You're Always On: Your Career Development Cycle | Greg Shirley | TEDxUTA

You know, and I can actually walk all the way under this and the benefits of being short. All right. Well, as Ashford said, thank you so much. I'm Dr. Greg Shirley. I am at the Lockheed Martin Career Development Center right here at UT Arlington, right across this actual wall. And so what I want to spend some time talking to you about today is you always being on and you know, being that either young professional or seasonal professional, you're always going to be that individual that is always going to be exploring, engaging, experiencing, embarking and elevating into new opportunities. And so when I think about my career, my tenure, working in higher education and career development, the number two comes to mind. And I think about the number two because as it says Mavericks and Misfits, I'm that misfit. So I work in the Career Development Center, but I never used my Career Development Center when I was an undergrad. And so because of that, I ended up transferring, changing majors, and I extended my time in college by two extra years. That means I have two extra years in student loans to pay off. And so that always comes into my mind and in my head of, you know, if I would have known then what I know now, what I consult with Ashford and other students about, would my life be different? However, I'm where I need to be right now, because if not, I wouldn't be here and I wouldn't be able to come to you tonight to talk about your career development cycle and get you constantly thinking about new opportunities, encore careers, your first big boy or big girl opportunity outside of graduation. So we want to spend a little time talking about that. So you're always on your career development cycle. This is your life. So the first thing that you oftentimes will want to do is you will want to go ahead and explore new opportunities. And so the exploration of those new opportunities could be as simple as you being exposed to something in your undergraduate career or being exposed to something as a mid-level manager and you want to know more about it. So you do your active research, you try to figure out individuals that you're able to speak to and talk to as well. Maybe you find, you know, different associations or things that will get you exposed to that. But that exploration phase tends to come at a crossroads or there's a spark that's set off and it warrants you to want to find out more information that's out there. It can be a very scary time. You know, I think for a lot of individuals, the exploration phase, particularly when they're in mid-career or looking to switch careers, is something that they're hesitant about because they're used to that rhythm. They're used to the same practical things day in and day out because we find safety to be comfortable. We find comfort in the same things day in and day out. However, look at those ideas and look at those opportunities to learn something new about yourself, to develop new things that you're possibly able to do as well, and figure out new areas where you can be of service to others. So then the next thing that you'll want to consider doing is actually engaging in activities that are going to get you closer to what it is you want to do next. So maybe it's joining a new professional association. Maybe it's conducting informational interviews with individuals so you'll be able to say, you know what, I want to know more about what it is that you do. Maybe I can talk to you for about 10 to 15 minutes and you can give me some light on what it is that you do. And it's always very interesting. When you find somebody that is really passionate about what it is they want to do, they won't shut up talking about it. Like if you know that you want to be a career consultant and you tell me you want to be a career consultant, I will talk to you all day. And I will introduce you to other people. And I'll email other people. And I'll tell other people, hey, this person wants to do this. And then I'll follow up with you two weeks and probably kind of become your stalker. Because you know, we got to grow our own in career development. However, on the other end, if you talk to individuals and they have very few things to say, that says a lot. Silence speaks volumes. And so it could be maybe you don't want to go into that occupation or that career field anymore. Maybe you want to find somebody else who's doing that same thing that you're going to be interested in. But always be open to engaging in those new opportunities. It's like the saying goes, a stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet. So talk to everyone. Because you don't know who knows somebody that may be able to help you. And oftentimes it's those indirect connections that are going to be much more powerful than the direct connections. Now, don't get me wrong, the direct connections are great. However, if the indirect connections have a little bit more investment, then they'll be able to assist you as well. And that person that's in between you and that indirect connection could be a good individual who will be able to put their reputation out there to say, you know what, I really trust this individual. I want to go ahead and introduce you to them. And so that's already laying the foundation and the groundwork. And then at this time, you also still want to go ahead and be engaging in those research and exploratory opportunities as well. You know, you can never have too much information at one given time, especially if you're trying to make a life-changing or career decision. You know, it's like my academic advisor used to say, we'll get you to the ballpark. We just got to help you find your seat. And so in the engagement experience, that's going to be that opportunity for you to get a little bit closer to that seat. And so then you've got the experiential phase. So that experiential phase could still be continuing, having informational interviews. Maybe if you're still an undergrad, you can go ahead and seek out job shadow opportunities. You can seek out internships just to have a little bit of skin in the game. And what I really like about those job shadow and those internship opportunities is, yes, you're making an investment, but it might not be a lifelong investment because you'll be able to go in there. And I tell students all the time, take the rose-colored glasses off. You know, go in there full force, eyes open, senses ready. Look at everything that you do want to do. Look at the things that you may have to engage in that you might not be passionate about because those are going to be red flags. You know, my director, Lolene Martins Crane, says it all the time, it's about culture and about fit. So experience is going to be that time where you identify that culture, you identify that fit. You know, don't let your parents tell you, oh, this is what you need to do, because ultimately, you're going to be the