How to start thinking about your future career

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Many people tell us that choosing the right job that fits us is extremely important in our lives. However, finding the perfect career path is never obvious or simple. It requires a lot of contemplation and effort, and still many people face difficulties in finding what they want to pursue in the future. If you are one of those people who are stuck and have no idea about your future career, this article can help you get started on thinking about your future by introducing numerous resources that the school provides.

First, the Career Development Center, also known as CDC is a great resource. According to the UIC official website, the Career Development Center provides services and resources to guide and prepare students for successful careers. There are many faculty members in CDC that are willing to support you with your career exploration. Director of CDC, professor Joe Phillips, and associate director, professor Chad Denton are in charge of the CDC, and there are 8 more professors from various fields both in Sinchon and Songdo campus so that all UIC students can approach them easily. Also, their availability and contact information are provided on the UIC website which makes it easier for students to set an appointment with the professors. Talking to the professors would help you get started on finding areas that you are interested in and passionate about. Besides, Global Career Society members, the student volunteers that have been trained, can also assist you with questions that you have or your resume.

Next, there are numerous career-related events hosted by the CDC that you can attend. Some previous events were UIC Career Talk Fair, workshops, and Alumni Talk/lectures. These events are to widen the network of alumni connections and give students a chance to explore different kinds of jobs that alumni have. These events are great opportunities to observe some successful career paths that alumni have taken and learn from their experience. Since the alumni have a similar educational background as you and might have been in similar situations, their suggestions and tips can be very crucial and specific for you. In addition, the Yonsei University’s Student Career Development Team has more “mentorship” programs where they invite some guest speakers to host an online “mentorship” event, and students can freely ask questions to alumni on Career Yonsei website under “mentoring interviews” where it has list of alumni with the information about their workplaces, departments, position, and graduation year.

Another invaluable resource for UIC students is a program called the UIC Global Career Tour. The Global Career Tour provides on-site opportunities to students by visiting companies around the world and talking to recruiters and professionals from various industries. The Global Career Tour takes place in Hong Kong, London, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, and Tokyo. This program not only helps you learn about different jobs, but also develops job-hunting skills, networking with professionals, and enhances your understanding of the recruiting process. To participate in the UIC Global Career Tour, students have to apply for this program after the announcement is released on the UIC website. Specifically for Underwood Division Economics major students, the student council ECON-FRIENDLY has been organizing field trips to actual companies in Korea. This is similar to the Global Career Tour, but is at the local level. Some of the companies they have visited are McKinsey & Company, Financial Supervisory Service, Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation, and Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers. These are crucial opportunities for students to observe actual workplaces and ask questions to people who work there.

Also, consistently checking job and internship updates is very important to get you ready for your future career. Jobs and internship opportunities are regularly updated on YSCEC and the News and Events page on the UIC website. There are various jobs and internships posted, so checking this material frequently would help you find what interests you. Looking at this information would help you think more about your future career and help you get prepared by reviewing some qualifications and requirements for certain jobs. Also, during summer break, there is an internship program provided by the Yonsei Student Career Development Team which is called the “Career Yonsei Field Study Program”. Students can sign up, get a chance to work in one of the start-up companies and also receive 3 credits.

If you already know what interests you and have a clear idea about your career path, numerous career education programs are available to help you get prepared for employment. The Yonsei Student Career Development Team provides VR mock interviews that prepare students for their job interviews through practices. Also, the Yonsei Student Career Development Team had the ‘2020 Interview Preparation Program’ which included 3 different programs. The first one was by registering in YSCEC, you could access special lectures about the interview process and types, purpose and evaluation criteria, and review of actual cases. Another program was a zoom live Q&A where students could ask questions to the one who worked in the human resources department previously. The last program was a 1:1 consulting program where students could actually have a mock interview with a person and receive feedback. Furthermore, if you frequently check the Yonsei Career Development website, you can see more special lectures for different areas including manufacturing, technology, sales, and finance. The speakers from each area share how to prepare, what students should expect for roles, responsibilities, and strengths and weaknesses of their job through online zoom.

Lastly, the director of the UIC Career Development Center, professor Joe Phillips recommends that “Generally, students should consult the deep knowledge available on the CDC’s YSCEC page and website. Specifically, they should take greater advantage of the faculty advisors listed on the website who offer one-on-one consultations. They should write to us with ideas on how the CDC can better serve them. Above everything, stay positive – 90% of success is swiftly putting failure behind you and moving to the next opportunity.”