Making your “best yes” is a simple concept for deciding what to say no to or yes to! Have you ever thought to yourself, “I am too busy,” “Everyone else is doing more than me,” or “I need to do more to stand out to graduate schools or employers?” You are not alone! It can be a common feeling to doubt your career preparedness or involvement. Deciding what to participate in during your time at UGA can be overwhelming. With this blog post, we hope you can consider what you are already doing, prioritize your time, and make your best yes when choosing what to be engaged with during your time at UGA!
Prioritizing your time as a college student is one of the most effective ways to ensure that you are making your best yes! Here are some steps to assist you with prioritizing your time:
- Create a schedule: Try allocating specific time blocks for classes, studying, social events, work, and other commitments.
- Identify your MOST important tasks: Determine what tasks and assignments are the most important and need to be completed first. Make sure to prioritize based on deadlines, importance, and impact on your grades and career goals.
- Set goals: Set clear and achievable goals. This will help you stay motivated and focused on completing those goals efficiently.
- Reflect and adjust: Periodically reflect on your schedule and priorities to determine what is working well and what needs to be adjusted! Be flexible and willing to make changes as needed to improve your time management skills.
One of our employer partners, who currently works for General Electric (GE), says, “I value quality over quantity when it comes to involvement on a resume. I’d rather see fewer activities where the candidate really gets involved and holds leadership roles, rather than a long list of organizations they’re merely associated with but not actively engaged in.”
It can be helpful to think about your involvement through the lens of an employer. What skills am I gaining from this experience? Have I already gained this skill in another experience? Is this involvement helping me grow and enhance my current skill set?
One metaphor that can be helpful to use as a filter to make your best yes involves imagining your skills as “buckets.” Think about your current skillset as a series of buckets. Maybe you have buckets for collaboration, technical skills, written communication, and leadership. The titles for these buckets should come from the field, company, or industry you want to pursue. If you know you want to work in consulting and a desired skill in consulting is leadership, leadership would be a bucket for you. In this metaphor, think about each of your current experiences and what buckets they fill. Are any buckets emptier than others? Completely empty? Overly full?
This metaphor can be a helpful way to ensure you are utilizing your time to the fullest to make your best yes! In turn, this can help you choose how to be involved on and off campus and become career-ready!
Resources:
Rock, Pebbles, and Sand: Prioritize Your Life YouTube Video: PKTV 00060656 000135515 (youtube.com)