Did you know only 27% of college grads in the U.S. end up in a career related to their majors? While choosing a major is important, your professional journey is lifelong and won’t be determined solely by what you study in college. Use the questions and activities below to help you explore possible next steps.Â
Step-by-Step Guide
Questions to consider:
- What are you curious about?
- What problems or issues are you interested in working on?
- In thinking about previous classes or experiences, what aspects did you like or not like?
- What have others noticed to be your strengths or talents?
- What gives you energy? What drains you?
- What situations bring out your best?
- If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you do?
- Describe your 3 greatest accomplishments. What makes them stand out What have you learned from them?
Suggested activities:
- Take PathwayU or another career assessment and discuss the results with a career coach.
- After reflecting on the questions above, take note of any patterns or themes that emerge.
Suggested activities:
- Choose 3-5 majors, and explore their course requirements in the catalog.
- Research various career options using our Labor Market Insights tool or other resources (O-Net or the Occupational Outlook Handbook).
- Read job postings of positions you are considering.
Questions to consider:
- Would this career path utilize most of my strengths? If not, how would that make me feel?
- What aspects of this role would be difficult or challenging for me to do?
- What is one thing you could do in the next week to “test out” one of the options you are exploring?
Suggested activities:
- Conduct informational interviews or participate in a job shadowing experience.
- Join a student organization related to your interests.
- Gain experience through on-campus employment or internships.
Questions to consider:
- What was the highlight of this experience?
- What surprised me or disappointed me the most?
- After shadowing or gaining experience in a particular career field, could I see myself enjoying this type of work?
Career and educational paths are rarely linear, so revisit these steps as you gain experience and are ready to transition to something new.
Career questions, more often than not, tend to arrive at inconvenient times.
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