IT IS never too early to start planning for the future.
The Sanggunian School of Social Sciences (SOSS) Board, on January 11 and 15, organized a series of talks dubbed “Hanep! Buhay: Career Enlightenment Talks” which emphasized the need for career discernment as early as junior year.
On-the-job (OJT) trainings and thesis writing usually start in junior year in the Ateneo.
“We look for any way that can help juniors explore their future careers so that they can decide early on what they [want] to be,” Project Head Chica Villarta said. “We want to make them realize that there are so many opportunities for them and they can grab these.”
Diversity
In order to identify how they can specifically help the students, the Sanggu conducted surveys for each course. Some courses such as Psychology, European Studies, Political Science, and Communication needed career manuals on different fields they can pursue.
Villarta said that SOSS is very diverse. “All the courses have different needs and we want to know how we can cater [to] their needs,” she said.
These manuals contained tips for effective resume writing, how to dress and act in an interview, and a contact list of companies’ for OJT.
Junior Gielannie Tio Cuison said that this method of specialization was effective. “Well, I’m a third year student and I will be taking my OJT this coming summer. So I attended this talk to help me figure out what my options are.”
However, Villarta added that these manuals were not helpful for Management Economics, Economics, History, and Chinese Studies majors. Students from these courses were instead given lists of schools for masters and for law.
Free advice
Alumni were invited to speak about their different courses and work experiences.
Apart from explaining other options outside of law, Political Science Chair Alma Salvador talked about the difference in the course’s program.
“We did not have the opportunity to specialize in politics. But I think [this batch] is way luckier because [their] department is far more creative than our department before,” she said.
For Shaina Muhi (AB Eu ’05) from Mizuno Philippines, values of passion, focus and excellence that she developed in college helped her in her current job.
Tara Marcelo (AB Eu ’09), of Foreign Exchange Students, meanwhile advised students to be open to possibilities. “Don’t limit [oneself] and say ‘yes’ to the universe. Sometimes the universe is just really offering it. [One] just has to know what to look for.”
Erwin Arandia, another speaker from the field of Human Resources (HR) said that undergoing OJT was useful. “[One] can use [OJT]… to [one’s] advantage and learn something from it. So I suggest personally that [one] chooses that particular area [one is] really interested in.”
For Marcelo, taking a particular major can be continued to another field. “Keep in mind that [one’s] not inside a little tiny box… be goal-oriented, because [one] does not want to go on with [one’s] life not knowing what [one] wants and not knowing what [one] will become,” she said.
