Speed dating with a career twist
Remember being a student and wondering what the real world would be like? The prospect of snagging a good job after graduation and developing a satisfying career likely seemed mysterious and possibly a little daunting.
Enter Concordia’s Advancement and Alumni Relations, which brings graduates and students together for its career speed networking event as part of the university’s Homecoming celebrations each fall.
The perennial favourite has transformed the speed dating formula into a networking experience that allows students to question alumni from a variety of professions on what it’s really like to labour in any given field.
“I find students really motivated,” said Michael O’Brien, MA 10, a philosophy graduate who now co-manages a yoga studio. “I really enjoyed the last mentoring event and I generally like to keep a hand in Concordia.”
His advice to students? “Get involved in extra-curricular activities to help develop soft skills that will be useful in the workplace. Regardless of the program of study, higher education allows students to learn how to research, prioritize, figure things out —skills that transfer across all fields of employment.”
Mentor Sherin Al-Safadi, a Concordia University Alumni Association board member who returned to Concordia to pursue a PhD in neuroscience, was also impressed with mentees.
“Quite a few students are at the beginning of their degree, planning strategically with an end goal in mind — it shows their maturity and motivation,” said Al-Safadi, who has a background in science and pharmacology and an MBA from Concordia’s John Molson School of Business.
Anthropology student Dina Bakalova hopes to work in theatre design. With one degree under her belt from her native Bulgaria, she is supplementing her studies to stand out in a competitive market. She found it helpful to explore possibilities through conversation s with different mentors.
Mentor Deirdre Potash, BFA 82, who has been teaching art for more than three decades at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, runs her own art education business.
Her best piece of advice to students? “If you’re going to work 40 hours per week at something, make it something you love.”
As for why she volunteers for the speed networking event, she said: “I want to give back and help in a way that’s relevant by sharing my knowledge.”
Related links
• Concordia Mentor Program
• Concordia’s Advancement and Alumni Relations student programs