Making the transition From school to work
Graduation is creeping up on us, and come April, many of us will be finishing post-secondary education forever and moving into the world of work to start new jobs and careers.
The transition from student to working professional can be tough. Students need to learn how to manage their time wisely and be willing to accept new challenges.
Liska Martindale-Dubrule is a Career Services consultant at Fanshawe, and she said it's common to be nervous about entering the workforce.
“It can definitely be overwhelming. But try to really retain the information that's given to you, ask a lot of questions, take a notebook with you and take some notes,” she suggested. “When in doubt, ask who the appropriate people are to assist you if you have concerns or questions. Try to take in all the information so that you can learn (how to do) the job.”
There are some similarities between school and work, but for the most part, there will be a lot of new encounters and obstacles that you'll have to figure your way around. In the workplace, there are certain challenges that come along with the transition. You'll be working with a lot of different people who have different personalities — it's all about learning how different people work and function.
“People work at different paces and communicate at different paces as well and have different styles. That's one of the struggles, the different personalities and learning how to work well as a team,” said Martindale-Dubrule, emphasizing that teamwork is going to be a very important in the work world.
Xiao Lin
Xiao Lin graduated from Western University's Ivey Business School and received an Honors Specialization in Psychology from Huron University College just last year. Shortly after, he landed a job as an operations manager at Mind Body and Soul Self-Help Support Centre Inc.
Lin admitted that he'd never had a full-time job before now. “Prior to this, I had worked a few days a week during summers in places ranging from a teriyaki grill to a small financial services company. During the school years, I've worked a few years as a residence don and as a campus tour guide to help pay the bills,” he said.
Since Lin had previously spent some time volunteering for the charity where he now works, he had some familiarity with the organization before diving in. “I had a good idea of what type of work I would be doing; even though I'm a manager, it's a small, grassroots organization, so I'm counted on to do very basic tasks at times — things like going to the store to pick up ink for our printer.”
Full-time jobs come with their own set of challenges, and to this day, Lin still faces certain challenges. “Right now, I'm working with other key members of the team to restructure and rebrand the organization, a task that will take at least a few months to complete. This has forced me to multitask and deal in all facets of the organization right from the start.”
The transition from school to work can be difficult, and Lin admitted that “there have been bumps along the road,” but things have gotten easier as he's settled into his role.
“By focusing on why I'm doing what I do and celebrating small milestones, I've managed to transition fairly smoothly,” he added.
To help him cope with the changes of going from school to work, Lin has been motivated by what he's doing. “The charity's mission is to help improve the lives of people with mental illnesses, people with developmental disabilities, and survivors of abuse — work that is bigger than the struggles I go through in my daily work. It's important for me to stay focused, as what I do supports the infrastructure to raise awareness and to deliver services to more people in need,” he said.
Finding a full-time job can be difficult, and Lin offered his advice for students who are on the job hunt: “Remember what's important to you. I don't mean you have to dedicate yourself to a charity or a non profit; it could mean working for a company that makes a product that you believe is beneficial to society. If your work is meaningful to you, you'll be more likely to get hired, you'll be better at your job, and you'll enjoy it more.”
Kasi Johnston
Kasi Johnston, an international student from Trinidad and Tobago, is a graduate of Media Theory Production at Western University and Broadcast Journalism at Fanshawe College. She is a news anchor, reporter, and morning co-host at 96.7 The Rig in Whitecourt, Alberta.
Like Lin, Johnston had never had a full-time job before graduating. “I did lots of summer jobs and a couple part-time jobs, but most were just to help with paying for school, and none of them were career-related.”
When Johnston entered the workplace, she expected it to be to very similar to school “with lots of people to guide me and explain things if I needed help.” However, she found that, while her colleagues were willing to help, they also had their own jobs to do. “Where a teacher's job is to help you, other people are less concerned about you, so it took a while to become more independent in the working world.”
To land her job, one of the challenges that Johnston had to face was packing up her bags and moving. “I had to be willing to move anywhere, which is why I ended up in a small town of 8,000 people in Edson, Alberta.”
Johnston admitted that the transition from school to work was difficult in some ways, but since she had support from her family and friends, and a great education at Western and Fanshawe, it didn't take her long to adjust.
She added that it wasn't too hard coping with the changes of transitioning into the work world. “It's actually great getting paid for what you went to school for.”
Johnston's advice for students who are looking for a full-time job is to “not give up, and do whatever you feel is right. If you need a break between college and a job, then take it. If you are ready to step into the working world, then work for it. You need to apply to lots of places, and don't be afraid of change.”
Martindale-Dubrule said that in order to excel and perform well, you have to focus on other things besides your job. “Go to work, do a really good job, but when you come home, make sure you make time for yourself — whatever it is that helps you unwind, whether it's exercising, going for walks, spending time with friends or family or reading, make sure you still give yourself a chance to have your own time.” If your life is all work and no play, “you'll be overly absorbed in your job and then you'll get burned out.”
When people have put in the time and money for an education, ideally they want to find a full-time job. But Martindale-Dubrule cautioned new graduates to avoid closing the door to part-time jobs or positions that aren't exactly where they want to be. “You may have to start at the bottom to work your way up to where you want to be. A big thing that I see is that people kind of want to do three, four steps above, when really they need start at ground level and work their way up. So look at different options, whether it's part time or different positions to grow within a company,” she said.
The most important thing you can do while you're in school is take the time to engage in quality active learning. Students who are academically motivated are better prepared for the intensity of the working world and are well equipped with knowledge to start their professional careers.
