Navigating the Next Chapter
Wisdom for Graduates
Recently, I had a conversation with a soon-to-be university graduate who sought insights into my work and advice for transitioning into the next phase of her life. Here's the advice I shared:
Build connections with diverse people.
A few years ago, I was asked to interview for a job to manage an employment program for immigrant women. At the end, I asked the interviewer why she wanted me to interview for the job when I didn’t meet all of the job requirements. She said, “We can teach you technical skills like budgets and the employment sector, but your innate ability to connect with people of diverse backgrounds is invaluable.” This has always stuck with me and I believe, is my superpower. I ended up managing this program and I now realize how important my ability to connect with people made a difference in how the women in the program were supported and empowered.
Step out of your comfort zone and embrace opportunities where you may not know the outcome.
As an adult, I've embraced stepping out of my comfort zone so frequently that it no longer feels daunting. From travelling to and living in places people may not even think about (like all the Stans of the former Soviet Union) to developing and facilitating a 3-day workshop for women’s rights advocates from Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan (something I had never done before), and creating a Master's level program for staff of a large development organization in a rural mountainous region in Tajikistan (also, something I had never done before) - just to name a few. During all of these moments of uncertainty and fear, I have learned so much about myself and the world around me. I’ve learned that I can do anything I put my mind to and that life’s twists and turns have led me to where I am today - coaching young people to pursue their passions.
Volunteer with organizations that resonate with you. I have been volunteering for as long as I can remember - from being a candy striper at a hospital while in high school to being a camp counsellor in the summers of my university years, and distributing food at a soup kitchen for the homeless in Tajikistan…to name a few. I have learned so many skills during my volunteer experiences - many of which have shaped my career path and who I am as a person today. I’m now at the stage of my life where I can pick and choose where and how I volunteer. In my current work as an academic and career coach to high school students, I do some pro-bono coaching…supporting two women from Afghanistan living in Canada and wanting to pursue post-secondary education. One of them is applying to an undergraduate nursing program while the other is wanting to pursue a Master’s degree in public policy to add to her amazing human rights advocacy work. My journey through volunteering has not only enriched my skill set but has also guided my career path and personal growth, culminating in my current role as an academic and career coach, where I continue to offer support to those in need.
