{"id":1573,"date":"2020-10-23T09:00:10","date_gmt":"2020-10-23T16:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=1573"},"modified":"2024-08-13T13:02:27","modified_gmt":"2024-08-13T20:02:27","slug":"prep-for-your-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/prep-for-your-career\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get ready for your next career move while you\u2019re still earning your degree"},"content":{"rendered":"

Four ways to prepare for your next career move<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s one question you\u2019ve probably gotten from your family and friends since you started telling people you were pursuing your degree online.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what\u2019s next?”<\/p>\n

It might fill you with hope, dread or a mixture of the two, but one thing is for sure: It\u2019s best to have a plan.<\/p>\n

We caught up with Oregon State University alumna, Olivia Mercie Langley, to discuss how she forged her path to a successful career after earning her bachelor\u2019s degree in digital communication arts<\/a>, a program delivered online by OSU Ecampus. Langley, an account manager for the design firm Modo, Inc., had some pretty great tips. Her advice boiled down into four simple action items:<\/p>\n

Find your focus<\/h3>\n

By earning a digital communication arts degree, Olivia was able to define her own path, but she kept one eye on the future when selecting elective courses. She found courses that fed into each other and helped her create a vision for what came next.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to be in tune with what exactly you want to get out of your classes,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Explore your passions<\/h3>\n

\u201cDuring my time at Oregon State, I did my best to diversify the communities I was involved in,\u201d Olivia says. She found involvement opportunities that resonated with her values and made her r\u00e9sum\u00e9 stand out when she decided to advance her career.<\/p>\n

For you, this could include joining student clubs<\/a>, engaging in research projects or pursuing an internship. Ultimately, involvement outside of the virtual classroom provides an opportunity to set yourself apart from other job applicants after you complete your degree.<\/p>\n

Network, network, network<\/h3>\n

You\u2019ve probably heard this one before, but Olivia makes a great point: \u201cNetworking can be about friendships and finding commonalities with the people you work with or meet.\u201d By building relationships around shared interests, you\u2019re able to turn to those connections when determining the next step in your career path. Olivia also suggests that you \u201ckeep in touch with instructors whose course content resonates with you\u201d when you\u2019re building your network.<\/p>\n

Keep asking questions<\/h3>\n

When preparing for what comes after earning your degree, Olivia suggests asking, \u201cHow can I be a valuable resource for a company that might hire me?\u201d<\/p>\n

And, keep that learning mindset long after you\u2019ve finished your degree. \u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to ask an employer about professional development opportunities that will continue your education,\u201d says Olivia.<\/p>\n

Always consider what you can do to make yourself more well-rounded in your field and grow into the role you want next.<\/p>\n

Olivia\u2019s DCA degree has helped her hone her leadership skills in a growing industry. And, through quality coursework and an OSU network, she\u2019s proof that earning a degree can lead to the meaningful career of your dreams.<\/p>\n

Get started. Learn more about earning your digital communication arts degree online.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Request information today.<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 2<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>Meet Olivia Mercie Langley, a digital communication arts graduate and a wealth of professional tips and tricks. Olivia shares four tips to help you prepare for your next career move while you’re earning your degree. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":1574,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[685,1,6,672,657,677,8],"tags":[639,583,30],"class_list":["post-1573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advancing-your-career","category-all","category-ecampus","category-learning-experience","category-resources","category-students-and-alumni","category-students","tag-business-and-communications","tag-digital-communication-arts","tag-student-success"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Olivia-Langley-header.jpg?fit=744%2C436&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-pn","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1615,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/value-college-degree\/","url_meta":{"origin":1573,"position":0},"title":"How earning a degree impacts career earnings and value","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"October 19, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Earning a bachelor\u2019s degree is a badge of honor. 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