The ironic cycle of beginning a career path involves not being able to get a job due to lack of experience, and having lack of experience due to not being able to get a job. This expectation will always be intimidating to the new student until they build their own reality. Having a stimulating job while pursuing an undergraduate degree is a privilege, especially when it contributes to a chosen career path. This can take some creativity to find the right opportunity.
- Legitimately get involved on campus. Yes, involvement beyond free food from your favorite student organization. There tend to be dozens of clubs and a handful of councils across community college campuses. Do more than simply attend the meetings and show your face at events. The more you can refine your interests and find organizations with like minded values, the easier it will be to get involved in conversations and movements you genuinely care about.
- Volunteer experience and scholarships available
- Document your contribution to campus organizations (this will contribute to your resume later on)
- Build a network within your major of study and collaborate
- Search for valuable similarities between your job and major. Creating these connections within your daily schedule will help you narrow down what skills you want to build throughout your work experience. For example, I became a peer tutor in English and math during my associate degree; I am now pursuing a double major in education and mathematics for my bachelor’s degree. Building a relationship with students across campus while simultaneously solidifying previous topics I had learned allowed for me to experience an engaging environment for teaching.
- Contact your major’s department and ask about available opportunities (seminars, local work experience, research, etc.)
- Talk to people already working in your field of study, ask questions and research valuable topics mentioned
- If the job is not relevant to the major, reflect on which leadership/technical skills will contribute to future career path
- Learn outside of your curriculum. Earning a degree does not equate to immediately landing in a dream job. Develop a genuine curiosity for a subject and study beyond what is expected from the 4-year degree plan. Many subjects have free course material available online – utilize it! This will show initiative beyond wherever the GPA stands and doors of opportunity will open.
- Choose preferred learning pace
- Study what is not asked, it is a thankless task with endless reward
- There is no obligation to follow status quo: take the time needed to complete the degree, mix multiple subjects together, become a jack of all trades
An important point to note: discipline is uncomfortable because it is growth. To merely attend class and fill in the blanks is not enough to reach the stars. Push yourself. Go outside of your comfort zone. Understand the dynamic of your college, introduce yourself to administration, and find out how you could positively impact that community. Dig into the curriculum of different departments. Find course lessons that spark your interest and google it. You are capable of infinite knowledge.
“Make your story survive.” – Jeff Fox, College of Southern Idaho President