Students

Richard used to feel as if his only options upon graduation were either teaching or law. However, his first term working for the Ubyssey taught him otherwise – that he could get paid for taking photographs!

Richard graduated from UBC in 1997 with a BA in Political Science (major) and History (minor). He decided to concentrate on these subject areas out of genuine interest and planned to apply his studies towards a career in teaching.

As a second year Arts student, he was worried about job prospects with his degree, especially since many of his friends were graduating from BCIT with specific job training. He felt his only options were teaching or law. However, his first term working for the Ubyssey taught him otherwise – that he could get paid for being a photographer!

From second year onwards, Richard became increasingly involved with the Ubyssey, first as a volunteer and then in a paid position as Photo Editor. He also joined the Photo Club and became involved with intramural sports.

Aside from his on-campus involvement, he further clarified his career goals by interviewing and talking with other freelance photographers. These combined experience helped to better prepare him for a career in the journalism industry. He is now the sole proprietor of his Freelance Photography business and the main freelancer in BC for the Canadian Press.

If you are interested in pursuing a similar career path, Richard suggests refining your photography skills, getting feedback from professionals, learning business sense, and getting involved with a student newspaper or Photo Club.

Why did you choose UBC?

It was the local or ‘home’ school. I got into other universities, but UBC replied first, and it made the most sense practically.

When did you start post-secondary education?

1992, the September following high school graduation.

When did you graduate from UBC?

1997, I took five years to complete my degree. Some terms I took four or five courses, and in others I took three.

How did you choose your major?

I stumbled into it. I took classes my friends were taking, and I had an interest in government and politics. I chose history as a minor in third year when I thought I was interested in Education. I needed to have a concentration in a teachable subject of study, so History fit with my thoughts of being a Social Sciences high school teacher at that time.

Did you ever change your mind about your Major/Minor?

Yes, I also had an interest in landscape architecture, but at that point I decided it was too late, and that I was too far along in my degree to change and start over again. There would have been lots of required courses and I would have had to go back into first year, and I didn’t want to do that.

Why did you decide to major in the subjects you chose?

I had a genuine interest in the subjects, so I took the courses that I liked.

Did you have an idea of what you would do after graduation?

Yes, I thought of law and education, but then started doing photography as a volunteer at the Ubyssey and loved it. After my first term of working at the student paper, I realized I could get paid for doing this and I wanted to pursue my dream.

Why did you think of Law and Education?

I had been a counselor in teen youth groups and coached hockey, so I thought I might enjoy being a high school teacher. I thought of law as being a good stepping-stone to being employed in a company’s upper management.

Many arts students seem to consider those same options, thinking that those are the only professional options that exist for BA grads. Was this a factor for you too?

Yes, especially after second year, I was worried. I had only worked in construction and I had no sales or marketing experience anywhere. I thought "what next?"

My sister went back to school after working as a bank teller, finished her degree and went back to a job as a bank teller with a degree. I believed that an Arts degree was worth something, but I didn’t know what.

What were your other interests in high school? University?

Photography was always at the back of my mind, but I never pursued it in high school. I enjoyed hockey, and hoped to land a sports scholarship that would put me through university, but it didn’t work out.

Were you involved in any extra-curricular activities while at UBC?

I did some intramural sports and got into photography by joining the Photo Club.

If so, how did you choose those activities?

I liked to play hockey and be active…the Photo Club became the basis of my social life while at UBC, especially after third year when I volunteered and then worked at the Ubyssey.

Did involvement in activities help you gain experience or skills that helped you to find or secure your current job?

Yes, absolutely! All of my learning was on the job. There was no formal training, all hands-on experience, and being involved has been the key.

It was through the Photo Club that another club member encouraged me to volunteer at the Ubyssey, which was a great experience. My friend also prompted me to apply for the job of Photo Editor when it came up at the Ubyssey and I took his advice and applied for and got the job.

Was volunteering a factor in getting hired there?

Yes, it was the turning point. I wouldn’t have been qualified otherwise, they knew me and knew my work, and I was right there when they needed someone.

Did you ever feel afraid or worried about what kind of career or work you could find with a BA?

