There was not only one young person who ever asked me for my idea on job hunting and they also troubled with the discordance between majors and occupations. So, I want to say more on this issue after I did a reply to a young girl a few days ago.
This should not have been a problem seemingly, since people would say: "OK, study what you want and then do what you can!" However it occurs very popular in China due to our country's education system. I don't want to say further more on such a visible situation, but just want to give some principles, by which you might get some tips on its solution.
1 , When you select a college to apply for, never think only about some famous universities but your major, whether it is what you really interested in or whether it suits you.
2, You should consider carefully sooner or later about the future work position which should match this major when you complete your study. That means you should know in advance what you would do by this major. If you can't know what jobs you will get by this major or even you can not find a relevant job after you are graduated, how could you get a smooth and successful career by it?
3, You might not have a good choice or you have to take a unhappy major due to your enrollment scores when you are making your mind, then you still have opportunities to make a change after your graduation. You may go on the second major's study and of course you should try to link it to the first one, so that you would not waste the former study. You can regard such further study as a kind of adjustment of your former decision.
Anyway, major is not the most important thing on hunting a good job. You also need to take an optimistic attitude towards life and work. You may work at several industries or quite a few of professions due do your own interest or situation, but the only thing you need to keep on for a good life is to do your best on everything and to balance your pain and your gain no matter what you are. I believe the old saying: "No pain, no gain!"
I hope we ifgogo people can have a discussion on this topic. I also hope Elliott Ng say more from a westerner's eyes.
"Do the things you want", i thought when i was a freshman.
One year later, i thought i should have considered about major in the long run.
Now i feel lucky for my choice, after all, i like it.q
"Do the things you want", i thought when i was a freshman.
One year later, i thought i should have considered about major in the long run.
Now i feel lucky for my choice, after all, i like it.
If you're in the IT field, and need suggestions for job hunting, read this:
http://www.cnblogs.com/cathsfz/archive/2008/03/14/1106442.html
Why not translate it into English?
Why translate it into English? It's for local students only, and rules might be different outside China.
We all know that in China sometimes we have to compromise ourselves.
Yes, compromised. Just like my past post, we wasted 10 more years.
maybe i will try different jobs, but have just one career
choosing a career is my biggest issue, which brings about most arguments
no matter how terrible people act, we don’t have a right to judge them. We are just to express our minds, and don’t have to pay attention what other people look like, what’s their real face. It doesn’t matter for me, if someone will say anything about me, I know what I really deserve, and what kind of person I really am.
Sorry for the delayed response to this post especially when you called out my name specifically. I have been super busy with my company which just renamed itself to UpTake.
The advice you offer sounds good but to be honest I don't really know anything about what it is like to grow up in China, in the Chinese educational system. With regard to areas where there are potentially big differences between cultures or countries, I feel you first have to seek to understand something you don't know anything about. Once you understand it, then you can compare it to your own experience. Then you can better offer helpful advice or ideas based on your understanding both cultures or countries. So I cannot offer advice when I don't even understand.
My college allows alumni to interview high school students applying for the college. So for the past few years I have done college admissions interviews for these American high school students. The questions I try to understand are:
1. What is this person really passionate about? Is there anything that they are exceptional at because they are just so passionate about it? I am looking for someone with "spark," with examples where they have pursued some interest (either academic or otherwise) at great lengths, and they did it more for the love of doing it rather than "playing the game" to get into college. Of course, good grades and good test scores are important. But there are so many kids these days with exceptional grades and test scores. Passion is the extra ingredient that I'm looking for among the kids that have great grades and test scores.
2. What is this person really good at? People can be good at math, or science, or language, or some other subject. But I am also trying to understand what other skills and talents they have. For example, someone might have demonstrated leadership skills, or empathy, or compassion, or the ability to argue and debate. So someone's strengths might not be a specific subject, but some other personal quality that they will rely on to become excellent at something. Sometimes I ask them about their friends and how their friends would describe them.
3. How will they contribute to others at the college? How are they unique or distinctive so that others will benefit from their experience? At some American universities, the college experience is full of extracurricular activities--clubs, organizations, interest groups, student government, politics, arts, music, drama. So I try to understand what this person has contributed to their school or friends before in the past. I try to imagine how much they can contribute to others in college.
I cannot imagine what it is like to be a student in today's China. I'm certain that I did not have to face the same degree of pressure that most students today do in either China or the U.S. I would encourage high school students to seek to understand some of the questions above, and look for experiences, friends, and mentors that can help build personal maturity and character. Of course its important to get good grades, get good test scores, and go to well-recognized colleges. Of course you need to consider the labor market and the potential earning potential of your career path. But I suspect many of the most successful students are successful because they are naturally talented/smart, they are driven to impress their friends and classmates, and they are driven by their parents to excel. There is nothing wrong with this, as long as there is a strong focus on personal understanding and maturity at the same time.
I have no idea if anything I am saying applies to China. I will ask my co-blogger Min to read this and see if it makes any sense at all in today's China.
Oh, Elliott, you are really kind to write so good a comment!
You give me another point of view to think about such issue. In fact, I once worked at the area of Human Resources of the City for more than 10 years. Som I fully understand your opinions and totally agree with them.
Thanks a lot and I believe that it would be of great benefit to the young Chinese people who read here.....
Lisa, thanks for inviting me to comment. Min read my comment and said that for most high school students, they can't really even spend time to think about these questions because they are so focused on passing the exams. If they don't do well on the exams, their educational options are limited. So maybe these ideas are worth considering later, like after the 2nd year of college when you are deciding what major to complete.
I also think work internships during school would be good for college students to do.
Anyway, look forward to learning more about the Chinese educational system and Chinese ideas about education through ifgogo.
Lisa, Thanks for sharing you experience.
Sometimes, I felt happy and lucky on my career. Two years ago, I became a mechanical engineer form a student after graduated in mechanical engineering.
I love this position and my subject. But, I got annoyance about my job and my boss lately. I have nothing to do for three months, just waiting for the acceptance of the project. And I felt my boss didn't want to do something but just want to get some money form the project!!
So, I want to change my job next month for a good working environment. Maybe in the new environment I can work hard and learn more, and it's better than waiting till dead in this company!!
PS: Sorry for my bad english. It talk me half hour to post this comment.