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Exploring Future Career Opportunities

A job title doesn’t always align directly with a degree. Some students graduate from programs with a seemingly obvious job match waiting for them. A nursing student can expect to become a nurse. In reality, that same nursing student can become a Registered Nurse, nurse educator, clinical trials manager, clinical content developer, medical insurance underwriter, wellness program coordinator or a health informatics analyst — to name a few options.

For students who don’t envision a one-to-one match in the labour market based purely on their degree, the same vast pool of job titles awaits even if the possibilities don’t immediately come to mind. A philosophy student doesn’t necessarily become a philosopher. More likely, their future job title is advisor, analyst or ethicist.

Careers are not linear.

Your experiences, interests and the decisions you make — before and after your time at the Â鶹ÊÓƵ — will likely impact your career in ways you can’t predict. Career development research shows that most people's careers paths are nonlinear because they are significantly impacted by life events or happenstance. This doesn’t mean you hand your career over to fate. You can prepare by becoming an active agent of your career.

A "planned happenstance" approach to managing your career is one that involves taking action and trying new things, even if you’re unsure of the outcome. You can try to:

• Engage deliberately and intentionally in a variety of activities
• Follow your curiosities and interests
• Get involved in life beyond academics

By engaging in activities outside of your formal studies, you can break the cycle of "I need experience to get a job, but I need a job to get experience!" The resources available to you on campus and through the Career Centre can help you explore traditional and alternative job options in or outside your field of study. You can also to find sample job postings and interview questions, professional and industry associations to consider and career options to explore.

Reflecting while you take action and afterward will help you determine what you learned about yourself and the world of work. You may discover or create new opportunities while developing knowledge, skills and connections that will benefit your career and life. Taking time to reflect will also help you make informed next steps.

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Take a next-steps approach.

It’s not possible for you to know exactly where you will be 10 years, five years or even one year down the road. It is possible, however, to know what you might want to accomplish in the coming weeks or months.

A next-steps approach is similar to your car's headlights as you travel down a dark highway — your headlights are not bright enough to light your entire trip at once but they are bright enough for you to see a few metres ahead of you, then the next few metres and so on. You continue to travel a few metres at a time and adjust your speed and direction depending on what you’re able to see. Eventually you safely reach your destination, even if it’s not the one you initially intended.

It’s not crucial for you to decide exactly what you will be doing in the future — but it is important for you to take actions that propel you towards your preferred future. Your career unfolds one step at a time. A next-steps approach is flexible, adaptable and focuses on possibilities.

Attend our career management presentation or meet with a career advisor to learn more about applying a next-steps approach.

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What do I have to offer?

Your career potential and employability are a product of more than just your formal education. What you have to offer, and what employers are looking for, is the sum of your education, skills and professional and personal experiences. Potential employers are interested in how you can apply your set of skills, experiences and attributes in unique and meaningful ways.

It is critical to be aware of the skills you have to offer and to effectively communicate the value and applicability of your skills in different settings. Your skills will evolve over the course of your career, so you will have to re-evaluate your skill set on an ongoing basis.

What are my career options?

Start by exploring occupational profiles associated with your education and skills. Based on an aggregation of job posting information and research, occupational profiles give a brief description of general job duties, working conditions, educational and skill requirements.

In order to widen your perspective and expand your options, be sure to look at profiles that require your earned degree(s) as well as those that require related education and skills. Consider if the profiles you explore align with your values and your preferred work environment.

You can also use occupational profiles to research what you can do with further education. Internet research is a great place to start researching your career options, but your search results may suggest programs and certifications that are not recognized by organizations in the region where you want to work. The richest and most current career information comes from engaging with professionals in your field of interest.