Before you start university, there are two big questions to answer: which school do you want to attend, and what do you want to major in? As you near your graduation date, another big question arises: what career do you want to pursue? Whereas you can always change your mind later, it’s helpful to go down the right path from the start, as you’ll start gaining experience that will influence your odds of landing other jobs in the future. To plan your career, here are three crucial factors to consider.
1. Your Purpose and Identity
Studying at university will likely have revealed your passions and may have led you to a more clearly-defined purpose. If you’re unsure what your purpose is, consider your deepest values. You may find it helps to draft a personal mission statement that aligns with your identity, summarizes your goals, and takes your skills into account. You can then use this to think about what kind of work will lead you to where you want to be.
2. Who You Want to Spend Your Time With
When you were choosing between universities, there’s a good chance you considered what the other students were like at each school. This is equally important when choosing a workplace. Although every business has its own culture, certain types of company culture are particularly prevalent in certain industries. Spend time learning more about the kinds of people who are attracted to different careers to find out who you’ll be spending your days with. This is important because it will influence who your friends and mentors are and even how your own identity develops.
3. How Much Flexibility You Want
Some jobs have rigid schedules and require you to be onsite throughout the workday. However, the world of work is becoming increasingly flexible — in some fields much more than others.
Flexibility means different things to different people. You may want to work from home every day to eliminate the need for a commute. Alternatively, you may be happy to go into the office once or twice a week to see your coworkers in person but still have the freedom to fit your job around other commitments. You may even prefer to work part time to earn a salary while you work on building your own business or explore other options through a side hustle.
You’ll need to consider how important flexibility is for you, especially in regard to other factors. For instance, you may decide it’s worth sacrificing some flexibility to fulfill what you feel is your purpose.
An important decision to make now is where you want to live while you finish your studies. If you’re tired of living on campus, you may be looking for a room for rent. Kingston students can find a new home at Foundry Princess. We’ll make your remaining time at university extra special by providing you with incredible amenities, including an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, onsite market, and much more. Apply now while there are still limited spaces available.
