Sun, Sand and (Transferable) Skills

By: Emily Roome, Peer Advisor

As the school year winds down (finally!), it’s time to start thinking about your summer plans. For some students, summer is a time to re-build your bank account, while others may choose to spend their time helping humanity through volunteering. No matter what you choose to do this summer, there are many things you can learn about yourself that will help you in your future. Don’t understand? Here, I’ll show you what I mean:

If you’re feeling a little adventurous this summer, you may decide to go with friends and set out on the open road and explore the amazing country we live in. First, you have to plan out your route: where are you going to go? Who will drive? Where will you stop? Are you going to do any activities on the way? By figuring out an answer to these questions, you’re actually developing a variety of transferable skills!

1. Organization, Co-ordination and Planning: To make sure you don’t end up on the side of the road hungry and out of gas, you’re going to need to make some plans. Some of the transferable skills that emerge out of this action include: preparing plans for tasks and activities (map out your route, plan your stops, and pack for the weather and settings), identifying and bringing necessary resources (a map, food, water), and establish budgets and targets (set an allowance and an estimated time of arrival for your final destination).

2. Adaptability, Flexibility and Change Management: Did something not go as planned? Maybe a friend got car sick or a road you planned to take is closed? You handled it no problem by anticipating and reacting effectively to concerns, issues, problems and changes, remaining productive during changing or difficult situations, and being open to new ideas and new ways of accomplishing goals.

3. Interpersonal – Working on Teams/With Others: Last but certainly not least, some much needed interpersonal skills. There’s always that one person who constantly has to stop for washroom breaks or tension rises because you’ve been cooped up a little too long. Don’t worry, you’re still building skills! You’re learning to manage team members and interpersonal conflicts, identify others’ needs, strengths and weaknesses, and collaborate effectively on ideas, and options.

As you can see, there are many skills that can be learned through something as fun as a road trip! By handling situations like these, you’re actually building on your bank of transferable skills that will help you in your future career. This summer I’m challenging you to cultivate experiences, but more importantly you need to spend time reflecting on your experiences so you can articulate (in interviews, while networking and on your resumé) what skills you gained! To learn more about transferable skills, view this short video recently created by the Career Centre Peer Advisor team:

Post-Graduate Degrees: The Final Leg of the Marathon

By: Allison Lougheed, Peer Advisor

Some of you, like me, may be considering post-graduate studies. However, the thought of having to complete more schooling upon graduation may make you cringe. Instead of viewing a post-graduate program as simply ‘just more schooling’, view it as the next critical step in your career development process. Just like running a marathon, the most difficult part is the extensive amount of time and energy you put into training (your undergraduate degree). The actual running of the marathon (completing a post-graduate) is the next, integral step in the road toward your ultimate goal. Both are very important aspects to your development.

The Career Centre is a great resource to help you research post-graduate programs that will lead you in the right direction. We suggest you come in and meet with a career consultant first if you are unclear as to what your direction is. If you know what career you’d like to pursue, you can book a meeting with an advisor to help you research programs or writing a ‘personal statement’. The Career Centre is more than happy to aid you in this process by providing suggestions and critiques to optimize your chances of being accepted.

Personally for me I have career aspirations in Human Resources, therefore I have discussed my options with the career consultants here at the Career Centre as well as with Laurier alumni who are currently working in the field. After much discussion, research and personal evaluation, it has led me to decide on applying to the Human Resources Management post-graduate program at Durham College. This program will not only provide me with further education, but a placement that will enable me to gain hands-on job experience.

So remember just like a marathon, we have already completed the most difficult part of the training. Now it is time to execute this training in one last final step!

Making Something Out of Nothing

By: Emma Dickson, Peer Advisor

It’s the end of the winter semester. All of the big assignments and papers that are worth 10 – 40% of your mark are due. How do you tackle these? How do you even begin to work on them? The answer: hard work and dedication… but most of all, inspiration!

Once you find a topic that truly inspires you, writing the paper is a breeze. This makes the assignment into something that you are truly passionate about. So in the context of careers, how do you take your degree and your interests (which you are possibly unclear of = nothing) and turn it into your dream career (something)?

The answer: volunteering!

Start volunteering early and explore the possibilities, gain experience and find your inspiration for a career goal. Consider volunteering with the Career Centre as a Peer Advisor – deadline is April 9th.

http://navigator.wlu.ca/career/student/planning/volunteer/peer.htm

Don’t leave your assignments to the last minute or you’ll be rushed and stressed to get them finished. Take the time to find your inspiration and make something out of nothing!

Pursuit of ‘Happyness’

By: Shanelle Weber, Peer Advisor

Many of you, I am sure, have seen this movie – a touching story about a single father struggling to make it in the world of business, while trying to provide a loving home for his son. In a touching scene the father turns to his son and says, “Hey, don’t ever let somebody tell you, you can’t do something…not even me.” This line struck a cord for me.

I think that more university students need to hear this. Many of us are told that we can’t follow our true dreams, even by the most well-intentioned people in our lives. Perhaps it’s because we won’t make enough money, or the career won’t afford jog security, or you don’t have enough skill set; or it doesn’t relate to your degree, or…– the list goes on.
While I recommend taking their thoughts into consideration, it should never hold you back from making your happiness an utmost priority. It is really up to you to decide, and you won’t know unless you try.
Here are some tips to help you on your quest for ‘happyness’:

• List what tasks, projects or activities you enjoy doing the most and think of jobs that relate to it. If you love to do it, then more than likely you will enjoy a job pertaining to it.
• Research a job and the skill set required. You’d be surprised what transferable skill sets you are acquiring in your degree that can be applied.
• Worrying about money is important, but you also want to be aware of whether you are sacrificing your happiness for a paycheque. Let’s be honest, who really wants to be that high stressed businessman? Certainly consider pay, but don’t let that be your decisive reason for taking a job.

Do what you think is right! If someone argues, they have to realize that you need to learn by making your own mistake. It’s about the journey, not the destination after all. So do what makes you happy.