Karon L. Phillips

I have a beautiful tree with purple flowers blooming right outside the window of my office. Finally looks like we are shifting to spring. Well, at least those of us not in the north east. Winter was not interested in letting us go.

One of the responsibilities for my new job is organizing exert panels and planning sessions. I remember sharing with my friends that as I considered this position I realized a lot of the experience that I obtained for this current role came from my service to various professional organizations. I always started out as a student representative and then continued to grow from there. And as I continue to reflect on these opportunities, I realized it was through these experiences that I met some phenomenal people, and gained a lot of skills.

If you are not involved with an organization, or two, really think about ways you can start doing some service. Leadership for these organizations often send out emails to members asking for volunteers or nominations for positions. I have served as a secretary several times and those opportunities expanded my writing skills. Organizing symposiums and panels gave me a chance to flex my networking skills and pull together leaders in various areas. I have also co-lead special sessions for awards and fund raising. All that to say, not all job skills come from a 9 to 5.