There are many benefits and reasons why you should join an honor society – and you often hear that being a member can help you in many different areas of your life. However, what exactly are these benefits of honor society and how do they […]
Elyse Heslehurst is a name many Golden Key Asia Pacific members may already know. A member since 2013, Elyse joined Golden Key after her family received the invitation on her behalf while she was on exchange in the USA. The trip allowed her the opportunity […]
Advancing yourself above your peers is never easy, but Mary Aidonopoulos is proof that a Golden Key membership can help set you apart from the crowd in whatever field you are studying.
Mary received her invitation to join in 2016 where she was studying a Bachelor of Law and Science at Latrobe University. She said like many, she at first didn’t understand what the letter was about but was proud to be achieving in the top 15% of her university degree.
“I did a bit of research and saw there were a lot of benefits to joining the society and that there were a lot of leadership opportunities. I wanted to get involved with the committee while being at university,” says Mary.
Since joining, Mary has been on her university committee, and is currently serving as President of the Latrobe University Golden Key committee.
Mary said joining the committee and getting involved with GK has provided her with many opportunities she would have never otherwise had. One of these experiences included taking part in a study abroad internship with Golden Key partner The Intern Group.
Over the summer of 2017-2018, Mary completed an internship in New York City, where she was placed at a law firm just off Wall Street. She says she is very grateful to Golden Key for the opportunity she had because of her membership.
“It was one of those things where I got an email from The Intern Group through Golden Key and I thought, why not, I’ll give it a go.”
Mary knew from the email that the position she was going for was very competitive but decided to ‘throw her hat into the ring’ anyway. After going through the applications and interview process, Mary was ecstatic to learn was accepted into the program and would spend eight weeks in New York city learning more about her chosen career path. As well as that, thanks to her Golden Key membership, Mary received a 5% discount on the program.
“Intern Group were fantastic. They found a law firm for me, they helped me with the visas, they found accommodation for me.”
The experience helped Mary rev up her resume and she said it certainly helped her get to where she is now, working at one of the top law firms in Australia.
She encouraged anyone that has recently joined GK to ‘give it a go’ and get involved.
“Getting involved is one of the best decisions I ever made, but obviously it’s one of those things that you get out what you put in. Engage, see the emails, because there are so many opportunities there.”
In today’s fast paced business world, taking on a full-time internship can be daunting and, at times, stressful. Taking on that challenge in a foreign country and a new business culture takes it up a notch. Learning how to deal with stress in a professional […]
The mission of Golden Key International Honour Society is to foster a spirit of collaboration, leadership, and service. When I began attending Golden Key meetings at the Florida State University’s chapter, I wasn’t sure of what I would get out of this membership. I thought it […]
This week we’re focusing on how to keep a positive mindset – especially when you’re in lockdown – in honor of our Golden Key Talks webinar on Wednesday with Lonnie Mitchell.
It’s going to be a fantastic session – plus it’s free and online, so you can sign up from anywhere. If you haven’t registered already, do it now and join us on Wednesday at 2:30pm EST for some incredible inspiration.
Meanwhile, here are some great suggestions for how to stay positive this week:
Monday:
Take a class: Many colleges are offering free courses online for anyone to take. You can take Yale’s most popular class, “The Science of Well-Being” now! See the link for details, as well as other links provided below:
Tuesday:
Break a sweat: Many gyms are offering free virtual classes to help you stay fit during quarantine. Try a few and see what you’re into:
Wednesday:
Get outside: The best way to break the quarantine blues is to get outside and in nature! Many parks in your area are still open, and now is the time to see them all. Check out the app below if you need some help finding some good trails in your area:
Friday:
Let someone else entertain you: Now is the time to read the book and listen to the podcast that you’ve been meaning to get too! Here’s some recommendations in case you need any guidance:
Golden Key has over two million members across the globe–and every single one of you is special. We know you work hard. Embrace academic work. Contribute to the community. Support fellow members. We’re so proud of each and every one of you, and take every […]
Any given job has an average of 250 applicants, out of which only 2% receive an offer. The numbers are even more competitive for entry-level positions, particularly in desirable sectors such as the tech industry. This can be extremely demoralizing for entry-level candidates whose resumes […]
As you advance in your career field or your studies, you will likely have leadership opportunities. Whether you’re taking the lead on a group project for class, or heading a presentation for your boss, good leadership skills are essential. However, leadership isn’t something that comes naturally to everyone. In fact, most of today’s top leaders worked very hard to develop these skills.
An internship is an excellent opportunity to develop and hone your own leadership skills. While it may be a challenge, getting outside of your comfort zone allows you to grow. As an intern abroad you’ll become familiar with different leadership styles within your career field. Developing your own style and focusing on good leadership skills early in your career will put you in a position to maximize your success in the future.
Good communication skills are essential for those in leadership roles. When you’re in charge of a project or team, you need to be able to convey your ideas and instructions clearly. From written instructions to public speaking, you’ll need to have strong all-around communication skills to be a good leader.
For anyone hoping to have an international career or work abroad, cultural sensitivity is essential. Whether you’re traveling, meeting with clients or even other members of your team, you need to know how to give respect and communicate effectively with them. This becomes even more important when you step into a leadership role. Business norms and cultures vary greatly from country to country, so understanding the differences within your organization is key.
In order to understand your team and guide them effectively, you need to listen to what they say to you. However, critical listening goes beyond just hearing what your colleagues are saying. Good leaders also analyze what they hear, and consider it in the context of both the individual and wider team. Good listeners will build stronger relationships with their direct reports, and have better success as a leader because of it.
This is one of the most important good leadership skills. Many people don’t realize that a leader’s role is just as much about taking feedback as it is providing it. When you’re leading a team, you represent them to the organization. It’s important to take their ideas and input into consideration. Good leaders are open to constructive criticism about their leadership styles, ideas and all aspects of their work. Make yourself open to feedback and your team will benefit greatly.
No matter your position, taking on new challenges with a positive attitude will make your role easier and more enjoyable. More importantly, those that you are leading will feel more positive about their own roles. This makes for a happier, more effective team. Now, that’s not to say that you won’t also need to focus on problems and constructive criticism. However, good leaders make sure to highlight the successes and solutions the team comes up with.
Emotional intelligence is one of the most important good leadership skills, yet the hardest to master. It requires you to be in control of and recognize your own emotions. However, you also need to be mindful of the emotions of those around you. The ability to recognize emotions within your team will help you understand what they need, even if they don’t tell you.
This article was originally published by Golden Key partner The Intern Group.
Amanda MacDonald is a powerhouse. After earning her BA from Brock University, where she rebuilt her Golden Key chapter, she landed an impressive job as Executive Director of Welland Downtown, a business development organization. Now in the final stretch of her MA degree from Brock, […]
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