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Dinner at the College


A couple of weeks ago, I was invited by my alma mater to a dinner where college students deciding on what major to pick would get the opportunity to hear from different people and about their chosen career paths.  I had never done anything like this before, but I decided that this is what workforce development is all about.

At the dinner, students received an opportunity to sit with the professionals to hear about their careers and to ask questions. Before the dinner wrapped up, every alumni and alumna received the opportunity to speak to the group.  Thinking back to having been a college student, I remember that feeling that I knew that going to college had something to do with work, but I was not sure what exactly and how did this translate to a job in the real world.  I have decided to summarize that information given to the students from the alumnus for everyone in workforce development land.

 
Advice to College Students:

  • The road is different for everyone. Many people said that the choice of college major doesn’t matter. I think it does. It all depends on what job you are applying for at the time you graduate. Some jobs require a specific degree for licensure, credentialing, or due to technical skills. 

  • The lesson from college is not necessarily the theory, but the process for competing the degree, where you learn to work hard and achieve a goal.

  • Education only begins when you leave college. If you have the opportunity to get a professional certification along the way, take it. If you find an employer to pay for one, even better. Never turn down the opportunity for professional development.

  • Sometimes a Master’s Degree is appropriate, sometimes a second Bachelor’s Degree is the way to go.   Education is a personalized decision.

  • Give 100% to everything you do. Even if you think that you are doing a “boring” task at a job, you never know if it will lead to something greater in the future.

  • Find something you love. You will find more success if you love your job.

  • Finding that career that you love will not happen overnight. It will take time. Maybe you will love your first job out of college, maybe not. Maybe you will have to try a few different things until you find a match.

  • Meet people. Networking is key. Seek out a mentor to help and guide you along the way. The opportunities you receive will most likely be because of your connections along the way. If you don’t know what to ask Google, it will not give you the answer.

  • Act professional, dress professional. Leave the flip-flops at home. You never know when you will have to chase a bad guy.

  • There will be paperwork. Everyone does paperwork. It is not exciting, but it is a major part of many jobs in the world.

  • Get work experience. Whether you find an on-campus job, an internship, or a part time job that is not affiliated with the college or major, gaining experience on what it is like to work will help you when you graduate.

  • It doesn’t matter if you enter college as a “teen mom,” a “stoner,” or an “honor student.” Eventually everyone that graduates finds themselves in the same real world. Sometimes you will succeed despite yourself. Sometimes you will succeed because of yourself. Life is full of contradictions. It is all the same in the end.

To be honest, I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to attend this dinner, but I was glad that I attended.  The one thing that none of the alumnus discussed about their career is money. Not one person said that they chose their careers for money. Do people want to be paid well? Yes, but no one was motivated by that. Each alumnus honestly, sincerely, and truly loved their job.

I am very social, but I tend to keep my personal story to myself, but on that night, I put myself and my bag of contradictions out there for these students. This was not an experience that someone happens upon every day, but if anyone out there ever gets an opportunity like this, then I suggest to take the time to share your experience- good or bad- with someone starting out. You never know when someone in the audience is “just like you” and is thinking if “she can do it, I can do it.” 

Questions, comments, or advice to college students? Feel free to comment below. I can also be reached at kcirincione@gmail.com~ Karen Cirincione

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