The students we see at Aston tend to fall into two camps: those that know exactly what career they want and how to get it, and those who simply don’t know. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong if you’re in the no clue crew.
When I was at university many moons ago, we didn’t have an employability service like Aston students do. There wasn’t anyone with the right knowledge and expertise that I could turn to when it came to figuring out what I wanted to do once I was finished being a student. I was studying psychology – a subject I’d chosen that I was interested in – but I knew I didn’t want to continue down the psych path after graduation. What did I want to do? No flippin’ idea.
It wasn’t that I’d put off thinking about it, I was all too aware that I had a decision to make, I just didn’t know which way to turn. I was Captain of the Dance Club in my final year, and from that I learnt that I had a flare for event management, organising shows, competitions and performances for our 100-member-strong club. I also knew that I was a good writer and enjoyed juggling projects.
But what should I do? That was the million pound question.
As the end of my final year approached, the knot of anxiety I felt at not having everything figured out only grew. Not only was I leaving my friends, the city I’d grown to call home, and this life that I’d built for myself, I had no idea what I was going to do next, and I didn’t know how to figure it out.
As it happens, I landed on my feet. I’ve spent the past decade working in marketing, PR and events, an industry that uses my event management, writing and project management skills.
I can’t help but think though, that I had to figure this all out on my own. And when you’re under pressure because you’re trying to do your university work, have a social life, and get involved with extra-curricular activities, it can be hard to find the head space to look ahead to the future.
At Aston, you don’t have to do it on your own. We have a dedicated team of Careers Consultants and Placement Coordinators to help you. We sometimes hear from students that they think they shouldn’t reach out to Careers and Placements until they’ve got everything figured out. They know what they want to do, and all their ducks are in a row. In actual fact, a large part of what the team does is help you explore your options! If you want to book an appointment and say “I’ve got absolutely no idea what to do after Aston. Help me please”, that’s absolutely fine. In fact, we encourage it! It’s what the team’s here for.
So please, don’t do what I did and muddle through these decisions on your own, you really don’t have to. The team can absolutely help with CVs, cover letters, applications, interviews, and psychometric testing galore, but they’re also here to help you when you’re not sure which road to take.
My advice? Book an appointment on Aston Futures. I guarantee you won’t regret it.
Written by Abby Sweeting, Careers and Placements