The Early Bird Catches the Worm – Creating the Life you Want

In the recent Job Outlook 2010 Survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, results indicate that western employers plan to hire 38.6 % fewer 2010 college grads than in 2009.  The strongest outlook for 2010 hiring was in the Northeast part of the country, where a surprising 5.6% increase in hiring is expected.  We’ve all heard scary employment statistics like these from different sources, and it can be intimidating (sometimes paralyzing!)  to think about finding one’s way and one’s place in this kind of climate.

thanks to morbug on flickr for making this image available.

Are you an early bird?  As the saying reflects,  success comes to those who prepare well and put in effort.  If you are in school now, what is your plan upon completion of your education? If you anticipate graduating in the not-too-distant future, you’re probably anxiously hoping that economic circumstances will change  before you start a job search, and wondering if something meaningful will be waiting for you when it’s your time to graduate.   I encourage you to stop wondering and hoping and start working strategically to create the right place for yourself.   Don’t put your head in the sand and wait until 2 months before graduation to think about your next career step.   Setting realistic professional goals is one of the most important things liberal arts students can do in this challenging job market.  There are lots of ways to get started –but let me suggest one.

Take stock in this two-credit course Life/Work Planning (LRN270), taught by me and Lynn Brown at Marylhurst, starting September 30th.   Every Wednesday for ten weeks, you will assess your core values, interests and personality, confront real labor market facts and equip yourself with invaluable tools to create and implement a realistic and strategic plan to succeed in your next career step.  This course is open to non-degree seeking students and may be audited as well.

Don’t let your anxiety about the future paralyze you, and keep you from a realistic assessment about who you are and where you want to go.   There is a natural energetic space created when we assess our current reality, and then set goals for our future.  Peter Senge, in his book The Fifth Discipline, called this gap “creative tension”.   Our hope is that this Life/Work planning course, and the creative tension it inspires, will provide you with the added motivation and focus you need to move forward with a confidence about creating your future.   If you prepare well and put in some effort, you will find success –and hopefully, something much more tasty than a worm!

Contact Lynn or Kirsten in Career Services for more information about this course.  We hope you will join us!

-Kirsten Gauthier-Newbury