Yes! Especially early on because many of my friends went to BCIT, which is a focused job training institution. These friends were finished after two years and looking for work as I was just heading into 3^rd year. It was around that time though, that I got more involved in photography and the rest is history.

Did you plan to be where you are now career-wise?

No, not when I first started. After I graduated, I learned what it takes to be a freelance photographer. I knew it would be a small business and I decided to go for it and give myself three years to make it.

How important were your grades in terms of landing your current job?

Not important. I learned very quickly that an Arts degree is not like an Engineering degree, for example, where grades are very important to employers. No one had ever asked me in a job interview or work setting what kind of grades I got in university. Just having the degree completed was useful.

What is your job title?

Freelance Photographer.

What other job titles have you had leading up to this one?

Photo Editor at the Ubyssey. Before that, I was a volunteer photographer and before that I had been a laborer.

Can you give me an overview of your job description and some of the day-to-day tasks?

I do corporate photography and specialize in Editorial work, but you name it, I’ll shoot it. As I’m the sole proprietor of the business, there’s also lots of computer work, business skills, paperwork, negotiation skills, self-promotion, and cold calling. I use the Internet a lot to research and find contacts who might be interested in my work.

Do you think you developed any of these skills as an Arts student?

Yes, the BA taught me how to think imaginatively and independently, to use creativity and stay self-motivated.

What aspects of the job are most important and satisfying to you?

Variety. I do something different every day. Sometimes I know I have upcoming work months in advance. Sometimes it’s literally minute by minute or day by day. I’m okay with the uncertainty.

What aspects are least satisfying to you?

At the beginning, not knowing when the next paycheck would be. Rejection was also more difficult in the beginning.

How long have you been in business?

1999 to 2004. After graduation I continued at the Ubyssey for one more year and took English 301, a business and technical writing course that was very useful and practical.

How did you support yourself at the beginning?

I was still living at home, and received $500 stipend for working at the Ubyssey, but my parents’ help was important. Three years ago, in 2001, I secured an agreement with Canadian Press as their main freelancer in BC.

They have only one staff member in Vancouver, who I serve as back-up for. When he’s called away out of town or on vacation, I have guaranteed work. It’s been my main bread-and-butter for the last three years. Although there’s only work when there’s news that sparks national attention.

How did you land this agreement?

Persistence. The guy who was doing this job previously moved on to the Province Newspaper, so I called the staff photographer and pestered him until he agreed to meet with me. I bought a digital camera and was working within a few days after that.

If there were some aspects of the job you could change, what would they be?

More job security, benefits, vacation pay.

Did you know before you started the job what it would be like?

Yes. My father is self-employed as a Chartered Accountant, so I knew the benefits and drawbacks right away of being your own boss. No medical or dental, no set vacation. He helped me to learn the paperwork side too!

How did you do your research?

I interviewed and talked to other freelance photographers. There weren’t many mentors really, but I met with people after school for coffee to talk about what I was getting myself into. That was quite helpful.

I am now a mentor for the Ubyssey staff and volunteers because I never had one and it would have been easier if I had.

What salary range could most BA graduates expect in this field?

$30,000 -$40,000 per annum, but it can be higher or lower depending on how much hustling you do and what type of photography you do. Many paparazzi earn six figures. For me, as an Editorial specialist, I’m not rich but I’m happy.

What would you recommend that students interested in this field do while in school to better their chances of finding work in this field?

Refine your photography skills, learn business sense, and get involved with a student newspaper or UBC Photo Club. Just be taking lots of pictures and, most importantly, ask for feedback.

Be pro-active, show your work, and ask professionals for feedback. I went to a photographers’ conference and got help, and the business manager at the Ubyssey newspaper was really helpful too.

What is the worst thing a student could do?

Be lazy and unmotivated. Just going to classes and not getting involved. Not being willing to grow and stretch limits. Stagnancy shows up and really stands out in photography.

Looking back, is there anything you would do differently while at university?

The thing I kick myself over is not getting involved earlier in Photo Club. I knew I liked taking pictures as a kid, but in high school I didn’t have time to get seriously involved.

Photo Club was great, it had a low annual membership fee, I met more people who had a common interest, got more information, took pictures, learned along the way, and then started getting paid for it.

Any advice to current students?

