promoting democracy across the world by helping build strong electoral systems. Today we’re going to look at an organization with similar goals, but a very different approach. The Center for International Private Enterprise is a Washington, DC based non-profit that “strengthens democracy around the globe through private enterprise and market-oriented reform.” We often emphasize the political freedom part of democracy, but I’m convinced that economic freedom is just as, if not more, important. The Center for International Private Enterprise or CIPE is all about helping countries build an economic system that encourages a democratic way of life.

CIPE Your Sources

CIPE is “one of the four core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy,” and the National Endowment for Democracy is a “U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983 to promote US-friendly democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress.” CIPE’s “key program areas include anti-corruption, advocacy, business associations, corporate governance, democratic governance, access to information, the informal sector and property rights, and women and youth.” These are all areas that are essential to building a thriving private sector. You can dig into each of these program areas and learn more about the specific work encompassed by each of them on the CIPE website. If the work looks interesting to you, then you’ll want to take a look at CIPE’s Jobs page or their postings on Idealist which include Program Assistant positions for Asia, Iraq, and Eurasia. It’s hard to say whether the jobs are still open or they’re slow to take things off of Idealist, but it’s certainly worth applying.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about CIPE?

International Foundation for Electoral Systems

Willy Franzen — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 13:35:18 +0000

Although the United States may not have invented democracy, but we certainly made it popular. That’s not to say that we always get it right, but we’ve built a model of government that has inspired a lot of people (the people who work within that model aren’t nearly as inspirational). Our nation went through a brutal war to achieve the system that we have in place, and now we’re watching similar processes happy in many places across the world. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems or IFES is a non-profit organization that “promotes democratic stability by providing technical assistance and applying field-based research to the electoral cycle in countries around the world to enhance citizen participation and strengthen civil societies, governance and transparency.” They’re based out of Washington, DC, but they obviously do a ton of work internationally. IFES has been around for just under 15 years, and they’ve already worked in more than 100 countries.

Wear Your IFES

Elections are the key to democracy, and running elections properly is hard. Not only are there often individuals and groups opposed to allowing the democratic process to take place, but there are also various technical challenges. Even something as simple as ensuring that everyone gets the chance to vote can be difficult, and so can prohibiting people from voting more than once. IFES has developed significant expertise in overcoming these technical challenges. They operate as a neutral third-party and focus on making elections run as smoothly as possible. If you’re interested in the work that IFES is doing, then you need to check out their Career opportunities. As much fun as their Chief of Party position sounds, it’s not entry level. However, they are looking for a Program Coordinator for Europe and Asia, and the position looks like it could be a good fit for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

About IFES

What do you know about IFES

Atlantic Council

Willy Franzen — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:45:49 +0000

Our country’s relationship with Europe started off pretty rocky. There were all kinds of conflicts including the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Spanish American War, and plenty of others. It wasn’t really until after World Wars I and II that U.S-Europe relations really began to stabilize. That’s why in 1961 The Atlantic Council was founded. They are a Washington, DC based think tank that “promotes constructive U.S. leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the central role of the Atlantic community in meeting the international challenges of the 21st century.” Over the organization’s 50 years its mission and programs have evolved, but they remain focused on maintaining a constructive trans-Atlantic dialogue.

Join the Council

I realize that it’s kind of hard to grasp what think tanks actually do–especially when their mission is something as nebulous as promoting “constructive U.S. leadership and engagement in international affairs.” Here are some things that the Atlantic Council is working on that will give you a better idea of what they actually do:

identifying and shaping responses to major issues facing the Atlantic Alliance and transatlantic relations;
building consensus on U.S. policy towards Russia, China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan;
promoting balanced responses to growing energy needs and environmental protection;
drafting roadmaps for U.S. policy towards the Balkans, Africa, Cuba, Iraq, Iran, and Libya;
engaging students from across the Euro-Atlantic area in the processes of NATO transformation and enlargement

To really get to know more about the Atlantic Council, you can take a look at the Atlantic Council’s Programs and Publications. If you’re interested in getting involved, then head over to The Atlantic Council’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for an Outreach and Public Events Assistant – Office of Development and External Relations. Give it a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the Atlantic Council?

