Another school term completed, another work term started, another move to a new town, another 4 months of routine life. I guess after 4+ years of it, you would think that I wouldn't complain about this anymore but the sad reality seems that each move makes me more and more bitter. Living off two suitcases is painstakingly difficult especially when you don't have a "home-base" to store your belongings. These past two weeks have been horrible in terms of settling in but I guess I have it better off than some of my buddies back in waterloo, who, by the way, were homeless for almost a week thanks to a construction delay in our new apartment. I guess a part of me is glad i didn't stay in waterloo for this term. On the plus side, we only have 2 more moves before we can settle in one place and boy am I looking forward to that. Finally a house I can settle in for more than a summer, a car I can call my own, a lifestyle that is not constrained to an extent where lunch out with friends is too expensive. I guess i'm getting a bit ahead of myself here. Let me first find a job first.
This brings me to my next point. With graduation a mere 8 months away, and a slumping economy as a graduation present, I'm finally starting to get worried about getting a good job. I know that i'm better qualified than most new grads with almost 2 years of work experience under my belt with some good, if not great, companies. I've prided myself on having varied experience by trying out different industries, different jobs, and different environments and cities. Of my 6 work terms, I've only lived in the same city twice, and that city happens to be Ottawa. Even in Ottawa, I've worked for two different companies in my two work terms. I guess the question is, how important is specialization and how important is variety when you're a university student. I could have easily spent 5 work terms at RIM and been an expert on the BlackBerry. But I chose to explore with Telecom (Alcatel-Lucent), Semiconductor (Cypress), and Consumer Electronics (RIM). In hindsight, I'm confused as to whether this was a wise decision. Now, upon graduation, do companies look at my experience and think "There's a guy who doesn't know what he wants?"or do they think "there's someone who's tried a lot and come to a conclusion on what he really wants to pursue".. I guess with a few months to graduation, I've all but eliminated semiconductors as a full time industry mainly because of the culture and "cheap" manner in which they run their businesses. Unless you're a giant such as Intel, it's hard for semiconductor firms to stay afloat and that means corporate culture is rather meagre. I did, however, enjoy my marketing term at Cypress thoroughly and had a natural aptitude for all things marketing.
Instead of rambling on, I'd like to hear your opinions on what you think is a good industry to be in and why? (P.S. If anyone has some good full-time opportunities that they know of and are willing to give me a hand, please give me a shout on that front as well.. This is my marketing/people skills talking.. if there's one thing i've learnt from that job its "contacts, contacts, contacts")
"Now, upon graduation, do companies look at my experience and think "There's a guy who doesn't know what he wants?"or do they think "there's someone who's tried a lot and come to a conclusion on what he really wants to pursue".. "
ReplyDeleteI think you can overcome this prob by you interview answers.. Make them belive it's a good thing to have tried all these companies.
n p.s - I attended a co-op help seminar at YOUR rez during your second year which you should have attended during your first year which told you the most important thing to find jobs is contacts contacts contacts! :p Nice to see you learnt that after 4 years! :p Shoulda attended that seminar ;)