Why is everyone asking you about career decisions?

You just completed high school,  made your way through the admission process, registered for classes, and now you are beginning your journey through college at SPC. Aren’t career decisions made when you finish college? The answer is – not anymore!

Robert Frost (1874 – 1963) wrote, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I chose the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

Explore before making career decisions

Unfortunately, when choosing a career, most college students aren’t exposed to “the road less traveled” and are forced to choose the only one they know.

Naturally, people make decisions based on options that have become familiar to them. Similarly, most college students choose a career field based on a handful of options that have become familiar to them. When asked why they chose their major, the answers that most students give sound something like –

• “I chose accounting because my father is an accountant, and it seemed pretty neat.
• “Everyone is getting into technology these days. That’s the way to go.”

There’s nothing wrong with following in your parents’ footsteps or the status quo. However, there are more than 20,000 existing occupations, making it very likely that there’s an unknown career out there about which your student could become even more passionate. (Read more about making career decisions in this article by Robert Orndorff)**

Starting with the first semester at college, students should be examining different career paths. And SPC Career Services staff are here to help at every step of the way.

Volunteer, intern, job shadow and network

It is no longer advised to take additional classes to help you research careers. The state university system now charges an excess hours surcharge if you attempt more than 10 percent of the credits required for your degree, and that could cost you quite a bit if you if you test drive classes to see if they are a good fit. If you are receiving Financial Aid to assist with the cost of tuition and you choose to register for classes that do not complete requirements of your current degree program, those courses will not be used in the calculation of your financial aid awards.

Instead, it’s recommended to get involved with the industries you are considering. Volunteer, intern, job shadow, network and interview with professionals. These are more efficient options to explore career paths and get up close and personal with people who are involved in the industries you are considering. The SPC Career Services staff are available to help you get started!

Stay informed by reading our blog and following us on Twitter at #careerspc and #spcintern.