Innovations for Poverty Action

Willy Franzen — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 16:20:05 +0000

Want to be part of the One Day, One Job/Internship team? Here’s your chance!

When I hear the word innovation, I usually think high-tech. It’s really just about finding new things that work, even if they’re old ideas. Innovations for Poverty Action is a New Haven, CT based non-profit organization that is “dedicated to discovering what works to help the world’s poor.” By using the scientific method in everything that they do, Innovations for Poverty Action is able to optimize their programs for maximum return on investment. That means they’re able to help more people with less money, which is absolutely essential when you’re fighting poverty. It’s pretty cool that they’ve been able to create a system for reliably developing new innovations.

Be An Innovator

Innovations for Poverty Action describes itself as bridging “the gap between cutting-edge academic research and action by nonprofits, governments, and firms.” That’s an important role because theory and practice can often be far apart. The best way to get a feel for what Innovations for Poverty Action actually does is to look at their work. You can read about in-depth studies like their project evaluations of a Girls Scholarship Program in Kenya and The Impact of Microcredit in the Philippines. You’ll also want to take a look at their blog post on zero-energy lights, which are the perfect example of low-tech innovation. Once Innovations for Poverty Action figures out what works, they shift their focus to Scaling It Up. It’s all about making the most of the resources available. If you like what IPA is doing, check out their Jobs page. They have a ton of opportunities posted and some seem appropriate for new grads including:

Data Coordinator (New Haven, CT)
Fall Research Assistant (Washington, DC)
Human Resources Associate (New Haven, CT)
Survey Programmer – Part-Time Independent Contractor
Project Associate (New Haven, CT)
Project Associate – Analysis on Agriculture, Savings and Social Networks (Evanston, IL )
Project Associate – Researcher Outreach & Communications (New Haven, CT)
Project Associate – Survey Programming (New Haven, CT)
Project Associate – Various Projects (New Haven, CT)

They also have positions in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. If you’re analytically minded and want to put your skills towards erasing poverty, then Innovations for Poverty Action would be a great place for you to work.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Innovations for Poverty Action?

Mobilize.org

Willy Franzen — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 14:46:06 +0000

Looking for a job in the non-profit world? Samaritan’s Purse has a number of great opportunities for you.

Yesterday we looked at an organization called Youth Service America that encourages youth to get involved in their communities. Today we’re going to look at an organization with a similar, but slightly different approach. Mobilize.org is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that aims “to improve the way democracy works by investing in Millennial-driven solutions.” I kind of hate the term Millennial, but it is important that our generation makes an effort to act together in our shared best interest. It all started with a guy named David Smith who was a student at UC Berkeley. He learned of another tuition increase, and instead of taking it, he mobilized some peers and made some noise. It worked, and David decided to make the movement national by starting Mobilizing America’s Youth, which eventually became Mobilize.org.

Get Mobilized

Often when we look at non-profits, we see that they call themselves “non-partisan.” Sometimes this is true, but often it’s pretty clear that the organization leans one way or the other politically. Mobilize.org describes itself with a term that I’d never seen before: “all partisan.” What does that mean? It’s a little hard to explain, but the best explanation that I could find was here. As far as I can tell, Mobilize.org isn’t as much focused on specific issues as they are focus on equipping our generation to engage in the political process and make things happen. If you want to be part of that, check out Mobilize.org’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Community Mobilizer. They’re specifically looking for someone to cover San Jose, CA, but they also have these positions in Detroit, MI, Miami, FL, Charlotte, NC and Philadelphia, PA.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think about Mobilize.org?

Youth Service America

Willy Franzen — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 16:18:00 +0000

Looking for a job in the non-profit world? Samaritan’s Purse has a number of great opportunities for you.

Some of my fondest memories from my high school years are of my church mission trips. Every summer my youth group would pile into a van, head somewhere within a day or two’s drive, and start helping people–usually by fixing up dilapidated houses. It was a ton of fun, and it was extremely rewarding. Consequently, I’m a strong believer that everyone should be involved in some kind of service work, especially our nation’s youth. That’s why Youth Service America caught my attention. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “improves communities by increasing the number and the diversity of young people, ages 5-25, serving in substantive roles.” It’s all about building a commitment to service in the next generation that will continue to thrive as the generation matures.

