"It’s a journey, not a destination": Paving the way to your future

By Stephen Shilton, Careers Manager

I often tell students, ‘Your career is a journey, not a destination.’

Sometimes, perhaps unknowingly, students can think that deciding what to do after university is like being at a train station: ‘I’ve got to get on the right platform and get on the right train, and then I’ll end up at the right destination, and I’ll be fine…’

It’s more like laying a crazy paving; you don’t necessarily know where it might finish, but you want to lay the right pieces in the right place as you go on your journey.

Sir Dominic Cadbury (of the chocolate company), even said, ‘There’s no such thing as a career path, it is crazy paving, and you have to lay it yourself.’

Each time you make a transition in your journey, it’s like laying a piece of your path. If each piece is a good place to be, then, at the end, you’ll look back at an enjoyable and fulfilling journey. Of course, life isn’t always like that, and there might be one or two slabs which aren’t great places to be (so it's a good idea to lay a new piece quickly in that situation).

This is of particular significance to me at this stage of my life, as I’m going to leave my job after over 26 years as a Careers Manager at UofG Careers. I’ll be laying a new piece of paving soon!

I probably laid my first piece of paving when I chose my school Higher subjects way back in 1977; I thought about what I was all about—loved Chemistry, cared about the environment, wanted to stay in Scotland…

I looked at potential options and then laid another piece of paving by pursuing a degree in Environmental Chemistry. My next piece was going to Moray House (as was) to qualify as a Chemistry Teacher. After two years of that, I looked at what I was all about then, looked at options and laid another piece of paving: a PgDip in Careers Guidance. Another piece soon followed, working in schools and communities as a Careers Officer. After six years of that, I laid another piece and moved into higher education and eventually took up a position at UofG Careers on 16 September 1996.

In truth, I feel as if I laid a few pieces more while at UofG, as it’s been a fantastic time of self-discovery, self-development, learning lessons and enjoying helping students to find their own next piece of paving!

My main point is this: if you’d told me in 1979, when I started my degree, that I’d end up working at UofG for 26 years as a Careers Manager, I’d never have believed it—I don’t think I’d even have wanted it! I had no idea where I’d end up. But, because I can honestly say that I’ve made good decisions at nearly every stage, my ‘career path’ has been hugely fulfilling for me.

If that’s what you’d like, use your careers service and make sure your next crazy paving slab is the right one and leads to an enjoyable and fulfilling journey. You owe it to yourself.

Other resources

‘What can I do with my degree?’ (Part I): Read this article for insight on how to begin your career preparation