Gradlife

Jump to Comments

Last week, I had a moment that is best described by the following picture.

I experienced an unexpected bout of nausea. It came about a day after I got a new job. I was just lying in bed, thinking about nothing in particular, when all of a sudden I thought, “Wait. Are you sure you’re doing the right thing, Crystal?”

On the one hand, things are going great. I’ve settled into a sort of routine, plans for my future career are in place, and in many respects doors are open for me. At the same time, I was presented with a closed door that represented something new I want to try. The new thing is question is related to my future field of work. The organization fully aligns with what I believe in, and provides me with experience that is transferable and useful. This is an amazing opportunity. I love the fact that my first “real” job is something I care for and want to be in.

But in that one sickening moment, I felt like I might be closing doors rather than opening them. As a student, the last thing I want is to close any doors that are useful to me. At this point in my yet-to-exist career, I can’t afford to close any doors, and as they say, when you open one you may close the other.

Maybe you’ve felt this way before too.

Putting ourselves out there and trying new things isn’t easy, and networking is probably one of the hardest of all for students. Let’s face it: networking is scary and people are intimidating. Sometimes, it’s hard to explain to others your work or research. Other times, you don’t know how to approach others, especially when you’re out of your own comfort zone. Perhaps most crippling – I experience this one constantly – feeling small and inadequate That is the worst feeling of all.

Thankfully, the School of Graduate Studies, Gradlife and the Career Centre put together a panel event, Opening Doors, that took place this past Monday. It focused on helping grad students connect and reach out to industry professionals and their peers.

The key is to remember you have something to contribute to every relationship you have. Opening speaker Sahil Dhringa provided insight on how to begin the process of forming worthwhile relationships, having meaningful conversations and, ultimately, keeping your doors open. And it all starts with you.

I’m going to share some of the things I learned from Sahil in this post. Hopefully, (my interpretation of) his advice can help you.

1. Ask yourself, what was one of your most magical moments?

I borrowed this “groovy question” from Sahil. Finding that moment where you said to yourself “here is where I want to be” is liberating and enlightening. My magical moment was when I found papers that brought health care and social media together. For the first time, I was unbelievably excited to read a paper and knew that I had to pursue this masters degree.

2. Get to know yourself.

What’s stressing you out? What are some areas to improve? What are you good at? Invest in your personal development by spending time talking to the career counselors at your campus’ career centre. Know how your body works too. How does it respond to stress? What makes your heart race?

3. It won’t be perfect on the first try.

Grad students are no strangers to making adjustments. We do it all the time, with our papers, our research, our labs. When it comes to careers, it’s also important to remember that things aren’t going to be perfect on the get-go. Take it a bit at a time, and you will get there.

4. Get to know people, and keep the relationship going.

Networking is a huge buzz word that can sometimes turn people off. Media portrays it as cozying up to higher-ups in a ruthless race to the top. In reality it’s about creating a two-way professional relationship. It’s not just about what they can do for you (a job, a reference), it’s also about what you can do for them (expert advice, specialized knowledge). It’s about achieving goals together.

This stuff doesn’t come easily to everyone. But with a lot of hard work and a bit of elbow grease, I know that we can open more doors than close them. We’re grad students, after all. What can’t we do?

To connect with Sahil, follow him on twitter and check out his website, The Potentialists. He’s got tons of advice.