Most young people do not know so they go to college as a way of figuring it out.
This is an incomplete strategy. Let’s talk about why & what you should do differently.
Sadly college is not designed to help you figure out a career. Which is absurd. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, only 27.3% of college graduates work in the field of their degree. 27.3%!!! That is wild and sad. What this tells me is that the strategy people use to figure out their major and career is not working.
Here is how most people go about this process: they take classes that interest them then pick a major based on these classes and hope for the best career wise.
Since this is clearly not working, let’s consider a better way:
- You have to start becoming a detective in your life. So open a Google Doc or Notes page on your phone so you can write down your reflections and takeaways from the process I am about to explain.
- Once you find a class subject that you like, research what type of jobs you can get with a B.A. or B.S. in that field.
Example: You like psychology and the classes so you are thinking about picking it as a major.
Step 1: Research – What type of jobs can people do with a BA in psychology?
Write down all of the options that could be interesting
Step 2: Start exploring and researching the jobs you picked. Make sure you document everything in the Google Doc or Notes page that you started.
Example: Corrections officer
Things to research: What is a corrections officer? What are their job responsibilities? What hours do they work? Where are these jobs located? What are the pros and cons of being a corrections officer? Where are the best places to work as a corrections officer? Do a search to see if there are any job postings in the area you want to live.
Step 3: Connect with people in the field: Informational Interviews
Start reaching out to local people in that field and seeing if they will do an informational interview (usually 15 minutes). You can search for people on LinkedIn or go to a company´s website and find a list of employees and email them.
During an informational interview you will ask them questions that you cannot research online.
Example: Why did you want to become a corrections officer? What is the best part of your job? What is the worst part of your job? What advice do you have for someone who is interested in becoming a corrections officer? What are things I should be doing now to increase my success at landing a job and being successful?
After the interview, thank them for their time and ALWAYS send a thank you email.
Step 4: Job Shadow
If this job is still sounding like a good potential then reach out to people in this field and ask them if you can shadow them for a day to see the ins and out. Also mention that you would love to help out if it would add value to their day.
Step 5: Paid Internship
This is a great way to get experience in the field before you graduate. Thousands of people will graduate with your same degree and this is a fabulous way to set yourself apart with some real experience. Look for paid internships during the school year and during the summer. Your school career center might be a good place to start looking. LinkedIn is also a good resource as well as reaching out to companies directly.
As you work through Steps 1-5, if the job no longer seems like a good fit then drop that career option and go back to the search results you got in Step 1 and repeat Step 2-5.
If none of those options sound like a good fit, then it is time to try another field of study and those career options.
Get this book!
In the back of this book are 10 chapters with questionnaires to start exploring your natural talents, personality types, natural roles you play, rewards and values, work environment and meaning/mission. This is a very in depth, reflective and exploratory process.
I take my Personal Finance students through 8 of these chapters as they try to get clarity around their career choices. For students who already know what they want to do, this process can help confirm that their natural abilities and personality traits support them in this field.
The entire book is a bit dense. I would jump to Chapter 16 and start doing the work from Chapter 16-25.
Your career will be a major part of your adult life. Put in the time to get this right.
You can always make adjustments along the way but you don’t want to be jumping careers on a whim.
Want more tips on how to get the most out of college and thrive? Click the link below to get my short video series for $36.
Disclaimer: I am an educator, not your personal financial advisor. Please make sure to do your own research before moving forward with any actions discussed in this blog post.
Know that all investments involve some form of risk and there is no guarantee that you will be successful in making, saving, or investing money; nor is there any guarantee that you won’t experience any loss when investing. Always remember to make smart decisions and do your own research!
