FEELING LOST?

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Feeling Lost? The Best
Careers Change and Evolve

by Melanie Buford

A senior psychology major came into my office the other day. She dropped her bag, plopped down into a chair, and said “I’m lost!”

With relatively little prompting, the story came out. She already knew her long term goal: to be a child and family therapist. A faculty mentor had recommended a graduate program for her, and, doing very little of her own research, she applied to the program and turned her attention back to school. She was accepted, fortunately, but upon learning more about it, she realized that it was a business focused program, not a therapeutic one.

“That’s disappointing,” I said, “But it sounds like you have a good sense of what you’d like to do in the short term—graduate school—and the long term—child and family therapy.”

“No,” said the student, “you don’t understand. I’m lost. What will I do now? Program deadlines have passed. I can’t go to graduate school now. I have to wait a whole ‘nother year!”

How often does “I’m lost” mean “things didn’t turn out as I expected?”

Here’s the thing, and it’s something I tell students over and over in spite of the fact that it doesn’t reassure them at all: The best careers, just like the best lives, aren’t linear.

So many people are paralyzed by the idea of choosing a career—at the age of 20—that they’ll have to spend the rest of their lives on. This is entirely reasonable. And yet, students seem equally intimidated by the idea that their career will change and evolve in natural and unpredictable ways.

Very few people look up as a junior in college and plan out a 40-year career during which everything happens exactly as they expect it to and they are perfectly successful and satisfied. How incredibly uninspiring that would be. The purpose of college career goals isn’t to remain unchanged for half a lifetime, but instead, to interact with the world and be changed. Our mission is to let the world change us, not to make it to the finish line exactly as we started.

The most interesting people will tell you that they never could’ve predicted where their careers would end up. This is why their stories are interesting, and this is why people want to learn from them. We are inspired by people who are open to life and let it change them, people who evolve in unexpected ways.

We instinctively know this is true. Most of our career advice has this idea at its core.

Take the somewhat controversial mantra— “follow your passion.” Cal Newport* and others have come to challenge this advice as, at best, misleading, and, at worst, harmful. But there is wisdom embedded here and it isn’t “ignore practicality,” but rather, “be open to inspiration.”

The near universal emphasis on networking is yet another example. Yes, networking is indispensable in finding a job in your field of interest. This is undeniably true. But the hidden value of networking is to expose you to people and ideas outside of your comfort zone. Your family and friends typically want to help you achieve the goals you’ve identified right now. Networking exposes you to people who don’t know your background, your goals, or the ways that you may already be limiting yourself. This opens you up to serendipity, and serendipity will push you to evolve.

“I’m lost” can be the beginning of amazing things but it’s not a place of comfort.  It can, however, be a place of humility. It is often when we’re most unsure of ourselves that we’re most open to new directions.

This was the case for my senior psychology major.  After a full session during which we discussed several possible options for her newfound open year, I brought her focus back to the long-term goal of becoming a child and family therapist.

“Did it occur to you,” I asked, “that many of the clients you will work with as a therapist will have come to you because they’re feeling disappointed and lost?  Might this experience of disappointment, and perhaps a few more down the road, help to make you a better, more empathetic therapist?” Her nod was reluctant.

Our lives are full of surprises. If, as a young professional, you’re struggling with the overwhelming task of figuring out your future, I encourage you to tackle it one step at a time. If you’re still in school, focus on creating a plan for what you’ll do the year after graduation, rather than what you want to do with the “rest of your life.” Go to workshops, meet new people, travel if you can. These things will inspire you to set new goals. Most importantly, be patient with the process.

Embrace your failures and “lost” years as something inevitable and challenging. Delays to your plan can be opportunities to improve and refine it. Don’t waste these opportunities. Take full advantage.

*Newport, C. (2012). ‘Follow Your Passion’ is Bad Advice [Video file]. Retrieved from http://99u.com/videos/22339/cal-newport-follow-your-passion-is-bad-advice.

Melanie Buford is the Program Coordinator/Adjunct Instructor in the Career Development Center at the University of Cincinnati.

Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers

Careers in Music

Sheet Music

Music can inspire emotions, dreams, and actions.  Many students find so much meaning in music that they want involvement in music to be their life’s work.  Classical musicians usually train from childhood, then go on to major in music at a university or study at a conservatory.  What about the rest of the musicians and music fans out there?

The Berklee College of Music has put together an extensive list of various roles within the music industry.  You can learn more about the occupations of musicians and singers, as well as many related occupations, by visiting the Occupational Outlook Handbook.  The University of North Carolina-Wilmington and Northern Illinois University have compiled list of links pertinent to students with interests in careers in music.

