Success!

       Happy October!   

Have you met USF Alumna, Sarah Hirsch? Well, you should know her. Ms. Hirsch is an alumn very near and dear to our hearts here at the Career Services Center (CSC). She worked all of her four years at the CSC (2007-2011) and even helped to start and oversee the CPP (Career Planning Peer) program until she graduated last May. So, if you ever stopped by drop-in hours, you may have had the honor of getting your resume/cover letter checked or received sage interview advice from her.
        Although I knew Sarah for only a semester, it was clear that she was going to use all of her acquired CSC skills to land a job after graduation. Today, she works at a rising tech company, Square. The company was co-founded by the co-creator of Twitter (Jack Dorsey), and  has the former Executive Vice President of Paypal (Keith Rabois) as their COO; not to mention Larry Summers and other advisors on their Board of Directors.  A few months ago Square received another million dollars in funding, and have been mentioned in numerous news outlets (The New York Times, Forbes, The Washington Post to name a few). To check out more about Square take a look at the press page on their website.

       Apparently, this company is a pretty big deal. Sarah was oh so kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to answer a few lingering questions I had about what she's been up to, post-grad: 

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Name: Sarah A. Hirsch

Age: 21 

Degree: B.A. Communication Studies, Emphasis on Interpersonal Communication, Minors: Gender and Sexuality Studies; Child and Youth Studies

Super Power of Choice: flying or mind control

What is Square? Square is an incredible startup company in San Francisco that, in essence, allows anyone to be able to take a credit card payment on their mobile iOS or Android device. The application and card reader are free (just download the app from the app store, create an account and a reader is sent to you) and the only fees involved are a 2.75% transaction fee per swipe. Refreshingly simple. What this means is that those who historically could not accept credit cards due to the complication and cost (babysitters, farmers market vendors, caterers, food trucks, small business owners) are now given a platform to compete with the big guys. The goal of our company is to put people in business. Personally? I've used it when out to dinner with friends – a large bill comes and someone "didn't bring cash"? That's fine, just pay me with your credit card instead!

Will you please tell me a little bit about what you do? I'm an office admin at Square, Inc., which honestly means I do a little bit of everything. I coordinate office supplies, I help plan and execute office events. I communicate with caterers and food vendors, I create mailing slips and field questions on packages, I communicate with the building manager on facilities issues, I write fun office-wide emails about security and policy, I setup for our weekly all-hands meetings, I help manage our reception desk... I'm even working on creating a twice-weekly in-house smoothie bar (which means sourcing fruit, researching and buying the best blenders, creating a menu, etc.) I'm a project organizer/event coordinator/facilities manager/copy writer/help desk. The fun part about being an office admin in a tech start-up is that we've got an incredible amount of freedom – tech start-ups in particular strive to make their offices fun and exciting places to be, and we're the people who are tasked with making that happen.

Greatest thing you've learned while being out in the "real world"?
What you majored in during college means surprisingly little – in fact, it's fascinating how just a few months out your entire college experience just becomes a small "blip" in your overall history and life story. The things you've done and the people you know become far more important.

How did you get end up getting a job at Square?
Networking! Several people in my friend circles were employees at Square, and the timing for my need of a job and Square's need of a new admin assistant synced up perfectly.

What’s the best way to network? Be truly interested in other people and their stories; never stop asking questions. Be positive and engaging. Don't underestimate your social circle or your family circle – there's often possibilities there you would never expect. Maintain your connections via LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. Don't ever be afraid to ask for help and put your job search out there. Informational interviews x10.

What do you wish you would have known while studying at USF? With the exception of a few professions, don't get so caught up in having the perfect grades and picking the "right" major. Choose classes that fascinate you, join clubs and really participate in other campus activities, volunteer A TON, and try having a part time job or two. Really experiment more with jobs and internships. Start a project that's interesting to you – photography, writing, programming, guitar, whatever. Have fun. Cook more. Read (for pleasure) more. Be nice to others, and maintain friendships you have.

Lastly, where would you like to work for the rest of your life (or industry, basically where do you want to end up?) I used to know the answer to this. Two months out of school, everything has changed. Check back with me a few months down the road and see.

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You never know what's ahead of you! See what’s out there, and let us help.
--Victoria

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