Last Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend a PCJ career panel discussion. This discussion was hosted by the centre, and moderated by our very own PCJ society presidents. The session gave us an opportunity to hear from working professionals about their jobs and life after school. There was also ample time before and after the event to mix and mingle with alumni that you found especially interesting.

As you all know by now, I love events that allow us to engage with people who are out there working in the field. I feel that they have a lot of expertise to offer, because they have experienced so much.

My favourite aspect of the event was that the people who came out were in such diverse career paths. The panel had reports, anchors, strategies, lawyers and much more. It was refreshing how candid and honest theywere and I definitely retained a lot of great tips they gave us for during and after school life. Also this was a PCJ exclusive event, so make sure to take these opportunities when they come.

I know it’s a busy time of year for us students so I’m going to present the top lessons/advice to use as our undergraduate careers progress.

1. Nothing will ever go exactly as planned.

This is by now something that I have internalized. Although you can set goals for yourself and create plans, nothing will ever really go exactly as planned. However, that’s not really a bad thing at all. Life is not so linear; there will be hills and valleys that alter the shape of what you want and have. Learn to go with the flow, while retaining some concrete goals open to alteration. This was something I saw expressed by all panelists.

2. Travel with a purpose

All the panelists emphasized that travel was a must, if possible. Travel not only gives you some great stories to tell, but it’s also a way of broadening your understanding of the world. To be out on your own, experiencing the languages, tastes and people of the world is something intrinsically valuable. Of course not everyone can break the bank and take a fancy trip around a continent or two. If it’s not possible than well, we live in Canada! We have such a diverse and beautiful array of landscapes and cultures to discover all across our nation. Although being a wayward wanderer sounds fantastic, Tim Tutsch (Scotia Bank Associate Director) brought up the point of knowing what you want out of it. When planning travel or doing the traveling (putting the intrinsic value aside for a brief moment), try to pay attention to what you are learning. Try to write down the skills you’ve gained through your travel, travel somewhere that is of interest to you. If you’re super interested in the plight of Pashtuns in Pakistan, that is where you should go to understand the contexts. But of course be responsible and never be all-assuming when you travel. You can gain so many things from such experiences but be sure to keep some major goals in mind. For example, David Common (CBC Anchor/Correspondent) went on an exchange program and fell in love with traveling, and realized that he wanted to pursue a career that would give him such an opportunity.

3. If you learn anything during your undergrad, GOOD WRITING should be that one thing.

All panelists unanimously agreed that being able to effectively communicate through writing is something that they all have used in their different careers. You should be able to present yourself well on paper. Panelists explained that academic and non-academic writing are often used in their diverse fields. It doesn’t matter if you are a reporter or an associate director of a bank; you will need to write at some point. Judging from what the panelists had to say, there seems to be a great need for people who can write well in the job market. Therefore, not only is it an essential skill but also, it’s one that will set you apart from others.

4. Create your own opportunities

This is a point that I’ve personally encountered many times at career panels – the idea that you have to create your own path. The panelists really emphasized that we need to hone the skills we have and just go for it. Tim Tutsch rightly pointed out that the people who now have the careers we want all started out as students. So we shouldn’t treat them like Sun Gods, as most people are interested and willing to help. The panelists also pointed out that we have skills we might not be aware of. Most of us are tech savvy to say the least, and if you know how to do things upper management doesn’t, offer those skills to them. Let them know you can help them make that presentation faster, or how you can help set up a website or an online meeting. Of course this can only happen if you take those chances and cold call places that you would like to work. You can send emails of interest; you can ask for internship opportunities; you can find loopholes in the system to get yourself in! If you guys are anything like me, I think this sort of stuff is easier said than done. However, it’s something that I’m going to actively pursue and you should follow suit!

5. Take small opportunities, and big ones will come

This was also an excellent point made by the panelists – if you do the small things well, you will get chances to do the bigger things. Prove yourself capable of handling the not-so-fun stuff. Yes, clerical work may be painstaking but if you can show some enthusiasm and capability in that, your management will notice. Even when it comes to finding places for internships or shadowing leaders, just because it’s not the exact position you want doesn’t mean you should not take it. Start small, work hard and be the best. People will notice your initiative and your attitude; these things definitely count in the workforce. Never knock down opportunities because you think they’re too small scale for your talent. HOWEVER, considering the current trends, also make sure you DO NOT let the capitalist devils out there exploit your labour (you be vigilant you!).

6. Network the right way

So if you’re anything like me, you also cringed at the word networking (it is terrible). Nonetheless, I think I got some worthwhile tips from the panelists on how to deal with it all. First things first, start early! Try getting in to touch with the places you want to work at or might be interested in right away. That means email people with the positions you want and ask them if there are opportunities for you; doing it early shows you really want it. Second, a great tip from Peter Spadoni (Ontario Government) was to set up informational interviews. This means you can actually contact the place or person you work for and ask to set up an informational interview. This way you can get your foot in the door and really show them what you got but without being too overenthusiastic (nice word for it). Third, you can ask to buy the professional a coffee. In that way you set up a casual day to meet and talk about their lives (EVERYONE wants talk about themselves) and this would be a great way to get noticed by them. Fourth, this tip also comes from Peter; email people in a strategic manner. If you want to get to know the head of the firm or company, that’s going to be rather difficult. Although, you can email those at the very top and they will likely forward your email to someone who works for them. That way, when someone gets an email straight from their boss they’ll be more likely to engage with you.

7. Remember to be balanced

All the panelists mentioned, that although pursing your aspirations is essential, be reminded to take care of your physical and mental health. A great thing both Paul Matthews (President of Consul) and Jayme Poisson (Toronto Star Reporter) pointed out was to make sure that the things you sacrifice are worth your goal. This could be time with family or friends and personal care time. Make sure what you pursue, you love! Work hard but also work smart!

To end off this rather gargantuan post, although every little thing we do now may seem cataclysmic, know that you have many chances. I think the best thing I heard from the panel was to remember that we will make mistakes in our careers, but that doesn’t mean that our careers will end. You always have the option to grow and become better; you will never truly be stuck because of a few mistakes. I know it’s hard to believe but it’s something we should internalize so that we don’t go crazy!