Pelican Pros Launches with Alumni Career Workshop

On the evening of March 18, the Alumni Association hosted a career workshop, featuring three alumni panelists. The event was the first in a series of virtual events in the new Pelican Pros career development initiative. This new program will leverage the expansive network of St. Paul’s School alumni to support all graduates of the School, from those in in their careers to those seeking to change careers or develop new contacts and skills for advancement.

Hosted and moderated by Alumni Association President Will Dunn ’02, the Zoom discussion focused on the question: “What is our career journey?” It covered topics such as early-career job searching and what to look for in a mentor. The program featured alumni panelists Margot McShane ’87, managing director at Russell Reynolds; Jamal Johnson ’94, senior recruiter at Kinkor Consulting and founder of Jamal Johnson Coaching; and Erica Deane ’07, diversity, equity, and inclusion manager at Cooley LLP. After introducing the trio, Dunn posed a purposefully broad question to the panelists about what defines a career.

“A career is an exploration of finding out who one really is, and what they are capable of through their occupation,” replied McShane, noting a career does not always follow a linear progression. Johnson offered, “A career is the sum total of the things you did to support yourself and those you care about,” suggesting a retrospective view.

Dunn invited participants to share in a virtual poll about what kind of career support they are looking for, and networking topped the list. Deane noted that expectations can be unreasonably high when mapping out one’s career, even right out of college. “You left home when you were 13 years old to live in the woods of New Hampshire,” said Deane. “Your reward is that you now have access to this really awesome group of people, who can open doors for you.”

The group went on to discuss best practices when identifying mentors and sponsors, before covering the uncomfortable topic of imposter syndrome, or questioning one’s age/experience in relation to a particular job. “You do have to fake it a little bit,” admitted McShane. “You will always be challenged at the beginning of something, and you have to be willing to put yourself out there.”

Johnson advised attendees to “gather your wins,” and make a tangible list of things you already have accomplished. “I’ll bet that there are overlaps between the awesome things you’ve already done, and the things you have to do tomorrow,” he said. All three panelists stressed the importance of being able to communicate effectively and requesting – and properly receiving – feedback. After a short Q&A session, Dunn ended the evening by thanking the panelists and encouraging attendees to sign up for SPS Alumnifire, the School’s mentoring and networking platform.

“I want to thank you all for making the time to learn from these three alumni,” said Dunn. “This virtual moment couldn’t be better for all of us. Whether it’s informational interviews, or finding 15 minutes to talk, it’s easier now than when we were in physical offices, so please find time.”

If you’re interested in contacting any of the career workshop panelists, you can message them directly in AlumniFire (sps.alumnifire.com).