1; Take Control
Imagine
your future is like a bus journey. So
far you’ve been looking out & enjoying the views as a passenger or perhaps
you’ve been preoccupied with other stuff or maybe just watching the world as it
passes by - either way you haven’t really been focused on where you’re going. Now would be a good time to look ahead. You need to get into the drivers seat, plan a
route and concentrate on the road ahead.
2; Be your own Satnav
Let
your inner guidance system tell you whether you are going in the right
direction. Where to from here? Which road should you be on? By what means will I get there?
3; Empower yourself
You
know, check out the Uni/Col prospectus, website, maybe their calendar or other
college & career choice literature – this might include specialist or even
professional publications. Read it,
think about it and talk about it. The
writer John McGahern had it right when he said “We’re all oppressed by
ignorance, knowledge gives us power”. Be
empowered.
4; Get the full picture
Read
the course description but do more than that – get the full course detail. Look up or request the Module Information and
Choice/Options – usually this can be accessed via the Faculty web page> then
course description> then Module Info section. What are the entry requirements, check them out? Some colleges don’t provide this
information online or it can be hard to find so you might have to request it by
email or phoning directly – don’t be afraid, most will be happy to help you.
Look
at the kind of stuff you’ll be studying, their teaching methods and how you
will be assessed. Are there any other
features of the course such as opportunities for work placement or study abroad?
Make
your open day visit productive by planning in advance - which talks and where,
what questions would you like answered from your visit? Don’t be afraid to talk to current students. This detailed information may prove crucial
in your decision to take it or not.
Remember the 3 R’s Research, Research, Research.
5; Free Yourself
Take
responsibility for your decision, you’ll enjoy the fruits of your efforts. This means you need to recognise that only
you can do the leg work. Give yourself
time to talk to family & friends and discuss your plans. This is essential
to choosing your own destiny.
6; Choose something you’re suited to.
If
a course isn’t suitable for you then you won’t work as hard and it follows that
you’ll get less out of it. Howard
Gardner in ‘Frames of Mind; the Theory of Multiple Intelligences’ stresses the importance of having a viable
model of oneself. Honestly assess your
strengths and your level of interest & patience for what’s involved.
7; Be Prepared
One
of the main reasons students give for dropping out of courses is that they didn't realise they would be studying certain subjects, subjects which they had
little interest or ability in. They were
unprepared. If they were like farmers it'd be like neglecting to till the land. What do you need to do to be best prepared? Take control and plan where you’re going for the next
few years.
8; Check out the Landscape
Let’s
say all courses can be represented as branches on the ‘tree of knowledge’. Stand back and take a walk around. Can you visualise which branches you’re more
likely to be sitting on? Have you
identified what the attraction is for you? Make sure you have a genuine interest rather
than just a curiosity for something that sounds interesting or exciting. Base your decision on facts and a true
understanding of what’s involved.
9; Life is like an adventure
Your
attitude towards this adventure largely dictates your level of success and
satisfaction. You can choose to see it
this way or pretend otherwise. Surely
this recent economic meltdown reminds us that things are constantly changing
and the world is less controllable or predictable that we thought. So we need to have a more flexible, adaptable
and dare I say adventurous approach to managing the issues, tasks, problems
& opportunities of today and tomorrow.
This approach will make your journey more fun & enjoyable.
10; Seize the Opportunity
Choosing
is an opportunity for self autonomy.
Self autonomy is important if you’re going to carry it through and
succeed. Prepare for and make a
conscious decision. See it as your
opportunity and take responsibility for activating that choice. It’s up to you to prepare yourself, no one
else can or will do it for you. So go on
get started, now.
joe@caseycareers.ie
www.caseycareers.ie
http://caseycareers.typepad.com
http://twitter.com/caseycareers/