Students are required to audition in order to major in music at Baylor.  However, an audition is not required to minor in music or church music.  Non-majors may also participate in bands, orchestras, and choirs, as well as registering for music classes as a non-major.  For more information on programs through the School of Music at Baylor, visit their website.

Written By: Amy Ames

7 Popular Careers for an ISFP: A look into the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

sunflower saying

ISFP’s have a strong aesthetic awareness and tend to seek out beauty in their surroundings. They enjoy hands-on activities and being able see tangible results from their work.

Most ISFP’s are extremely loyal and observant to the needs of others, although they may be harder to get to know at first. They are quiet and reserved, but have a special ability to pick up on the emotions of other people and enjoy being able to provide practical help.

ISFP’s are rarely assertive and tend to shy away from positions of authority, preferring to take more of a supporting role.  They appreciate clear expectations, set deadlines, and a degree of autonomy at work. ISFP’s live in the present and thrive in a flexible and supportive environment.

Here are 7 popular careers for an ISFP:

 

Not sure what your personality type is? Schedule a Career Exploration appointment with a Career Advisor to learn more about your personality and interests, and how those translate into career paths.

Top 10 Skills Employers Want to See on Your Resume

It’s a given that a good grade point average (GPA) is very important to potential employers. According to the annual Job Outlook survey, many employers say they screen by GPA. But what else do they look for?

Employers considering new college graduates for job openings are looking for leaders who can work as part of team, communicate effectively, and solve problems.

Here are the top 10:

  1. Leadership
  2. Ability to work in a team
  3. Written communication skills
  4. Problem-solving skills
  5. Strong work ethic
  6. Analytical/quantitative skills
  7. Technical skills
  8. Verbal communication skills
  9. Initiative
  10. Computer skills

How much influence do these skills have on your chances of getting an interview and landing a job? Here’s how employers ranked those skills and abilities:

top 10 skills

Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Top 10 Career Strategies for Freshmen and Sophomores

You control your career destiny! Just going to class and picking up your diploma after four years doesn’t cut it. You need to become active on and off campus.

Becoming marketable to employers or graduate schools is a four-year job. Here are the top 10 things you can do during college to make yourself marketable at job-search time. In fact, if you do all 10 of these, you’ll be unstoppable:

  1. Keep your grades up—Employers and graduate schools want candidates with good grades. That will probably never change. Doing well academically not only proves that you have a good knowledge base, but indicates a strong work ethic—a trait that employers value.
  2. Identify your interests, skills, values, and personal characteristics—The first step to clarifying your career goals is to go through a process of self-assessment. Visit your career center and take advantage of the self-assessment instruments it has to offer.
  3. Actively explore career options—You owe it to yourself to find a career that enriches your life, not one that brings you down. Actively exploring careers means talking with professionals in occupations of interest and observing professionals on the job. Your career center probably has alumni and other volunteers who are willing to talk to you about their careers. Also, attend any career expos, career fairs, and career speaker panels that are offered.
  4. Become active in extracurricular activities and clubs—Active involvement in activities and clubs on campus is highly valued by employers and graduate schools. Joining a club is fine, but becoming active within that club is what matters most. Become a leader, hold an office, or coordinate an event. You will develop your skills in leadership and teamwork—skills that recruiters covet!
  5. Get involved in community service—It’s important that you begin to understand and appreciate the importance of giving back to your community, and that you live in a larger community than your college or hometown. Typically, students look at community service as a chore. After they’ve served, however, it’s usually one of the most rewarding experiences they’ve had! Recruiters love to see that you’ve volunteered to help in your community.
  6. Develop your computer skills—Take advantage of the computer courses and workshops your college offers. You can also learn a lot by just experimenting with different software packages on your own. Finally, you should learn how to develop your own web page or web-based portfolio. There are many web-design software tools that make it real easy to develop your own web page! Contact your college’s information technology office to see how to get started.
  7. Develop your writing skills—Over and over, company and graduate school recruiters complain about the lack of writing skills among college graduates. Don’t avoid classes that are writing intensive. Work at developing your writing skills. If there is a writing center on campus, have them take a look at your papers from time to time. Remember, the first impression you give to recruiters is typically your cover letter or personal statement.
  8. Complete at least one internship in your chosen career field—More and more, internships are the springboards to employment and getting into graduate programs. Many recruiters say that when they need to fill entry-level jobs, they will only hire previous interns. In addition to making yourself more marketable, internships also are a great way to explore careers and determine whether or not certain careers are for you. When you work for a company as an intern for three to four months, you get a really good feel for whether the field (and company) is one in which you want to work day in and day out!
  9. Gain an appreciation of diversity through study abroad, foreign languages, and courses—We are now, more than ever, working within a global work force. For you to be successful at work and in your life, you must stretch yourself, and learn about people and cultures different than yours. Take advantage of the wonderful study-abroad opportunities and the courses relating to diversity. This is your time to travel! Most people find it harder to take time to travel as they begin their careers and start families.
  10. Use your career center all four years—Your college career center can help you throughout your entire college career. Here is just a sampling of what your career center can help you do:
  1. Choose your major and career direction,
  2. Explore career options,
  3. Obtain an internship,
  4. Write a resume and cover letter,
  5. Develop your interviewing skills,
  6. Identify your interests and values,
  7. Develop a job-search or graduate school plan,
  8. Connect you with prospective employers (career fairs, on-campus recruiting, and more), and
  9. Connect you with alumni mentors.

