Over the years I have heard the frustrations from students about the lack of knowledge when it comes to choosing a job or career after college. They know they should have some type of idea but from what I have gathered most do not. Even though their parents are pushing them to get a job they have no idea what they are suppose to be doing. More importantly they have no idea what they want to do. It is one thing to have a job but it is another thing to have a job you love doing!

Therefore, I have put together a plan for college students that should give every student, who sticks to the plan, a guide to help them determine what future career they may want to explore. At the crux of this plan are two words… experiential education. Every student must get out of the classroom and into the real world, while they are in school in order to determine what they want to do with their life. It is extremely difficult to ask someone what they want to do with their life if they have no idea what their options are. Ignorance is never bliss when it comes to career development!

Here is a conversation that has taken place between parents and college seniors thousands of times. Can you relate?

What are you going to do with your degree?... "I don't know?"

Where have you applied for a job?... "Do they pay people for updating their MySpace page?"'

Well, you better get a job because I have spent a lot of money paying for this college education that was suppose to land you a job! "Does this mean I can't live at home after I graduate? I mean it will only be for six months or so."

The term experiential education, as defined by Wikipedia is as follows:

Experiential Education is a philosophy in which educators purposefully engage with learners through a variety of experiential methodologies in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills and clarify values.

I would add that is a combination of activities like job shadowing, company tours, internships, co-ops, mock interviewing, etc…

There has never been a company that said, “We should really hire this person because they have no idea about business, our industry, our products, or our customers.”

What they actually say is, “We really need to hire this person because they understand our business, our industry, our products, and our customers.”

The only way to have a chance at being that person who understands their business, industry, products and customers is to have experience under your belt before you graduate! As a student your primary focus is school but your college experience must have a variety of opportunities to interact with companies who can show you what life is going to be like after college. Not only to show you what life is going to be like but also to allow you to explore the many different career opportunities that exist in our world. We all have been given special talents, skills, and abilities. The question is have you found out what yours are yet. Once you do then and only then can you think about what job or career you can apply those talents in. Experiential education is the only way you will be able to determine what you are good at or interested in, not in the classroom alone.

If you incorporate experiential education into your college experience you will have a much better chance of finding your passion rather than your job!

Over the next four days I will be making individual posts that outline a plan of action for every level of students; freshman through seniors. Stay tuned.

Day One – Freshman Year

Day Two- Sophomore Year

Day Three – Junior Year

Day Four – Senior Year and beyond…

Justin Driscoll
http://www.justindriscoll.net