Your Major and Your Career Are Often Different

The world outside of college is not divided into majors. Likewise the world of work is not divided into majors, either. It is more likely to be defined by jobs that need to get done and the transferable skills it takes to do them. Those skills transfer with ease into all occupations that make up the world of work. We find that most people do not enter a career in a field that is associated with their majors; in fact, there may not be a field of work that clearly fits this description. And the majority of people who do start their work life in a career that is related to their majors do not remain employed in that career field. Within ten years the majority are not working in an area that directly related to their undergraduate college major.

Let's look at what we mean by "major" and "career." A "major" is a series of classes that you take in order to get a degree. The series of classes follow a particular order and focus on a particular subject that you study in great detail. The major is an area you find interesting, challenging and want to learn more about. The word "career" has two different meanings and two paths. Traditionally it has been a chosen profession or occupation that was pursued and/or one continued until retirement. The other definition refers to a progression of one's working life.

The first definition for the word "career" tends to be the more familiar: One clear-cut path, a profession, a track that continues from study to entering a profession. Typically we think of occupations like law or medicine, which seem to have one continuous path. However, this definition does not encompass the majority of the population. The majority of the population tends to follow the second definition more closely: Progression of one's working life. The reality is, within ten years, the majority of people will not be working in an area that directly relates to their college major.

It is important to understand you are not your major nor does the major define your absolute career path. By declaring a major you are selecting an area to study in depth. The classroom experience will offer more than knowledge in a specific area. In the classroom you develop skills that will last a lifetime and will transfer into any career or personal situation. Class discussions, writing assignments, group projects, presentations, demonstrations and research projects are paths through which you can develop skills that transfer into the work place.

When you begin your job search, you will find little correlation between the majority of job titles and majors. You should look at job descriptions and present the whole you. Present your skills, interest and values. Also present your personal attributes like dependability, self-management, and the ability work as a team player. Evidence of these skills and personal attributes should be given through work, college, volunteer, community and personal experiences.

Employers will look for evidence of the following transferable skills:

• Clear writing skills Negotiating/Arbitrating/Speaking
• Organizing/Managing/Coordinating/Budget Management
• Interviewing Supervising
• Teaching and Instructing Public Relations
• Coping with deadline pressure

It will be up to you to demonstrate the skills learned in the class and how you can transfer them into employment "job speak" or "industry lingo." Do not fret if you cannot see an immediate link between your first job and your major. Look for ways to demonstrate and apply what you have learned in the classroom, on the job, and as a volunteer into the language of the employer.

Keys to the world of work skills will be listed in the job description. Analyze the practical application of duties and responsibilities given in the job description and you will find research, communication, and writing skills can be applied. As you go through the interview, master the basic skills of transferring academic skills into the lingo of the job or the world of work. You will find lessons learned in the classroom coming to life as you correlate supervising skills with "team projects," and interviewing skills. As you gather information for the research project from the "leading expert in the area" remember it is just a matter of transferring academic work into the world of work.

What industry is right for you?

As H & SS students you are afforded many career choices. Many of the careers will not correlate with your specific major, however look closely at any job description and you will discover many transferable skills utilized in your program of study translate into a perfect "fit" for the multiple positions in many industries. You may, however, wish to narrow your search to specific industries that are a better match for your skills, values, and/or personality. To learn more about specific industries, please follow one of the links available in the navigation bar to your left.

To assess your transferable skills take the Choices Skills Inventory in the CP & PC computer lab. Our career counselors can also direct you to other resources that will help you explore your personality and values.

Find and follow your dream!