One of the many sessions I attended at the NAFSA conference was “The Young and the Restless,” a panel of young professionals discussing issues of being a young professional in international education. A rundown of a few worthwhile points from the session:
- Establish a network of peers and mentors: this is not only beneficial for your career but also helps keep you from reinforcing a negative stereotype of millenials as know-it-alls
- A sense of entitlement about salary will get you nowhere—”it will take you awhile to get to a decent salary in this field,” said one presenter. I agree with both of these points (unfortunately the latter is often true), but I also cringe when I hear them, as I worry that they reinforce the perception that, when you’re working in these fields (and especially for nonprofits), you’re obligated to accept the salary that’s offered, no matter how pitiful. While none of us are in this work to get rich, I would argue (and have argued, actually) that you still have every right to lobby for yourself when it comes to suitable compensation.
- Get involved with NAFSA and other professional development opportunities. (If this NAFSA conference was any indication, associations definitely give you access to an overwhelming world of contacts and organizations and career possibilities.)
- Multiple and diverse international experiences will give you an advantage. (Although as one presenter also noted, “‘I studied abroad and loved it!’ isn’t enough to get you a job.”)
- Get a grad degree. (Sherry’s and my take on the necessity of getting an MA a few graphs down in this post.)
Finally, there was a lengthy discussion of “job jumping,” a conversation that’s been had here before as well. The panel brought up an ever present question for young professionals: “How long do I need to stay in any particular job?” One slightly older man in the audience made the comment that it’s better to pass up an opportunity to move to a new job in order to stay in a place 3-4 years so you’re not perceived as a job jumper. I found this to be overly simplistic and was moved to chime in with another perspective: if you’re languishing in a job that you don’t like, aren’t learning anything from, and don’t see going anywhere, there’s no reason to stay for longer just because, especially if you have a better opportunity where you can learn and move forward.
But as my friend and former grad school classmate Susie said, “Of course it all depends”—on the particular timing, the particular jobs, the particulars of your life. I like her overall assesment, though: “Sometimes you have to go with your gut and seize those open door opportunities when you find them, even if it seems risky.”
Tags: NAFSA
