“Follow your curiosity into the job where you think you’ll learn most.” - Angela Duckworth on Adam Grant’s WorkLife podcast episode “The perils of following your career passion.”
“What am I going to do with my life after college graduation?” That’s a big question. Maybe, instead, the approach should be, “What do I want to learn about myself and career opportunities after college graduation?”
I first came across the “don’t follow your passion” idea in this Scientific American article that states,
“Rather than seek the one job or career path that ignites our passion, we should invest meaningfully in different interests and work to cultivate a passion in one or more fields. By this view, interests are nurtured over time, not discovered overnight.”
I couldn’t agree more.
When soon-to-be college grads come by my office for career advice, they are often ridden with anxiety and fear for the future. “I just want to have a career that allows me to make a difference.” “What if I end up doing something I’m not passionate about?” “I’m under pressure to find the right ‘fit’ after graduation.” is what so many of my students tell me. And I hear them loud and clear.
However, I believe society has given us the wrong idea of what it means to “follow your passion” into the workplace, especially for college graduates entering the field. And, especially for the students I mentor: Those interested in PR, advertising and corporate communications where the career field is dynamic and ambiguous. More often than not, my former students who have been in the field for three to five years find their ‘fit’ in roles they didn’t even know existed.
To college students applying and interviewing for internships or jobs, consider this a time of self-discovery.
Learn Consider your first internship or post-grad job as an opportunity to learn more about the field, and what you’re good (and not good) at.
Job titles and roles Accept a position not based on the job title or job description, but on the opportunities you’ll have to add impactful work to your portfolio.
Finding your ‘fit’ Think about culture fit instead. This means taking a careful look at how things are done around the organization where you’re interviewing. When you’re at your interview, take a look around to see how employees interact with one another. Ask those you’re interviewing with how they would describe the company culture. And, one of my favorite questions to ask in an interview, “What keeps you coming back to work here every day?”
Professional relationships One of the best decisions I made early on in my career was accepting a job because I knew the person I would report directly to was top-notch in the field: Smart, strategic, and confident. Before accepting a job, try to get a good sense of the management and mentorship style of your potential boss.
Making a difference Oftentimes, what you do day-to-day at your future place of employment does make a positive difference, but indirectly. Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. It’s important to take a step back and evaluate how what you’re doing at a smaller scale is helping your company to accomplish larger things. It’s equally as important to pursue interests outside of work, too. What you do at work doesn’t define you.
Bottom line: “Following your passion” and “finding your calling” is often a romanticized view of this next stage of life, potentially limiting your career opportunities after graduation. Be curious and allow for this to be a time of self-discovery and pursuit of career understanding.