R-E-S-E-A-R-C-H

By: Emma Duca

For many of you, the time may be approaching to graduate. Those exciting thoughts of the cap and gown and that precious diploma gripped tightly in your hands tend to be accompanied by terrifying thoughts of “well…what now?” The lucky ones will have a job lined up and ready to go the minute they step off that stage. However, not everyone happens to be in that boat. Whether you’re considering graduate school, an internship, or maybe trying to find a full-time job, my best advice is to do your RESEARCH. There is nothing worse than finding a master’s program that is perfect for you, and sitting down to create your application, only to find out that the deadline was two weeks ago. It is best to start looking into programs and/or jobs of interest as early as possible, not only to stay up to date on deadlines, but also to give yourself time to find references, and get any questions you may have about the application answered.

Furthermore, it is important to keep your options open. Remember all of the schools and programs you looked into in high school for your undergraduate degree? Well, there are even more possibilities open to you now, so don’t limit yourself to one field or one location. Perhaps now would be the perfect time to see if the west coast really is the best coast. Or consider an internship abroad; the valuable independence skills you will gain, not to mention the ability to immerse yourself and thrive in a foreign culture are unique skills that will impress future potential employers (plus the amount of sightseeing you would get to do doesn’t hurt either…).

Whatever interests you have, make sure that you consider all available paths you could take towards that “ideal career”. Also, don’t be afraid to talk to others who are currently employed in your field of interest – they likely took some very different routes to get to where they are now, and chances are that you will be inspired by some of their success stories.

Finally, make sure to come and visit the career centre when conducting your research. The resource centre here is full of books, brochures, guides, and other material to help you explore the many opportunities that are available!