YouAlberta
Navigating career uncertainty is something nearly everyone experiences, especially during these pivotal university years. As an undergrad, I often find myself caught between the pressure to have a clear post-grad plan and the reality that I’m not exactly sure what to do next.
This journey's rarely straightforward, and that’s exactly what I find makes it worth exploring.
Careers aren’t linear.
There’s a common misconception that careers follow a simple, linear path: earn a degree, land an entry-level job and climb the corporate ladder. But I’ve come to realize that’s rarely the case. If you talk to most people about how they got to where they are, you’ll find most career paths are filled with chance encounters, unplanned opportunities and unpredictable experiences.
When I first started thinking about my career, I was overwhelmed by the pressure to have everything figured out. I thought I needed a concrete plan for my career. The truth is, I didn’t even know where to begin and constantly worried about making the “right” decisions. Without a clear plan and end goal in sight, I felt stuck and directionless. For a long time, I did nothing to actively manage my career, hoping that the perfect opportunity would just appear. This, however, only made my anxiety about the future worse.
It wasn’t until I realized there is no one “right” step, only a series of steps that contribute to the bigger picture, that I started feeling empowered to take action. This shift in perspective is what led me to apply for the Arts Works Experience program, eventually leading to an internship with the Career Centre!
Instead of waiting for things to fall into place, take an active role in shaping your own journey. Seek out experiences, step outside your comfort zone and be open to unexpected opportunities. Even if you're unsure about your career path, every new experience significantly contributes to shaping your career journey.
Start networking!
I know we’ve all heard this at some point. If you’re anything like me, the idea of networking ties a knot in your stomach. For many of us it feels like a daunting and overwhelming task, but with some practice and the right mindset, I’ve found it becomes a lot more approachable!
Exploring professional connections used to terrify me. The idea of walking up to a stranger and starting a conversation felt almost impossible. I worried about saying the wrong thing or completely forgetting what I wanted to say out of nervousness.
Over time, I realized that I was nervous to network because I expected something to come out of these interactions.
I now view networking as a way to make genuine connections with others, hear about their career stories and share my own experiences without any strings attached. This has relieved the pressure that I used to feel around networking, as the stakes feel so much lower.
Like any other skill, networking requires practice. Connecting with as many people as possible about their career journeys has significantly boosted my confidence.
Okay... but I still don’t know what I want to do!
And that’s okay! It’s simply not true that once you’re in university, you suddenly know what career you’d like to pursue. But that’s the fun of it! Accepting the fact that I’m uncertain about my career and leaning into that with curiosity and self-discovery has made all the difference in my career exploration.
Participating in Arts Works Experience has been such a game-changer for my career exploration. I took a risk and applied for a position completely out of my comfort zone, one I hadn’t even considered as part of my potential career path. It was incredibly intimidating at first, but in just three short months, I’ve already learned so much about myself and my interests, and I have a much clearer vision of what I may want to pursue after graduation!
Final thoughts.
Taking action is key when it comes to networking and career exploration. It may seem daunting at first, but the more you put yourself out there, the easier it gets.
The Career Centre offers great programs to support you in navigating your career. Career Conversations connects you with industry professionals for short virtual informational interviews, giving you the chance to learn from their experiences and gain industry knowledge. The Job Shadow Program allows you to visit workplaces and see firsthand what different careers are really like. These programs are perfect for building confidence in networking and gaining a deeper understanding of various fields!
For more information on these programs and how to get involved, check out the Career Centre website.