At Your Service

Youth Service America pursues their vision through three main activities. First, they promote Public Mobilization Campaigns that include Global Youth Service Day, Semester of Service, and Get Ur Good On. Second, they do a lot of grant making and award giving targeted towards organizations that promote their ideals. Third, they offer a wide range of resources that can be used to develop and promote youth service programs. All of these programs have been developed to achieve two goals:

Educate youth, teachers, community organizations, media, and public officials in the power of youth as problem solvers.
Engage children and youth as volunteers, as academic achievers, and as community leaders.

If you’re excited about what YSA is doing, you have to take a look at their Jobs page. Right now they have two positions that seem like they might be suitable for new or recent grads: Web Designer and Special Assistant to the President. Both look great, so check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you do any service work?

Share Our Strength

Willy Franzen — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 15:24:21 +0000

It’s hard to think about a hunger during a holiday weekend that is known for backyard parties and grilling, but summer is actually one of the worst periods for childhood hunger. There are 21-million children that rely on free or reduced-price lunches during the school year–school isn’t just a place to learn, but also a place to get a nutritious meal. In the summer when school is out, less than 3 million of these kids are in situations where they still get meals provided for them. That’s a huge gap and a major problem. Share Our Strength is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that envisions a world with “No Kid Hungry.” They were founded in 1984 and since then they’ve working tirelessly to make sure that every child that they can reach gets the nutrition that he or she needs to stay healthy and keep growing.

How Strong Are You?

Before you start reading up on Share Our Strength, you probably should take a look a their resources on childhood hunger. There’s a lot to learn on the issue, and they’re one of the best sources for information. After that you’ll probably want to read up on their History and their Progress to Date. They’ve accomplished a ton, and they’re working on a lot more. One of their big things is events. They have five major ones: Taste of the Nation, Great American Bake Sale, Dine Out No Kid Hungry, A Tasteful Pursuit, and Cooking Matters. These are all great ways to raise awareness and to raise funds for Share Our Strength’s mission. Share Our Strength is also really good at finding partnerships. They work with chefs like Daniel Boulud, Charlie Palmer, Thomas Keller, and Bryan Voltaggio while also partnering with major companies in the food industry like American Express, Tyson, Sysco, and Sodexo. If you like what Share Our Strength is doing to end childhood hunger, check out their Jobs page. There are a few positions posted, and you should take a look at the Grants Coordinator position and the Share Our Strength’s, Cooking Matters® AmeriCorps National Direct Program. Both look like they could be good fits for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Share Our Strength?

Institute for the Study of War

Willy Franzen — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 17:43:01 +0000

Despite the fact that most of us probably don’t even think about it on a daily basis, we are a country at war. Formally, the War in Afghanistan is the only current war that the United States is fighting since hostilities in Iraq officially ended on August 31, 2010; however, the reality is that we still are actively engaged in Iraq and Syria now too. Military policy continues to be an extremely important part of what our government does, and it’s essential that our leaders are well prepared to make important decisions regarding these conflicts. The Institute for the Study of War is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that was founded in 2007 to do just that. The organization “produces strictly non-partisan, non-ideological, fact- based research” and aims “to promote an informed understanding of war and military affairs through comprehensive, independent, and accessible open-source research and analysis.”

Keep on Studying

The Institute for the Study of War has two main focuses: their Iraq Project and their Afghanistan Project. However, it does seem that the Institute for the Study of War may be expanding their focus. As new conflicts like the one in Libya emerge, I’m sure that they’ll be studying them and analyzing them. It’s all based on the premise that “a healthy democracy requires civilian leaders who are well versed in military affairs.” Apparently most American colleges and universities abandoned military studies during the Vietnam War, and there has a growing divide between our military and the civilians who control it. The Institute for the Study of War aims to close that gap. If studying war sounds interesting to you, check out The Institute’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Research Analyst for their Gulf Security Project. You must be able to read Farsi or Arabic, so if you can’t, you may wan to reach out to them about other opportunities.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the Institute for the Study of War?

