| In my last article we've discussed what influences our | | | | management company, a bank, a utility provider, and |
| happiness how the transition from studying to | | | | a consulting company, I revised my initial strategy |
| working often ends up in a decreased level of | | | | and its KPIs, raising the bar significantly - I even |
| happiness. Ideally you finish your studies exactly the | | | | added new measures, i.e. Number of months working |
| way you wanted and get exactly the great job you | | | | in an international job / at least one completed |
| dreamt of. | | | | post-graduate degree/ etc . The main reason for |
| There's several ways to find out the answer to the | | | | change and modification was that my strategy and |
| question "What am I going to do after I graduate". | | | | my short term vision were not aligned anymore. I |
| The most convenient way to answer is to let | | | | had changed and developed a sense on what I want |
| yourself surprise and react to whatever the future | | | | to do in the future. I realized that my grade point |
| holds for you when you graduate. A more | | | | average and overall job experience was not sufficient |
| result-oriented way, usually associated with much | | | | to compete with my peers for the same job. |
| higher benefits and personal satisfaction, is to shape | | | | So what can help you determine the right strategy |
| your future pro-actively from the start of your | | | | for your studies? This is usually the question that |
| studies. You can do this by formulating a vision | | | | students, who are starting to study, struggle with |
| statement and developing a strategy for your | | | | the most with. Without proper guidance and actual |
| studies. This is hugely valuable and helps you answer | | | | knowledge on what a certain type of work actually |
| the question on what you're going to do after your | | | | means it is very hard to determine the most |
| studies much more accurately. This way you can | | | | appropriate strategy. Here are some activities that, if |
| sleep well, enjoy the peace of mind and avoid | | | | you complete them, will help you establish and refine |
| becoming increasingly nervous towards the end of | | | | your study strategy: |
| studies. | | | | - Complete a few Internships - work experience will |
| Let's talk about this vision statement for a second | | | | give you real-life feeling regarding a specific job. Try |
| here. Your statement could be anything and could | | | | to get a holistic view on how companies operate by |
| sound like "I want to become a Chief Financial Officer | | | | working in/ across several different departments |
| of a Dow Jones listed company". The vision | | | | along the value chain of a company. This will enable |
| statement should be long-term in nature and as | | | | you to form an accurate assessment of work you |
| challenging as you like it to be. You don't necessarily | | | | like and dislike. If you finish your studies and you |
| need a vision to formulate a strategy. Without a | | | | haven't worked a day, nobody is going to be able to |
| vision, though, you run the risk that a strategy for | | | | tell you if you want to work in a certain industry/ |
| your studies will be ineffective, potentially leading you | | | | position/ country/ etc or not. |
| in a direction you will regret in the long-run. If you | | | | - Choose one or more Role-Models - A role model is |
| develop a strategy, for example, which outcome is | | | | probably the best way to determine a strategy. It's |
| not aligned with your overall vision you might end up | | | | the simplest way of finding out what needs to be |
| developing the wrong skill set. When I started | | | | done and is based on our basic learning ability to |
| studying I envisioned myself to be a successful Chief | | | | imitate. Research your role model's skills, background, |
| Executive Officer of a mid-size company. Every few | | | | achievements and the chronological order of events |
| months I sit down and revise that vision and the | | | | that led him/ her to where he/she is today. |
| strategies I put in place to achieve the milestones, | | | | - Actively see Guidance - Try to network as much as |
| which I need to cover to become that man in my | | | | possible, with people that do a job that you're |
| vision. | | | | interested in. Seek advise from them, opinion on their |
| Having set the vision it is now time to formulate a | | | | jobs, their story and how they got the jobs, and/ or |
| strategy. A Strategy is basically a formalised plan of | | | | even opportunities to do an internship with their |
| action, encompassing a set of defined tangible goals | | | | company. |
| that you can track and measure over time. In my | | | | - Compare yourself against Peers that Achieve - See |
| example, I decided that my major goals were to | | | | how your peers, co-students, friends are coping with |
| learn to speak Polish fluently, finish my Bachelor | | | | the preparation for "what comes after you |
| Degree on time, don't fail any subject and have an | | | | graduate". You will notice that some are doing nothing |
| above average grade point average. Those were my | | | | about it, some will actively try, but fail, and then |
| personal Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which I | | | | there is a group of |
| kept track of throughout my studies. On top of that | | | | In the next article we will specifically look into the |
| I was assigned additional KPIs specified by my school, | | | | topic of work experience. After all it is one of the |
| such as you have to finish Business English Level 3, | | | | biggest contributors to your ability to successfully |
| do 200 hours of practical work experience related to | | | | determine and adapt any study strategy you might |
| my course, etc. About half-way through my degree | | | | have. |
| and after a few hundred hours of working in a waste | | | | |