You’re into the second week of classes, so you’re probably not spending too much thinking about what you’re going to do with your degree when you finish at Brescia. Whether you’re in first year or fourth year, you’re likely focused on how you’re going to fit in all your readings, getting an early start on those papers or projects due in December (!), and finding a way to work part-time while still be involved….
We know you have so much on your plate.
We also know that in the next few months, you’re going to start wondering how to go about finding a (meaningful) summer job or where to look for (real) work after graduation. That’s why we encourage you to START NOW. Trust us when we say it’s never too early to begin your career education. In fact, the earlier the better!
When you graduate, you receive an important piece of paper…an expensive piece of paper. It will say you were a Family Studies student, or a Leadership student, or a Foods & Nutritional Sciences student. However, that piece of paper alone will not designate you a career. “It’s not a paycheque, not a guaranteed job.” That might be hard to hear, but it couldn’t be truer. It will not be representative of all you have learned at Brescia. You will have to creatively play with that paper—the words on it, the experiences within it, and the lessons learned because of it, to make it useful.
The reality of today’s workplace is that employers hire people, not degrees. It’s important to start developing realistic expectations of the time it takes to research career options and build your skills and experience. University is a time to explore! The more time you spend investing in and exploring your career development, the more prepared and confident you will feel in making career decisions by the time you graduate.
Career planning is life planning.
You’re going to work for a long time. You’re going to add value and make a difference in the world. You’re not just planning for a job; you are planning for your life. Your self-awareness is imperative. Beginning to explore it now will make it easier to consider the ways in which you can fold your piece of paper and make it into something you never expected–paper transformed. Don’t wait until fourth year…
Let us help you imagine now—check out our Career Development Certification Program or Professional Mentoring Program.
Happy folding!
WATCH & LISTEN: It’s Just a Piece of Paper–Johnny Macrae, Imagine UBC 2013.