“What are you going to do when you graduate?” “What do you want to be when you grow up?” “What’s next?”

I’m sure we’ve all faced these questions from family and friends. Some of us have  a clear answer (“I’m going to be a doctor”), where as others don’t have a defined path (“Umm… I’ll get back to you”).  Eventually we’re all going to make some sort of decision, but the path that takes us there may be very different.

While you’re in university, it’s important to take the time to work towards your career development. You’ve already started on your path and it’s up to you to navigate it so you don’t get lost en route to the career of your dreams.

One theory of career development is called “planned happenstance”, which states that your career is not a straight path towards your goal. Different events will change and shape our career opportunities as we move forward. For example, you may take an elective in your first year that inspires you to change your major. Or you may realize your love for event planning when you get involved with an on-campus club. Or you may not get accepted to a program and need to come up with a new plan. Even once you graduate, you may need to adjust your career plan based on the jobs available.

Planned Happenstance teaches us to be ready for these changes by embracing chance opportunities. Keep your eyes open for volunteer opportunities. Talk to your friends about what they’re doing. Build your network and keep in touch with your contacts. You never know when a chance encounter will lead to a career.

For example, when I was in my undergrad I worked as an assistant in the Residence Life Office for a co-op position. I hadn’t been involved on campus beforehand, but my previous supervisor connected me with this job. The job wasn’t along my career path (which was to be a statistician), but it sounded like fun so I took the opportunity. I ended up realizing that I loved working with students, and nine years later I’m still working in Residence Life. The interesting thing is that I worked a co-op term for Statistics Canada after working for Residence Life – and realized stats was not for me. If I hadn’t taken the chance opportunity, I would have never discovered the career path I’m on today.

Take the time now to explore different opportunities and build your connections. A great place to start is the UBC Career Fair on October 5th and 6th. Just remember, your career path isn’t a sprint – it’s a marathon. Make sure you’re ready for the long haul.