 

Remember, you control your career destiny. Don’t wait until your senior year to start realizing your goals. Your career train is on the move. Jump on board now so you can reach your destination!

By Bob Orndorff. Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Are you a Fixer Upper Fanatic?

fixer upper

If you’re like me, you can’t wait until the new season of Fixer Upper begins so you can immerse yourself in shiplap, reclaimed wood, and metal letters.  If this sounds familiar, you might have considered a career in interior design.

Before you start knocking down walls, there are some things you need to know. Interior design is a little different than interior decorating and there is a lot more involved than picking out color samples and wall art. But guess what…Baylor has an amazing interior design program that is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and will prepare you to take on this journey.

If designing sounds like a good career choice for you, visit the Baylor Interior Design website for more information on degree plans and how to connect with faculty. Here are some other resources that you may find helpful:

Interior Designers

Careers in Interior Design:  What you need to know

FUN FACT:  The famous living room above belongs to someone in our CPD office…do you know who it is?

FOCUS on a major

FOCUS

Need help focusing on a career path? Through our office, all Baylor students have free access to the FOCUS 2. This is an online assessment that is completely self-guided. You can access all of your results, research career options, and even see which Baylor majors will be a good fit. The FOCUS 2 assesses values, interests, personality and skills, and their relation to possible majors and careers. Feel free to take advantage of this wonderful tool. If you have questions afterwards, you can always schedule an appointment with a career advisor to discuss your results further.

Post-baccalaureate Premedical Programs

postbacc pic

If you are thinking about medical school, you may have heard of post-baccalaureate premedical programs as a second chance option. If so, there are some things you should consider before fully accepting this as your back-up plan.

These programs are designed to help students transition from undergrad to a professional school, such as medical school. They are also helpful for those who are considering a career shift and need to complete the necessary science requirements. These programs can improve your chances of getting in to medical school, but only if you do well in the program. Even then, not all programs are created equally.

Some programs are well-known and have several affiliations with medical schools which may offer conditional acceptance into the medical school based on performance in the program. Programs can vary in length between 8 and 24 months. Some are degree-seeking, which grant a master’s degree, while others are non-degree-seeking that only grant certificates upon completion.  Most programs require at least a 3.0 GPA for acceptance. You can look up programs using AAMC’s free Postbaccalaureate Premedical Programs database to learn more about the length, tuition, success rates for acceptance into medical school, and affiliations. Here are some other resources for more information about post-bacc programs:

https://www.aamc.org/students/aspiring/experience/357926/postbaccrightforme.html

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/medical-school-admissions-doctor/2011/12/19/is-a-postbaccalaureate-medical-program-right-for-you

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/2011/07/25/an-expensive-alternative-route-to-medical-school

Overwhelmed by Career Decisions? Here’s Where to Begin

IndependenceJust start somewhere.  That’s right.  If you are feeling overwhelmed by the thought of choosing a major, finding an internship, or getting a job after graduation, don’t let fear paralyze you.  Even Baylor University had to start somewhere (see picture above).

Take action, even if that means simply taking a quick look at job postings or listening to a podcast about a major that you are considering.  Each step you take will help you to learn more about an option or about your own preferences.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help, either.  The staff of Career and Professional Development are happy to assist you.  Visit our website to learn about the different ways you can connect with us.

How to Use This Blog in Career Planning

Photo by ebayink via Flickr
Photo by ebayink via Flickr

Are you a passive or active reader of this blog?  Of course, we sincerely appreciate our passive readers who eagerly anticipate the biweekly arrival of our posts in your inbox.  However, there are some ways to really make this blog work for you.  Here are three ideas for becoming an active reader and getting more out of your experience with us.

First, note the search box in the right-hand column.  Doing a keyword search for your major or a career that interests you could help you uncover posts with exactly the information that you need.  Second, you can use our category tags (also in the right-hand column) to quickly pull information on a career topic that you are researching.  Third, you can interact with us by commenting on posts or contacting us to suggest a topic for future posts.  We want this blog to be helpful to you, so let us know how we can best accomplish that.