Center for Science in the Public Interest

Willy Franzen — Sun, 22 May 2011 14:57:42 +0000

You wouldn’t think that I’m actually happy when people unsubscribe from this list, but if it means that they landed a job or internship, then I’m as pleased as can be. I always try to find out where former subscribers go to work so that I can tell you about opportunities at those places (e-mail me at willy@onedayonejob.com if you have a recommendation). One reader e-mailed me and told me that she went to work at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which is a non-profit organization that acts “as the organized voice of the American public on nutrition, food safety, health and other issues.” They’re based in Washington, DC, and they’ve been acting in the public interest since 1971. The organization’s main goals are to “educate the public, advocate government policies that are consistent with scientific evidence on health and environmental issues, and counter industry’s powerful influence on public opinion and public policies.” Most of us forget how important of an issue food actually is, but it’s a major public health issue that is only getting worse.

The Food Detectives

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has an interesting funding model. Instead of constantly soliciting for donations and chasing down grants, they publish and sell subscriptions to the Nutrition Action Healthletter. It’s circulated to nearly 2 million people, and it’s completely ad free. Some people call the Center for Science in the Public Interest the “food police,” but they prefer to be called the “food detectives.” Whatever you want to call them, they’re focused on eliminating many of the negative externalities that are caused by today’s food industry. To learn more about the organization, you should definitely watch this video from the organization’s founder Michael Jacobson, Ph.D (e-mail readers may need to click through).

The video mentions some of the many accomplishments of the CSPI. The list is extremely long, and it includes some really impressive things like winning a “decade-long campaign” to pass “a federal law requiring nutrition labeling of packaged foods and a ban on deceptive health claims.” If you want to be part of future CSPI wins, then you should head over to their Jobs page. Right now they have a few interesting positions open: Project Assistant – Nutrition Action Healthletter, Research Associate, and Policy Associate – Health Promotion Policy. If you’re big on nutrition, this could be a great place to work.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think about what the CSPI does?

Freedom House

Willy Franzen — Sat, 21 May 2011 14:17:06 +0000

So far it seems that 2011 has been a pretty good year for freedom across the world. We’ve seen dictators overthrown, terrorists brought to justice, and finally got a new mayor in Chicago after 22 years (I kid). But every time progress is made somewhere in the world, it seems that another part of the world takes a step back. Because the fight for freedom is constantly changing, it’s important to keep track of how things are progressing across the world. That’s exactly what Freedom House does. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “supports democratic change, monitors freedom, and advocates for democracy and human rights.” As they put it, they’re all about combining analysis, advocacy, and action. The organization was founded in 1941 and has a very interesting history that you should definitely read up on.

Freedom in the House

If you read Freedom House’s About page, you’ll learn that they’ve “opposed tyranny around the world, including dictatorships in Latin America, apartheid in South Africa, Soviet domination of Central and Eastern Europe, and religiously-based totalitarian regimes such as those governing Sudan, Iran and Saudi Arabia,” while they’ve also “promoted the growth of freedom by encouraging U.S. policymakers, international institutions, and the governments of established democracies to adopt policies that advance human rights and democracy around the world.” One of the best ways to get a feel for what Freedom House does is to check out their publications: Freedom in the World, Freedom of the Press, Nations in Transit, and Countries at the Crossroads. If you like what you see, then you should check out Freedom House’s Jobs page. They have a number of opportunities for new grads right now including Assistant Editor (New York, NY), Grants Associate (Washington, DC), and Program Assistant – East and Horn of Africa (Washington, DC). All of the positions look really interesting, so check them out. (You may also want to check out the International opportunities on their Jobs page.)

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about freedom house?

Common Cause

Willy Franzen — Sat, 14 May 2011 14:17:30 +0000

It always helps to have someone hold you accountable, whether it’s to keep you from cheating on a paper or cheating on a diet (those are links to this week’s relevant posts on iParadigms and Weight Watchers, respectively). But it’s not only individuals that need to be held accountable. What about our government? That’s what Democracy and a system of elections is all about, but we all know that it doesn’t quite work as planned. I think most would agree that our government is constantly doing things against our interests. Common Cause is a Washington, DC based non-profit (lobbying organization) that is “a vehicle for citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest.” Defining “the public interest” can get a little hairy depending on your point of view, but there’s no doubt that our government can do a better job of serving it (whatever it is).

