Black Voices

Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: News

The Career Placement Planning center started a new set of workshops this school year Maybe you have seen them in your inbox or on a Facebook flyer. The programs are designed to target African-Americans and Latinos and give them the necessary tools to succeed in the workplace. The workshops are catered toward each group with panelist reflecting the color of the audience. From Toyota, to Twentieth Century Fox industry professionals of color have come out to give USC students a leg up in the workplace. Conversations run from what not to wear on a job interview to how to combat the myth of "colored people's time".

The mastermind behind all this is not some high-level staff member but just a grad student trying to make a difference. Maybe you have seen him around campus. He is the clean-cut brother with the haircut to match riding a nice-looking bike down Trousdale. Yep, that's right he is a black man on the move, he is Damion Donaldson, graduate intern for the Career Placement Planning Center also majoring in Educational Psychology as a McNair Scholar .He is focused on giving black students here at USC the necessary tools to succeed in the workplace.







BV: So Damien where did you get the idea for the Black Career Development events like this?



DD: Initially the idea came when I was searching through the Career Placement Planning Center website and I scrolled back a year. And I saw that APASA had a program for Asians. And I was like let me see if there is anything for blacks and Latinos and I didn't see anything. So I thought maybe this might be an opportunity. So I went to the APASA person who focused on that and she sat me down and told me what their focus was and what they did. So I started to generate some ideas geared specifically toward African Americans and Latinos. I just got an idea from that and decided we needed more workshops for African Americans and Latinos. I targeted both and got it done. It's working out.





BV: What has the feedback been like from students?



DD: They really appreciate it. They are kind of confused they have their degree and don't know what to do and don't know how to pursue their career and how to approach it. It gives them a idea of what's out there and on top of that how to conduct themselves so they can succeed in whatever environment they choose to start their career in.



BV: What is so unique about these panels for African Americans?



DD: The approach and the people and the seriousness of it. I like to use this quote I got from project runway. And even though it's Project Runway there is always bits and pieces of things you can learn. The guy who was leading the thing said "We are nothing without our integrity and our seriousness of purpose". That quote right there is something that we should always take with us in whatever we do. I know people want to have a very casual type of learning environment and I take it seriously. I just want to make sure that is apart of what I do with this program. Some people come in and think, "Oh I can wear my big old hoop earrings and I can go to an interview with a big old baggy shirt as long as the tie is nice." No, No that doesn't work. You need to be serious about this and what that means is knowing how to present yourself. Also once you get in how do you conduct yourself to get to where you want to go.



BV: At the last workshop you talked about stereotypes that blacks usually fall into at work such as CP time, angry black woman syndrome etc. and there was a sense of lightheartedness. Since you are so serious do you intend for that lightheartedness?



DD: Oh yeah I intend for that. But then again I'm seriously funny. It's nice, it's casual and friendly but once you address those issues in a lighthearted way you need to try to focus in on making it serious and productive.



BV: What do you think for African-American's is the number one problem in attacking the job search?



DD: That is a really good question. I read a lot on this but I would probably say how you conduct yourself in an interview. Some people try to be too cool and laid back. Sometimes they just don't want to fit into the culture of the work environment and I mean that comes from just the fact of being black in America. People are going to look at you, they are going question you. They might have that fake little smile or laugh and most of the time you can see right through that. So you are like "ok well what does this really mean, 'do I want to work for this company because I know I'm going to deal with this stuff on a regular basis'". That is one issue.

There's also another common thing that black people don't necessarily want to hang out with other people that aren't their folk in the workforce. And sometimes that may come across when you are in that interview. Like you are there, but you are still kind of distant. But you don't want to show that because that's not going to get you the job and help you excel.





BV: So now that you are here at USC what do you think of the black community and how we work?



DD:I guess since I'm a progressive type of person so I feel there is always room for improvement. But I am impressed. There are things happening. The CBCSA they are making things happen and letting everybody know about different events, you know BBA (Black Business Association), they are coming up. Then there is the Black Accounting Association, the engineering association. Those are all great things to help get us prepared for the workforce. But I guess since I didn't find out about certain professional development workshops that were going on I guess we could be a little tighter in that sense. Because when it comes to events, the BBQ and this and that. People know about it very quickly. You know like Step shows and everything. I think that is another area we could just tighten up on is that professional development. Because that is what we are here for.

Another area we could just tighten up on is that professional development. And just taking it serious. Because I was surprise that I went to a lot of different organizations and talked to a lot of different students and not a lot of students showed up. So I'm kind of concerned about that. Because even though the partying and stuff is there and a part of campus life there is another part you have to think about and that's your future. So taking that into consideration means showing up to events like these in strong numbers not just a trickle.



BV: If there was one piece of advice you could give the graduating black students here at USC what would you say to them?



DD: Wow! That's a big question. I would say to them stay ambitious, stay focused, and keep learning as much as you can. And that means about people. About yourself, people outside of your race and outside of your country. People really need to think globally because if we don't people will be left behind. And stay educated with your people and other people as well.

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