Katy Popplewell is pursuing her master’s degree in student affairs. She is from Cincinnati where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication and her master’s certificate in marketing from the University of Cincinnati. She works in the Career Development office as a graduate assistant and career adviser.
You might be thinking that you have to go into the field that you majored in after you’ve graduated from your program. However, that isn’t necessarily the case. Career change statistics suggest that the average person will make a career change approximately five to seven times during their lifetime. Most students coming straight out of high school don’t know exactly what they want to do with the rest of their lives, which is why planning ahead and keeping your options open is key.
Research and ask yourself the tough questions
Start exploring careers and research a few that spark your interest. Start by preparing a list of things you enjoy and subjects you are good at to see which careers align with your interests. Make a list of pros and cons of each career option available to you and picture yourself actually doing the job. By writing a list of things you enjoy and find interesting, as well as subjects you excel in, you may find a correlation between the two, which could lead to a potential career.
Contact people in your network
Reach out to people who are currently doing the job you’d like to do in the future. You’ll be able to talk with them about the industry that you’re interested in and maybe even arrange to shadow them to make your final decision. Take advantage of opportunities like this to learn as much as you possibly can.
If you don’t have anyone to contact, work on building your network. One way that you can do this is by creating a Linkedin profile — if you don’t already have one — and finding connections using that platform. Additionally, you can join organizations or clubs to meet like-minded people. By networking and socializing with others, you may even find out about other careers that you never knew existed. It’s not always about what you know, but about who you know.
Take your Gen Eds first
College is expensive. If you don’t have a clear idea about what you career you’d like to enter, consider taking your general education courses first. By taking these courses first, you can buy yourself some time before making a decision. Further, by taking a range of courses that expose you to different fields, you will be able to pinpoint what you like and then take more in-depth core courses that you find interesting.
Consult the experts
Visit your academic and career advisors as they will help guide you in the right direction based on your interests and goals. These are the experts in the field who want to see you succeed; they will help by steering you in the right direction. Having a plan in place and sticking to it will undoubtedly drive you to success, regardless of what major you choose on this journey.
It’s okay to diverge from the plan later
It’s not unusual to deviate from your initial path and go into another field. For example, even though you might be majoring in biology, this doesn’t mean that you have to go to medical school following your undergraduate career. There are other options for biology majors, such as teaching, working in a lab or conducting research. The same concept applies to students studying other majors as well; just be sure to keep your advisors up-to-date on your thoughts and desires so that they can ensure that you are on the right path.
