Taking Risks with Habtom Ghile and Kaiya Healy
Sometimes it can seem like your career is out of your hands. It’s easy to feel like it’s up to luck, fate and being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes you may be faced with making a career decision that seems like a bit of a risk.., Enter “planned happenstance”, anapproach to your career management that involves following your interests, trying new things and taking action on an opportunity you might not have expected.
Moving for a Work Term
Habtom Ghile is a fourth-year Media Studies major in the Faculty of Arts, who is currently completing a work term as a Technical Marketing Analysis student with Blackberry in Waterloo, Ontario. Originally from Edmonton, moving across the country to do an internship was not something he expected and was definitely a scary decision to make. “It's easier said than done,“ he notes, “a lot of people like to stay close to home, because that's what they're familiar with.” He knew that it would be a challenge- “moving away and not being near my family was something that I had to adapt to…
I tried to make the best out of my situation.” It can be terrifying to pack up your life for a job you may or may not like. Will it be worth the risk? Habtom knew that it was worth a shot, “when it comes to building a career, especially in marketing, being in Ontario is one of the best places for it. When I got the job offer, I understood that there were some risks that had to be taken in order to land future opportunities. For Habtom, “it was part of the process.”
Networking
Moving not only opened Habtom’s eyes to a whole new world of career opportunities, it also introduced him to new people. With Waterloo being so close to Toronto “it makes it very easy for you to attend networking events in the city… you never know who you’ll meet.” Habtom understands how valuable this can be, and that “you may meet someone who can change your career forever.” The important part for him is making that decision, “to push yourself and put yourself in a position where that is able to happen.” That’s what taking action in Planned Happenstance is all about. Sometimes, taking a risk and putting yourself in the position to have chance encounters can change the trajectory of your career in ways you had not expected..
Habtom Ghile, fourth-year Media Studies major who completed a work term at Blackberry in Waterloo, Ontario
Habtom isn’t the only AWE student who sees the value in connection. Kaiya Healy, a second-year Media Studies student found her work term through connections. Originally, she was “trying to find something within Berlin” and was just “looking at media companies like animation, film, gaming, video photography companies” because those covered her main interests as a Media Studies major. Having such a specific goal ended up restricting her ability to seize opportunities.
Kaiya Healy, third-year Media Studies student who completed a work term at Studio 183 in Berlin, Germany
Kaiya was trying to find an internship through the International Work Experience (IWE) program and had to broaden her search to all of Germany. Eventually, through the power of connection and following her interests, it worked out. “I had help from someone from the International Abroad office who was searching for internships as well, '' Kaiya says. The Berlin liaison saved the day and got her a position as an E-commerce Manager at Studio 183 in Berlin, “because he had connections.” When it was presented to her she thought “sure, what can go wrong?” It ended up being an opportunity that was something she wasn’t expecting but an opportunity that helped solidify a lot of her transferable skills that ultimately became invaluable to her career journey.
Adaptability
For Kaiya, overcoming the challenge of moving abroad and adapting to a new culture allowed her to put her skills to the test. “I've always considered myself reasonably adaptable” she says, “but I feel like I proved myself that I can adapt to any situation.” Sometimes all it takes is a new challenge to build your confidence and prove your own skills to yourself. Being in a new country and not knowing anybody definitely helped with this, she notes that “my communication skills definitely improved, my active listening, having an open mind.” Ultimately, taking a huge risk and moving abroad helped Kaiya grow personally and professionally. She realized that “you’ve got to recognize what you're afraid of, the risk you're taking, the uncertainty of it and push through… you’ll probably come out more or less okay, and maybe even transformed.”
Final Thoughts
Taking risks in the most positive sense is all about following your interests, planning for the future and putting yourself out there. Taking risks doesn’t have to mean moving across the country or world for a job opportunity. It can also mean applying for a job that you don’t have a lot of experience for but would really love! It can also mean trying something new and developing new skills. Whatever risks you choose, in a way - it’s sort of like making your own luck and putting yourself in the position to receive those chance opportunities that can positively affect your career. Still considering taking a risk? Habtom and Kaiya said “just do it” - you never know what amazing opportunities might come out of doing the unexpected and scary thing.”
This article was written by Hannah Wiley, the 2023-24 Arts Work Experience Communications and Program Support Intern. Hannah is currently in her fourth year of her Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in English and minoring in Women's and Gender Studies. Hannah will be continuing her Communications work in summer 2024 at the Worker's Compensation Board - Alberta and is looking forward to returning to campus as a Career Peer Educator during the 2024-25 school year. She can't wait to graduate in 2025 and hopes to continue her education by pursuing graduate studies in the future.