Be Accountable for Your Job Search

Common Cause claims to be nonpartisan, but their Wikipedia page mentions that publications including The Washington Post, The New York Times, Newsweek, TIME, and USA Today have identified the organization as liberal. In other words, they’re all about government accountability when it comes to a certain set of issues that align with their political goals. There’s nothing wrong with that, but they could probably be a little more intellectually honest when describing themselves. The issues that they focus on include:

Increase participation in the political process,
Advance campaign finance reforms that make people and ideas more important than money,
Make certain that government is open, ethical and accountable,
Remove barriers to voting and ensure that our voting systems are accurate and accessible,
Increase the diversity of voices and ownership in media, to make media more responsive to the needs of citizens in a democracy and to protect the editorial independence of public broadcasting, and to
Make certain that public policy on health care, defense spending, climate change and other issues reflects the needs and priorities of our citizens, not special interests.

Obviously, these are simplifications of their positions on each of these issues, so you should go here to get a more in-depth look at what they’re doing to hold the government more accountable. You’ll probably also want to check out Common Cause’s Action Items. If you like what you see, then it’s time to take a look at their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Policy Advocate (Sacramento/Northern California) and a Policy/Advocacy Fellow (California). Both jobs look like good fits for new or recent grads, so give the job descriptions a good look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Common Cause?

Central Intelligence Agency

Willy Franzen — Mon, 02 May 2011 15:52:33 +0000

I was a senior in high school on September 11, 2001. We were told what had happened during our morning announcements period, and a few of who had free periods after went to the beach across the street from our school’s campus. We knew that on a clear day you could usually see the Twin Towers from there, but all we could see was a plume of smoke. We listened on the radio and heard reports of the towers falling and rumors of other attacks in the works. I was deeply affected by what happened that day, and since then I have been waiting for our country to bring Osama bin Laden to justice. Yesterday, a group of NAVY SEALs did just that under the command of the Central Intelligence Agency, which is based in Washington, DC but operates all over the world. I am extremely grateful to all of those who were involved–especially for those who risked their lives to make us safer. It’s a reminder of how important it is for our government agencies to have top talent working for them. WIthout great people working at the CIA and in our armed forces, bin Laden would still be at large.

Share Your Intelligence

The Central Intelligence Agency “was created in 1947 with the signing of the National Security Act by President Harry S. Truman.” We often think of it as some super secret spy agency, and in some ways that what it is; however, there’s a lot more to the CIA. As the CIA’s About page mentions, the CIA is under the direction of the Director of Central Intelligence, and he or she is tasked with:

Collecting intelligence through human sources and by other appropriate means, except that he shall have no police, subpoena, or law enforcement powers or internal security functions;
Correlating and evaluating intelligence related to the national security and providing appropriate dissemination of such intelligence;
Providing overall direction for and coordination of the collection of national intelligence outside the United States through human sources by elements of the Intelligence Community authorized to undertake such collection and, in coordination with other departments, agencies, or elements of the United States Government which are authorized to undertake such collection, ensuring that the most effective use is made of resources and that appropriate account is taken of the risks to the United States and those involved in such collection; and
Performing such other functions and duties related to intelligence affecting the national security as the President or the Director of National Intelligence may direct.

The operation that occurred yesterday is an example of the CIA at its best (well maybe at their true best we never even hear about it). Obviously, we can’t know most of the details of the operation, but it appears that the processes that the CIA developed over the past 10 years finally led to this accomplishment of one of the major goals of the War on Terror. If you’re inspired by this success, then maybe you should consider a Career with the CIA. They are a major entry level employer, and the Agency offers a very wide range of employment opportunities. Jobs are offered in the following areas:

Accounting, Budget & Finance
Analysis
Clandestine Service
Contracts & Acquisitions
Cyber Security
Engineering
Facilities Services
Geography & Cartography
Graphics, Multimedia, Publications & Photography
Information Management
Information Technology
Investigations
Legal Services
Library Services
Logistics Services
Medical Services
Science, Technology & Weapons
Security
Support Services
Trades and Labor

The CIA is one of the few government agencies that makes it extremely easy to browse through their job opportunities, and you can do that here. Today is a good day to be an American and a good day to think about career opportunities that will allow you to serve your country.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What secrets do you know about the CIA?

