What To Ask Yourself: Job Hunt Edition
A mysterious question always finds its way into the conversation of education: “What are your plans after you finish your degree?” It’s always asked so plainly as if it should be that easy to answer. How can we take what we have learned, decipher what we enjoyed, reflect on what we didn’t, and come to this conclusion? Let's discuss questions to ask yourself to help reveal the answer to this.
Reflection Questions
There are many ways to reflect on our education, but the real question is, how can we tell what is sustainable in terms of enjoyment and passion in the career path we choose? One way we can do that is by actively researching our environment. This connects us with the cues of what we’ve gravitated towards in the last few years of school; developing an understanding of what we’ve also gravitated against.
So how do we manage this research of self? It’s integrated into our daily behaviors towards our work and our academic preference. That integration will ultimately transition into workplace satisfaction. Think about this, have you ever found yourself holding a preference for one course over another? What was specific about the enjoyment in the course? Was it the professor and their teaching style? Was it the material? What content were you specifically interested in?
The development of those questions will lead to an understanding of where you find yourself enjoying the work you’re doing. Once you find the answers to these questions you can start focusing and developing those relationships or pursuits. If we pay attention to the specifics of our interest personally and professionally, we will be able to see where to start navigating our career search.
The Power of Networking
Here comes the statement that every professor or professional has been drilling for the past few years. Networking is key. Developing relationships with a professor, internship advisor, or colleagues leads to so many perspectives that can develop your sense of where you’re going to fit in the workplace. Find curiosity in what their previous jobs were, why it led them to this, and what they wish they would have known. Even though it may seem easy to let these opportunities slip by, it’s important to make these meaningful connections early on in your undergrad years. This will help you tremendously in the long run when you begin to apply for jobs.
Keeping Up with the Trends
In industries like advertising, marketing, or public relations, there’s always a new tool, a new demand, or a new position to keep up with. How can we find our path through ever-changing industries? Many of these ideas can, again, be found through networking and investing in your community. By connecting with who’s around you, you can find specific needs that could lead to a career choice you feel confident in.
As students, keeping up with professional platforms is vital. As we’re starting to enter the job market, it’s important for us to be on websites like Linkedin and attending career events that influence growth. Not only does this allow us to create relationships with companies, but utilizing these opportunities also gives a general understanding of what’s needed right now in your industry, who’s hiring, what jobs are you qualified for. If the development of this began as an undergrad, we can see what we can do now to make ourselves better applicants.
Actively asking yourself questions about your education can elevate your overall experience and turn it into one that will prepare you to develop a sense of what you’re capable of, what you enjoy, and what you bring to the table. Knowing these components going into the job search will allow us to show what this new generation of PR professionals can do!
About Gracyn
Gracyn Brandt is a Senior studying Communications and Psychology with a minor in Advertising & Public Relations. She currently spends her time working as the Marketing Director of Hemp for Humanity as well as volunteering at Kids Food Basket. Gracyn is driven to help the community through the collaboration of the ideas and passions of her team around her. She fulfills the position of Creative Director and is thrilled to grow professionally with those she works with.