How to build a career while ASUU is on strike

If you are affected by the strike, you are probably not only hoping that schools resume but also that your dream of building a good career comes to pass.

Contents

1. Stop sulking 2. Identify what it is that you’d rather be doing 3. Be open minded 4. Do research 5. Follow people in that field 6. Be open to voluntary services 7. Seek advice from a mentor or coach in that field 8. Apply for internships

The ASUU strike has been on for over 200 days, and you can only hope that federal schools will resume pretty soon.

What will you do with this break? It’s high time you looked beyond your school studies to build a good career.

But how, and where do you start now that school is not in session? Well, you take things one step at a time.

1. Stop sulking

You probably think that this sounds unrealistic, and probably move to the next point or leave this article, but it’s true. You need to not only stop sulking but train your mind and allow it to dawn on your consciousness to stop dwelling on the negative effects of the strike. And why is that? Because whatever dawns on your consciousness will reflect on your attitude and how you approach things.

You’ll be surprised to know, or maybe not, that there are people who would do nothing throughout this free time but lament and never stop sulking about it. All they do is pass the time and choose to look way ahead at the uncertain time that the Federal government will give in to the demands of ASUU. Then, the strike will get called off and you’ll get back to chasing a degree, without adding value to themselves during the break.

2. Identify what it is that you’d rather be doing

It could be anything. It could be pursuing that path that you always had when you were in school; another thing aside from the course that you are studying; or something entirely new.

It’s important for you to know what it is that you’d like to lay your hands on during the break. This in itself entails that you have an idea or you are somewhat clear on what career path you’d like to pursue.

Why is identification important? People say that no investment is a waste. Well, this may not be totally true that is why identification would pass as a first step to investing into a good career.

3. Be open minded

Once you have identified what you’d rather be doing now that your fate in school is undecided, you need to keep an open mind. You need to debunk all the myths about successful industries and unsuccessful industries. A wise man once said that there is room for success in any field. You may want to read that again. Be open-minded. If you are new to this, resist the urge to feel bad for not catching up on everything on the first try. You are just starting out, and it will be unrealistic for you to think that you will never succeed because you don’t know all about that new field at once.

4. Do research

The world is a global village, and it’s quite easy to gain basic information about the career path you’d like to focus on during the break. Do your basic research on what the career path you are considering is about. Look up people in the industry and study them closely. Feast on their stories. Check YouTube and other platforms that could teach you for free. Paid classes and training are not a bad idea.

N.B: Free/beginner classes could help you know if you would like to go on with the plan to build a good career in the field you have chosen.

5. Follow people in that field

That new career you just want to delve into is not new to some people. There are enthusiasts like you and experts in the field. Listen to what they have to say. Engage their content, listen to their stories. Buy their resources if they have some up for sale.

The world is a global village. So, access to these people is not as ‘sacred’ as it used to be in the past. Follow them on social media, attend their classes or training, and intelligently put to use the information that they share with you.

6. Be open to voluntary services

Volunteering gives you room to learn much more than you would have if you were paid to do something. Volunteering means offering to show up for free for something that you could have been paid for.

7. Seek advice from a mentor or coach in that field

Do not disregard counsel from people who know better than you, and have results to show for it. It is important to have them teach you and guide you.

8. Apply for internships

Either paid or free. What matters is that you get to work in a system that aligns with your desire to build a good career in that field.

Keep acquiring knowledge read books, listen to podcasts, work hand in hand with people in that field. Practice what you’ve learned. Apply the knowledge that you’ve acquired. Never stop growing and acquiring knowledge.

A quick one, “isn’t it too late to start?” Well, start now. It’s better to start now than to never have started because you are “sulking”. Don’t lie to yourself that you’ll figure it out all by yourself. People have gone ahead of you in this field. Learning from them will accelerate your growth.

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