STUCK? The College Afterlife & Book Review
Are you ready for this? *cues Space Jam sound track*
OK, can we be honest for a secondWhen I was asked for the first time, "'What job do you want for the rest of your life,'" I couldn't help but think "job" and "rest of your life" didn't quite go together in my head as well as the one questioning me made it sound. Unfortunately for me, however, my reasoning only makes sense in my own head, no one else's, so the career path was still inevitable.
Depressing, I know. * deep sigh*
I like to venture into the public library whenever I'm in need of direction. Last time I went, I happened to run across this book:
Let me just say:
This book is f*cking awesome!!!
This book is basically like the career coach/guidance counselor/mentor you've never had. Selingo breaks down post-college life, providing great points that should be considered before diving into the career pool.
The writing is very comforting. The author figuratively pats you on the back and let's you know you're not alone in the world if you are lost. In fact, he almost makes feeling lost feel fun (tehe 😬).
"Emerging adulthood (age 18-25) is a time of life when many different directions remain possible , when little about the future has been decided for certain, when the scope of independent exploration of life's possibilities is greater for most people than it will be at any other period of the life course." There are plenty of pathways out there, the author reassures us. We just have to pick one.
Although I highly recommend reading this book from cover-to-cover, I will highlight a few of my most significant finds:
I-shaped People Vs. T-shaped People
In today's job market, being an extremely well-rounded person can seem almost like a blessing and a curse. Yes, your job possibilities are endless, you, renaissance soul. On the other hand, yes, your job possibilities are endless, you, flighty bastard. You can never make up your mind!!! I can definitely relate. I have two completely different sides to me: an analytical introverted side and an outgoing life of the party side.
Good news though! According to Selingo, "Those adept in only one subject don't cut it in this modern work environment and are called I-shaped people. Employers want T-shaped people: Renaissance men/women. The vertical bar of the T represents a person's deep understanding of one subject matter -history, for example- as well as one industry, perhaps energy or health care. The horizontal stroke of the T represents an ability to work across a variety of complex subject areas with ease and confidence. The need for this ability is far greater today than it was two decades ago as the world becomes more complicated technologically. Take a task such as credit card fraud for example. It requires skills in math, law, finance, technology, psychology, and political science. want people who can wrap their head around the whole thing and be part of teams."
Big picture: Career options will lack limitation and team/group work will be much easier for those know a little about a lot of things instead of a great deal about just one or two.
Skill, Will, and Fit
I found it very interesting that Marla Malcolm Beck, chief executive of Bluemercury, stated that she limits her interviews to seven to ten minutes long and looks for only three things within her interviewee: skill, will, and fit.
Skill refers back to qualifications and expertise. Fit ties back into personality, mold-ability, and brand.
The will part is a little more abstract.
"Will is about hunger, " Beck states.
"I'll ask, 'Where do you see yourself in five to ten years?' The answer to that question tells you a lot about a person's aspirations and creativity. If you're hungry to get somewhere, you'll want to learn. And if you want to learn, you can do any job."
Location, Location, Location
Consider location when deciding what you want to do for the rest of your life. Selingo states, "Certain industries cluster around certain areas. Peutroleum engineers are much more likely to be found in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and North Dakota. Manufacturing industries are more prevalent in Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, where automobile companies remain strong players. Skills related to the entertainment industry cluster around Los Angeles, New York, and Nashville.
"In every one of the twenty largest cities in America, a college, university, or medical institution is among the top ten private employers in town. At least half of those employers in five cities - Washington, Philadelphia, San Diego, Memphis, and San Jose. College graduates want to be with other college graduates, but in a diverse place, both ethnically and culturally.
"'There is a very strong track record of places that attract talent becoming places of long-term success,' states Edward Glaesar, a Harvard economist. 'The most successful economic development policy is to attract and retain smart people and then get out of their way.'"
Big Picture: Selingo states, "If you're sure of what you want to do, look for the cities where professionals who have the skills you want to acquire already live and then either go to college there or intern there."
Tools:
LinkedIn's University Finder tool allows students to enter their major and the region of the country where they want to attend college to view popular campuses and employers for that specific career field.
