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Students (and everyone else) have a preferred way of learning. These learning styles sometimes depicted by the VARK acronym are Visual, Auditory, Reading/writing preference, and Kinesthetic. A couple of years ago I was trying to figure out how to “pictorialize” a concept that I often talked to students about during their job search. I have always believed that if you know the exact job you want you should go for it but then you will need to decide when to expand that search to include jobs that may be less “perfect” in some way but might be a terrific first job. The picture that came to my mind (which now seems so obvious) was an archery target. The bullseye is that target job – you might have a specific title, location, amount of money and industry in mind or the target might just be some of those. You can decide not to take a job unless it is everything you want or you can fill in the rest of the archery target with how you will expand your search and maybe even the dates by which you will do that expansion.
So maybe those with a reading/writing preference people get this. For you visual learners – I have tried to illustrate what I am saying below.
I have told lots of students about this way to think about the job search and it seems to resonate with many.
Recently, Sonia (a sophomore Data Science student and Career Fellow) came to her next appointment and showed me her completed personal archery target. I asked her to help write this blog. She wrote the following inspiring piece of how she thinks of this Archery Target Model. I think you will find it inspiring.
Sonia Broni – Sophomore, Data Science : Thoughts on Using the Target Model
What’s your focus? Well no, the real question is what are your focuses?
In this game, you’ve certainly struck gold if you hit your bullseye, but let’s be real–you are not a failure if you hit the outer layers or completely miss the target. Just like in real archery, the target isn’t the end. Restrategize, adjust your aim and shoot again. And Again. And Again.
And maybe one more time for good measure.
So, you have your target job–you are aiming intensely at that target, but don’t overlook the outer layers. Those are goals too. Maybe the next ring out is a goal that weighs just a fraction less onyour heart or maybe it’s as heavy as a thousand pounds. Either way, it’s still worth celebrating when you hit it.
Here are a few words of advice from someone who’s been there…
1. Don’t overthink it.
What do you want? Put that in the jackpot area–your bullseye. That’s where you’ll focus yourstrategy, aim and energy.
2. Set up your own criteria for your target.
What else sounds nice? Intriguing? Different? Bizarre? On my outer-most layer is a research program 9,391 miles away in Singapore. Random right? Yeah, I just wanna go to Asia to be honest.
3. Create your target as detailed or vague as you’d like.
You may dive into the nitty-gritty or leave out the specifics simply because you are open. Both approaches are valid. Openness is good. Specificity is good. You may choose one, you may choose both.
4. Your bullseye may be the most specific program in the world while your next level is as broad as “opportunities in academia”
With the latter, you still know where you are looking…even if it is not as laser-focused as studying methodological advances in statistical machine learning on developing early warning classifiers to control false alarms in professor Mike Hughes’ lab. Shout out to you Professor Mike! : )
But seriously…
Know your why, even if it seems simple. Revisit your bullseye often. Remind yourself why you’re aiming there. Adjust it if you need to. Share your goals with others, and put your name on that target–bold letters only.