The Case Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 15:17:51 +0000

Maybe I’m dating myself, but I was a big AOL user back in the day. It’s where I started learning about the Internet, so it wasn’t just about chat rooms and IMs for me. I remember getting monthly e-mails from Steve Case, who was the Founder and CEO of the company. Believe it or not, I think I actually read them. Anyway, AOL is a very different company these days, and Steve Case is no longer involved. A lot of what he does now along with his wife Jean Case is focused on The Case Foundation, a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that reflects “their family’s commitment to finding lasting solutions for complex social challenges.” That may sound a bit broad, but it’s really about investing some of the wealth that the Cases have accumulated in “people and ideas that can change the world” regardless of whether they fit into a specific category.

A Case for The Case Foundation

The Case Foundation identifies three core goals: Encouraging collaboration; Supporting successful leaders; and Fostering entrepreneurship in the nonprofit sector. They do this by putting capital work towards some of the world’s big ideas. While many non-profits play it safe and try to avoid failure, The Case Foundation is all about “swinging for the fences.” You can see exactly the kind of projects that they get involved with here. They’re working on curing brain cancer, training non-profits to use social media more effectively, and improving the safety and reliability of the world’s water supply. Throughout The Case Foundation’s work, there’s also a big focus on technology, which makes sense considering the Cases’ background. There’s a lot more to learn about The Case Foundation, and luckily their website is loaded with information. Once you spend some time learning more, you can check out their Jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for a Communications Coordinator, and it looks like a perfect position for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you use AOL back in the day?

OPOWER

Willy Franzen — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:09:39 +0000

SinglePlatform is our sponsor this week. They’re looking to hire new grads from all majors as Outside Sales Consultants in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. They’re also building an Inside Sales team out of their New York City headquarters.

Have you ever heard of a company or industry that wants you to use less of their product? Doesn’t really make sense, does it? It does if you’re in the power industry, at least to some extent. Some of the biggest proponents of energy efficiency are the utilities themselves. The reason for this is decoupling, or the “disassociation of a utility’s profits from its sales of the energy commodity.” It’s a tactic used by many states to create positive incentives for energy companies to be more green. Still, promoting energy efficiency to consumers is no easy task. That’s where OPOWER comes in. They’re based in Washington, DC and San Francisco, CA, and they use “cutting edge behavioral science and patent-pending data analytics” to enable “utilities to connect with their customers in a highly targeted fashion, motivating reductions in energy use, increased program participation and overall customer satisfaction.” It’s all about helping consumers make better informed decisions (which usually are also better decisions for the environment).

You Got the OPOWER

If I remember correctly, I had a friend in college whose roommates were some seriously nerdy Electrical Engineers. They spent an entire day using voltmeters (or something similar) to figure out the average daily energy consumption of each roommate. They then prorated the monthly electric bill based on usage. OPOWER takes a way cooler approach to doing something similar. You can get a feel for exactly how they do it by taking a look at their Approach, Products, and Results. Because they work directly with utilities, OPOWER is able to get into the homes of millions of consumers through monthly bills. It’s a pretty cool model, and it seems to be working. If you’re excited about what OPOWER is doing, then you need to check out their Careers page at OPOWERJobs.com. They don’t seem big on entry level positions (they like work experience), but there are a few jobs that you should at least take a look at. The Virginia/DC positions include Software Support Engineer, Consumer Marketing Coordinator, Quantitative Analyst, Software Engineer in Test, Policy Analyst, Associate Product Manager, User Experience Prototyper, and Proposal Writer. There are also some Software Engineerings in San Francisco. Take a look at all the jobs, and see if you can match up with the qualifications.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Does your utility work with OPOWER?

Bread for the City

Willy Franzen — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 14:59:49 +0000

After my Senior year of high school, I went to Washington, DC with my church youth group for a weeklong mission trip. I was amazed by how pockets of poverty and wealth wee interspersed throughout the city, and I got a firsthand look at how many people are struggling to get by in our nation’s capital. That was nearly ten years ago (scary I know), but I don’t think much has changed. Luckily, there are a ton of great organizations that are working to make the city a better place. Bread for the City is a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC that “provides vulnerable residents with holistic services including food, clothing, medical care, legal and social services, in an atmosphere of dignity, respect and peace.” They got their start in 1974, and they’ve now grown to being able to serve 10,000 residents a month and nearly 60,000 unique individuals annually.

