Different Student Pathways to Employability: Which one are you?

Over many years of working with students at University and observing the transition of young graduates into various different workplaces and destinations, I have been reflecting on the different pathways my former students have taken. I am writing this for students to consider their own pathways and approaches, in order to consider their future directions. The idea of looking at pathways implies that we need to look at where someone has come from (ie. their prior experience and background), their activities as students and their aspirations.

In the following section, I will share the different pathways in the form of five different profiles of students. These profiles are purposely broad, and will also include strategies for success. The suggestion here is for student readers to think about which profile(s) they might fall under, and what strategies to adopt going forward. (Also, the images in this article do not imply that the students in them belong to any particular category)

The Booksmart - The Booksmart student is no doubt study focused. They have achieved the scores to get into their current program and aim to do well in their studies. Whether they are international or domestic students, they may have been grades focused in secondary school, and may also have limited external activities such as clubs, societies and volunteering. Students might be study focused because they are used to achieving the highest grades above all else, or if they find that they might need to 'study harder' to keep up with everyone else (in their minds). In some cases, they are under pressure family to just focus on studies. Therefore, as students, they are focused on their studies and assignments and group projects. All other activities are de-prioritised while at University. Their aspirations are broadly to have a successful career and they believe that if they get the highest grades, the career and first job will fall into place.

Pitfalls for the Booksmart - The pitfalls for the Booksmart is that although they have good grades, they might have a rather empty CV when applying for their first job, due to lack of experience and other skills such as networking and communications. However, what is more serious is the potential lack of any knowledge about the industry, including; not knowing which jobs to apply for, what companies are expecting from graduates, where the opportunities are and a lack of any professional network. Remember, professional networks help students establish themselves. Waiting till you have graduated to start investigating jobs to apply for actually means you are about a year behind others in your cohort.

Strategies for the Booksmart - If you recognise that you are in this group, the first thing to work out is, "Are you studying the right course?". This is an important question because if you are spending ALL your time at University just studying - is this just to keep up with a field of study you are struggling with. Noting that it is important to have a balance and to start building up your CV;

• Start to attend some industry briefings organised by your university or student clubs, and meetups . Network with professionals and practitioners who are already working in the space. If you are not sure how to network, check out the advice online for professional networking. You can also start by learning how to make small talk .
• Start to spend some time doing research on the industry or sector you might be interested in.
• Join one student club and start to get active in it, including taking on leadership roles or being part of working groups. Hang out more with a Do-er (see below) to be inspired.

These strategies will help you to talk about broader experiences beyond your grades. Most employers want to see well balanced candidates.

The Hesitant - The Hesitant student is often affected by one or both of these challenges -uncertainty and/or procrastination. These students may have come into their university studies without having actively made decisions around what they actually wanted to study and focus on. For example, some students might be studying in degrees that their parents, family or peers have urged them to do. They are going along for the journey and it's not bad but it's nothing to really rave about. As students, they will continue to meet the requirements of the courses and even do well. However, at the back of their minds, they might be thinking "What's next?", "Do I really want to do this?". The answer might be "I'll deal with it later". Other students in this category might often by unsure about their role and ability, this may lead to them watching from the sideline, or going to events but always just observing from the side instead of truly participating.

Pitfalls for the Hesitant - If you recognise that you are in this group, the first thing to work out is also, "Are you studying the right course?". This is an important question for this group to work out if this is something they are really interested in. The other major pitfalls encountered by these students include; 1) going along without making clear decisions until the course/degree is completed, 2) letting your friends and family do the research and tell you what is possible or not (they are not you! I don't understand the students who send their parents to find out about opportunities in their field of study!), 3) They might attend some professional events or clubs but never volunteer to ask questions or lead in organising things. All these will lead to a lack of confidence at the point where the student has to apply for their first job upon graduation (in fact, it's too late - most students apply before graduation).

Strategies for the Hesitant - If your current area of study is an area you could really enjoy, don't procrastinate:

• Start finding out what the options are after you graduate and find excitement in this. If you start networking now, you might find new motivations.
• Start working towards some clearly set achievable goals. Now is the time to start taking action.
• Start actively participating and leading in clubs or societies, or even volunteering. Build your CV along the way. This will help you build confidence bit by bit and also improve your commitment to your field. I wrote an article previously about how to engage even through the tough period of remote learning for international students but this is relevant for all students. Hang out more with a Do-er (see below) to be inspired.
• On Webinars, come on camera and engage and ask questions.

The Do-er - The Do-er is a student who does a lot! They have always been very active even when they were in school. They might have participated in multiple clubs and societies. Coming to University is exciting as there are even more clubs, societies and projects to get involved in. Studies are important but these students know that activities outside the classroom are just as crucial. Given that there are only so many hours a day, sometimes, students have to decide whether to go to a student leaders meeting, a lecture or an industry briefing. In terms of aspirations, these students have spoken to many in industry and may sometimes find the information overwhelming. Some students in this group may have a clear idea of the roles they want to go for while others continue to think about what might be the next best thing!

