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Time English (United States) Language 2 Action
00:00
Think back to when you were first starting college.
00:02
You were trying to figure out where you fit in,
00:04
how to get off to a good start in your courses, and juggling lots of questions.
00:08
It all may have seemed overwhelming at the time, but you did it!.
00:11
And now that you’re preparing for graduation,
00:13
you can plan your next transition: out to the great beyond.
00:16
Hi, I’m Erica Brozovsky, and this is Crash Course: How to College.
00:20
A Study Hall series presented in partnership with Arizona State University.
00:23
In this episode, we’re going to talk about leaving college and transitioning into…
00:27
whatever comes next!
00:30
[INTRO MUSIC PLAYS]
00:36
The first question many students have about leaving college
00:38
and beginning their next chapter is:
00:40
Where do I start?
00:41
Well, that’s a good question.
00:43
But actually, when we’re thinking about transitioning from school to a job,
00:46
graduate school, or something else entirely, where we start
00:49
may not be quite as important as when we start.
00:51
The earlier you start planning your transition, the better,
00:54
because getting an early start can help prepare you to take the next step.
00:58
Even as soon as you get acclimated during your first year of college,
01:01
start planning how you’ll make the transition from school to work.
01:04
Even little things like researching job titles–or watching this video!–
01:07
can help get you started.
01:08
And here’s a secret: there are no rules about
01:10
what kind of adult you have to be after college.
01:13
You can do whatever you want with your degree,
01:14
and your career path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
01:17
Look at me!
01:18
Most linguistics majors don’t use their degree to become educational YouTubers.
01:21
It’s important to manage your expectations
01:23
about what this transition could look like, though.
01:25
You may not land your dream job right after graduation,
01:27
but with whatever you decide to do, you’ll learn more about what you want
01:31
and what you don’t want in a workplace.
01:33
So, back to the question: Where do I start?
01:35
Let’s go to the Thought Bubble.
01:36
After completing multiple classes in college, you probably have
01:39
a pretty good understanding of what your interests are,
01:41
especially if you also spent time engaging in extracurriculars.
01:44
But if you’re still trying to figure out what your interests are,
01:46
or if you’ve done all those things and are now struggling to narrow it down,
01:49
the career services office at your school can help provide support
01:52
as you begin your job search.
01:54
Take Sara.
01:55
She’s always loved animals, so when she started college
01:57
she signed up for courses in biology and environmental science.
02:00
But she isn’t totally sure what kind of career she’d like to pursue,
02:03
so she asks a career advisor at her school about doing an interest assessment.
02:07
Interest assessments include a series of questions about your likes and dislikes.
02:09
Once you complete it, you’ll receive a report that includes potential careers
02:13
based on your interests, and a career advisor can help you interpret your results.
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When Sara completes hers, she realizes she’s a perfect fit for wildlife conservation.
02:20
As she looks more into it, she finds that courses in public speaking,
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environmental law, policy, and research are also relevant,
02:27
since wildlife conservation involves advocating for animals,
02:30
speaking with lawmakers, and running experiments.
02:32
Although it didn’t seem like it at first, her interests align perfectly
02:35
with what’s covered in these courses.
02:36
We can make the connection between our interests and our dream career
02:38
the same way.
02:39
Think about the ways that your interests align with what you’re
02:42
currently studying in your courses.
02:43
Are there skills you still want to develop and improve?
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Talk to an academic advisor about finding additional courses that can help bridge any
02:49
gaps.
02:50
Thanks, Thought Bubble.
02:51
Other things you can do to make connections between your coursework
02:52
and your career aspirations include connecting with industry professionals,
02:55
attending industry networking events and conferences,
02:58
and joining professional organizations.
03:00
And to maximize how effective these strategies are for you,
03:02
you’ll want to make sure all your professional materials are up to date.
03:05
This way, if you meet someone at a networking event or come across a job you like,
03:09
you’ll already have what you need to apply.
03:11
What you’ll need can vary field to field, but we recommend creating an updated resume
03:15
that includes your most relevant jobs, internships, and coursework
03:18
that you can adjust depending on the job.
03:19
It can also be helpful to make sure your LinkedIn profile
03:21
and other social media accounts are ready to be reviewed by potential employers
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because employers may check your social media to learn more about you.
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This might mean making sure LinkedIn lists all your relevant information
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- especially since some jobs will use it instead of a resume -
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or making sure your privacy settings are set to only make public
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what you're comfortable with.
03:37
You may also want to consider creating a portfolio
03:40
to showcase projects you’ve completed from your job, internship, or class.
03:44
Portfolios are common in fields like the fine arts, writing, tech, or similar industries
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where employers like to see samples of your work in order to assess your ability.
03:50
Even if it’s not a required application piece for your industry,
03:53
having a website or other type of portfolio is a great way to showcase
03:56
more skills than just what you could fit in your resume or cover letter.
03:59
Once you’ve connected what you’re interested in to what kind of job you’d like,
04:02
the next step in your process is to build your experience.
04:05
You may remember that in episode 10 we talked about gaining practical experience
04:08
through extra experiences like volunteer work and study abroad.
04:11
While you don’t have to do these things, participating can
04:14
help you figure out your interests and gain experience to enter the workforce.
04:16
As you build your experience, it can also be helpful to find a mentor
04:20
to help you on your job-hunting journey.
04:22
A mentor can be anyone you admire, respect, and want to learn from.
04:25
You may have more than one mentor, and a mentorship can last
04:27
for a short or long period of time.
04:28
So neither of you are signing up for a lifetime commitment!
04:31
These magical people who are willing to give back a bit
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by looking out for you can sound like unicorns,
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but they’re actually easier to find than you think.
04:38
You can find a mentor at your job or internship,
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in the community, or in professional associations, which are organizations
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where members share the same professional interests.
04:46
Professional associations can also link you to mentorship networks,
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where you can connect with industry professionals who are eager to mentor you.
04:52
And sometimes a mentor can be right in front of you!
04:55
Within your major or school other students, graduate students, alumni,
04:58
faculty and other people in your field are all clumped together.
05:01
So don’t be afraid to talk to them!
05:02
Attend office hours to get to know your faculty and ask about
05:05
projects you can assist them with.
05:06
Talk to them about how they developed their career path.
05:09
Your career doesn’t have to look exactly like theirs,