About Career Blog

Should You Consider Taking a Gap Year?

You’ve just graduated from college and you’re thinking about taking a well-deserved break in the action before embarking on your new career. Besides, the current job market pretty much stinks. If this sounds like you, consider doing something meaningful as you explore your alternatives.

A “gap year” represents a prolonged period of time between two stages of life. Taking this time off is commonplace in Europe and Australia where young adults often take a break after high school or college. Graduates are encouraged to use this period to take on meaningful experiences for personal development and exploration before moving on to the next stage of life.

But, is becoming a “gapper” a smart move for you – especially given the current state of the economy? Naturally, it depends. Consider the pros and cons of taking a break.

Pros:

  • You can take this time to save money for grad school, an apartment, or a car.
  • If you’re tired of school, you may not do well in a grad school program without taking a break first – which could save you money in the long run.
  • You can use this time to explore careers alternatives, perhaps by interning.
  • Traveling across the country or abroad will allow you to explore geographical options and other cultures.
  • You can use this time to “give back” to your community by volunteering.

Cons:

  • After taking some time off, you may never want to further your education.
  • You could lose contact with those ever-important networking contacts you’ve accumulated while in school – such as professors and professional mentors.

Many educators believe that the increased focus, maturity and motivation gappers obtain are worth the break in the “job search” action. And, given that good jobs are few and far between right now, it might be a good time to escape from the pressure that has left many recent college grads burned out – the pressure of finding a good job in a bad recession. So if you’re inclined, take some time. This gap in your resume could work to your advantage. Good luck!

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Posted by Seymour Jobs on 7/16/2009 10:57:00 AM
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Does College Really Prepare You For The Real World?

Yikes! You’ve got the diploma in your hand and that first job lined up – and you begin to wonder if all those thousands of dollars spent on tuition and books truly readied you for the working world. After all, some say that the “real world” is cold and harsh, where second chances are rarely offered, deadlines are hardly ever extended, and the concept of “fairness” doesn’t exist. It is rumored to be a barren, desolate place where work days actually begin at eight in the morning and the coffee? Well, it just plain stinks.

So after enduring courses in astronomy, memorizing little known facts about ancient philosophers, and carefully planning your class schedules (some that no doubt included three day weekends and nothing before 11 am), was your college education relevant to what you’ll be doing and experiencing in the workplace going forward?

Many times students end up pursuing careers that are not even related to their majors. So if what you learned in college does not directly apply to the specific job you’ll be performing, don’t freak out – not all has been lost. The fact is much of what you learned in college outside of the classroom has prepared you quite well for navigating workplace culture — which is just as important as the work itself.

Take, for example, the time management skills you’ve acquired. While tending to your studies at school, you’ve had to complete projects and meet deadlines as you balanced a job, parties, and hang time at your favorite Internet café. You’ve learned to text during classes and listen to your Ipod while cramming for an exam in the library. This is called “multi-tasking” and it is something you’ll be required to do pretty much all day long. You also have acquired teamwork capabilities by working on group projects in college – as painful as some of them might have been. And, just think about that professional network you’ve built without even knowing it. Your connections with professors and other students can potentially be quite helpful when it comes to landing a job in the future. Yes, a little Facebook each day is a good thing…

Most importantly, your college experience has prepared you well for managing day-to-day responsibilities like being punctual, balancing a checking account, doing laundry and going grocery shopping on a budget. You’ve gained a sense of independence that will directly translate to your work experience where you will be expected to finish a task (without being micro-managed) and finish it well.

Yes, college educates you in ways that go beyond what you learned in the classroom. But are you really ready for the real world? The answer is yes. Definitely.

Good luck!

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Posted by Seymour Jobs on 4/06/2009 04:42:00 PM
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Cinderella Syndrome: Why Career Success is not a Fairytale.


Many students making the transition from college-life to the real world have contracted a serious condition called “Cinderella Syndrome,” also commonly referred to as “princess syndrome.” Careerealism defines this fictitious disease as a sense of entitlement when it comes to achieving career success.

Cinderella Syndrome can lead people to believe its “unfair” as to why they have not been hired for a particular job, rather than understanding that someone may have been better suited for the position. This entitlement can also lead college students to believe that after graduating the right job will fall into their laps or better yet, that a company will actively recruit them directly out of school. Ring- Ring! Reality is calling…

Today’s job market is a fiercely competitive place and sitting back on the assumption that the right job will find you is not a strategy for career success! Career success is not a fairytale, it’s out there and it can happen to you! But the only real way to achieve it is through hard work and perseverance. You must actively take steps to achieve your goals, rather than waiting around for your fairy godmother to wave her magic wand.

