This is a question everyone has heard once in their life. Perhaps when you were younger you said a doctor, a singer, or a teacher. Typically, as you grow up you develop new interests and skills that often lead you to a more specific career choice. With the wide variety of career choices available, nowadays more students are uncertain about their career choice and college studies. According to Business Wire Company, a whopping 51% of students are not confident in their career path when enrolling in college. Studies also show that an estimated 40% of undergraduates drop out of college. There is a wide variety of opinions determining what the main purpose of college is, but when attending college, you are paying for the advancement and adaptation of new skills to get into your chosen career field. Going into college with uncertainty about your major can lead to spending more time completing your degree which will result in more debt and the possibility of getting rushed into a career that may not be a good fit for you.
Why are more students uncertain about their career choice?
More and more students are going to college to postpone their responsibilities of growing up and choosing a career. Many students can make it through all four years of college still with uncertainty about their studies and where they want to go in their career field. Some students also don’t end up using their degrees because of a mindset change regarding their career goals. It is normal for interests to change as life goes on, but this can make it stressful in college when a student is paying a lot of money to study something they may decide later on that they don’t want to pursue.
One potential reason for this struggle is the many distractions Gen Z faces that may get in the way of their drive toward their interests and goals. The attachment to technology has intruded on the desire to learn, which can get in the way of students discovering their interests and what they would like to pursue as a career.
How do you decide on a career field?
I have wanted to be a news reporter since fourth grade but still faced uncertainty and questions about my career choice while growing up. While learning more about my career choice, I was able to narrow it down from a news reporter to a journalist and eventually to an investigative journalist. Realizing my interests and skills helped me decide on my specific career choice. I enjoy writing and have consistently been working to get better at it through high school and now into college. Along with my passion for writing, I am a very curious person who seeks to learn more about my environment and geopolitical issues. Investigative journalism is an amazing career choice to complement my interests, passion, and skills.
When you are deciding on a career field, it is important to ask yourself, “Why do I want to be a (chosen career choice)?”. By realizing your passions and interests, you will be able to build more certainty in your studies. If you are continuing to question your major or aren’t feeling confident with your career choice, there are several options to help you find the best job fit.
Get an internship
Getting an internship in the specific work field you are interested in is a good way to fix uneasiness. Don’t wait until you are done with college to get needed experience in your chosen career field. Getting an internship during college can provide certainty on whether or not you enjoy the career.
Get involved in clubs
There are plenty of clubs at every college to get involved with. Many clubs are for specific majors. By joining these clubs, you could learn more about your studies/career choice along with getting any questions you have answered.
Attend a job fair
Most colleges will offer job fairs at some point throughout your school year. By attending these job fairs and talking with employers, you can learn more about what career options are available and the opportunities they provide. Job fairs are also a great way to network and make connections with people who can provide advice about their career field.
Take an online test
Most people have taken some sort of free online personality, interest, or job test at some point in their life. Job tests are a great resource to use if you are uncertain about what you want to do after college. There are many free options you can find online with a little research.
Talk to professors, counselors, or seniors
Reaching out to your community is another great option to help you find certainty in your studies. Professors, counselors, and seniors can give opinions based on their experiences which can help you make a decision.
Research
There are many questions you could research the answers to about your studies or career choice such as what the pay is, what opportunities it provides, what the working conditions are like, the job demand, etc.