As the Bell Rings...
So, the summer is ending. That can only mean one thing: it's time to get ready for the first day of school. This will be my sixteenth first-day-of-school and all of the old fears/jitters are re-emerging. Will I make friends? Have I changed for the better since my summer adventures? And, "My textbooks are going to cost WHAT?!?"
But this fall has a different thematic element. It's my last school year before the big Jay-Oh-Bee. Sure, this summer has technically been a "job" as an intern, but when housing, food, social activities and 130+ peers are provided (in one hotel, nonetheless! Poor housekeeping...) it felt like an IH summer camp. School has been such a big part of my life, so how do I know that I'm ready for the "real world"? A PhD or more grad school is not out of the question... but when is it enough? Just because I have a MPH (or a B.S., for that matter), am I ready to contribute in a meaningful way? Wearing the IH hat helped this summer, as well as all the classes I've taken so far, but the job search is going to be a distraction...
So my question(well my main one), is how important is that first job decision? Students: how are you going to decide?
Comments
Personally, I don't think that the first job is all that critical. The key thing is to set your job up so that you are getting to a goal that you want to achieve. A CIH or a CSP are excellent career options, but you can't sit for the exam until you have enough full time experience.
You can always find a job, and it seems that people often come out and do something different than what they went to school for.
If you have a goal, then mold everything to it so that you achieve it.
Posted by: Shawn | August 26, 2008 11:01 PM
Wendy,
Try securing a job so that you can have some income and gain experience while you pursue your doctorate.
Experience is greatly valued in the job market.
Posted by: Bill | September 18, 2008 04:48 PM