Meg Martin BA '11

Meg Martin, BA '11
Coordinator, Orientation, Leadership and Student Engagement

What are some valuable books/online resources/logs that you find useful in your profession?

I have "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" by Lynne Truss and Kate Turabian's "A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses and Dissertations" in my bookshelf at work. I always like to have something on hand that will clarify questions about conventions and mechanics when I'm writing. It frustrates me when I catch myself or others making easily preventable errors in professional communication.

Knowing what you know now, what would you look for from a potential employer when you’re applying for jobs after graduation?

It's important to work for an employer that is aligned with your values and lifestyle, and this is especially true with the millennial generation. I would do some soul-seraching and seek out assistance to find out what is important personally in a career, and pursue employers that align with that. For me, it was important to work in a setting that values human and professional development, that is caring

I would also encourage myself and others never to settle for a job that you aren't really passionate about because of post-graduation anxiety.  If you do, it's pretty likely that you won’t do as well at it as you would in something you enjoy or find meaning in, which will negatively impact you and your workplace. At the same time, it's important to recognize that you probably won’t be able to find your dream job right after you finish school, but you may be able to find employment or opportunities with a lot of room for growth and advancement. You have to pay your dues and make opportunities for yourself, but if you are willing to do that, you might be surprised where the opportunities you pursue can take you.

If you could change one thing about your time at the University of Calgary, what would it be?

I wish I had used supports like Career Services, the Disability Resource Centre and the Wellness Centre earlier in my degree. I was frequently told when I left high school that in university, my teachers wouldn't care about me, that I would have to do everything on my own and that there wouldn't by the type of support that there was in high school available. That was totally false. Once I matured enough to know that asking for assistance is a sign of strength rather than weakness, my life at university was much easier.