The College Destination Index (https://www.aier.org/edi) ranks the best college towns in the country based on their academic environment/student life, economic health, culture, and professional opportunity. The index separates destinations by population size and even allows you to rank which characteristics you value most, providing you with location choices based on your specific needs.
Hands-On Learning
Chapter 5 starts off with a great quote by Xunzi, a Confucian Philosopher: "Tell me and I forget; teach me and I may remember; involve me and I will learn."
This chapter focuses mostly on internships and networking.
A lot of times finding a good job after graduation largely depends on first getting the right internships in college. "Successful internships signal that candidates had successfully navigated a rigorous screening process and thus likely had strong cognitive and social skills", says Lauren Rivera, author of Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs.
Not All Internships Were Created Equal
"Today, employers hire as full-time workers around 50 percent of the interns who worked for them before they graduated, according to the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University. At large companies (more then ten thousand employees) and in some industries (construction, consulting, accounting, and scientific services) more like 75 percent of interns are getting offered full-time positions."
Hiring prospects change occupation to occupation. "Nearly 60 percent of accounting interns were hired for full-time positions at the same company they interned for within a year of their internship, while only 25 percent did in fashion and apparel.
A lack of student loans makes it easier for someone to afford to take an unpaid internship. Avoid unpaid internships where one is made to do medial tasks instead of meaningful work. According to surveys by the National Association of Colleges and Employers and Intern Bridge Inc., college seniors who have had a paid internship are about twice as likely to have a job offer at graduation as those who took an unpaid internship.
Timing and Doing it Smart
Landing a summer internship is critical if you have a career field already in mind. Typical summer jobs like camp counselors should be avoided if they do not have to do with your future career path. Peak recruitment time for internships is February and March, with employers looking to hire mostly college juniors and seniors.
Secure as many internships as possible before graduation. This is where location comes back into play. In a location tailored towards your major, internships will be easier to get a hold of throughout the calendar year. Also, each internship experience should build on the previous one. "Try to connect with as many people as you can. Differentiate yourself. Find something interesting that sets you apart. Continue to make an impression."
I hope you find this post to be very helpful. Happy job-hunting!!!
OK, can we be honest for a secondWhen I was asked for the first time, "'What job do you want for the rest of your life,'" I couldn't help but think "job" and "rest of your life" didn't quite go together in my head as well as the one questioning me made it sound. Unfortunately for me, however, my reasoning only makes sense in my own head, no one else's, so the career path was still inevitable.
Depressing, I know. * deep sigh*
I like to venture into the public library whenever I'm in need of direction. Last time I went, I happened to run across this book:
There Is Life After College by Jeffrey J. Selingo
Let me just say:
This book is f*cking awesome!!!
This book is basically like the career coach/guidance counselor/mentor you've never had. Selingo breaks down post-college life, providing great points that should be considered before diving into the career pool.
The writing is very comforting. The author figuratively pats you on the back and let's you know you're not alone in the world if you are lost. In fact, he almost makes feeling lost feel fun (tehe 😬).
"Emerging adulthood (age 18-25) is a time of life when many different directions remain possible , when little about the future has been decided for certain, when the scope of independent exploration of life's possibilities is greater for most people than it will be at any other period of the life course." There are plenty of pathways out there, the author reassures us. We just have to pick one.
Although I highly recommend reading this book from cover-to-cover, I will highlight a few of my most significant finds:
❖
I-shaped People Vs. T-shaped People
In today's job market, being an extremely well-rounded person can seem almost like a blessing and a curse. Yes, your job possibilities are endless, you, renaissance soul. On the other hand, yes, your job possibilities are endless, you, flighty bastard. You can never make up your mind!!! I can definitely relate. I have two completely different sides to me: an analytical introverted side and an outgoing life of the party side.
