Connecting Majors and Careers

1. Know your interests, skills, values, and personality. Because today’s college graduates face competition in entering the world of work, employers expect them to be fully prepared. The chapter on Discovering How You Learn will guide you in assessing your unique style of learning, connecting that style with your academic success, interacting with the world, and making decisions about your future. Assessing your skills and personality is particularly important if you have no idea what you are interested in studying or what career paths are related to your choice of major.
2. Pay attention to grades. Employers and four-year colleges and universities want candidates with good grades. Good grades show that you have the necessary knowledge and skills and a strong work ethic, which are very important to all employers.
3. Explore career paths. Talking to or observing professionals in your areas of interest is an excellent way to try before you buy. Participation in ‘‘job shadowing” or “a-day-in-the-life” programs is time well spent. Many college graduates enjoy being career mentors for current students. This is also a great way to network with those working in your area of interest. Ask your career center about scheduling one of these opportunities.
4. Create a digital footprint. Have you Googled yourself lately? Do you like what you see? Would an employer? Your online image matters, and it can influence how others see you and what they think of you. If you do not like your online image, improve it. This may mean deleting some photos or removing the tags from comments or pictures online that others have posted.
5. Discover leadership opportunities. Companies want to hire leaders and look for leadership experience in college students when hiring for internships or employment. Being active in a campus club or organization helps develop your skills in leadership and teamwork. Volunteer to be a team leader when working with a group on classroom projects. Look for campus leadership employment opportunities, such as becoming an orientation leader. Active involvement in these opportunities will help you improve your leadership skills.
6. Develop computer skills. Most of today’s college students are comfortable with technology; however, not all technology experience is equal. Holding the record for fastest text messaging or reaching the highest level on your favorite video game does not mean you are proficient in the right kinds of technology needed to be successful in college and beyond. As you begin to make decisions about your career path, explore and become familiar with technologies used in your field. Take advantage of the computer courses and workshops your college offers, or learn by experimenting with different software programs on your own.
7. Build communication skills. The ability to communicate verbally with people inside and outside of an organization is one of the most important skills that employers look for in new graduates. Take every available opportunity to practice communicating, whether through classroom presentations, group work, leadership, and job opportunities. Also pay attention to nonverbal communication skills. Rolling your eyes, for example, may not be an appropriate response when your instructor is speaking with you.
8. Take advantage of experiential learning. Experiential learning is learning by doing and from experience. Internships and service learning courses are two common forms of experiential learning, but they are not the only ways to gain experience in your area of study. Find opportunities to apply what you learn in your courses to what you do outside the classroom.