careerscarrollu

Lifelong Learning for Professional Development

As a recent graduate of Carroll University, the importance of lifelong learning had been instilled in me since I was a freshman.  However, it wasn’t until after I graduated that I understood how lifelong learning would impact my life in the years to follow.

Even though it’s easy to feel as though you should let your brain take a much-needed rest after 17 years of learning in the confines of a classroom, there is always room for further development.

Here are three steps to help you embrace lifelong learning and develop in your career.

This may seem like an overly simple step, but really take some time to reflect on what things really get you excited and/or spark your interest. Look beyond the things you see in job descriptions that sound appealing and evaluate other aspects of your life that you value and enjoy. What draws you to these other activities and items of interest? Also consider what types of things you do when you procrastinate on other projects. Making a list of these can provide excellent insight into the type of career that might be most satisfying or the kind of corporate culture that will help you thrive.

For example, in my undergraduate years, I often found myself avoiding homework to pursue personal design projects because I found it to be more rewarding than my statistics homework. This was definitely an indicator to me that a design career might be more rewarding than others. Not all passions are quite as obvious. For instance, I am quite the geek and love multiplayer video games (this is relevant – just hear me out!). The conversational atmosphere and the collaborative efforts of a team are really desirable characteristics that I enjoy. This information helps me to better understand the work atmosphere where I will be most comfortable. Use these seemingly unrelated passions to inform you about what really makes you tick.

Once you have a better understanding of what motivates you, it helps to make connections with other people who share similar passions. Not only can networking help you land a job or internship in the future, but your new connections can provide a great deal of inspiration as well. Once you develop a relationship with new connections, you might consider asking him or her to let you conduct an informational interview or if he or she would be willing to be a mentor with whom you can discuss your career goals and aspirations.

While I didn’t really embrace my passion for graphic design and higher education until my senior year, I have been able to network with some excellent people both online and in person. I joined American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and other online design communities to network with some really talented people who inspire me to challenge myself. Additionally, I’ve made countless connections with incredible higher education professionals and designers through Twitter who have been able to provide me with a wealth of resources. For more information about using Twitter professionally, check out Top 25 Twitter Tips for Your Professional Development.

The most insightful experiences I have had have been the ones where I felt totally uncomfortable about their outcome.  These uncomfortable activities can include things like attending WorkForce 2013, conferences, or taking on projects which feel slightly daunting at first. The opportunities that push you to try something new are often the most beneficial because they offer a unique challenge and will teach you a lot about yourself. These uncomfortable experiences often end up being extremely rewarding because you’re demonstrating to yourself that you can do things that you never thought were imaginable.

- Kristy Black, Class of 2010