Caitlin Zhang has been learning as much as she can about finding her first job. The fourth-year student, who will convocate in June, has been sharing her job search journey and all the advice she receives in the Econ Job Search Podcast. In this episode, she speaks with class of 2023 alumna Alyssa Nurse. The economics and political science graduate is currently an IPA specialist at CIBC Mellon.
Internships, networking, and extracurricular activities are all part of this discussion. It’s not a matter of checking all the boxes, Alyssa cautioned, finding a workplace and a position that’s right for you will consider the experiences you have had and the choices you’ve made. The challenge is to match experiences with the skills and assets outlined in the job description!
That’s one of the topics of this week’s Q & A with Caitlin about this episode.
Department of Economics: Alyssa tells your listeners not to worry if they don’t have internships, or other kinds of work placements because there are so many ways to gain life and career experience. What have you learned about describing your own experience for job interviews that you’d like to share?
Caitlin Zhang: I remember from one of my interviews last year that I didn’t have the exact skill set the interviewers mentioned, but I thought it would be terrible to admit that, so I talked about some unrelated work experience instead. Looking back now, I realize that the willingness and ability to learn can be more important, and it’s okay to admit if you don’t meet all the criteria
DOE: First jobs may not look like dream jobs at first, but they are stepping stones to new kinds of learning and finding new opportunities. What kind of unexpected opportunities are you encountering in your own job search?
CZ: Alyssa mentioned that there are often many opportunities and side projects you can take on within a company, not just the tasks assigned to you. Having this first work opportunity also allows us to discover new potential within ourselves. As for unexpected opportunities during job search, I haven’t met many, but I am always trying to keep an open mind.
DOE: Can we check in on your own job search now? How is it going?
CZ: I’m still maintaining a positive mindset and not rushing to decide which industry, company, or position to pursue. Instead, I’m taking the time to explore my interests. Since many areas still interest me, I want to reflect on how I can get involved and gain some experience in those fields.
Want more econ job search advice? Catch up on episode one, two and three.
Return to the Department of Economics website.
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