While we were yet
kids, our career paths seem so cut and dry. When asked what we wanted to be,
our answers were simple and direct: I want to be teacher, a firefighter, a doctor
and in extreme cases, I want to be bird (we really had some weird aspirations).
But as we grow up,
rounded up secondary school and headed to university, we’re exposed to all
sorts of other career options in fields we never have had exposure to in a
direct way. While we strived to earn degrees in fields we’re interested in
pursuing, we were still left in the dark about a lot in the corporate world and
alas, upon graduation, we are slapped in the face by surprise upon surprise.
Here are 7 career
facts you most likely did not learn in the university.
1. You’re not limited
to jobs in the field you got your degree in: let’s say you have a degree in
journalism, you might assume that means your options are limited to working in
a media house. But armed with great communications skills, you could also qualify
for jobs in PR, marketing, or business administration. It’s all about how well
you play your cards and where you get your experience.
2. Your degree isn’t
always that important to employers:
Despite what you’d
like to believe, many employers are not necessarily particular about where you
went to school, or even your discipline. Instead, they’ll focus instead on your
skills: whether or not you appear trainable enough for the job you’ve applied
for. They’ll also look at experience. Graduate level job seekers will find this
time more challenging considering that they are just out of university and they
won’t yet have much detail on their resume. It is best they focus on getting
internships and volunteer positions to round out the experience employers will
be looking for.
3. There are jobs
you’ve never even heard of in your field:
Like many university
grads, you probably researched all the amazing careers you could consider in
your field. But the truth is that there are often many more beyond that
researched list. If you have a degree in English, you’ve likely already
considered the obvious option of teaching or writing, but publishing,
proofreading, speech-writing, or becoming a paralegal might not have crossed
your mind.
4. University is
about networking:
Make the most out of
your alumni network and see what opportunities there are for you professionally.
Speak to lectures and professors in your department about what they’d recommend
for you career-wise. Build relationships with course mates, you don’t know where
and when you’ll need help or recommendation.
5. University does
not prepare you for a job:
The truth is nothing
but job experience can adequately prepare you for a job. And, of course, you
need job experience to get a job.
It’s a vicious cycle
to which you’ve got to find your own solution. Did I hear you say it is not
fair? Well, newsflash, life is not fair.
6. Employers don’t
want to train you to do a job:
That’s why they’re
more likely to hire people with some sort of experience or the other. Do yourself
a favor and take on an internship or two during your undergrad days and if you
are done with school, it is not too late to do volunteer. An internship will
make you more ‘hireable’ after graduation.
7. It’s okay to
change your mind:
Many young graduates
start working in their field of choice only to realize that it wasn’t what they
expected when they were working so hard to earn their degree. Do not fret, It’s
okay, you don’t necessarily need to start over and get another degree; just
open your mind to other career options your degree might make you eligible for
in the future.
About TRENDY
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