"If I Had Another Chance ..."
May. 24th, 2010 08:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fiat_knoxThe other day, I visited the Graduate Careers Centre. I must admit the visits would be sweeter if I were employed, because it would be a matter of picking my new career rather than attempting to embark upon one.
On this occasion, I noticed some forms which had been laid out for people to fill in, titled "If I Had Another Chance ..." This form contained a series of questions for people to fill out.
The explanatory blurb reads as follows:-
"We are compiling a leaflet for Glyndwr students and graduates which gives advice from other final year students and graduates about a variety of careers-related topics and we would really like your views. These will remain anonymous but will hopefully inspire others to plan their careers, take up work experience and use the Careers Centre and Jobshop throughout their time at university."
Here's my reply:-
What would you say to another first year student if you had another chance ...
About career planning
Assume nothing about your career after college. No battle plan every survived first contact with the enemy. Don't let your career be the goal of your studies. Let your studies further your career. In other words, don't wish for it. Start it now.
About exploring your options
Read. As widely as possible. Far from your chosen field. This applies as much to IT as to Comp Med. Ask yourself how you can apply what you learn in your field into entirely unrelated fields. This opens out vast untapped markets for you to explore.
About making choices or career decisions
Commit to nothing and to no one. Let no boss or customer attempt to dictate terms. When choosing THE NEXT PHASE OF YOUR LIFE, you become the goal-setter, not the market or your boss.
About developing skills
Develop the skills and abilities which will help you to thrive in the market without going broke, without the fear fo the threat of getting fired, and without being forced to sell even the tiniest shred of your integrity just to "get along." Let others face the choice. Let them sell their souls to "get along" with you.
About work experience or volunteering
You should not rely upon others putting you in placement schemes. You'll only waste your precious time hop picking or putting cans up on shelves. Go and look for experience. Stay at a firm over the summer solving their IT problems or do research for a firm in your spare time. Do what pleases you, but make sure you get credit for your work. When you go job hunting for real as a graduate, you'll have these in your portfolio.
About applying for jobs
Ideally, you need them to come to you. At the start, however, with a limited rep, you need to work hard on hearts and minds. It helps to do legwork. Be as astute as a private eye. In fact, find a private eye. Get him to teach you how to investigate someone. You need to have won 75% of the way before you even send in your CV.
About worrying
It's a rare mind that can be truly creative while sober. Yet you will need to cultivate this mindset. Look around you. All your classmates will be clamouring for the same job as you. Only one spermatozoon gets to fertilize the ovum. Will you be the one? Yes? Then you've got to get some act together.
About using the Careers Centre and Jobshop
"We have jobs. We have advice. And do you know what? Even if you have that job £40k a year, car, you'll find that we are still here for you when you face the inevitable. Nobody likes to dwell on calamity, on job losses: but even if you only want to change firms, we'll be here for your jobseeking needs with all the advice we can get to help make your working life fulfilling."
All of the above was sent off to Glyndwr Uni.
Mum wants me to write something similar for schoolkids on their hast few weeks in St Joseph's school. What do you think?
On this occasion, I noticed some forms which had been laid out for people to fill in, titled "If I Had Another Chance ..." This form contained a series of questions for people to fill out.
The explanatory blurb reads as follows:-
"We are compiling a leaflet for Glyndwr students and graduates which gives advice from other final year students and graduates about a variety of careers-related topics and we would really like your views. These will remain anonymous but will hopefully inspire others to plan their careers, take up work experience and use the Careers Centre and Jobshop throughout their time at university."
Here's my reply:-
What would you say to another first year student if you had another chance ...
About career planning
Assume nothing about your career after college. No battle plan every survived first contact with the enemy. Don't let your career be the goal of your studies. Let your studies further your career. In other words, don't wish for it. Start it now.
About exploring your options
Read. As widely as possible. Far from your chosen field. This applies as much to IT as to Comp Med. Ask yourself how you can apply what you learn in your field into entirely unrelated fields. This opens out vast untapped markets for you to explore.
About making choices or career decisions
Commit to nothing and to no one. Let no boss or customer attempt to dictate terms. When choosing THE NEXT PHASE OF YOUR LIFE, you become the goal-setter, not the market or your boss.
About developing skills
Develop the skills and abilities which will help you to thrive in the market without going broke, without the fear fo the threat of getting fired, and without being forced to sell even the tiniest shred of your integrity just to "get along." Let others face the choice. Let them sell their souls to "get along" with you.
About work experience or volunteering
You should not rely upon others putting you in placement schemes. You'll only waste your precious time hop picking or putting cans up on shelves. Go and look for experience. Stay at a firm over the summer solving their IT problems or do research for a firm in your spare time. Do what pleases you, but make sure you get credit for your work. When you go job hunting for real as a graduate, you'll have these in your portfolio.
About applying for jobs
Ideally, you need them to come to you. At the start, however, with a limited rep, you need to work hard on hearts and minds. It helps to do legwork. Be as astute as a private eye. In fact, find a private eye. Get him to teach you how to investigate someone. You need to have won 75% of the way before you even send in your CV.
About worrying
It's a rare mind that can be truly creative while sober. Yet you will need to cultivate this mindset. Look around you. All your classmates will be clamouring for the same job as you. Only one spermatozoon gets to fertilize the ovum. Will you be the one? Yes? Then you've got to get some act together.
About using the Careers Centre and Jobshop
"We have jobs. We have advice. And do you know what? Even if you have that job £40k a year, car, you'll find that we are still here for you when you face the inevitable. Nobody likes to dwell on calamity, on job losses: but even if you only want to change firms, we'll be here for your jobseeking needs with all the advice we can get to help make your working life fulfilling."
All of the above was sent off to Glyndwr Uni.
Mum wants me to write something similar for schoolkids on their hast few weeks in St Joseph's school. What do you think?