Find a focus or niche, develop it, and work hard at it. The job market can be competitive, so seize opportunities as they can go by quickly.

In my case, I had graduated and signed up at Loyalist College in Belleville Ontario for a photojournalist diploma. But when the opportunity at Canadian Press came up I jumped on it and left the program only three weeks after it started to sign on.

What I learned in that few weeks of photojournalism college was that I already had the skills I needed to make it on my own and that the course material was redundant.

This really helped boost my confidence because I had already developed the skills through my Bachelor’s degree and my volunteer and paid work experience. All that I needed to do next was believe in my goal and make it happen.

Taking advantage of each opportunity, Anne carved a path out for herself, creating positions that had previously never existed.

Anne graduated from UBC in 1990 with a BA in Political Science. She developed an interest in history and politics from her father, so Political Science always felt like a natural fit. Aside from her studies, Anne played intramural volleyball and soccer and loved to spend time socializing with her friends in residence and at the Pit.

Before working with Ovarian Cancer Canada, Anne held many positions including Media and Events Coordinator for the Injury Prevention Centre at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) as well as a position developing Media Relations for Muscular Dystrophy Canada. She says she wasn’t sure which career path to follow after graduation but through her various jobs was able to figure out what she liked to do and how to do it.

As Manager of Awareness for Ovarian Cancer Canada, Anne is in charge of media relations and works closely with members of the media as well as advertising agencies to build awareness surrounding the needs and goals of her organization.

She suggests that students looking for a career in media relations capitalize on networking opportunities by volunteering for the organization or company they are interested in working with.

What is your current job title?

Manager of Awareness for Ovarian Cancer Canada

What previous positions led you to this one?

• Corporate and Media Relations Development for Western Canada for Muscular Dystrophy Canada;
• Coordinator of Safe-start Injury Prevention Program at Children’s Hospital;
• Media and Events Coordinator for BC Injury Prevention Centre out of Vancouver General Hospital;
• Marketing Representative for McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada (found in the student employment centre on UBC Campus)

How did you find and secure your current job?

By word of mouth from a former colleague at Children’s Hospital who mentioned to me Ovarian Cancer Canada was hiring. Many of the positions I’ve had are the result of networking. The types of people who recommend you tend to know where you will fit so it works out well.

What is your job description?

This organization is really small, but has recently received funding to expand. My role is to develop an organized national awareness plan in order to increase membership and support.

Can you give me an overview of a typical work day?

I handle media relations. For example, I send out press releases for upcoming events and I handle general questions from the media regarding the organization’s position on specific issues. Recently, I have been working with ad agencies and other experts who assist me in making decisions regarding how to approach specific audiences.

What aspects of your job are most important and satisfying?

The fact that I believe in what I am doing and passionate about it is very satisfying. Throughout my career I have always excelled when I believe I am making a difference. Some people go to work and do their job regardless, but I really need to believe in it. I feel it is important for anyone considering this field.
If they really believe in the cause, other people are going to pick up on it.

Another satisfying aspect about my job is being able to do something like a media interview or getting a story out there that saves somebody’s life. At the end of the day, you go home and feel like you’ve actually made a difference and that’s very satisfying.

What aspects are least satisfying?

I don’t really fit well into the 9 to 5 box. I’ve always loved to be independent because sometimes I’ll get inspiration at night and I’ll be at work until 8.

If there’s anything you could change about your job, what would it be?

No, this job is great. It’s a small group environment and I really enjoy that.

Before you started did you know what the job would be like?

No. But every single job that I’ve had, I was hired to create something that didn’t exist. At McDonald’s, I created a brand new community marketing program. It had never been done before, so we started from scratch. I’ve never been hired into an existing role to continue where someone left off. It’s interesting. I enjoy the challenge.

How did research your current position and organization?

A colleague of mine at Children’s Hospital told me a little bit about the position. She knows me really well over a couple of years so I had a good feeling about it.

Also my Grandmother died of Ovarian Cancer so I knew it was something I would be passionate about. Up until last July, there was only one person running the organization.

What salary range could a BA graduate expect in this field?

I would say a manager of a fairly small charity could expect to make from $40,000 – 45,000. If you’re trying to break in, you’re probably looking to start around $32,000 – 38,000.

