Ask a Mentor: Kristen Schreiner '08, M.A. '09

We invited Adelphi alumni who are part of the University’s Alumni Mentoring Program to share their career insights with Adelphi University Magazine readers.

This week’s respondent is Kristen Schreiner ’08, M.A. ’09, a 10th-12th grade social studies teacher at Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead, New York.

What is the worst career advice you’ve received? Don’t be a teacher, you won’t make any money (which in some ways is true). But I was doing it for the love of teaching and helping others, I was never doing it for the money.

Which is more important: making money or loving what you do? Love what you do…without a doubt. If you love what you do and you have a passion for it, you will never work a day in your life.

How much of your day do you spend on social media and what is your favorite platform? As a teacher, I try to use social media in my classroom to positively influence my students. I use my iPad in the classroom: some of my favorite apps are CNN, (CNN politics), ABC News, Catalog (for economics), WWII songs etc. Maps.

What is the most important business trend of the decade? Common Core Standards

What is the most ridiculous management theory you’ve heard or have been asked to follow? I don’t think I have been teaching long enough to fairly criticize any one particular style or method more than another.

What has been your most embarrassing professional moment and what did you learn from it? There are way too many to remember. I embarrassed myself the first day of work – so don’t worry it only gets better from there. 🙂

What makes a resume stand out? I feel like different fonts help a resume. Also, keep lots of information, but short, sweet and to the point. Someone may only read it for 2 minutes, so you want to make all of your information stand out.

What turns you off from a resume? More than one page drives me crazy. Keep your information on one page!

What is the best way to pass time on a long commute? I sing in the car–all out, American Idol style. Love it!

Previous entries in the Ask a Mentor Series:
Epic Records executive Scott Dimig ’06
ABC News Radio Vice President and General Manager Steve Jones ’89
Adelphi Career Center Assistant Director of Experiential Learning Bernadine Waller, M.A. ’10
Private Wifi Social Media Manager Jillian Ryan ’07
Caesars Entertainment Corporation Corporate Manager of Instructional Design Tara Rohloff-Bodine ’02
Med School Tutors Co-Founder and Executive Director Robert Meekins ’06
Adaptive Leadership Strategies President and CEO Brenda Harrington ’79