Bread for You

Bread for the City offers a wide range of services, which you can learn all about here. They’re all about fulfilling basic needs, so they take care of things like food, health care, clothing, and more; however, they’re constantly reevaluating their offerings to ensure that they fulfill their community’s needs. As things change, they’re quick to act to ensure that the people whom they serve are taken care of. If you like what Bread for the City is all about, then you should check out their jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for a Representative Payee Benefits Coordinator. It looks like the position is well suite for a new grad, so check it out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Bread for the City?

Shecky’s

Willy Franzen — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 16:30:35 +0000

I like writing about companies that I find interesting, which isn’t hard because I have very broad interests. However, I occasionally come across a company that I know is interesting, but it just doesn’t resonate with me. That’s definitely the case with Shecky’s. They’re a New York, NY based company that makes it their “mission to create social experiences that empower and reward women to discover and socialize with their girlfriends.” I think you can understand why that doesn’t resonate with me, but you’ll impressed to learn that Shecky’s was actually founded in 1998 by a Wall Street executive named Chris Hoffman. Despite the potentially ambiguous first name, Chris is a man who is apparently very in touch with “what women want.” He started by publishing the 1st Shecky’s Bar, Club & Lounge Guide in 1998, and then moved on to hosting hosts the “1st Girls Night Out” in New York City in 2001. In 2002 Chris found Claudia Chan and made her president after merging her company into Shecky’s. The business has continued to grow with a focus on improving the interactions that women have with their girlfriends, and I’m sure having a woman at the helm who understands the market better than any man ever could is a big reason for that.

Who’s Shecky?

One of the biggest pieces of the Shecky’s business is Girls Night Out. They hold these events in cities across the country, and they provide an opportunity for women to “discover unique designers, sip our delectable drinks, and cap your night with some pretty pampering and glorious Goodie Bags.” It appears that Shecky’s has finally moved away from the guidebook business, and has instead decided to put far more focus on their digital properties. I’ll bet that is turning out to be a really smart move. With the events and the website, Shecky’s is a marketer’s dream. It should be no surprise that advertising and sponsorships are big parts of Shecky’s business. If Shecky’s resonates with you and you know the importance of having a strong group of girlfriends, then take a look at jobs at Shecky’s. Right now they’re looking for a Sales Account Executive and a Customer Service Rep. Additionally, they often hire freelancers for their events in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Hamptons, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis, and Washington, DC. These positions include Photography, Event Staff, Writing/Reporting, and Administrative Assistant opportunities.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you familiar with Shecky’s?

Perkins+Will

Willy Franzen — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:25:29 +0000

Despite having a father who is an architect, I have to admit that my appreciation for architecture is quite basic. Except when my Dad drags me along, I don’t go out looking at buildings just for the fun of it, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t notice things that are architecturally interesting. When I came across a link to some positions at Perkins+Will, the first thing that I did was look at their work. I was surprised by how many of their projects I’ve noticed and enjoyed. Just a few of them include the San Francisco Ferry Building, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, and The Contemporaine (which is only a couple of blocks from me). And that’s just a small sampling of the work that the firm has done. Perkins+Will was started in Chicago, IL in 1935, but since then they’ve expanded to 23 offices across the world (including locations in Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Dubai, UAE; Hartford, CT; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA; London, UK; Miami, FL; Minneapolis, MN; New York, NY; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Research Triangle Park, NC; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; Shanghai, China; Toronto, ON; Vancouver, BC; and Washington, DC.) I spent some time trying to figure out if they have an actual headquarters or main office, but I couldn’t come up with anything.

Where There’s a Will There’s a Way

Like I said before, I’m not much of an architectural critic. It definitely says something that Perkins+Will’s work caught my eye, but what’s more important is that they’re constantly getting recognition from big names in the industry. They’ve been ranked #1 Sustainable Design Firm and #2 overall in the “Architect 50″ by Architect magazine, #2 University Design Firm by Building Design+Construction, and #2 Interior Design Giant and one of the Most Admired firms by Interior Design. I’m even more impressed by the names that they’ve worked with, which include: Cornell University, Chicago O’ Hare International Airport, NASA, Mayo Clini, Stanford University, UCLA Medical Center, Perspectives Charter School, Crate & Barrel, and plenty more. If you want to get the full view of all of Perkins+Will’s noteworthy accomplishments, just check out their Press Kit. Anyway, if you love Perkins+Will’s work, then you have to check out their Careers page. Their current job listings include entry level positions like Architect I (Chicago, IL), Architect I (Seattle, WA), Graphic Designer (Dallas, TX), Interior Designer I (Glastonbury, CT), Interior Designer I (Washington, DC). That’s it for now, but I’m sure that they regularly have positions popping up all across the world.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Which of Perkins+Will’s projects is your favorite?