What would you recommend that students interested in this field do while they’re in school to better their chances of finding work?

If you are interested in something, go check it out yourself. Originally I wanted work in the media, so I volunteered as an intern at CTV news. After that experience, I realized that I didn’t really like working in the media.

Try to volunteer at the charities where you’d like to work. It’s not always easy but if you can get in, you are going to meet the people that will do the hiring.

Co-op programs are also a great opportunity. Even if it’s not a lucrative position in the short term, it may be a really valuable networking experience.

What skills from your Arts degree helped you to create or find your current job?

Writing essays was great practice. Being able to take a lot of information and condense it into something manageable is a valuable skill. You also learn a lot of discipline at university. There’s a lot of pressure and it’s not always easy to juggle your social life and school work.

An Arts degree is great because it gives you a solid foundation. Being a generalist can be a pretty marketable thing; I would recommend going beyond that and taking advantage of post-graduate opportunities.

Is this a job that someone with a BA could easily do?

It’s a job that anyone can do if they are passionate about it, really believed in the cause, and have the right skill sets.

Why did you choose UBC?

I was born and raised in the interior and came from a very small town. But there was no question that I was going to UBC. It is an elite school and has a residential program so I was able to live on campus.

When did you start your post-secondary education?

Immediately after high school.

How did you choose a major?

My father was a Grade 12 history teacher and was passionate about history and politics. I was exposed to a lot of that growing up. So by the time I got to UBC, I was really interested and it was a natural fit. I gravitated towards 20th century American history because I was always fascinated about American government and culture.

Did you ever change your mind about your Major?

I started out in History and switched to Political Science. It just sounded better. Looking back, it was kind of a superficial decision.

Have you taken any post-graduate courses?

When I went to work at the Children’s Hospital – I took a week-long course at the Health Policy Research Institute. I needed to learn the specifics around research into injuries and population health.

I also needed to get specific training so I could talk with people in the industry. If there is a specific area that the organization focuses on and you don’t have any expertise, there are plenty of places to go and get some basic training.

Did you have an idea of what to do career-wise after graduation?

Not really, one of the reasons I chose Arts was so I would have some options.

What did you think your options were as a graduate with a BA?

I didn’t really know where I was going to end up. And I don’t think that everyone should know when they’re 20. The people I know who have been really successful never knew what they wanted to do. I think if you do what you like to do you will end up doing well.

Have any faculty or staff members influenced you along the way?

One of my history professors was hugely influential because he was so passionate about what he was teaching. He influenced me from a presentation perspective.

Another influence was a woman I met while I was working on the sports paper who taught me editing and basic skills to use around the media.

What were your non-academic interests in high school and university?

I played competitive classical piano throughout elementary and high school. I actually competed at UBC!

What extracurricular activities were you involved in while at UBC?

I was quite involved in intramural sports at UBC; volleyball and soccer. And I went to the Pit. (laughs)

How did you choose these activities?

The people on my floor in residence encouraged me to sign up for a lot of activities. Had I lived at home, I wouldn’t have had the same experience. And I’m still great friends with a lot of the people I lived with in residence.

Has your involvement helped you to gain experience or skills transferable to your current job?

I was pretty shy when I first came to school. I didn’t have big groups of friends or anything like that. So I think the biggest gift UBC gave me was the opportunity to meet all sorts of different people and come out of my shell. I left UBC with way better communication and teamwork skills than I had in high school.

Were you ever worried or afraid about what kind of work was available after graduating with a BA?

Oh yeah. I think we all are. I thought I wasn’t going to have a job and didn’t know what I was going to do. I’ve found that the economy can be a huge issue too. If you’re coming out of school at a time when there are no jobs it’s going to be a lot harder.

So, as a student, you can’t beat yourself up and say that you don’t have a job because you’re not good enough. When you see an opportunity to get out there and get some work, you have to pursue it.

What steps brought you to your current career?

1. I got a mentor.
2. I made a big point of asking for help. I wasn’t afraid of going to my boss and saying “I don’t know how to do this.”
3. I made sure that I got involved with big organizations. There were lots of opportunities to work for smaller ones, but I went for one that had good credentials, a lot of potential, or somebody in the organization I thought was going to be able to teach me a lot. The only reason I am here is because of the caliber of the organizations I have worked with over the years.

