What “The Dress” Can Teach Us About Our Career Search

The DressBy now you have probably seen the photo of the dress that went viral yesterday after viewers could not stop arguing over its color – is it white and gold or blue and black? You may have even read the articles explaining why we see the color differently (if not, learn more here). But how, you might ask, does this relate to your career search?

Every student has different interests and different definitions of success. If you talk to a hundred people, you will learn of over a hundred different goals. These interests, definitions, and goals are all pieces of our background that we use as a lens when viewing potential internships and full-time positions. The more we learn about these positions and types of companies in general, the more clearly we can see the truth – just like as we read about the dress, suddenly the two out of three of us who are absolutely certain the dress is white and gold start to open our minds to other possibilities. Sure sometimes it still looks white and gold, but we can now see where that blue and black is coming from. Knowledge is the key to being able to see both sides of the image (or understand a more holistic view of an internship or job position).

My recommendation? Learn as much as you can. When you find types of role or companies that sound interesting to you, start networking with people in those roles or companies. Try to get a phone call with them so that you can ask questions, learn their perspectives on what they do, and decide for yourself whether those roles or companies are right for you. Want to learn more about how to make these connections and what questions to ask? Stay tuned for next week’s post on informational meetings.

By Amanda Helfand
Amanda Helfand Senior Assistant Director, Undergraduate Career Services