A recent #BYDN reader started off well and then careened off into a hyper-descriptive areas of academic interest. Or it could have been the buzz words….AI and social and data were mentioned….I wouldn’t know, I was simply left confused as to what the sender was seeking as to the places to apply their “area of interest”.
It was well beyond me (then and even now, week’s later, as I re-read the original email) — so here’s how I answered the question “would love to hear your thoughts on possible careers and next steps”:
Here’s my suggestion on careers and next steps: visualize your perfect day in your dream role. What office or work environment are you walking into? Are you working alone or with a team? Assigned desk or office or co-working space? What’s your commute? In the office, what tasks or projects are you working on? Get really specific — to the point you can almost taste the first cup of coffee you’re drinking while working. With that picture in mind, create a list of mentors and advisors (from professors to former employers or people you worked with during an internship) and talk to them about the dream role you’re looking for based on this visualization exercise. The more you can specify what you’re seeking in a job, the more your network can come up with ideas on ways to help you.
When you can’t describe what you do to your friends, family — then try goal-setting and visualization on the ideal role or job — so you can describe THAT to the people close to you, in order to help them use their IMAGINATIONS (and Rolodex) to creatively come up with job leads for you.