Did you plan to be where you are now career-wise?

Not until half-way through my career at Children’s Hospital did I realize this was really what I liked to do. It took a while for me to figure out where I wanted to go and how I was going to do it.

How important were grades in terms of landing your current job?

Not at all, which is good because while I was at UBC I focused a lot of time on extracurricular activities. Of course I had to work hard, but I wanted to make sure that I had fun as well. In my job I rely a lot on flair and confidence which are skills I was able to pick up from socializing and networking.

What is the worst thing a student could do with respect to working in this field?

Don’t be cocky. It’s not a good idea to push yourself and your opinions too hard onto others until you have some experience under your belt. Then you can say, “Well I have the experience, and therefore I’m going to say this.”

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently while at UBC?

If I could do it over again, I would have done an international internship somewhere. I would encourage anyone to do that.

I didn’t really plan well when I got in either. I never took the time to sit down with anyone and plan out my courses. I would never do that kind of thing now.

Also, I might have gone back sooner and done an MBA. I think once you’ve been out of it for a long time, it becomes very difficult to go back.

How did two UBC film grads get their own television series after graduation? By doing what they love most: filming and playing road hockey. Mark McGuckin (BA ’04 Film Production) and Calum MacLeod (BA ’03 Film and TV Studies) — co-hosts, writers, and creative producers of “Road Hockey Rumble” — take their love of the game across Canada.

Susie thought that a BA would only ever be stepping stone to more education – a Master’s degree or Law school – so she never expected that her BA alone would land her a great job.

Susie graduated from UBC with a BA in Psychology in 1995 with a wide variety of interests in life, but with no specific idea of what she wanted to do with her degree.

During her four years at university, she worked as a barber apprentice at her mother’s barbershop and joined Phrateries (a club for women), which provided her with a stronger sense of community.

After graduating, she considered applying to a law or counseling program because she thought that a degree in psychology would be a good springboard for either career. After conducting several informational interviews with professionals in both fields, she realized that they were not as appealing as she had imagined.

Instead, she decided to take time off and travel to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. Both her barbershop and travelling experiences helped her to clarify her career goals and get to know herself better.

When she returned from abroad, she completed a Diploma of Technology program in Marketing and Communications at BCIT, which launched her into a career as an Advertising Account Executive.

Despite the perks that this job offered, ultimately she found it to be unfulfilling work. After hiring a coach to help further clarify what she really wanted out of life and work, Susie finally found work that was meaningful to her.

She experienced such incredible personal and professional value from her coach that she decided she wanted to provide such a service for others. She is now a Certified Professional Coach working with people to discover and achieve what they really want in life.

If you are interested in this line of work, she suggests researching it, hiring your own coach, and reading everything you can get your hands on!

What is your current job title?

Certified Professional Coach

What were your job titles leading up to this one?

Licensed Barber, Advertising Account Executive

How did you find and land your current job?

While I was in advertising I began feeling that my job really didn’t matter in the big picture of life, in spite of being promoted three times and making pretty good money.

I found it all pretty empty and unfulfilling. So I hired myself a professional coach to help me pinpoint what it was I really wanted, and that’s how I discovered coaching as a meaningful profession.

I had started at the ad agency in 1998 and left in 2001, although I actually started coaching clients in 2000 part-time. Actually, it was my coach who challenged me to ask the CEO of my ad agency to pay for an introductory coaching course, which I did. He surprised me by saying ‘yes’, so I was fortunate enough to explore the training without having to invest my own money, and I loved it.

At that point, I thought I’d continue the training more to develop myself as a person – I wasn’t looking at it as a business thing, so I paid for all the remaining courses myself. Eventually it became my full-time occupation and I’m now the sole proprietor of a company of one.

Can you give me an overview of your job description?

I help people:

1. Get clear on what it is they really want;
2. Uncover the obstacles and self-imposed limitations that stand in their way to achieving what it is they really want and feeling the way they really want to feel, and;
3. Get into action to start to create the results they are seeking.

Essentially, coaching is about helping people get out of their own way to get what they most want: achievement, fulfillment, and peace of mind.