Good news though! According to Selingo, "Those adept in only one subject don't cut it in this modern work environment and are called I-shaped people. Employers want T-shaped people: Renaissance men/women. The vertical bar of the T represents a person's deep understanding of one subject matter -history, for example- as well as one industry, perhaps energy or health care. The horizontal stroke of the T represents an ability to work across a variety of complex subject areas with ease and confidence. The need for this ability is far greater today than it was two decades ago as the world becomes more complicated technologically. Take a task such as credit card fraud for example. It requires skills in math, law, finance, technology, psychology, and political science. want people who can wrap their head around the whole thing and be part of teams."
Big picture: Career options will lack limitation and team/group work will be much easier for those know a little about a lot of things instead of a great deal about just one or two.
Skill, Will, and Fit
I found it very interesting that Marla Malcolm Beck, chief executive of Bluemercury, stated that she limits her interviews to seven to ten minutes long and looks for only three things within her interviewee: skill, will, and fit.
Skill refers back to qualifications and expertise. Fit ties back into personality, mold-ability, and brand.
The will part is a little more abstract.
"Will is about hunger, " Beck states.
"I'll ask, 'Where do you see yourself in five to ten years?' The answer to that question tells you a lot about a person's aspirations and creativity. If you're hungry to get somewhere, you'll want to learn. And if you want to learn, you can do any job."
Location, Location, Location
Consider location when deciding what you want to do for the rest of your life. Selingo states, "Certain industries cluster around certain areas. Peutroleum engineers are much more likely to be found in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and North Dakota. Manufacturing industries are more prevalent in Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, where automobile companies remain strong players. Skills related to the entertainment industry cluster around Los Angeles, New York, and Nashville.
"In every one of the twenty largest cities in America, a college, university, or medical institution is among the top ten private employers in town. At least half of those employers in five cities - Washington, Philadelphia, San Diego, Memphis, and San Jose. College graduates want to be with other college graduates, but in a diverse place, both ethnically and culturally.
Big Picture: Selingo states, "If you're sure of what you want to do, look for the cities where professionals who have the skills you want to acquire already live and then either go to college there or intern there."
Tools:
LinkedIn's University Finder tool allows students to enter their major and the region of the country where they want to attend college to view popular campuses and employers for that specific career field.
The College Destination Index (https://www.aier.org/edi) ranks the best college towns in the country based on their academic environment/student life, economic health, culture, and professional opportunity. The index separates destinations by population size and even allows you to rank which characteristics you value most, providing you with location choices based on your specific needs.
Hands-On Learning
Chapter 5 starts off with a great quote by Xunzi, a Confucian Philosopher: "Tell me and I forget; teach me and I may remember; involve me and I will learn."
This chapter focuses mostly on internships and networking.
A lot of times finding a good job after graduation largely depends on first getting the right internships in college. "Successful internships signal that candidates had successfully navigated a rigorous screening process and thus likely had strong cognitive and social skills", says Lauren Rivera, author of Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs.
Not All Internships Were Created Equal
"Today, employers hire as full-time workers around 50 percent of the interns who worked for them before they graduated, according to the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University. At large companies (more then ten thousand employees) and in some industries (construction, consulting, accounting, and scientific services) more like 75 percent of interns are getting offered full-time positions."
Hiring prospects change occupation to occupation. "Nearly 60 percent of accounting interns were hired for full-time positions at the same company they interned for within a year of their internship, while only 25 percent did in fashion and apparel.
A lack of student loans makes it easier for someone to afford to take an unpaid internship. Avoid unpaid internships where one is made to do medial tasks instead of meaningful work. According to surveys by the National Association of Colleges and Employers and Intern Bridge Inc., college seniors who have had a paid internship are about twice as likely to have a job offer at graduation as those who took an unpaid internship.
Timing and Doing it Smart
Landing a summer internship is critical if you have a career field already in mind. Typical summer jobs like camp counselors should be avoided if they do not have to do with your future career path. Peak recruitment time for internships is February and March, with employers looking to hire mostly college juniors and seniors.
Secure as many internships as possible before graduation. This is where location comes back into play. In a location tailored towards your major, internships will be easier to get a hold of throughout the calendar year. Also, each internship experience should build on the previous one. "Try to connect with as many people as you can. Differentiate yourself. Find something interesting that sets you apart. Continue to make an impression."
I hope you find this post to be very helpful. Happy job-hunting!!!
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