The Fine Art of Managing Through a Recession, Wed. April 29th

Check out pictures from last nights event...

Robin Reynolds Starr

Name: Robin Reynolds Starr

Bates Class Year: 1985

Major: Art History & Physics

Current Occupation: Director of Paintings Dept.

Current Company: Skinner, Inc.

Graduate Degrees (if any)MA in Art History from Williams College

Where did you first move after you graduated? Why did you choose to live there?

I moved back to Massachusetts to go to graduate school.

What was your first job after graduation? Why did you choose to do it?

Cataloging here at Skinner – when you’re an art history major and you actually find a job in the field you take it!

What was your natural job progression from there? Did you choose to stay at your company? Move cities? Go to graduate school?

I loved it here, so I stayed, and now I’m running the department.

What words of advice would you have for younger Bates alumni going through a lot of similar choices today?

It’s a tough time, but if you’re in an arts-related field and you don’t have much experience, get it through volunteering (if you can afford to) or internships.

What is your favorite part about your job today? Do you imagine yourself continuing in this capacity?

I love the variety, and my job is to look at art – that’s a good job…yes, I’ll stay here for a while longer.

What words of advice would you have for people struggling in the recent economic downturn (career advice, job search advice, fiscal advice, general life advice)?

Hang in there, and be as diverse and creative as you can in making new contacts who can help you.

The BBBN on Art in a Recession is 1 Week Away!

Join us for the final BBBN event of the season on April 29th titled "The Fine Art of Managing through a Recession: Perspectives from the Art Industry"

The BBBN Presents its final event of the 2008-2009 season with a look at how this recession is impacting the art world, featuring:

Trevor Fairbrother
Writer & Freelance Curator

Barbara Krakow
Owner, Barbara Krakow Gallery

Robin Starr ’85
Director Pro Tem, American & European Paintings & Prints,
Skinner Auction House

Moderated by:
Bruce Barry ’93
Ceramics Artist & Instructor,
Decordova Museum and Sculpture Park

To register, please go to:
http://community.bates.edu/bbbnfineart/

In addition:

Music for the reception will be provided by
George MacDonald, Bates College Class of 2010, Guitarist

This event includes access to the Shepard Fairey exhibit
“Supply and Demand.”

The event is being held at the Institute for Contemporary Art Boston
100 Northern Ave
Boston, MA

Starts at 6 PM.

As a “thank-you” and celebration of our final 2008-2009
Boston Bates Business Network event,
we will be giving away 5 year-long memberships to the ICA.

Graduating With a Major in Go-Getting

This article from the WSJ was submitted by Mike Charland and is really informative for those looking for a job as the graduate. Some ideas to think about as you are looking for a job.

Rachel R. Clayton

Name: Rachel R. Clayton

Bates Class Year: 1990

Major: English

Current Occupation: Executive Chef

Current Company: Myopia Hunt Club

Star of Rockin the Kitchen

Rachel will be speaking at the Food and Business Event this Thursday at the Intercontinental Hotel.

Where did you first move after you graduated? Why did you choose to live there?

I moved out to Colorado Springs, CO to train with the USA Team Handball Team. I trained with the squad for two years.

What was your first job after graduation? Why did you choose to do it?

When I moved back to Boston I started working with my brother-in-law helping out in his kitchen. He was the executive chef at another North Shore country club. I needed a job. I had no idea I would enjoy cooking so much, but it came naturally and I liked the fast paced nature of the profession.

What was your natural job progression from there? Did you choose to stay at your company? Move cities? Go to graduate school?

I was not sure where I was going to end up. I pursued applying to graduate school for physical therapy. I got into a school down south and was hesitant to move. My first choice was in Boston. I also was playing in a very successful original rock band and I was not ready to leave the area for school. I remained working for my brother in law waiting for things to “open” up in my life, not realizing that I was honing my skills at my future career.

What inspired you to make your next transition?

I decided that cooking was going to be my future when I was offered my current job at Myopia. It was time for me to get serious about my goals and focus my energies on really mastering my trade. The decision to accept the position forced me to make a deeper commitment to my future as an Executive Chef.

What words of advice would you have for younger Bates alumni going through a lot of similar choices today?

The food industry is an exciting business. It is vitally important that you come into with a solid education. Since it is a trade profession I find that the most successful people are the ones who are intelligent and have management skills. To excel in this profession you want to be the one in charge. Developing your skills can be done by going to culinary school or simply learning to ropes in a kitchen under a good teacher.