One Economy Corporation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:13:21 +0000

We’re extremely lucky to be coming of age in a time when the Internet is opening up so many economic opportunities. When I graduated from college, I had no idea what was possible. As I became more and more frustrated with my job search, I started to look at online business models. Five years later I’ve built a profitable business that has helped people land awesome jobs and internships. Without today’s technology, I never could have built what I did so cheaply, which is why I’m convinced that making new technologies available to the masses at affordable prices is the key to economic growth. That’s why I’m so interested by the Washington, DC based One Economy Corporation. They’re “a global non-profit organization that leverages the power of technology and connects underserved communities around the world to vital information that will improve their lives.”

Where Do You Fit in One Economy?

One Economy works in a number of areas, but their big focus is on making the Internet and all of the information it provides access to available to all people. One Economy separates what they do into a few categories: Public-Purpose Media, Access Services, Digital Connectors, Broadband Mapping, Global Initiatives, and Sustainable Broadband Adoption. It’s amazing how many societal problems Internet access can help with–health care, education, and unemployment are just a few of them. I just hope that the broadband access that One Economy provides blocks the single greatest threat to economic prosperity: Farmville. But seriously, One Economy has been working in this space for a long time, and they’re having a serious impact. To learn more about their results, you should really read their most recent annual report. If you’d like to be a part of One Economy, then head over to their Jobs page. Current postings include Accounts Payable Clerk (Washington, DC), Guam Regional Staff Person (Guam), and Network Design Engineer (Winston Salem, NC). They also have some positions posted on Idealist including Web UI Developer (Portland, OR) and Community Technology Associate (San Jose, CA). There’s lots of variety here, so give the positions a closer look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about One Economy?

Sister Cities International

Willy Franzen — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 16:17:58 +0000

We’re all feeling for Japan right now. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and potential nuclear meltdowns are nightmares on their own, but having all three occur together is indescribably terrible. Luckily, Japan is a wealthy and technologically advanced nation that was and is well prepared to deal with such disasters. That doesn’t mean that they don’t need our support. Plenty will come from our federal government, but there will also be support sent from city to city. Why? Because of the relationships formed through Sister Cities International, a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that aims to “promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation–one individual, one community at a time.” They match up cities across the world to be sister cities (smaller cities may have one sister city while larger cities could have dozens). For instance Riverside, CA is Sendai, Japan’s (the epicenter of the earthquake) sister city, so the people in Riverside are already working to coordinate their part in the relief effort for Sendai. It’s exactly the “people-to-people, citizen diplomacy initiative” that President Eisenhower proposed in 1956.

What’s Your City’s Sister City?

The idea of using municipalities to foster international diplomacy seems a little strange at first, but when you read about Sister Cities International’s history and mission, you’ll start to understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. Another fascinating thing to look at is Sister Cities International’s statistics page. You can learn things like:

Among U.S. states, California has the most sister city programs with 122 communities and 388 partnerships.
More than one-third of the sister city organizations surveyed receive funding from local government to help their sister city program.
Among communities abroad, Japan has the most sister city programs with 228 communities and 239 partnerships.
Among U.S. states, California has the most sister city programs with 122 communities and 388 partnerships.

I really like what Sister Cities International is doing, and I hope that they’re able to make a significant impact in the relief effort in Japan. If reading about Sister Cities International gets you excited, then you should check out their Jobs page and then Idealist for their Youth Ambassador Program Coordinator position. The job looks suitable for a new or recent grad, and it will allow you to work on a student exchange program that focuses on “poverty and the environment, showing local and national examples of how cities and countries are working to alleviate the negative effects of both issues.” Take a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Sister Cities International?