Originally from California, I have spent the past decade living in Utah. I work for Utah Valley University as an academic advisor for the Department of Communication. Outside of higher education I specialize in graphic design, public relations and the occasional film project.
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An open letter to the graduating class of 2010
First of all, last month’s graduation reminded me that I couldn't ask for a better work environment or a more rewarding job. Seriously, it was a great moment to shake your hands and give you hugs as you came off the podium with your "diplomas" in hand. Congrats!
Now comes the scary part: what do you do next? I have been there myself of course. It took three years of iffy part-time employment before I finally landed this job. Once the classes end you get anxious to start making that green. You want 40 hours a week, health benefits, and a 401k. It would also be nice to be using your newly acquired skills in an industry you enjoy. But you may have noticed that no one is knocking down your door and clamoring for your communication knowledge just yet.
Some of you have prepared for this eventuality and took the time during school to really investigate possible careers. A few of you even started building the network and the skill set that would make your dreams possible. Bravo.
But a sizable chunk of our graduates (and I would say all graduates) just barely squeaked through college. I have a sign in my office that says, “Feel free to do the absolute minimum. See how far that takes you.” If the absolute minimum was what you gave you might be feeling that the time you spent in college was a waste.
If you feel that way then I am sorry…perhaps we could have been more inspiring. We should have done a better job preparing you for the realities of a job market that is downright hostile right now. We should have done more to connect you with your industry. This department is relatively new and we have a lot of room for improvement. If you feel you didn’t get what you paid for I apologize.
But then I think about those students that really tried during their time here, even if they weren’t “Straight A” students. They got involved at the UVU Review or PRSSA. They sacrificed time and money to take an unpaid internship with a high-profile company. They volunteered to be part of the Bateman Case Study team or they held a position in the Wolverine PR Club. They took classes in Digital Media or Graphic Design, not for the credit, but because they knew they needed technical skills in order to compete in the modern workforce.
The students who did these things are better prepared for what is next. They have contacts in the industry. They have people who are looking out for them. They have professors that will write them beautiful letters of recommendation at a moment’s notice. The job market will be tough for them too, but I have a feeling that their next step will be a step up.
What is your next step?
Comments (4)
I have done a lot of training in the evening with a Professional Placement Program and have interacted with over 100+ people in the past year who go through a similar mindset of "absolute minimum". The program talks about makeing 10 contacts a day and 10 meetings a week. I know it sounds like a lot, but with the organizations and resources you listed for students ... it is a pretty simple goal to accomplish. The program suggests that when you utilize this technique in networking and communication you foster an environment of people "looking out" for you and people who will write "beautiful letters of recommendation". It is still amazing how people don't like to go out of their comfort zone to do the work (and I include myself in that group of people as well).
Being an advisor you must have become a good identifier of character and can probably assess how a student is going to fair in the "non-academic" world by seeing what they have done in the "academic" world. I would love to see your insights on qualities of success and things you feel make great accomplishers. It's great how you noted that grades had nothing to do with education. Which is something too many people overlook in being successful. It reminds me of the old joke, "What do you call the person who graduated last from Harvard Medical School? Doctor."
Your words are powerful and ring true. Keep them coming!
I think UVU overuses the whole "Engagement" thing to their detriment, but really that is what an education should ultimately be about. How can I apply what I learned in the classroom today into the workforce tomorrow? And even when the class is something way outside my bailiwick (say Biology) am I at least learning how to learn? The folks that have that attitude while in college have all the doors magically open for them.
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/05/are-you-an-elite.html
As usual Seth is able to verbalize what we all some to know innately:
"It starts in school, of course, and then the difference accelerates as we get older. Some people make the effort to encounter new challenges or to grapple with things they disagree with. They seek out new people and new opportunities and relish the discomfort that comes from being challenged to grow (and challenging others to do the same)."
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