Waseda WeeklyWaseda Weekly

​Career Center provides information about careers and provides consultation for students. We help students choose on their own a place where they can play an active role in society and in the organization to which they belong. Did you know that at Career Center, Student Career Volunteers (SCV) disseminate career-related information and plan and manage events from a student's perspective? This time, we asked SCV's Aika Murakami (3rd year, School of Humanities and Social Sciences) about SCV's philosophy and the two events SCV has planned, "Waseda Festival 2023."

I want to change my career image to a positive one!

Aika Murakami, 3rd year, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

We work with the concept of "sharing" in mind.

I joined SCV after participating in Career Center event around February of my first year.

SCV is a student organization officially recognized by the Waseda University Career Center that disseminates career-related information and plans and manages events, and operates under three principles.

1. Take a positive approach to career development
2. Sharing the diversity of career development
3. Collect and disseminate career-related information

The first is that career development, including job hunting, does not necessarily have to be difficult or difficult. Career formation is something that everyone experiences, so I would like to share with as many students as possible the idea of looking at it positively.

The second is to expand the range of future options and be able to incorporate perspectives that are not unique to oneself. We disseminate articles such as interviews with working adults and conduct activities to broaden students' horizons in career development.

The third purpose is to collect students' true thoughts and needs regarding job hunting and to disseminate information. We at SCV act as a bridge between students and Career Center, helping to plan and operate programs that are more in line with students' perspectives.

In June 2023, a group photo of the members gathered on the day of the new SCV launch (the author is second from the left in the back row)

Building a career is exciting! I want to take a positive view of career development and broaden my horizons.

SCV will increase the number of members from 2023 and make a fresh start as a “new SCV.” The first major events for SCV were the two events at Waseda Festival 2023 held on November 4th and 5th, 2023.

The members discussed and decided on a title that would make it easy to understand what we were doing and make people think, "I want to go!" (*Click to enlarge)

The first one is "Bulletin Board - A job hunting support project to collect messages.'' This project was born after SCV members discussed, "What kind of project would we like to create so that job hunters don't feel alone in their job hunting and can look at it positively?'' Job hunters and high school students were asked to write on sticky notes their anxieties, concerns, and dreams about job hunting and their own futures, and Alumnus and corporate human resources representatives were asked to write messages of support for job hunters on sticky notes.

Some of the job hunters expressed feelings such as "t's hard to balance work with research,'' and "I compare myself to others and feel anxious,'' so I found a lot of things that I could relate to. On the other hand, I remember being very touched by the mob hunting is a good opportunity to learn about yourself'' and "There is no irreversible career path!''

Through this project, I would be happy if some people were able to feel that there are people who are facing the same problems as me, or to think positively about their career development by thinking, "Let's do our best for ourselves.'' is.

Over 500 colorful sticky notes were pasted on black drawing paper, creating a warm "work of art" in which the thoughts of job hunters and the thoughts of working people are shared through words. Currently on display at Waseda Campus 6 Building No. 1st floor Career Center Waseda Branch "C Space" (until March 29, 2024)

I also made a poster using SCV and made the photo look like an instax photo. It was difficult to get approval for the guest speakers as there were many small details to be corrected, but we stuck to it until the end (*Click to enlarge)

The second one is "Career Journey ~ Find a member of society! Your career ~''. We received an offer from LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton Japan (LVMH), a company that owns global brands such as Dior, LOEWE, and Louis Vuitton, who wanted to hold an event with students, and we decided to make it happen. From around June 2023, the members have been brainstorming project ideas, and from around August they have been having meetings with people from companies, and on the day of the event, there are Alumnus who work in advertising and human resources at LVMH, and current employees who have interned at Dior. We invited Waseda University students as guest speakers.

The panel discussion covered topics such as job hunting experiences, overcoming failures and setbacks, and finding work rewarding. I learned the importance of taking initiative and seizing opportunities, and that by working hard on what is in front of me, I can find fulfillment and the path I want to take. I was really impressed by his story, "Your career is something that updates every day, just like your iPhone.It's normal to not know what you want to do, but you should just try it out and find out what you want to do.'' remain.

Some job hunters may not be able to find what they want to do, or may feel like they are losing sight of what they want to do. It was a story that kindly encouraged such people, saying, "It's okay if you can't find what you want to do,'' and "You just have to try various things and find it.'' In addition, I was able to realize once again that Waseda University is an environment with many diverse students and Alumnus who are active in various fields, and it was a day that made me feel very proud to be enrolled at Waseda University. have become.

Photo on the left: SCV served as moderator, panel discussion facilitator, receptionist, and PR, and more than 100 people participated.
Photo right: Commemorative photo with the guest speaker (the author is fifth from the left in the back row)

Now that we have completed our first major project as SCV, we feel that we are finally at the starting point. By completing everything from planning to operation, I was able to learn many things, such as how to proceed with planning and the sense of schedule. I also worked with the members from the preparation of the project to the day of the event, and I feel that our bonds have become even stronger.

On the other hand, the low affinity between Waseda Festival and career remained an issue. I feel that ``thinking about your own career development'' is a serious, painful, and difficult thing to do. Just as some people say, "I came to Waseda Festival because I wanted to see this student club 's performance,'' people say, "I came to Waseda Festival because I wanted to think about my future at the SCV event!'' I want to change my image to a positive one. We will continue to plan and disseminate various events and information that will be useful to students, together with colleagues who share the desire to take a positive approach to career development.