Can you give me an overview of the day-to-day tasks that you do?

I answer email, change my phone message, get organized for client sessions, (which are usually between one and five per day – I typically spend half an hour on the phone with each client or if it’s a new client it will be two hours in person), marketing and networking activities, reading, educating myself, and administrative work such as invoicing and maintaining my website information.

In a nutshell, it’s two main things: work with clients and self-educate.

What aspects of your job are most important and satisfying to you?

The one-on-one work with people; expanding human potential is my passion. I love talking, connecting, and helping people to get what they really want out of life.

What aspects are least satisfying to you?

Marketing myself/ self-promoting. I dislike having to get clients, although I can sell anything that isn’t the point – a client’s got to really want to change and be prepared to do the work it takes to change.

Some people mistakenly believe coaching is cheerleading. Currently there are many people out there who are now calling themselves coaches, which is creating some misunderstandings in the market place.

If there’s anything you could change about your job, what would it be?

I’d like to continually have clients; be more stable, more consistent. It’s a slow process – people will hire me when they believe that what I do will bring substantial value to their businesses and lives.

Therefore my number one job right now is to build my reputation so that it precedes me and so my "brand" stands for trust, integrity, and providing outstanding client value.

Before you started did you know what the job what it would be like?

Yes. As a result of having worked with a coach for approx. 1.5 years prior to becoming one, as well as through my courses and formal training, I knew what was basically involved in this career choice.

I was familiar also with being my own boss, because in my advertising job I didn’t have anyone watching me or telling me what to do each day. I am pretty self-motivated and actually prefer to run my own show.

How did you do your research?

The Coaches Training Institute set me up pretty well to not expect an overnight ‘business boom’ – as with any business, it generally takes between three to five years to get established.

From my previous experience of working with a coach, I knew about the lifestyle, and from my background in advertising I knew the importance of having a website and effective promotion. In other words, I knew what needed to be done, which is entrepreneurship.

For me, it’s always been apparent what I need to do to make something work once I’m clear on what I want. I believe that’s true for everyone – the clearer we are, the more successful we are, because we can then effectively harness our time and energy.

What salary range could most BA graduates expect in this field?

That totally depends on what you put into it. The rates range form $50.00 per hour to $350.00 + per hour, but again, it depends on how hard you work, your target niche, and whether your client base is corporate/senior management or private individuals and students.

Also, it depends on your reputation, how people find out about you, and your networking contacts and affiliates. The range can really be anywhere from $20,000 to $300,000 per year.

What would you recommend that students interested in this field do while they’re in school to better their chances of finding work in this field?

Research it and hire your own coach because there’s nothing like direct experience to find out where you want to go.

Also, don’t do it just for money – do it because you love human nature and believe in the potential of people. Read everything you can get your hands on. For a list of books I highly recommend, visit the resource section of my website.

Also, check out the Coaches Training Institute (CTI) community. It meets the third Thursday of every month at the Centre for Peace in Vancouver. Also, the International Coaches Federation (ICF), which is our regulatory body, meets the last Thursday of every month and we bring in speakers, talk about obstacles, our work with clients, and so on.

Why did you choose UBC?

Because of the prestige and recognition a degree from UBC afforded career-opportunity-wise. UBC is a reputable university that I thought would help me to springboard into the next career/educational step.

I also wanted to stay in Vancouver because I had a good job working with my mom in her barbershop in West Vancouver and I needed to work while I was studying.

When did you start your post-secondary education?

I entered UBC’s Faculty of Arts directly after finishing high school in 1991.

When did you graduate from UBC?

1995. I went straight through, taking the summers off to work so that I could pay for school. I also spent one summer on exchange at Laval University in Quebec to learn French.

Did you ever change your mind about your major?

Yes, I really had no idea what I wanted to do. In first and second year I took anything I was interested in: biology, political science, philosophy, psychology.
I spoke to a counselor at UBC at one point too, who suggested I do a General BA because my interests were so broad and I wanted to maximize my opportunities.

However, because psychology and the study of human nature was the only subject that really held my interest, I decided in third year to major in it.

Did you have an idea of what to do career-wise after graduation?

