A Career Success Model

Ask any group of professionals what it takes to become successful in their career field and you will probably get as many different answers as there are in the group that you survey. The “right” answers may include hard work, get a good education, determination, drive, ambition, being in the right place at the right time, networking and making connections, it’s not what you know but who you know, and the list goes on.

Whereas all of the above have some merit, it’s often difficult for most college students to put these intangibles into context so that they make sense, and can be turned into action items which can be measured with predictable results. Sound complicated? One thing is for certain – career planning is a developmental process that occurs over time.

Well let me draw you a picture that will be as simple as A B C. Begin with a simple triangle. The angles represent three interconnected parts of what I’m calling “A Career Success Model.”

Angle A represents formal Education. For you as a college student this is a listing of courses that your college or university determines is required to earn your degree. In addition, it’s all of the activities associated with successfully passing each course: written homework, research assignments, readings, individual and group class projects, term papers, book reports, surveys of literature, oral presentations, etc. If you are an education major, for instance, it’s successfully passing Praxis I & II. Your institution may also require you to passing a senior level comprehensive examination.

A Education

Angle B is Personal and Professional Development (P & P D). Your activities in this sector will vary according to your career plan. Career plans should be written down, not just something you have tucked away in your head. In my opinion, if the career plan is not written down, then it’s merely an idea. The career plan should begin with a clearly defined career goal. It’s usually broad in scope, but may also be narrowly defined. For instance:

A career in broadcasting that involves appearance on air on television or on radio

A career in bio-medical engineering with emphasis on genetics

A career in higher education administration with an emphasis on student life

A career in human services with a focus on children and families

A career in public accounting

Here is a list of possible activities that you can engage in to facilitate your personal and professional development:

• Research the profession or occupation, thoroughly. Begin with the Occupational Information Network, O*net (http://online.onetcenter.org/) for descriptions of hundreds of occupations. Develop a working knowledge of the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for entry level.
• Determine if further study is required. If so, make a list of graduate and professional schools that offer the desired education, and their admission requirements. This will be useful as you develop Angle A above, by making sure that you create the educational profile you’ll need to get admitted to the institutions of your choice. Pay special attention to requisite courses, GPA, admission exams, and the availability of scholarships and fellowships.
• Join the “majors club” on your own campus. If it is not as active as it should be, or if there is not one, get involved and recruit others to help you get it on track.
• Subscribe to professional journals and read the articles. Usually research based, journal articles are written by top professionals in their field, and provide a wealth of information about the occupation and the industry. The authors could eventually become a source of networking contacts.
• Join professional organizations or societies as a student or associate member. Attend local meetings and get involved in the organizations’ activities.
• Attend local, regional and national association meetings wherever feasible. Some may offer reduced registration and participation fees or even scholarships for students. Seek these out.
• Develop a list of skills and competencies along with personal characteristics that are required or desired. O*net is an excellent source for this information.
• If you want a career that is physical skill or performance based (broadcasting, coaching, dance, photography or art,) practice, practice, practice!
• Develop a working portfolio that represents your ability. Electronic portfolios are becoming increasingly popular however print media are still acceptable. Ask your faculty, mentors or working professionals to review and critique your exhibits.
• Work diligently to improve oral communication skills, with focus on enunciation, pronunciation and diction. Make recordings of your speaking voice, and ask others to listen and critique them. If you are shy or very nervous about making presentations in front of an audience, consider joining an organization like Toastmasters International http://www.toastmasters.org/ , “offering a proven – and enjoyable! – way to practice and hone communication and leadership skills.”
• Make a list of employers who hire people who are doing the type of work you want to do. This list could be used to assist you in identifying internship and other opportunities to gain knowledge and experience.
• Attend career days and job fairs to gain access to people and information that may be useful to you as you continue your development.

This list clearly is not all inclusive, but I believe you get the idea. If you have difficulty creating your own list, enlist the assistance of your faculty/academic advisor and by all means consult with the career center staff on your own campus. These individuals are “information brokers” who have a wealth of information AND ideas.

B Personal & Professional Development

Angle C represents career related work experience. Internships, co-op programs, summer and part-time employment, volunteerism are included here.

C Practical Work Experience

Whereas career related experience does not guarantee employment, research shows that students who had internships during college were more likely to have employment upon graduation, than those who did not. A 2009 study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers http://naceweb.org/home.aspx, revealed that a significantly higher percentage of graduating students who participated in at least one internship had received employment offers by April that those who did not. (NACE’s 2009 Student Survey.) Many students who have at least two successful career related work experiences during their undergraduate career returned to complete their senior year with job offers in hand.

For college students who are eligible to work for the federal government, Student Educational Employment (STEP) Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) provides a variety of viable opportunities for students interested in nearly every career field to gain experience while still attending school. The USAJobs website (http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/students.asp) has a full explanation of both programs. Although STEP jobs do not necessarily relate to the student’s career or education goals, they still provide an opportunity to acquire valuable work skills that are transferrable to nearly any occupation.

If you are a student pursuing a career in education, social work, communications and media, medical technology, nursing, and architecture, among others, you may have practical work (student teaching, studio, field practice, clinical rotations, etc.) built into your educational curriculum.

Paid work experience is obviously ideal because you can gain work skills/experience while earning money to help off-set your living expenses. In the absence of a paid opportunity, non-paid and volunteer opportunities may very well serve the same purpose.

In summary, there are many factors that determine the ease of one to enter a particular career, including those of which you have little or no control. Among these are economic conditions, supply and demand for certain workers in particular geographic areas, etc. This article addresses only those factors that the career-hopeful can control. You as a college student should begin as early as possible to develop the kind of profile that will attract employers when you are ready to enter the world of work and your chosen career field.