What is your favorite part about your job today? Do you imagine yourself continuing in this capacity?

I love the teaching aspect of my profession. I run an educational kitchen that takes in many inexperienced chefs and get them ready to move onto bigger kitchens. I also enjoy the fact that everyday is different. I have the freedom to create whatever I want and see immediate results. It is very satisfying. I also love the energy and the physicality of cheffing.

What words of advice would you have for people struggling in the recent economic downturn (career advice, job search advice, fiscal advice, general life advice)?

Kitchens are always hiring. The beauty about the culinary arts is that people will always have to eat. Stay true to your goals.

What is something interesting that you have read recently that you would like to share?

Cooking can open many doors because people love to eat! I recently have been working on a cooking show that combines my musical background and my cooking skills. The show is called “Rockin the Kitchen” This is a fun example of what you can create if you have a solid educational background and good skills in your profession. The combination of ideas involving food are endless!

Mike Charland

Name: Mike Charland 1993

Major: Economics/Mathematics Double Major

Current Occupation: Investment Management

Current Company: Wilkins Investment Counsel, Inc.

Babson College MBA

Where did you first move after you graduated? Why did you choose to live there?

Upon graduation I had student loans to repay and no job so I moved back home to the Boston area to regroup.

What was your first job after graduation? Why did you choose to do it?
My first job was working as a trading assistant in the municipal bond department at Eaton Vance in Boston where we managed municipal bond mutual funds. I always knew I wanted to work in the investment management industry. This job offered me the opportunity to sit on the trading desk working directly for a mutual fund manager who managed several funds. I was fortunate to have had such an opportunity early on as I literally had a front row seat to experience all aspects of the investment management business.

What was your natural job progression from there? Did you choose to stay at your company? Move cities? Go to graduate school?
I spent four years at Eaton Vance working under two different portfolio managers. When it came time to find the next challenge, I used my networking skills and business connections to move to my present firm, Wilkins Investment Counsel, also in Boston. I have now been at Wilkins for over eleven years. Over that time, I ran the firm’s bond trading desk, transitioned into equity analysis, was named Director of Research and portfolio manager and eventually became a partner in the firm. Along the way, I also achieved the CFA designation (an important designation in this industry) and earned an MBA from Babson College.

What inspired you to make your next transition?
I was excited to move to a much smaller firm where I could have a greater impact on the organization. Wilkins has eight employees vs. Eaton Vance which had several hundred at the time I left. The ability to “wear many hats” at a small firm appealed to me.

What words of advice would you have for younger Bates alumni going through a lot of similar choices today?
Whatever job you have, do it to the best of your ability. Every day that you come to work, you are shaping or reinforcing the impression that others have of you. Be honest with yourself and find a job or career that matches well with your unique skills and abilities. Life really is too short to be stuck in a position that doesn’t suit you. Continue to build your network of professional and personal contacts as this will prove invaluable throughout your career. This is particularly true in the present challenging economic environment. Strongly consider furthering your education as appropriate given your desired career path. Identify an individual or individuals in your chosen field and unofficially adopt them as mentors, learning all you can from them.

What is your favorite part about your job today?
Making personal connections with our clients as we help them achieve their long term financial goals while enjoying lasting relationships with them is very rewarding. I also enjoy being involved in every step of the research and portfolio management process. Finally, I take pride in my role in helping manage and grow the firm itself. Being a business owner is both a responsibility and a privilege.

What words of advice would you have for people struggling in the recent economic downturn (career advice, job search advice, fiscal advice, general life advice)?
Network, Network, Network! The Bates network is an easy place to start as there are so many groups and events in which to participate (Bates Business Networks, sports team related events, Office of Career Services events, book clubs, National Day of Service events... the list is endless).

What is something interesting that you have read recently that you would like to share?
I still enjoy reading Ayn Rand (The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged). I also like to escape in fast paced detective/thriller novels from authors such as David Baldacci, Robert Ludlum, Dan Brown, and Stuart Woods. Erik Larson’s books The Devil in White City and Thunderstruck are entertaining real life thrillers appropriately set in historical context.

There are still industries hiring students-Boston Globe

I ran across this article in the Boston Globe today talking about how it will take a little longer for students to find jobs and that on-campus recruiting is not bringing students jobs like it used to. It mentions 5 industries that will probably be making some hires and might be worth looking into.

Here is the link.