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Focus only on your own growth.
GapYear is a time for growth and happiness.
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Me: What kind of work would you like to do?
Student 1: Oh, I'm a law major. I'm aiming for the HR team.
Me: In what ways do you think HR work suits you?
Student 1: Oh, law majors often go into HR.
Me: So, comparing your strengths with the HR team's duties, which parts do you think align well?
Student 1: Should I apply to a different team? Would that give me a higher chance of getting in?
Me: Hmm... what do you want to do?
Student 1: Actually, I don't know what to do. I'm a law major, and as graduation approached people said, 'the HR team...
They said it would probably be the safest option. Apart from a part-time job at a coffee shop during college, I haven't tried anything else.
When I give lectures about job hunting and how to provide information for getting a job, more than half of the students only start thinking, as they near graduation, about what jobs exist, what they can do, and what they're good at. To be precise, they begin exploring 'the self' again.
'Just.
I believe the word 'just' is the scariest word in job hunting. Putting 'just' in front of every experience you've had and every decision you make going forward means there is no basis for it and that you haven't given much thought to your life.
One of the most foolish ways to decide your life is to search portal websites. The expectation that the internet would reduce information gaps is generally correct. Knowledge that was once the preserve of certain classes has spread to many through the internet. However, online knowledge and materials are not your own. It's good to do a lot of searching and gather information to prepare for 'action,' but many students learn 'action' only intellectually or on paper.
Young people in their twenties around the world gain a variety of experiences to find a career, more than you might think. What we call extracurricular activities are regarded by people in their twenties in other countries as a "gap year"—a sabbatical-like period for actively gaining life experiences. During that time they clarify what kind of work they want to do, what they are good at, and they make plans for their future. This is very different from the experience of many university students in our country, who spend most of their time building credentials like studying for TOEIC and earning certificates. Whether you take a gap year for your life or take a leave of absence to get a job can lead to very different outcomes.
I hope you accumulate your own experiences so that when someone says something negative or unsettling to you, or when you doubt whether it is true, you can say "no." When you are about to graduate or beginning to look for a job, I hope you can clearly say: "I do A, B, and C well, and through experiences D and E I discovered my strengths, so I believe I can perform G work that requires skills like F." Don’t be someone whose life can be swayed by a single remark, a single newspaper line, or a professor’s suggestion because your personal experience is insufficient. Know yourself properly and be able to make proactive choices.
Choi Kyung-hee, CEO of Linkstart
She lectures on careers and job search at over 100 universities nationwide while also working as an education planner.
She helps young people find work that fulfills their own dreams rather than the success society expects.