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With the school year finishing up here at the London School of Economics, graduates are moving onto new careers and trying to determine their calling in life. Eager and ambitious, many look forward to getting big paychecks.
However, in addition to the ‘reach for the stars’ message we so often give graduates, I believe we need to encourage a sense of social responsibility – to suggest they use their newly learned skills to serve and better the world around them.
The LSE’s recent graduates will likely do very well; the average salary of an LSE student six months after leaving school is about $53,000. For the hard work they have done, they should be proud of themselves.
However, I feel concerned about how students feel pressured to get high-paying jobs. Many of them spend a few years working as investment bankers and then get burned out by what they feel is a meaningless rat race. Then they are at loose ends about what to do with themselves.
In contrast, the challenging but fulfilling experience of spending a year after graduation as a low-paid volunteer in Bosnia helped me learn ways I could carve out meaning and purpose in the workplace.
It forced me to confront my assumptions about the world. I found out about the tremendous difficulties of putting into practice the theories and ideas I had learned in school. It also talk me how to take care of myself in uncertain surroundings and how to bridge cultural differences in the workplace.
For adventurous new graduates, I would highly recommend this kind of experience. Go see a corner of world far from home, learn about its history and see one’s own culture through new eyes. Organizations like the Peace Corps offer great opportunities to do this, as does teaching English as a Second Language.
For students who for various reasons need to stay closer to home, one can still gain these experiences of service and adventure within the US. Working with AmeriCorps or non-profits one can put one’s knowledge to use in helping others. Likewise, education and health graduates can go work in schools and hospitals in disadvantaged areas.
Many students are afraid that by taking time to do this they are putting their career in jeopardy. However, I believe that through service one learns valuable skills that can be applied in a wide variety of settings. Linguistic and cross-cultural abilities are becoming increasingly important as America becomes more diverse. Dealing with unfamiliar or confusing situations imbue one with a confidence in one’s ability to handle life’s difficulties.
To all those of you who have recently finished your studies, a congratulations is in order. However, consider blazing an alternative trail to the one that plonks you down in a cubicle. Seek opportunities for adventure and service as you mull over your vocation and calling.
With the school year finishing up here at the London School of Economics, graduates are moving onto new careers and trying to determine their calling in life. Eager and ambitious, many look forward to getting big paychecks.
However, in addition to the ‘reach for the stars’ message we so often give graduates, I believe we need to encourage a sense of social responsibility – to suggest they use their newly learned skills to serve and better the world around them.
The LSE’s recent graduates will likely do very well; the average salary of an LSE student six months after leaving school is about $53,000. For the hard work they have done, they should be proud of themselves.
However, I feel concerned about how students feel pressured to get high-paying jobs. Many of them spend a few years working as investment bankers and then get burned out by what they feel is a meaningless rat race. Then they are at loose ends about what to do with themselves.
In contrast, the challenging but fulfilling experience of spending a year after graduation as a low-paid volunteer in Bosnia helped me learn ways I could carve out meaning and purpose in the workplace.
It forced me to confront my assumptions about the world. I found out about the tremendous difficulties of putting into practice the theories and ideas I had learned in school. It also talk me how to take care of myself in uncertain surroundings and how to bridge cultural differences in the workplace.
For adventurous new graduates, I would highly recommend this kind of experience. Go see a corner of world far from home, learn about its history and see one’s own culture through new eyes. Organizations like the Peace Corps offer great opportunities to do this, as does teaching English as a Second Language.
For students who for various reasons need to stay closer to home, one can still gain these experiences of service and adventure within the US. Working with AmeriCorps or non-profits one can put one’s knowledge to use in helping others. Likewise, education and health graduates can go work in schools and hospitals in disadvantaged areas.
Many students are afraid that by taking time to do this they are putting their career in jeopardy. However, I believe that through service one learns valuable skills that can be applied in a wide variety of settings. Linguistic and cross-cultural abilities are becoming increasingly important as America becomes more diverse. Dealing with unfamiliar or confusing situations imbue one with a confidence in one’s ability to handle life’s difficulties.
To all those of you who have recently finished your studies, a congratulations is in order. However, consider blazing an alternative trail to the one that plonks you down in a cubicle. Seek opportunities for adventure and service as you mull over your vocation and calling.
