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Advice to College Seniors

During this period of COVID 19, life has changing for everyone. 

My guest today is Gettysburg College senior, Jessica Ken Kwofie. Because her city is considered a hot spot, her college has closed the campus to everyone except freshman. She no longer has access to such amenities as the gym, and her campus meal plan has been refunded.  

This leaves Jessica and her house mates taking classes online in the home that they have rented for the school year. Jessica calls this her “forced entry into the real world.”

Jessica is set to graduate at the end of this school year with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy.

Her goal is to eventually attend graduate school where she will pursue a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, although she also has an interest in communications and social media. (As a side note, I might add that Jessica currently handles all of my social media.) 

Immediately after graduation, Jessica has plans to return to New Jersey to seek employment in a physical therapy center possibly as a physical therapy aid. By working in the center, she will be able to obtain the contact hours needed to be admitted into graduate school.

Jessica comes from a family of entrepreneurs.

Her Ghanaian father, and his brothers are all business owners. She knows that there is no limit to what she can accomplish in this life and is leaving all of her options open.

During her junior year in college, Jessica participated in the study abroad program. She moved to France where she took courses in Wine Marketing.  This period was extremely exciting because she is fluent in French and was able to converse with her host family, as well as her cohorts.  Moving back to France, or any francophone country is also a possibility for Jessica after graduation because she proudly proclaims to being a global citizen.

Employment looks different to Jessica and others her age.

This generation is not one to believe in working a 9-5, and many hustle in the “gig” economy. Jessica is able to have a multiple source income by working at Shipt, and with an online T-shirt/ apparel company.

Although this type of employment does not provide for the security of sick pay, vacation, or medical insurance, it does allow her greater flexibility, and the ability to generate instant cash when needed.

A word of advice to any senior this year would be to create your own brand.

Learn about yourself and what you bring to an employer’s table. Market yourself. Share not only how you can contribute to a company, but how you will benefit as well.  Show it as a “win win”.

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About the Author

multifaceted employment professional, author and lecturer