5. Don’t be overly friendly (or standoffish)
Another finding from Eastwick’s 2010 study was that, on
smooth dates, participants behaved neither too intimately nor
coldly. Connect with the other person by smiling, making eye
contact and responding with open-ended statements like, “That
sounds fascinating.” Being aloof can shut down a conversation,
but the opposite is uncomfortable as well. “Be engaged, but
don’t act like you’ve been best friends for years,” Eastwick says. A
strategy Jellison uses at presentations is to take a seat one chair
away from the person you want to talk to; you are positioning
yourself for an introduction without invading their space.
Meet up at convention
Here are the top don’t-miss sessions for
graduate students during APA’s 2012 Annual
convention, Aug. 2–5, Orlando, Fla.:
“Flying Solo Social Hour,” Aug. 2, 6–6: 50
p.m. Attending convention by yourself? Join the
APAGS Convention Committee at the Flying Solo
Social. We will connect you with other students
who are attending convention alone. After the
social, groups will have the option to travel to
the next APAGS Social Event at Howl at the
Moon.
“Howl at the Moon Social,” Aug. 2, 7–9 p.m.
Join APAGS for excitement and fun at the high-energy, dueling piano bar Howl at the Moon.
This hip venue will host APAGS members and
their guests for a night of singing, networking
and partying. Please note that you must obtain a
ticket from the APAGS Booth in order to attend
this event.
“Women Supporting Women: Mentoring
Between APAGS and Eminent Psychologists,”
Aug. 3, 4–4: 50 p.m. This special social
hour will allow participants to mingle and
enjoy conversations with eminent female
psychologists who would like to offer support
and mentorship to APAGS members.
“Meet and Greet with Internship Training
Directors,” Aug. 4, 2–3: 50 p.m. This social
hour gives students the chance to mingle with
training directors from all over the country and
gather information about specific sites.
“Food for Thought: Breakfast with Philip
Zimbardo,” Aug. 3, 7:30–8: 30 a.m. Philip
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6. Meet other grad students
“A lot of people want to meet a widely recognized person
because [they] think they could be helpful in the short term,”
Jellison says. “But really, those other grad students will be your
lifelong cohort.” Graduate students from other schools can offer
advice on the job market and introduce you to their advisors.
More important, you may be collaborating with these students
for the next 50 years — so don’t step on any toes in your rush to
chat with that famous psychologist. n
Rose Pastore is a writer in Chicago.
Zimbardo, PhD, is internationally recognized
as the “voice and face of contemporary
psychology” through his widely viewed PBS-TV series, “Discovering Psychology,” media
appearances, best-selling trade books and
classic research, the Stanford Prison Experiment.
“To Boldly Go: Harnessing the Power of New
Media and the APAGS New Media Guide,”
Aug. 2, 10–10: 50 a.m. Speakers: Ali M. Mattu,
PhD, Catholic University of America (co-chair);
Ryan R. Landoll, University of Miami (co-chair).
This session focuses on using new and social
media to establish a professional online identity,
network with colleagues, conduct research,
collaborate with students and build clinical
practices.
“Alternative Career Paths with a Doctorate
in Psychology,”Aug. 2, 3–3: 50 p.m. Speakers:
Konstantin Cigularov, PhD; Robert Allen, PhD;
Gloria Balague, PhD. This session will explore
alternative careers available to graduates with a
psychology doctorate. Speakers include a sports
psychologist and an organizational psychologist.
“Graduate Student Debt, Starting Salaries
and Loan Forgiveness Options,” Aug. 4, 9–9: 50
a.m. Speakers: Nabil El-Ghoroury, PhD, APAGS;
William E. Pate, Ad Hoc Analytics. This program
reviews recent data on graduate student debt
and starting salaries, and concludes with a
review of the federal loan forgiveness program
and options for psychologists who work in the
public sector. n
MONITOR ON PSYCHOLOGY • JULY/AUGUST 2012
