Worknow_Aotearoa_NZ

I chose to study extramurally so that I could apply my business education across a range of business settings and discover where my talents lay.

However, when I finally completed my degree and set out to find full-time employment (my apprenticeship in business ownership) potenial employers began to question why I had already worked in so many roles.

Back in 2003, before it became widely recognised as a common Gen Y work trait, my CV already listed more roles over five years than my mum held over a thirty year working life:-

• Gymnastics Instructor, Tauranga YMCA
• Holiday Programme Leader, Tauranga YMCA
• Civil & Criminal Law Clerk, Tauranga District Court
• General Administration & Customer Service, FIL Agrichemical
• Part Time Financial Administration, Harmer Parr Financial Planners
• Market Research Contract, Private Interests
• Junior Reporter, Oceansider Community News
• Frontline Sales, Greenpeace
• Business Developer, Bartercard NZ
• Bay of Plenty Marketing Representative, Hewlett Packard

The problem was full time study combined with working 30+hours a week, rather than proving a strong work ethic or general intelligence, indicated to potential employers a lack of loyalty or worse. Fours year study, did little to prove my discipline or perserverance, all it served was to get me on a level playing feild with every other graduate.

WorkNoWorKnow

It’s a conundrum that many students face.

• First we must choose either to Work Now which research shows will hinder future long-term prospects or
• Forego earnings and take on student debt in order to be in the “Know” and compete for jobs that require no more than a high school education.

On choosing the second option – education and the pursuit of knowledge – we still must Work Now to get by in more than survival mode. Yet in most cases the type of work we can get  – hospo, cleaning, labouring – does  almost nothing to reflect our true intelligence, or inherent talents.

And in some cases, like my own, even a series of respectable contract jobs can have negative connotations for employers, which begs the question; would I have been better to choose No Work over Work Now?

But of course if you choose the No Work option and elect to focus on study then when you step out in to the working world, which is where the education path leads for most people, you will lack the “work expereince” needed to land the jobs that you’ve studied so hard and long to attain. In the words of Tom Petty

Situation no win
Rush for a change of atmosphere

Work Study Transition

Of the three option 1) work or 2) study or 3) work and study it is easy to recommend that the best option, by far is #3

• Do try and find contract work relevant to your degree while studying so that you can gain the work expereince you need to apply your education out in the work force.
• If you can’t find paid work expereince, then volunteer with a company that interests you. Volunteering looks great on anyone’s CV and can open doors to work opportunities that are not advertised on seek, trademe jobs or student job search.

Employment is not our only option. Business creation, while higer risk is the much more rewarding alternative.

Here at WorkNow we encourage and support a more entrepreneurial work ethic. Whether you’re starting out and need work expereince or have honed your talent and skills and just need to connect with the right work opportunities, we can help. Register today with our talent community and foster your collective potential.