Why is it important to engage in professional development outside the classroom while I’m completing my degree? And how do I do it?

Hello! And thanks for reading this. Because it will help you get more value out of your education. I guarantee it. 

First of all, what is professional development? Sounds kind of vague, boring, and possibly something that your boss talks about but never really explains. Am I right?

Professional development is whatever you want it to be. It just means that you are taking whatever you are learning and finding ways to apply it in the real world. And by ‘real world,’ I mean the global economy and workforce. 

Professional development might include:

1) Part-time jobs

2) Full-time jobs

3) On-campus job opportunities

4) Being a teaching assistant

5) Internships

6) Volunteer work

7) Shadowing

8) Apprenticeship

9) Independent research project

10) Curriculum-based travel

11) Designing your own business or non-profit

12) Gathering like-minded students and professionals for events or discussions

13) Interviewing people whose professions you want to know more about

14) Going to your professors’ office hours to inquire about their professional  journeys

15) Attending guest lectures on your campus or nearby campuses

You’re probably still wondering, “Why is this so important?” or “Can’t I just start doing all this after I graduate? Why do I need to do this while I’m in school?”

The answer is this: 

The education that you’re receiving in the classroom is only about 20% of your education. The other 80% is YOU figuring out how to apply what you’re learning into meaningful career pathways. This doesn’t happen overnight— in fact, it takes many hours of going out into the world and trying different things. Figuring out what you like and don’t like. Also figuring out how to design a lifestyle that’s sustainable for you. This can truly guide your course (and even program!) choices. Who wants to invest in an entire education and then graduate only to find that they don’t really like their career options? Unfortunately, this happens all the time. #TRUTH 

People come to me all the time and say, “I really wish I had chosen to study something I really loved.” 

Another one I hear all the time is, “There are just so many avenues in my field. I wish I would have known more about them so I could have made more informed decisions.”

Or my least favorite, “I’m not very passionate about my job at all, and I’ve really hit a wall in my salary, too. Looks like I’ve already maxed out my potential earnings. I wish I would have known this when I was in school.”

Unfortunately, this one seems to be the most common, “I just graduated last year from a prestigious university, but I don’t really know what to do with myself. Where do I even start looking for a job?”

Don’t let these situations happen to you. Get out there! Get some experience! Find out what you love! Find out what you hate! Every lesson is an important lesson, my friends. 

Also, don’t be afraid to reach out and let me help you with this. I know it can feel overwhelming at times, but don’t delay! Once you get started, you will see that professional development is eye-opening and exciting! You will be able to more clearly see the opportunities on your horizon. They are within your reach!

You’re probably thinking, “But Carolyn, don’t they teach professional development in college and university programs? Isn’t this part of the curriculum?” Shockingly, no, not all universities even BEGIN to take their students in the direction of professional development. Some do, but not that many. Professional development is not required as a part of most undergraduate programs in America. It’s more common in graduate programs, actually. So if you don’t go to graduate school, you may never benefit from any professional development unless you take it upon yourself to do the hard work of applying your classroom learning to the real world. 

Some people assume that just because a school has a prestigious reputation or excellent professors or a huge endowment, they will be able to graduate with a golden ticket to a happy career path. This is not the case at all. I’ve seen students graduate from some of the most prestigious institutions with very little professional direction at all (sometimes none!). #TRUTH

What does this mean for our economy? Well, it doesn’t look good. Do we have a bunch of people graduating with Bachelor’s degrees who are clueless when it comes to creating or navigating their professional path? Yes. But the good news is that we can avoid this. Please, take my advice, start your professional development today. 

I am here to help you with your professional development. Some people seek my assistance solely for this purpose. You’re in school? Or maybe you’re already out in the workforce? Not sure where your studies are taking you? Let’s figure it out! Let’s get some internships or volunteer work or part-time jobs set up! The time is now. Don’t wait until you graduate! Keep the momentum going, my friends!

Feel free to reach out to me if you’d like to schedule a consultation. Just fill out the Contact Form at the link below.

https://www.holisticacademicdevelopment.com/contact

Yay for sustainable, meaningful career paths!!