1. Empathy Map
SAY
There was a lot of pressure to choose a course with the highest
academic rating
High School
My parents weren’t able to offer much guidance on what to
study
I performed well academically but didn’t have much of an idea of
what I wanted to do at University
I really enjoyed the responsibility & financial independence of
having a professional job
Beginning work
I still didn’t feel as though I had a clear direction for my career
I decided it was time to explore the world so headed to London
to work
I still felt as though mentoring was lacking in my first 2 jobs after
University
I don’t feel like my course was relevant to what real work is like
I don’t feel like my university did enough to help students
network or connect with potential employers
I didn’t feel like I worked very hard at University. There were a lot
of distractions.
University
DO
THINK
They enter the job market in particularly challenging economic times, are
well informed on wider political and social issues and think a sense purpose
is necessary in their life.
They are emotionally aware and eager to learn. They seem to have high
levels of self confidence in who they are, yet demonstrate mild unease at
the current economic uncertainty. Graduates in strong professional roles
tend to view their professional life as a series of opportunities, as opposed
to those who have been in the workforce longer and tend to be more
conservative in their views.
FEEL
Graduates feel relatively unprepared for the professional transition after
undertaking their university course and emphasise a lack of practical
experience and mentoring from those who have ‘been through it before’
Graduates today feel a range of pressures, both socially and economically
Subject interviewed feel that they need to ‘spread their wings’ to develop
both personally and professionally. Hence they have plans to travel to and
work in international cities around the world
They seemed to reflect with a sense of regret and frustration around the
transition from student to professional, speaking about the weight of
expectation and the sense that they could have made better decisions
along the way. There also seemed to be some trepidation regarding the
career they’d chosen and whether or not they were ‘stuck’ in an industry.
Problem Statement
Greg, a recent university graduate due to start work at a big 4 firm next year needs a way to gain a genuine understanding of the
realities of professional life, the soft skills required and the expectations of employers because it will help guide him on what to expect
and will enable and empower him to make better informed decisions regarding the path his career takes once he starts in his new role.
