2008 Woodie Awards
Your Role as the Manager
Andrea T. Papa, Executive Director, Office of Career Development Guest Columnist
Issue date: 9/29/05 Section: Perspectives
- Page 1 of 1
We're all managers, regardless of if your major is Business Management or Sports Management, or whatever your future goals. We all have to manage our time, manage our relationships, and hopefully, manage our money!
And then, there's managing our career.
"Career Management" is not just for those already in a career, but rather, for students, who understand the necessity to manage the career planning process, right now, today. Regardless of your major, lack of a major, class year, full or part-time, commuter or resident status. As it implies, "Career Management" refers to taking control in evaluating your career or graduate school goals, and considering what you can be doing right now to make them happen, within the right timeframe. Waiting until senior year to figure out that an internship was the more advantageous thing to do a year before, is too late.
Perhaps you're seeking a part-time job and are considering which one will most support your major. Maybe you've chosen a major but need to know more about how you'll apply it to an actual job. You might be a strong student leader with solid leadership skills who is trying to translate that to a resume or upcoming interview. Regardless of your situation, there's always something you could be, and need to be doing, to manage your career goals at the present moment.
Thinking you have plenty of time and putting things off because you may not think you're ready, only helps your competition move ahead. A good or challenging job market is not the only factor that should determine how you make career decisions. It doesn't change things like what makes you marketable or what your resume should look like, or even, if and when you should consider graduate school. Take control over what you want and with ongoing preparation, YOU can decide how you should proceed. Be your own manager of your career.
And then, there's managing our career.
"Career Management" is not just for those already in a career, but rather, for students, who understand the necessity to manage the career planning process, right now, today. Regardless of your major, lack of a major, class year, full or part-time, commuter or resident status. As it implies, "Career Management" refers to taking control in evaluating your career or graduate school goals, and considering what you can be doing right now to make them happen, within the right timeframe. Waiting until senior year to figure out that an internship was the more advantageous thing to do a year before, is too late.
Perhaps you're seeking a part-time job and are considering which one will most support your major. Maybe you've chosen a major but need to know more about how you'll apply it to an actual job. You might be a strong student leader with solid leadership skills who is trying to translate that to a resume or upcoming interview. Regardless of your situation, there's always something you could be, and need to be doing, to manage your career goals at the present moment.
Thinking you have plenty of time and putting things off because you may not think you're ready, only helps your competition move ahead. A good or challenging job market is not the only factor that should determine how you make career decisions. It doesn't change things like what makes you marketable or what your resume should look like, or even, if and when you should consider graduate school. Take control over what you want and with ongoing preparation, YOU can decide how you should proceed. Be your own manager of your career.