We’ve crept into the month of March, which for many students means that graduation is not far away. It is an exciting time but can also be quite daunting.
There are some who surely know exactly what they’ll be doing once they are done with school, but plenty of others aren’t sure yet. There are lots of options, like taking more courses, or maybe taking time off to travel.
Finding a job? That can be the most challenging option.
But it’s not like your school is just going to spit you out and wish you good luck. Each institution offers some degree of support after you graduate, and Fanshawe is no different. Darlene O’Neill is the manager of Career Services at the college.
“Always as the months towards graduation approach, we get a lot busier. We’re seeing a lot of students who are getting ready to graduate. Some students are coming to share their good news with us that they’ve already been offered a position, and others are still searching.”
Has she noticed an uptick in stress and anxiety among the students coming in?
“I believe that the anxiety level gets higher for anybody, whether you’re a student or not, when you’re facing a significant change in your life. It’s a huge transition to go from school to sometimes not knowing if you’re going to have a job right away.”
O’Neill outlines the kinds of services they provide for uncertain students.
“We offer post-grad support for up to three years for students. They can always access our job bank. They can come in and talk to one of the career consultants. We also have community employment services which is an Employment Ontario service provision”
There are also other perks to being a Fanshawe Alumnus.
“You’re able to access our job site and all of our resources on the site. If you want to come back to school and pick up a course through continuing education, you are entitled to a 10% discount on those courses.”
At the end of the day, O’Neill and her consultants want students to know all their options in order to make a smart decision.
“Explore all your options. Find out all the answers to your questions, and then make the best decision for you right now. Just because you’re making one decision right now, doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind later.”
She also says not to worry if you don’t find your dream job right away.
“I always use the metaphor, it’s like looking for Prince Charming. You have to kiss a lot of toads before you find your prince. So sometimes you have to take a lot of ‘no’s’ before you get to that ‘yes.’”
And if you need assistance? Don’t be afraid to ask for it.
“Seek help. Help is out there. We’re here to help you, we’re here to guide you, we’re here to assist you. Use the services that are available to you.”
Who knows what the future holds. One thing is for sure: in a couple of months, many Fanshawe students will don a red gown and strut their stuff across the stage to grab that piece of paper we all signed up for.
