About Talia Whyte

Posts by Talia Whyte:

Advice For High School Graduates

graudation capLast weekend I went to my high school reunion.  I was really excited to go as I haven’t been inside my old school since I graduated.  I had the opportunity to meet with one current senior at the school who was going to Boston University in the fall.  She asked me what advice I would give her as she moves into the next stage in her life.

“It is not where you go to school, but how you use your education,” I said.  “Please put some thought into what you major in and the skills you gain that could be useful getting a job after BU.”

I say this not because of my own college experience, but also as a business owner seeking employees and who goes to job fairs and networking events to meet recent college grads.  I am quite concerned about the future of America’s economy.

A few months ago, I went to this networking event where I met this young lady who was telling me how she was having a hard time getting a “real” job since she graduated from one of the “Seven Sisters” colleges two years ago.  I asked her what she majored in and she told me she studied intersectional queer theory.

There lies the problem. She seriously didn’t understand why she couldn’t get a “real” job and is living with her parents while working at a local cafe, despite graduating from a prestigious school.  Sure, she went a school that looks great on the resume, but the major says something else.  Not that there is anything wrong with intersectional queer theory, but it is a useless liberal arts major that doesn’t present in-demand technical skills needed in the current and future job market.

I’m not totally against all liberal arts degrees, but if I were going back to college today, I would be majoring in a degree that would give me in-demand, recession-proof skills that I know will get me a job upon graduation.

I majored in journalism when I was in college 20 years ago, and some people may think that is a useless degree.  Although journalism is considered a trade (at least when I was in college), back in the late 1990s, people weren’t sure if pursuing a career in the field made sense because the internet was beginning to disrupt the industry.  I realized at that time that I had to make sure I had the right skills necessary to stay employable in journalism.  I took a bunch of classes in digital media and video production and worked at local newspapers to build up my clip portfolio.  For the duration of my career, I made sure I kept my skills up to date by going to seminars and conventions.  I went back to school five years ago to get another degree in web development.  Because of this, I have not only been able to stay employable in journalism, but I was also able to start up and run my own digital media company for the last 15 years.

Having the right technical skills matter more than ever.  I don’t really understand why parents and schools are not encouraging students to pursue in-demand careers in STEM or healthcare.  The economy has changed significantly since the recession ten years ago.  Furthermore, the cost of a college education is just too expensive today to waste time studying something there isn’t a job for or trains in a specific skill.

And then people get mad that foreign workers are taking away American jobs. Foreign workers are not taking away American jobs; they usually have the right skill sets that not enough American workers have.  I get asked by my colleagues at other design firms to recommend other people for their entry-level web development jobs, especially women and people of color.  Most of the time I can’t recommend anyone because there just aren’t enough people that I know of pursuing these careers.  Entry-level web development jobs generally have starting salaries of 60-70K a year.  These are great jobs to have right out of college.

Again, I don’t want to total diss liberal arts majors, but if you are going to major in something that doesn’t have a distinct career path, find other ways to gain skills like through an internship or joining a campus professional organization that can help you get a job.  Honestly, I have had better working relationships with folks who graduate from community colleges or vocational tech schools not only because they have the right skills and ready to hit the ground running at the job, but also because they don’t come to the job with some type of entitlement, like some college kids who think they should get a job simply because of the school they graduated from.

So my advice to future graduates; put time into building your skills.

Preview: Boom For Real

I am a huge fan of Jean-Michel Basquiat.  When I got the press kit for the new documentary about his too short life, I was immediately hooked.

Film Description

BOOM FOR REAL: THE LATE TEENAGE YEARS OF JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT follows Basquiat’s life pre-fame and how New York City, the times, the people and the movements surrounding him formed the artist he became. Using never-before-seen works, writings and photographs, director Sara Driver, who was part of the New York arts scene herself, worked closely and collaboratively with friends and other artists who emerged from that period: Jim Jarmusch, James Nares, Fab Five Freddy, Glenn O’Brien, Kenny Scharf, Lee Quinones, Patricia Field, Luc Sante and many others. Drawing upon their memories and anecdotes, the film also uses period film footage, music and images to visually re-recreate the era, drawing a portrait of Jean-Michel and Downtown New York City – pre-AIDS, President Reagan, the real estate and art booms – before anyone was motivated by money and ambition. The definition of fame, success and power were very different than today – to be a penniless but published poet was the height of success until everything changed in the early 1980s. This is New York City’s story before that change.

What’s Cooking: Gambas al Ajillo

I had another dinner party at my house during Easter weekend, and you know what that means!

I love cooking Spanish food for my guests.  Our friends Melissa and her husband Johnni were visiting from Spain. I worked with Melissa many years ago on a media development project in Senegal, and we have stayed in touch with her ever since.  Melissa and Johnni are both natives of Valencia, the home of another favorite dish paella.

I thought it would be cool to showcase my Spanish cooking skills with this simple shrimp, olive oil, and garlic dish, which is also a native food to Southern Spain.  As usual, it went over well with my guests and here is the recipe.

Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)

  • 1 pound of large raw shrimp
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika (or any other paprika)
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
  • salt
  • pepper
  • chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
 Directions:
  1. Add butter, olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes to a saute pan and heat over medium heat.
  2. Saute for about 1 minute or until garlic becomes fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
  3. Add the paprika, lemon juice, and shrimp and saute for 2-3 minutes, until shrimp are pink and cooked through.
  4. Season with salt and pepper, and pour shrimp and oil into the serving dish. Top with parsley if desired and serve with crusty bread for dipping or on top of cooked Calasparra or any white rice.  I like to also mix in sauteed vegetables.

 

Review: Grace Jones – Bloodlight and Bami

grace jonesA few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to preview the new documentary about iconic provocateur Grace Jones.  I don’t have much to say because it is just phenomenal!  This is one of those movies that really gives you some real insight into a legend’s life.

This is really a musical version of Jones’s life.  I wrote a book review of Jones’s autobiography a couple of years and always thought of her life as a fabulous musical.

Just go see it! It is that great!!!

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