If you have any questions or need help finding a job, visit Career Services in D1063.
The transition from student to working professional can be tough. Students need to learn how to manage their time wisely and be willing to accept new challenges.
Liska Martindale-Dubrule is a Career Services consultant at Fanshawe, and she said it's common to be nervous about entering the workforce.
“It can definitely be overwhelming. But try to really retain the information that's given to you, ask a lot of questions, take a notebook with you and take some notes,” she suggested. “When in doubt, ask who the appropriate people are to assist you if you have concerns or questions. Try to take in all the information so that you can learn (how to do) the job.”
There are some similarities between school and work, but for the most part, there will be a lot of new encounters and obstacles that you'll have to figure your way around. In the workplace, there are certain challenges that come along with the transition. You'll be working with a lot of different people who have different personalities — it's all about learning how different people work and function.
“People work at different paces and communicate at different paces as well and have different styles. That's one of the struggles, the different personalities and learning how to work well as a team,” said Martindale-Dubrule, emphasizing that teamwork is going to be a very important in the work world.
Xiao Lin
Xiao Lin graduated from Western University's Ivey Business School and received an Honors Specialization in Psychology from Huron University College just last year. Shortly after, he landed a job as an operations manager at Mind Body and Soul Self-Help Support Centre Inc.
Lin admitted that he'd never had a full-time job before now. “Prior to this, I had worked a few days a week during summers in places ranging from a teriyaki grill to a small financial services company. During the school years, I've worked a few years as a residence don and as a campus tour guide to help pay the bills,” he said.
Since Lin had previously spent some time volunteering for the charity where he now works, he had some familiarity with the organization before diving in. “I had a good idea of what type of work I would be doing; even though I'm a manager, it's a small, grassroots organization, so I'm counted on to do very basic tasks at times — things like going to the store to pick up ink for our printer.”
Full-time jobs come with their own set of challenges, and to this day, Lin still faces certain challenges. “Right now, I'm working with other key members of the team to restructure and rebrand the organization, a task that will take at least a few months to complete. This has forced me to multitask and deal in all facets of the organization right from the start.”
The transition from school to work can be difficult, and Lin admitted that “there have been bumps along the road,” but things have gotten easier as he's settled into his role.
“By focusing on why I'm doing what I do and celebrating small milestones, I've managed to transition fairly smoothly,” he added.
To help him cope with the changes of going from school to work, Lin has been motivated by what he's doing. “The charity's mission is to help improve the lives of people with mental illnesses, people with developmental disabilities, and survivors of abuse — work that is bigger than the struggles I go through in my daily work. It's important for me to stay focused, as what I do supports the infrastructure to raise awareness and to deliver services to more people in need,” he said.
Finding a full-time job can be difficult, and Lin offered his advice for students who are on the job hunt: “Remember what's important to you. I don't mean you have to dedicate yourself to a charity or a non profit; it could mean working for a company that makes a product that you believe is beneficial to society. If your work is meaningful to you, you'll be more likely to get hired, you'll be better at your job, and you'll enjoy it more.”
Kasi Johnston
Kasi Johnston, an international student from Trinidad and Tobago, is a graduate of Media Theory Production at Western University and Broadcast Journalism at Fanshawe College. She is a news anchor, reporter, and morning co-host at 96.7 The Rig in Whitecourt, Alberta.
Like Lin, Johnston had never had a full-time job before graduating. “I did lots of summer jobs and a couple part-time jobs, but most were just to help with paying for school, and none of them were career-related.”
When Johnston entered the workplace, she expected it to be to very similar to school “with lots of people to guide me and explain things if I needed help.” However, she found that, while her colleagues were willing to help, they also had their own jobs to do. “Where a teacher's job is to help you, other people are less concerned about you, so it took a while to become more independent in the working world.”
To land her job, one of the challenges that Johnston had to face was packing up her bags and moving. “I had to be willing to move anywhere, which is why I ended up in a small town of 8,000 people in Edson, Alberta.”
Johnston admitted that the transition from school to work was difficult in some ways, but since she had support from her family and friends, and a great education at Western and Fanshawe, it didn't take her long to adjust.
She added that it wasn't too hard coping with the changes of transitioning into the work world. “It's actually great getting paid for what you went to school for.”
Johnston's advice for students who are looking for a full-time job is to “not give up, and do whatever you feel is right. If you need a break between college and a job, then take it. If you are ready to step into the working world, then work for it. You need to apply to lots of places, and don't be afraid of change.”
Martindale-Dubrule said that in order to excel and perform well, you have to focus on other things besides your job. “Go to work, do a really good job, but when you come home, make sure you make time for yourself — whatever it is that helps you unwind, whether it's exercising, going for walks, spending time with friends or family or reading, make sure you still give yourself a chance to have your own time.” If your life is all work and no play, “you'll be overly absorbed in your job and then you'll get burned out.”
When people have put in the time and money for an education, ideally they want to find a full-time job. But Martindale-Dubrule cautioned new graduates to avoid closing the door to part-time jobs or positions that aren't exactly where they want to be. “You may have to start at the bottom to work your way up to where you want to be. A big thing that I see is that people kind of want to do three, four steps above, when really they need start at ground level and work their way up. So look at different options, whether it's part time or different positions to grow within a company,” she said.
The most important thing you can do while you're in school is take the time to engage in quality active learning. Students who are academically motivated are better prepared for the intensity of the working world and are well equipped with knowledge to start their professional careers.
If you have any questions or need help finding a job, visit Career Services in D1063.
