There is no doubt that one learns a lot in their post-secondary education. But it’s not until your career do you really start figure it all out. There is a world of difference between the two events, but they are not mutually exclusive. I graduated from University in 2008 with a bachelors in Gerontology with a lot of knowledge, but not a lot of specific direction. As Lauren knows all too well, the dreaded ‘what are you going to do when you graduate?’ questions starts getting pounced upon you about six months before graduation. Sometimes, you don’t know. You just don’t, and people telling you what they think you should do is not a solution. Kate detested her first job out of University, and she quickly figured out exactly what she didn’t want to do before being challenged in the field (…quite literally, in a field of crops) she knew was a fit for her. Lau is still in the ‘figuring it all out’ phase, which is exactly where she needs to be right now. Micaela worked hard and patiently waited for her dream job and Eri settled calmly into a position which recognizes and utilizes her unique skills and abilities.
I decided to move clear across the country, across the prairies and into the West to start to figure it all out. And slowly, I did just that. I am four years, two full-time jobs with a few part-time ones on the side into figuring it all out and directing myself into my chosen career path. Upon leaving my first job to move back to Ontario I confessed to my boss that I still didn’t understand why she hired me given my lack of hands-on experience in the field, and I will never forget when she told me that ‘sometimes you just see a spark in somebody. The knowledge that comes with a career? That can be taught. But when you find someone that has the spark inside of them you take a chance, and you don’t regret it’. That statement has influenced my career in every way, and in a way, is my personal motto. I don’t know everything, neither do you and and even together neither of us ever will. But with that spark inside, tasks can be taught, knowledge will be learned and surrounding yourself with people that believe in you will help you to achieve whatever goals you set for yourself.
When I moved to Toronto (jobless with hundreds of resumes and cover letters in hand) people started asked the dreaded question ’what are you going to do when you get there?’ and I desparately thought to myself ‘I will do almost anything for anybody who will hire me’. A year into a challenging full time job later, I am inspired to find and achieve my niche. I am not so desparate anymore and am finally able to write down tangible goals and what it will take for me to achieve them onto a piece of paper – one which sits in my desk where I can see it every day. I am ready to move again, this time into a position which will sharpen my career even further.
And finally, because there is nothing like a good Venn diagram to support one’s logic.
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