Here are the best pieces of advice we’ve heard for audiology students.
Don’t lose sight of the prize; your effort will pay off
Typically, audiologists are required to complete eight years of education. This is no small task, and it can seem like it takes forever. At some point, you’ll likely start to wonder if all this effort is worth it.
Take it from us, your hard work will eventually pay off. We know undergrad programs can be extremely competitive, and some people would even use an extreme word like “cutthroat.” However, the competition will fade as you move into grad school. Once you’ve entered grad school, you’ll be in a much smaller pool of students who have already made it through the most difficult part of the journey. Job placement is high for people who make it this far, so there’s no reason to compete against other people in the same program. In fact, many audiology students report that their grad school education felt more cooperative than competitive.
Beyond grad school, you’re preparing for an immensely satisfying career. Audiology is a well-paying field, and audiologists report high levels of job satisfaction. Please don’t forget that your education will eventually come to an end, and you’ll be entering an absolutely wonderful occupation.
Yes, all of this work will be worth it in the end.
Never miss a networking opportunity
While you’re in school – especially in grad school – you’ll be surrounded by people who share the same interests as you. Reach out to your peers. Form study groups. Make connections.
You never know who might hold the keys to your future career. For example, one of your classmates might be given an incredible job opportunity that they must turn down for personal reasons. If so, they will probably tell their audiology friends about the opening, and they might even be able to put in a good word for you.
Aside from this, whenever you’re given an opportunity to visit an audiology lab or listen to a lecture by someone in the audiology field, do your best to show up for it. You’ll be meeting people who are already established in the field, and you’ll have opportunities to make connections that might eventually land you your dream job.
We know your education is already consuming a vast majority of your time, but networking is one of the most important supplements to that education. Don’t miss out on these opportunities.
It’s never too early to start looking into externships
Your externship might feel like a long way off, but you’ll be surprised at how fast it approaches. From the very start of your education, you should already be looking into potential externship opportunities.
Audiology is a rare field in which you can often find paid externships. These are going to be competitive, and you might even have to relocate to land one. The earlier you start looking into your options, the better prepared you’ll be to make the right decision for your career.
If you wait until the very last moment to start planning your externship, you might end up being forced to make a rushed decision that has consequences you aren’t prepared for. If you truly want to maximize the effectiveness of your externship, you’ll want to start exploring your options as soon as possible.
If you take summers off, use your free time to study
Many students will attend classes year-round, but others will choose to take summer breaks. If you’re in the latter category, make sure you spend time in the summer studying. This doesn’t have to be audiology specifically, but explore related topics that are enjoyable to learn about. For example, you might look into studying the physics of sound, or learning about how the acoustics of a room can affect your favorite music. Perhaps you’ll even read books on audio production. These topics can be a joy to learn about, and they’ll have some crossover into the world of audiology. Having a good deal of knowledge on related topics might even be the thing that makes you stand out in job interviews.
Most importantly, study topics that you’re passionate about. Your college career will be rigidly structured, so use your free time to explore the things you want to learn about. If nothing else, you’ll become a more interesting person to talk to, and this can have a profound impact on every aspect of your life.
Conclusion
We’re happy you’ve chosen the amazing world of audiology. If you’re still in school, know that you have a long, satisfying career ahead of you. We wish you the best of luck in completing this journey, and feel free to reach out to Staffing Proxy when you’re ready to explore your career options. We’d love to help you find the perfect career for you!