Pitfalls for the Do-er - When a student is too busy doing and fulfilling obligations they have committed to, there is less time to think and reflect. The most common pitfalls here include being over-committed, and being so busy that they haven't had a break in seven years because summer break is when they are volunteering and organising events, or catching up with studies because they might have fallen behind in one subject! Health and wellbeing is crucial too for the Do-er and they would want to avoid burnout at the end of their studies and start of their career.

Strategies for the Do-er - There is no time like your time at the University. You know this and are trying to make the most of this. This is great but there are also some things to consider;

• Start reflecting on your strengths and areas for improvement, and take time to do this. Many students do a lot but are not able to communicate what they are good at.
• Start thinking about how you might articulate your busy life in terms of experiences for your Linkedin Profile, or CV. Maybe, network with one of the more Strategic students (see below) to see how they do this.
• Remember those classes and lectures? Don't miss too many and fall behind because as much as some say 'grades don't matter' - that is not completely true. I mean you still have to graduate, unless if you are a genius like Bill Gates or Anna Wintour. Make sure you have a good Booksmart friend who reminds you that studies are still important!
• Start sifting through the information about the industry/ies you might be interested in and more strategically network with those who are already practising (mentors), to get a better sense of what might really appeal to you for the next chapter.

The Chameleon - is a student who is highly adaptable but also possibly easily distracted. Curiosity is a strength at learning institutions and it's important for students to be curious. These students might be studying subjects and courses from a completely new area to what they were familiar with at school. The students who are part of this group find it exciting to do elective subjects and join clubs that their peers might not have expected of them. Why be the same as everyone else? In terms of aspirations - the future is an open door to possibilities and there is no need to commit too soon, now is the time to explore. The worst question to ask these students is "What are your career aspirations?" In fact - I'd be surprised if you are even reading this! But just in case...

Pitfalls for the Chameleon - The key pitfall for the Chameleons is the universe of infinite possibilities. How is that a pitfall? Well, it is not exactly a pitfall but no one wants to fall down a rabbit hole with no end. So, there are some things to start paying attention to. While the curiosity is a strength and there's no need to commit, it's important for these students to still think about their fundamental interests. This will help them focus a bit more on narrowing down some of the possibilities without committing to singular paths.

Strategies for the Chameleon - For Chameleons, the risks are that the exploration of which pathways mean that there is no certainty as well. A key way for Chameleons to thrive is to explore your own underlying themes of what are important to you. While not focusing on specific roles or industries or sectors, you should still be clearer in your own mind about the values that are important to you. For example, you might be thinking about wanting to work for projects and companies that have a strong social justice, or climate change initiatives. You might want to work in organisations that provide opportunities for engagement with a diversity of people or projects that allow you to work flexibly at your own time or pace. To do this, the strategies include:

• Start thinking about what drives you and what are the underlying themes that attract you about the kinds of workplace or projects you want to work on. You might also see what a more Strategic student (see below) might be doing to be inspired.
• Start exploring which sectors, industries or organisations have the vibe you are looking for, and that would support your passions and interest.
• Start networking with likeminded people in these areas, that also have similar values. You might be surprised how many people did not have a clear pathway to a specific career even at University. This is more common than you think.

The Strategic - is a group of students who have mapped out a whole path ahead of them and are very clear that there are a number of tick boxes to get through. They might have had these tick boxes from when they were in school, or started it at the first year of university. They then have very clear aims to balance their studies with the need to build a CV that's ready for graduate roles, with internships built into their studies. This looks really fantastic, right? What could possibly go wrong?

Pitfalls for the Strategic - In a world where the labour/job market is rapidly changing, anything could happen! And you might be too stuck to your list of tick boxes. The laser point focus for some of these students tend to close doors rather than open them. Examples of these inflexibility include sentiments about where they want to work and what roles they must take on. The reality is that few students would know exactly what workplaces might look like and expectations of those roles until they are in them. I have known many students who get there and become sorely disillusioned - not because these are bad places to work for, or bad roles - just because it's not what they expected. More importantly, as the Chameleons know, there are so many other possibilities to explore.

More Strategies for the Strategic - See what I did there? The main advice I have is to be open minded. Use your considerable organisational skills and discipline, and motivation to do well to explore new possibilities while keeping and eye on your checklist.

• Start to look out for other opportunities to be inspired. Don't put all your eggs in a limited number of baskets.
• Use your considerable drive to look at other perspectives and possibilities. Check out the concept of Planned Happenstance for careers, and consider who you might use these tactics. Hang out more with a Chameleon who you might learn from.
• Learn to be more flexible as plans and circumstances might change. Adaptability is an essential 21st Century trait when it comes to careers.

The purpose of this article is to try to help you work your employability strategies going forward. You might now fall into these stereotypical categories but you might see traits from each group that you identify with. What is important is that you start thinking about your own pathway and recognising that you could be doing some things to make your journey more meaningful, productive and positive. The strategies I have suggested are some ways you can take charge of your own journey, remembering that there are lots of uncertainties out there, and doing nothing, does not help.

So, which profile fits you broadly and what are your strategies going forward. Add your thoughts and questions in the Comment section and I'll respond to your questions.