Being a freshman in college can be overwhelming as you have a number of people providing you information from every which way and you are still trying to just transition from high school to a higher education setting. As a freshman, you probably asked yourself, why do I need career development?
Career development can offer you an avenue to explore your interests, strengths, values, motivations and overall fit for a certain career or field of study. Deciding on your future is not as easy as spinning a wheel, but having someone to bounce ideas off of can help provide greater clarity for your future career goals. Making a decision can be even more difficult when your classmates have decided their major, and it looks as if they have the next 10 years planned to the very last detail.
You shouldn’t decide your career solely on trends among friends and families or what a Yahoo article said about the future prospects of a career you are interested in; it is up to you to decide your own journey. Just remember that the journey to reaching your goals is never a straight shot and your first year in college is the ideal time to consider all your career options. Career development can help you focus your exploration and help you overcome the challenges that emerge in your career-decision making process.
One great way to help you get started in the process is taking a career assessment, which may help you explore your career even further. Assessments like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and MyPlan can give you a better understanding of who you are and what you value going forward in your personal and professional life. At the end of the day, the more you know about yourself and what you value, the more you will be able to make a well-informed decision about your future.
Career Development isn’t just beneficial if you are deciding on a major as a freshman, but it can help you implement a game plan to make the most of your first year. If for example you are a biology student and have a long-term goal of getting into medical school or dental school, career development can help you identify and market yourself effectively for experiences such as shadowing, leadership involvement and volunteering that can make you a stronger candidate after graduation. The relationships you form with your adviser and your career development office will provide you with another support system throughout your four years and help you approach your goals strategically.
Being a freshman can be exciting as you will have many clubs, interest groups and leadership opportunities available to you that can prove valuable for your career interests. If you are a freshman but looking to get more involved on campus by pursuing experiences such as becoming a resident assistant or orientation leader then career development can help you develop your professional resume, cover letter and help you develop strong interview skills. In addition, even if you are not interested in pursuing internships early on in college, career development can help you explore opportunities that will clarify if a certain career field is an ideal fit. Your career adviser can also help you understand the value of such experiences and how to make the most of such leadership positions.
Your career journey will have a few speed bumps but career development can help you prepare for such obstacles and create a plan of action that will help you become a well-rounded professional. Overall, career development can support you in all aspects of your career; you are Batman on this journey and career development is the utility belt that helps you reach your goals.