one reporting to that occupation 8 to 5, Monday through Friday, a minimum of 40 hours a week. So if it does not align with what it is you value, what you're interested in, the personality that you have, the skills that you either possess and want to utilize, or the skills you want to attain, it's probably not going to be a great fit for you. And you know what? That's okay. Everything is not for everyone. However, if we do not experience it, we're not able to say that. And so nothing ventured, nothing gained. So use that experience or opportunity if you're an undergrad to do that. If you're not an undergrad, maybe you're a mid-level or a seasoned professional, find civic opportunities that you can get involved in as well that will allow you to indirectly or even directly, maybe on weekends, maybe after work, I know it sounds stressful because I'm tired now and it's after work, but here I am, that will allow you to go ahead and have those opportunities as well. And while you're doing all of that, that's helping, once again, build your network, you're exploring other opportunities, you're engaging in new relationships by building those up. So you're really setting that foundation and reaching back through those other steps to where you'll be able to go ahead and make a much more sound decision as well. I had a case in point where I had a young lady at the previous institution that I was working at, and she told me, she just came into my office one day. She said, Dr. Shirley, and I said, yes, I want to do CSI. I'm like, okay, well, what does that mean? In fact, do you want to be an actor? What elaborates? She said, no, you know, on the TV show, I want to look at the body and solve the crime in an hour and have a gun. That looks awesome. I'm like, okay, well, I don't think it's going to exactly be like that, but okay, let's go ahead and play this game. So she was a biology major. So what we did was, we let her shadow and arrange that opportunity at the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office. And so she was able to go in and see autopsies and things like that. So I'm in my office, you know, doing my work, tapping on my keys, answering phones and emails and stuff like that. Get a phone call, like, hello, this is Greg Shirley with, you know, at the university I was working at at the time. I said, yeah, well, this is Dr. So-and-so from the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office. Do you have a student named XYZ? I was like, oh, man. What happened? Did she get arrested? Oh, geez. And so I was like, yes. Was she shadowing with us today? Yes. Okay. Well, we were doing an autopsy and we were examining the body and she threw up and she passed out on the floor. So we sent her home. So I was like, oh, man, oh, I hope she signed that waiver. So she got back and so I didn't say anything whatsoever. So I just said, how was your experience? I didn't like it. So do you still want to do CSI, do you want to be a medical examiner? Oh, no, I changed my major to accounting. And so now she's a CPA and she loves it. And so if she had not gone through that experience, she would not have known. So before you throw up and pass out on somebody's table or floor, go through the experience first while you still have that time and that investment. So the last thing, well, not necessarily the last thing, but this is going to be the embarking. So you've had the experience, you've made the engagement with individuals, you've done all your exploration, now it's time to embark on that new opportunity, which can be equally as scary, particularly if you're doing a 180. But I want you to know that the embarking, that anxiety that you're feeling is a positive anxiety. It's a good anxiety. You know, you're making that positive next step in that right move for you. And you know, just because you may have that fear or uncertainty of the unknown does not mean that you're not going to excel in what it is you want to do. And so as you're embarking, just remember the individuals that helped you get to this point now. And remember why you did it and what the reasoning behind it and the rationale was. Because you wanted to change some things in your life. You wanted to challenge and to push yourself. You know, your career development is going to be cyclical. You're going to revisit this many times. You know, if you're a millennial in the room, you're going to change your career, your occupation multiple times throughout your lifetime. And that's okay. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise. Because ultimately, once again, it's going to be about that fit. And hopefully, you're able to elevate and give back to those that are coming after you. So maybe it's individuals that you can mentor. Maybe it's individuals that were in student organizations that you were in. Maybe it's current students where here at UTA that you can go ahead and mentor as an alum, you know, to give them that real-world perspective. I as a career consultant can tell you a lot of things. Your parents can tell you a lot of things. Your friends can tell you a lot of things. However, there's nothing like having the experience of somebody doing what it is you want to do to really let you know the reality of it. And so, you just have to be open to giving back to those individuals as well. They were in the same situation that you were in. They're in that right now. And ultimately, what are we if not individuals that want to, you know, reach back while we're climbing? I tell people all the time, I'm not going to be doing this for the rest of my life. I need somebody that I can trust that is going to be competent to go ahead and replace me. You know, I want to retire. I want to go to Florida, you know, and be on the beach and hang out, drink a pina coladas. So what are your next steps? It's going to really depend on who you are and where you're at right now. You know, shameless plug, if you are a current student at UT Arlington, come see us at the Career Development Center. We'll be more than happy to talk to you. We'll be more than happy to assist you. You pay for it after student services fees. So come utilize us. If you are an alum or if you are a member of the community, identify those opportunities that will be able to be utilized for you to take that next step and take that challenge, you know. And, you know, really just think about what opportunities are already on the table for you that you may not have already explored or even considered, you know. Maybe we'll change some lives in here tonight. Maybe some people will go right out and say, you know what, I'm going to get into another career or do an internship or do a job shadow. Don't quit your job if you don't already have one lined up, though. Please don't do that. My mama used to say that. Don't quit until you find something, until you got something. So I'm going to give you that same advice. And so really, that's my time. Thank you so much, ladies and gentlemen.