Jordan Simonson, CALS Peer Advisor
“I want to increase my opportunities, so I picked a broad major”. This statement is common rationale for selecting a major or double major. In some cases a broad, seemingly wide open major can be good, but it means that a student will need to be focused and have a plan throughout his or her collegiate career.
Analyzing Your “End Game”
When you start your plan, you need to be focused on your “end game.” Your “end game” is where you want your career path to lead – your dream job. When initially picking my major, I wasn’t thinking about my “end game.” I had no idea what my dream job was, or more importantly, how I was going to get there. I was fortunate to choose majors and become involved in student organizations that gave me a direction. I now recognize how important it is to have an “end game” because it can help you find your career path.
Finding Your Career Path
When you are pursuing a broad major without a clear career path, you need to make that career path for yourself to achieve your “end game.” By using a combination of internships, research experiences, student organizations and career services/professional development opportunities, you can find your niche in a traditionally broad major. For example, an internship would give you the opportunity to learn more about an industry, see the variety of careers available within a company and help you develop professional skills. Investing the time to develop specific skills will position you to be competitive in your job search. Even with a broad major – it is possible to be a specialist.
Having Realistic Goals
While navigating your broad career avenues, it is important to remember you will not always graduate with your dream job because your dream job is not always available upon graduation. Consider focusing on jobs that you can do, matching your goals with the OPEN positions when you graduate. Use this opportunity as a stepping stone to your dream job. People change their job numerous times in a lifetime – the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2008 that the average employee stays at a position an average of 4.1 years. Starting in a position related to your “end game” is normal, and even encouraged as a means to build skills.
Major Doesn’t Dictate Career
In Career Services, we certainly have strategies than can help you find jobs, land interviews and accept offers. From the broad Biology major to the tailored Food Science major – we can offer great advice about how to land traditional careers in your area. However – just because you major in something, doesn’t mean that you have to work in that area. There is something to be said for pursuing education simply because it makes you a better citizen and caters to your mind’s desire to learn. In fact, we are seeing many students who have chosen to apply their majors in completely non-traditional ways – and it’s great!
Final Thought
A college major gives you a strong foundation in something, but your passion drives what you want to dedicate your life to. That said – we all need to graduate (even if we don’t want to), support ourselves and start paying off debt. A job – hopefully doing something we like – is a way to do this. Even if you want to stray from the traditional career path for your major – or maybe your major doesn’t have a specific path, things like work experience, internships, research and student organizations will always look good to employers and are your ticket to standing out!
