About the Career Centre
The Career Centre is the source for career and employment information and expertise at the University of Alberta. We strive to empower the talented people of the U of A in developing the skills, knowledge, experiences, and connections they need to confidently manage their careers.
OUR APPROACH
Our approach to career development encourages action and reflection. Taking action (even if you don't know the outcome) is critical in exploring careers, building skills, and making connections. Reflecting on what you have learned from the actions you have taken will help you decide the next steps to take. Traditional approaches are based on extensive planning and goal setting before taking any action.
The interests you pursue and experiences you engage in - prior to, during, and beyond your time at the U of A - all impact your career, often in ways you cannot predict.
PLANNED HAPPENSTANCE AND YOU
Talk to family, friends, acquaintances about how they got to where they are and you'll soon see a trend of people's careers being shaped by unplanned, random and unpredictable events and encounters - happenstance. This does not mean you sit back and let fate take over. There are things you can do to position yourself well to react to happenstance. This is the "planned" part of planned happenstance.
Take a "planned happenstance" approach to managing your career by:
- Deliberately and intentionally engaging in a variety of activities;
- Following your curiosities and interests;
- Getting involved in life beyond academics.
You will discover (or even create) opportunities and personal interests you didn't know existed while developing knowledge, skills, and connections that will benefit you in your career and life.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to empower the University of Alberta's talented people in developing the skills, knowledge, experiences and connections they seek to confidently manage their careers.
OUR VALUES
Supporting
We believe that everyone we serve has unique talents, interests and goals, and we strive to provide services that support their individual needs.
Connecting
We believe in building partnerships and collaborations that help us remain responsive to the needs of the University, employer and broader community.
Engaging
We believe in self-directed and discovery-based learning that develops career management skills and self-reliance. We also believe in engaging employers as partners in recruitment, career education and career exploration activities.
Innovating
We believe in continuous improvement through research-based practices, creativity and informed risk-taking to ensure the sustainability of our services.
Respecting
We believe in a diversity of perspectives and practices that are fair, transparent, inclusive and responsible.