The Skidmore College Career Development Center believes that the principals of the Chaos Theory of Careers to be most applicable for liberal arts students in the current economic climate. In this model, career development is recognized as a dynamic system characterized by complexity, interconnectedness, and susceptibility to change.

The following is part of the CDC’s Encouraging Stories Series featuring members of the Class of 2009.  During the last major economic downturn, these individuals exhibited these characteristics as they navigated the early stages of their own careers.   Below are stories and advice in their own words.

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Meet Kezia Chee '09, who studied English while at Skidmore. She is now the Faculty-Led Program Coordinator for East Asia at CIS Abroad in Northampton, Massachusetts. 

In what ways has your career path since Skidmore been non-linear? How did your Skidmore experience inform this path? 

I studied abroad in England during my junior year at Skidmore and I remember Skidmore having a program that allowed students to teach English in China and was very interested in pursuing similar opportunities. Travel has always been a big passion of mine, so when I graduated in 2009, I spent the next two years touring with various bands and musicians around the U.S. and Canada. Doing this allowed me to see the breadth and depth of my own country and inspired a larger curiosity about the world at large. This is why in 2012, I decided to move abroad to South Korea to teach English as an ESL instructor. I lived in Korea for three years total between 2012 and 2016, then moved to Australia for a working holiday. I returned to the U.S. in September of 2018 and began the search for work in my home country, which I hadn't permanently lived in in seven years. I was lucky enough to be hired by a study abroad organization based in Northampton, Massachusetts, where the skills I learned abroad directly informed my eligibility and value as a potential employee. 

What kinds of knowledge or skills did you unexpectedly use to navigate a difficult economic period? 

Before living in Korea, I worked as a photographer for a local paper in the Berkshires, my home county. I often had to photograph various people and events and was always wracked with nervousness when I had to approach strangers to get their contact info in order to write my photo captions. When I moved to Korea, I was confronted with a significant language barrier in a country that was extremely different than my own, and it taught me to communicate in a myriad of ways (never underestimate how much a gesture can help!) and also forced me to become comfortable with the unknown. It also taught me how to be adaptable and boosted my confidence tenfold. When I returned to the U.S., being surrounded by English speakers felt like a cake walk, and it helped me feel more confident in striking up conversations with those unfamiliar to me in order to be as efficient as possible in the information I sought. 

What insights or advice do you have for others with similar backgrounds, or pursuing a similar path? 

While I realize the current pandemic precludes this for the time being, I highly encourage current graduates to consider traveling as a way to grow and learn more about themselves and their abilities. My experiences abroad made me a more valuable candidate in the field of international education and genuinely enhanced my adaptability, confidence, and knowledge of the world at large. If possible, I strongly encourage students to consider travel opportunities outside of Europe or English-speaking countries such Australia - while I have no doubt there is much to be learned by living in and experiencing these countries, I truly believe it will pale in comparison to living in a country that is 100% different than your own.  

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