The Low Down

By Debra Feldman '74PH of the Columbia Career Coaches Network

It's too late for a quick landing when you are actively looking and need or want a new opportunity. The shortest search happens when an individual is ready for a change and a hiring decision maker extends an unsolicited job offer. As a future candidate, you can influence the recruiting process by networking purposefully to attract the decision makers who have hiring authority for the roles you want.

Check out the latest from your Columbia alumni community in this week's Low Down roundup.

When Ruth Bader Ginsburg entered the legal world after graduating from Columbia Law School in 1959, the best jobs were off-limits to women.  

As she noted in a recent article she penned in The New York Times, "[In 1956] women accounted for less than 3 percent of the legal profession in the United States, and only one woman had ever served on a federal appellate court."

Thanks to her pioneering and tireless efforts, the rest is now history. 

In the 57 years following her graduation from Columbia, where she was elected to the Law Review and graduated at the top of her class, Ruth Bader Ginsburg became a staunch courtroom advocate for the fair treatment of women, a founder in 1972 of the ACLU's Women's Rights Project, and Columbia Law School's first tenured woman professor. In 1980, Justice Ginsburg was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She served there until she was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, making her the court’s second female justice, following Sandra Day O’Connor. 

"In my long life, I have seen great changes." Justice Ginsburg remarked. 

At 83, Justice Ginsburg recently published a new book titled My Own Words. It includes a wide sampling of her writing, from a childhood newspaper piece to current Supreme Court opinions and dissents. 

To recognize Justice Ginsburg's remarkable life and legacy - and her special connection to Columbia - we've compiled a few of our own favorite quotes by and about Justice Ginsburg by Columbians who knew and worked alongside her.

Interactions are an important aspect of what it means to be successful today. Whether it be with regard to your career or just traveling for fun, networking brings with it endless possibilities, including meeting people, cultivating friendships, and learning new things together. Here are some of the things Columbia alumni had to say about networking, and how one should take advantage of it today. 

Go for a (fun) run, learn career tips from fellow alumni, and be inspired by Columbia President Lee Bollinger's recent writing—don't miss the latest from your Columbia alumni community:

Last week, Columbia President Lee C. Bollinger '71LAW published "The No-Censorship Approach to Life" in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Reflecting comments he made at fall Convocation, President Bollinger lays out how the University lives by First Amendment principles and how students today grapple with ideas.

One of the primary goals of a college education is undoubtedly how to land the "perfect" career. Here are some of the things Columbia alumni had to say regarding job-searching and the important aspects that should be considered in choosing--and staying in --the right career. 

The story of an institution that inspired a comedy revolution. A modern-day parable set during the 2008 housing crisis. On paper, these two films would most likely not make for the smoothest double feature. However, the films Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: the Story of the National Lampoon and 99 Homes share a commonality: Columbia-affiliated directors.

Check out the latest from your Columbia community:

By Eric Horwitz '90CC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network

I hear it all the time. I have three interviews next week: one Skype, one phone, and one in person. What should I wear? What questions will they ask? If I get the job, how much should I ask for? Do I really want these jobs? Maybe I don’t want any of them.