I got my Bachelor’s Degree from Tongji University in China majoring in Marketing. Prior to pursuing a Master’s Degree at Wake, I took a gap year to collect some professional experience, working at Meituan and Alibaba Group as a Data Analyst. Fortunately, after 10 months of fulfilling and exciting study, I successfully landed a job as an SDA at Capital One.
There are 3 pieces of advice I’d like to provide to the cohorts:
First, be well-prepared for both your academic learning and professional development. I had already known most of the concepts in the courses thanks to my self-learning and internship. That enables me to pay attention to things I’m not familiar with. I know some of you don’t have the same experience as I do, but I want to say PREVIEW plays a critical role in your learning. Browsing the slide of the upcoming class for 5 minutes saves me a huge amount of time and energy in the session. I can check my friend’s Instagram when the lecturer is teaching something I know, even though I don’t recommend you to do so. The same logic applies to job hunting. The earlier you start sending out your resume and the more preparation you have done, the higher the probability of getting a job offer before graduation. At no time do you feel yourself ready, but you can be prepared.
Second, be aware of what is happening around you, but focus on yourself. It is always good to know which company is hiring and who is getting hired. That gives you more resources and information. But don’t turn it into a distraction. I can relate to how anxious you would be when half of your friends had landed a job. But try not to do so. Everyone has her own blossom period. Keep your pace with the belief that some opportunities that belong to you are not far ahead.
Last but not least, grab the opportunities when it comes. Opportunities are nothing if you cannot grab them. In such an economic environment, there are much fewer opportunities. So each one is super precious. What you need to do is put all your commitment to ensure it’s a good swing. How to do it? Check out the 1st advice.