I thought I’d apply to go into law or counseling. I thought that a BA in psychology would be useful as a springboard into law, especially as I had taken more general courses in history and political science as well. And, it would also allow me the option of pursuing a master’s in counseling.

What were your non-academic interests in high school and university?

I danced for years until Grade 11. I even went to a special school in Grade 10 that allowed me to attend school from 8:00 to 11:00 am so that I spent the rest of the day dancing, but I realized that I didn’t want to pursue it further into a career.

Otherwise, working, going to the gym/exercising, and spending time with family and friends were what I did when I wasn’t studying.

My mom trained me as a barber apprentice while I was still in Grade 12. It saved me from having to get student loans as I had a job to work at every Saturday during the school year and then each summer for the entire four months.

Working in my mom’s barbershop was where I learned a lot about business; effective communication skills as well as what is required to create and maintain great relationships with people.

I believe that I learned more about business and building great relationships from the time I spent working in my mom’s barbershop than I did in all my years of schooling.

What extracurricular activities were you involved in while at UBC?

For my first and second year I had no feeling of community at UBC, so I joined Phrateries, which is a club for women, for my third and fourth year.

I had been feeling lonely and like I was missing out on university life, so I took the steps to change this by getting involved with this club. We focused on event planning and raising money, which I enjoyed. And of course, we partied, which I really enjoyed!

Did your involvement help you to gain experience or skills transferable to your current job?

Yes, but I wish I had gotten more involved. Networking and getting to know people is the basis of business.

I still run into some of the people I met at Phrateries. I wish I had gotten to know more people while I was at UBC.

Were you ever worried or afraid about what kind of work was available after graduating with a BA?

Yes, definitely. I worked in my mom’s barbershop after I completed my degree, as I was still unsure of what I was meant to do with my life.

However, at the same time, I knew that a BA would only ever be a stepping stone to more education, a Master’s degree or Law school, so I never expected that my BA alone would land me a great job.

What steps brought you to your current career?

In my fourth year I spoke to several female lawyers, most of whom were not practicing for various reasons, and also to counselors and realized that I did not want to do this profession.

As I mentioned previously, I worked in my mom’s barbershop throughout my university degree and continued for a year after graduation to save money to travel.

I ended up going to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. But prior to leaving on my trip, I had applied to BCIT to enroll in the Diploma of Technology program in Marketing and Communications.

Both the barbershop experience and the travelling helped me to know myself and to focus on some more specific career directions.

Did you plan to be where you are now career-wise?

No, not at all. When I returned home from traveling I wanted to work for an advertising agency because I thought it sounded "cool" and so that’s what I did after I finished my diploma in marketing at BCIT.

I felt I had a natural eye for what works and what doesn’t work in advertising, and I liked the idea of working in a fast paced environment with young people, so it seemed like a good fit.

After being in it for a while, I realized it wasn’t ultimately rewarding, and that realization helped me get to the career I’m in now.

How important were your grades in terms of landing your current job?

Not important. I had around a C+ or a B average. BCIT was really competitive, but I didn’t really care about competing for A’s. I focused more on how to market myself and land the internship I wanted and that paid off much better for me.

What is the worst thing a student could do with respect to working in this field?

Go in it solely to make lots of money.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently while at UBC?

I would definitely have gotten more involved, been more social, taken it easy, relaxed, not been so hard on myself, enjoyed the experience, and definitely not worried so much about ‘having it all figured out.’

Any advice to current students?

Spend time really getting to know yourself; read; take courses you’re interested in, both academic and non-academic; find out what you’re most passionate about, what you most care about in this world, or what you believe matters at the end of the day … and let the rest fall away.

Choose to do what you love, find out what you really care about and go for it: For example, if you really love playing video games, ask yourself "Why do I love video games so much?" and break it down into the finer points. Is it the excitement, the colours, the solitude, the adrenaline, the drive to win, to beat your last record, and/or the focus it takes? Whatever it is, there’s a job for you that fits what you most love. And if you can’t find a job that does, create it for yourself!

Design your life, don’t follow or settle for what you think you can get or from only the options you currently see in front of you. Also, rather than thinking in terms of ‘What am I going to do with the rest of my life?’ – rather, think in terms of "what do I want to do next?" And most of all, have fun! You are young and the world is yours!