Telka found the Pathways workshop to be very beneficial. “The conference provided me the opportunity to network with other graduate students and local community professionals,” she said. “It also helped me develop relevant professional skills such as building a teaching dossier and delivering effective presentations.”

Currently, Telka is a Research Assistant at UVic for the Internet Shakespeare Editions (ISE) and the Map of Early Modern London (MoEML). Both projects explore literature through digital technologies. Telka performs a variety of tasks for each project from transcription, encoding, and editing Shakespeare texts to curating theatrical performance materials. As a graduate student Telka values the power of networking and relating her academic competencies to the labor market. She recommends that students book a one-on-one appointment with a career educator at Career Services to get help building a resume and cover letter for specific job applications. After meeting with Joy Andrews, career educator, Telka has a strong application package for her future academic job search.

Having also participated in the Graduate Career Exploration Group, earlier this year, Telka feels more confident about her future after grad school. The seven-session workshop is offered in partnership through Career Services and Counselling Services. Telka found the workshop to be very relevant to her experience as a graduate student and encourages her student-colleagues at UVic to participate in the program. “The workshop helped connect my personal and professional values, transferrable skills, and lifestyle preferences to potential careers,” she said. This collaborative program also allowed Telka to network with her professional colleagues. “The workshop gave me an opportunity to connect with other grad students struggling with the same anxieties about the local and national job market,” Telka said. “We challenged each other to be creative in our job search strategies and supported each other to create new opportunities for ourselves.”

Telka recommends that other students access Career Services as she has found their programming to be quite beneficial. “Their services have helped identify, document, and leverage my competencies for specific job postings. Career Services also provides practical job search strategies.“ The most valuable learning that Telka has experienced at Career Services is the professional perspective offered on the value of her graduate degree in today’s economy. When asked what advice Telka has for other students she said, “Access it! Career Services is an excellent resource for students at every stage of their education and career development.”