Start by setting realistic goals for yourself. Give yourself a daily dose of success by creating attainable of goals of progress. You are never going to become CEO of a Fortune 500 company overnight; however you can start by taking a course in Management. By conquering small steps, you’ll give yourself a boost of confidence each time making progress towards taming the employment beast and becoming closer to achieving your goals.

Network, network, network! Many times in today’s workforce, it’s not what you know that separates you from the crowd… its who you know! If you’re currently interning or temping, make the most of your opportunities. Go beyond what your employer asks of you, and show your co-workers what you are made of! Be fearless in showing how much enthusiasm you have for your work. The connections you make with your colleagues could potentially lead to job offers, letters of recommendation or just some stellar professional advice.

And remember, being positive can be the ultimate determining factor in your success. So smile on… and you might happen to catch yourself a Prince Charming while working your way towards career success! Good luck!

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Posted by Seymour Jobs on 1/23/2009 11:50:00 AM
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Would You Hire Yourself?

It’s time for a little introspection. What kind of person do you think you are? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What opinions do others hold of you? Is your personality tailored to your aspirations, or are you measuring up a bit short?

If after doing this you find yourself ready to take on the real world, stop reading this and go for it! I’ll be here to back you up. If not, relax… you’re still young and nobody’s perfect. However, there’s no time like the present to enhance your personal resume and to get yourself prepped for success. The following are questions likely to be asked by a prospective employer. More importantly, these are the questions that you should be prepared to ask yourself first.

What are your ambitions?
Speaking clearly about your career aspirations is an important skill to learn. If you can’t articulate what they are and the reasons behind them, set aside some time to formulate an answer. A frivolous response won’t cut it – think long and hard about what you want to do and why. If nothing comes to mind, it might be time re-evaluate your goals.
What have you accomplished? Determination means very little in the absence of evidence. What have you done to prove that you’re willing and able to succeed? A strong, extensive resume or portfolio is a must. Volunteer, enroll in classes, take a part-time job in the your industry of choice; do whatever it takes to build-up a body of work strong enough to support the claims made in your resume.

Who are your references?
Ability does not go unrecognized. Ever hear the metaphor, Birds of a feather flock together? Movers and shakers associate with other movers and shakers. References with legitimate business connections (preferably outside of your immediate family and circle of friends) will score you major points on your resume. Professors and former employers/co-workers are a good place to start – if you’re not sure whether they’ll put in a good word for you, get out there and ask!

How long do you tend to keep jobs?
A checkered job history cannot be explained away easily. Employers look for dedication and stability, because hiring is costly; they’ll want to make sure that you’ll stick around. Unless you work freelance, month-long stints with a company aren’t very meaningful. Make a commitment and stick to it if you want to prove your worth and improve your job prospects.

How well do you think you’d interview?
Do you see yourself coolly breezing through your interviewer’s questions or are you freezing up and biting your tongue? Identify how best to play up your strengths and improve your weaknesses when under pressure. If you’re the nervous type, practice in front of a mirror or an impartial observer (professors and classmates are good for this). Practice makes perfect, and after a few trial runs, your confidence will explode!

Once you’ve fired off a resume or two, try to get inside your prospective employers’ heads. Work out some specific questions that you think that they’d ask and see if you’re ready to tackle them. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! Give these suggestions a shot and you’re certain to find an employer willing to give you a shot. Happy hunting!

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Posted by Seymour Jobs on 11/14/2008 11:21:00 AM
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Dealing with Un-enthusiasm

I understand that not all professors have to be entirely peppy and upbeat, but when a teacher's bad attitude is clearly apparent, there is something wrong. I am sure the working world is the same, that I over the course of my career-- I will have co-workers and bosses that are overworked, don't like their job-- or just aren't happy.

The difference between school and work, is as a student we are paying an unbelievable amount of money to get a worthy and unique experience from each class. So an unenthusiastic tone throughout a class, from the teacher nonetheless, is completely unacceptable in my opinion. There really isn't all that much time spent in one individual class over the course of a semester.

So, as a teacher, I would think that engaging the students in a heartfelt and exciting way is the main priority. To do otherwise will never allow students to learn the material so that it will stick with us even after college is over. Certainly not all teachers are like this. I'm very happy to have had a great deal of teachers that have gone above and beyond to make us eager to go to class. It may be a lesson in itself to deal with those teachers who we don't agree with. I'm certain that I'll have to do so throughout a professional career--but the difference is if I really don't like a boss or my co-workers, I can always change jobs......

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Posted by jeff on 9/13/2007 07:22:00 PM
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