As a student, finding the best career path that suits your interest can be challenging. With so many options, your choices can quickly overwhelm you and make the career prospect path difficult. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to find a career path in college that suits your interests and will keep you hooked for years to come.
Try using some of the below strategies:
Start with Your Major
If you have already picked a major, you’ve potentially completed half the battle. Think about the studies you have chosen and whether or not you like what you are learning. This will be the first indication as to whether or not you are on the right path for a career choice.
Should you find that you dislike the topics you are studying, consider switching majors or simply choosing a career path that doesn’t fully align with your major. To do this, think about which classes you’ve taken that have really resonated with you.
Assuming you can think of one class that captured your attention, look up some of the popular careers in that field.
Visit a Career Center or Counselor
Most career counselors are excellent at their jobs and can help walk you through the process of finding a career path that aligns with your interests. They may work with you to discuss what classes you enjoy or whether your major seems to be a good fit for your interests.
Using their broad experience and knowledge of different career paths is a quick way to be introduced to a number of different potential careers.
Perform Job Research
While it can certainly be overwhelming at times, doing simple job research is the best way to find out about different career paths. Rather than looking into 20 different careers, try to narrow down 3 or 4 that align with your interests, major, or some of your favorite classes.
From there, look up what professionals in those industries do or what the job prospects look like. This will allow you to figure out if you will align with any of your favorite paths.
Think About What You Enjoy Doing
Rather than focusing solely on academics, take a minute to think about your personal interests. Are there extracurricular activities that you are really passionate about? If so, consider looking into any potential career paths that may exist for that interest.
Take a Career Test
A common way people introduce themselves to different career paths is by taking a career test. These evaluations will measure your interest in different areas and help you determine if there is a single path that may suit your interests best.
Career tests aren’t always accurate, but they are a great first step in figuring out if there is a specific industry or field that captures your attention more than others.
Consider Different Work Environments
A major factor of career paths that is often overlooked is the work environment of different career paths. Some people enjoy being around many other people, whereas others prefer a smaller work environment.
Regardless of which you prefer, identifying what you do and don’t expect from all factors of your career choice is an important way to figure out what you may potentially enjoy doing.
Finding the Right Career
At the end of the day, choosing the right career path means you can potentially have lower stress and need to worry less about whether or not you enjoy what you do. Try using some of the above tips to identify a few career paths that line up with your interests. From there, pursue classes, internships, or any other experience that can help you grow into that career.
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with Mind-Diagnostics.org. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
