A Guide On Navigating Setbacks and Translating Skills | For LSA Alums
Redirecting Setbacks
For undergraduates–especially our “leaders and best” at U-M–facing a rejected application, a missed milestone, or a sudden change of direction can feel devastating. It is easy to view a pivot as “failure” rather than a normal part of professional evolution.
As an alum mentor, your perspective is invaluable here. You have likely experienced your own twists and turns, and you can help your mentee reframe setbacks into strategic redirection.
Processing Setbacks: “Rejection” as Data
When a student faces a rejection–whether it’s a competitive internship, job offer, or professional school admissions–they often internalize it as a reflection of their worth.
Destigmatize the pivot: Share a professional detour from your own career path or a time a “failed” opportunity actually led you somewhere better.
Separate identity from outcome: Remind them that a rejection letter measures fit for a single role at a specific moment in time; it does not measure their capability or intelligence.
Shift from “What went wrong?” to “What’s next?”: Help them analyze the experience objectively. What can be learned from the process and what doors might this opportunity open?
Translating Transferable Skills: The Liberal Arts Advantage
Students with liberal arts backgrounds frequently struggle to see how their degree fits into industries like healthcare, biotechnology, or tech. They may count themselves out because they don’t have a specific technical major or they haven’t landed an internship that speaks directly to the industry.
Focus on capabilities, not just course titles: Help your mentee view their coursework through an employer’s lens. A liberal arts education builds powerhouse competencies:
Critical Thinking: Analyzing complex, qualitative information, synthesizing diverse perspectives, and solving ambiguous problems.
Communication: Writing clearly, crafting persuasive arguments, and translating dense data or concepts into compelling stories for different audiences.
Career and Self-Development: Proactively building a professional identity, reflecting on strength, and translating academic experiences into market-ready value.
Build the “bridge” for industries: Show them how to pitch their liberal arts degree as an asset to data-heavy or technical sectors. Tech firms, startups, and healthcare companies desperately need people who can bridge the gap between complex systems and the human experience.
Deconstruct job descriptions: Walk them through a job posting in your industry and help them identify where their communication, project management, or analytical skills directly map onto the employer’s needs.
Quick Mentor Reminders
Validate first, strategize second: Let the student vent or process their disappointment before jumping straight into problem-solving mode. Empathy comes before action.
Embrace non-linear paths: Remind them that a career is built over decades, not months. The most interesting and fulfilling career trajectories are rarely straight lines.
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