In our tender teen years, we are asked one of life’s most difficult questions: “What do you want to do for the rest of your life?” When we consider the endless amount of possibilities, we can be overwhelmed with more questions than answers. Often pushed to pursue post-secondary education, we are told this is the key to achieving our career goals. For those of us who choose to attend university, we plan our lives to such a specific degree – get into the university of our choice, decided on a career path and what field of study applies best, declare a major (and never change it), graduate and obtain a degree, apply and get job in that specific field, and work in that field for the rest of your life.
But just like every other trajectory in life, things don’t always go as expected.
I was on that path, and at 16 years old, I was asked that same difficult question. “Well, I guess I like art class?” I thought to myself – not quite sure where my true passion lay. I was always interested in becoming a teacher, so the goal of obtaining a degree with a major in Studio Art and a minor in English – and then going to teacher’s college to become an art teacher – seemed to be the ideal path for my life course. Though, after being accepted and then entering the University of Guelph, I was exposed to so much more. I discovered graphic design in second year and found my passion in that moment. I changed my minor from English to Art History, and thought about how I could approach a new potential career path.
It is because of these types of experiences that it is extremely important to consider all the “what-ifs?” Five years ago, did you expect to be where you are now? Do you think your dreams and passion will lie in the same place in another 5 or 10 years?
Your answer is likely a strong “No.” On top of this, your dream career won’t necessarily be located in your dream city. Goals of financial success may push you into different, more lucrative fields of work. Maybe your dream job is extremely competitive and you choose to explore other avenues which will lead you into a new field. Maybe a part-time job turns into a full-blown career as you climb up the corporate ladder.
After graduation I had no worries that I would find an artistic job right away because I was confident in my abilities and work ethic. My confidence was blown when I spent two full years after graduation between cashier and call centre jobs, and living back home in Niagara Falls with my parents. I needed to do something, anything. I ended up taking three continuing education courses in various graphic design programs, and after completion I frantically searched for any job that related to my new plan. Luckily, in 2011 I landed a job as an Advertising Designer at the Ontarion, which changed my plan all over again because I had to relocate back to Guelph. The publishing industry was all new to me and something I had never even considered exploring previously. As expected, these types of variables and unexpected elements of life will always throw a wrench in our plans.
As an alternative to thinking about your specific career path, The Harvard Business Review recommends instead thinking about what you want to learn in the next five years. What else can be gained from your university degree other than the information you memorize for a test and forget a week later? And instead of focusing solely on your degree to help you later in life, consider branching out. Ask to help out at a company you are interested in, or job shadow someone in a field or career you’re enthusiastic about. Volunteering or shadowing is a great way to try on a career with less commitment and stress. Hallie Crawford, author of Flying Solo: Career Transition Tips for Singles, writes that “asking for the opportunity to shadow someone is a way to not only learn what a job is like, but to expand your network as well.”
Make the effort to discuss potential opportunities with career centres in the city, utilize campus resources, add new connections and send messages on LinkedIn (and network in general), and take more courses and classes to further explore your interests. It never hurts to try something new, and gaining experience through volunteering, job shadowing, or expanding your knowledge base in an interesting field is a great way to build new skills and network – the cornerstone to a successful career path in the future.
When I was an undergrad, I had no interest in volunteering or expanding my skillset, because I thought simply having a degree would suffice once I entered the job market. But the “real world” can be tough, and employers are looking for more than just a degree. I wish I had spent more time getting involved on campus and volunteering for organizations which spoke to my interests, something I learned later in life. Sometimes, the best way to really figure out what you want to do with your life is a bit of trial and error. I encourage you to try different side projects and try out new hobbies with your free time – you may even discover a new, previously unknown passion – just like how landing a job with the Ontarion helped me explore my passion in working for the publishing industry.
Instead of making definite decisions about a career path, become more curious and explore more options. Make note of your interests and find ways to exercise passion, even if you can’t make money from it. Interests are often discarded because they cannot be easily translated into income, and therefore aren’t as important as paid work. But it is those passions explored while not being paid which can often be translated into future work success. As previously mentioned, getting involved will help you build a comprehensive background of skills and expertise that may put you ahead of the rest. Nothing looks better to a potential employer than a comprehensive list of volunteer experience and a sweeping checklist of skills showing your flexibility as a worker.
As previously mentioned, I originally joined the Ontarion team as their Advertising Designer, and the following year I worked as their Layout Director, all the while enjoying the creative design aspects of those positions. But the funniest part of it all, is that I am now the Editor-in-Chief of the Ontarion, a position involving a lot of managerial and writing skills. My two years of previous experience at this paper had proved to my employers that I was worthy of a position I didn’t necessarily have the right degree or the specific work experience for. I am now nearing the end of my contract, and I’m off to explore new and unknown paths, certainly different than my initial goal of becoming a teacher! This is the precise sort of scenario I reference when talking about the unpredictable nature the future. You’ll really never know what direction your life will take.
In reality, employers are less bothered by applicants’ degree field and more concerned with whether or not they have the right thinking and creative skills, and if they can apply themselves to the job at hand. Recruiters want a broader set of skills that can be translated across several fields, not just one specific field of study, as we are often told during our university careers. It may not be directly obvious, but the variety of skills gained during your post-secondary education years can all be easily translated into a future career. Any experience on top of this will be an added bonus that will set you ahead of the rest.
The important point to drive home here is to not be so caught up in what you’re studying or what steps you need to take to get into your ideal career path. You shouldn’t view university as a means to an end. Step back and start thinking about what makes you happy and what you’re good at. Become more involved and build up a comprehensive skillset, whether through your university career or through other experiences gained during this time or afterwards. Think about the bigger picture – what you want to pursue in life, rather than specific career goals.
Figuring out the one thing that you will do for the rest of your life with any sort of accuracy is near impossible. You can make an endless amount of choices in your life, but you can’t always predict the end result. Life will get in the way and throw new challenges and hurdles at you whenever it can. Be flexible about your goals, because situations change, dreams change, and overall, you change.
Don’t rush through your degree, not truly appreciating what can be gained through the experience, because the benefits you reap and the passions you explore will be more meaningful than the face value of a degree framed on a wall.