Ever since I was a kid, I knew I would probably go to college. I did well in school, I liked learning, and thought that was the logical next step.
With that being said, seven year old me had some lofty career goals. I wanted to be either a dance teacher, a waitress, a pediatrician, or a fashion designer. As you can tell from the content of this blog, I became none of those things.
When I saw both of my big sisters go off to college, I thought their career paths (finance and nursing) suited them perfectly. I knew I needed to find something a little more unique and suited toward me.
I set my sights on Communication, more specifically Public Relations. Thankfully, I loved the program as it combined my love of writing, speaking, and learning about people. Once graduation got closer though, I realized I needed to focus more on the Communication aspect and less on Public Relations. This was for two reasons: I didn’t feel very prepared to jump into a PR role and hit the ground running and I wasn’t finding many opportunities I was qualified for within Madison. I will never understand how entry level roles can still require 2+ years of professional experience but I digress.
All in all, I was thankful to have picked a broad enough major that could apply to a lot of different career paths. I understood what I could do with it and set my sights from there, still going through months of job searching before landing the right position.
If you are considering getting your degree, I urge you to do your research beforehand and understand the career paths out there. Scour job boards to see how many positions are posted and how many internships are offered each year. Do this all before you ever start your program.
You could save yourself a lot of money, first and foremost. If you’re finding what you want to do with your degree doesn’t really exist or doesn’t exist in the area you want to stay in, you might want to find a backup option.
If you’re changing careers through education, research what someone starting out will make. As a recruiter, I’ve unfortunately seen it too many times where someone graduates with a degree only to realize the entry level roles needed to gain experience pay significantly less than they’re currently making. Look up well known companies in your area on Glassdoor to gain estimates on salary ranges offered (do this before you ever enroll in classes). Some job descriptions will list pay rates as well.
Say you want to pursue the degree anyways, which is totally fine (a college degree is an accomplishment in and of itself). You now have more knowledge going in and can form a great game plan on how to land a position. Maybe you noticed that internships are required, or a certification is necessary. You can then figure out a plan of attack: when to start studying, networking with potential companies to intern at, etc.
If you know college is going to help you get where you want to go but don’t know your exact career path, get your general education courses out of the way first at a community or technical college. It’ll be way cheaper, and a gen ed might point you in the right direction. The whole college experience is great, but is it really worth spending thousands of extra dollars that go to waste if you decide your career path doesn’t require a degree?
If something like philosophy interests you but you realize it doesn’t lead to a lot of career paths, consider minoring in it instead.
Maybe there’s a career path you’re curious about but aren’t sure you’ll like. Good news: you can explore plenty of other options first.
Option #1 - Find a career mentor to speak with and shadow. Maybe your parents are currently in that career, or a family friend works in the field. Perhaps you scour LinkedIn and connect with someone local doing the job. Whoever it may be, ask them how they got where they are. Understand why they like the job, but also know the challenges they faced. If they don’t mind disclosing, get an idea on what a realistic salary range looks like.
In college, I had a project where I had to interview someone who did my dream job. I contacted the Director of Marketing and Communications at Make-A-Wish Wisconsin. He answered all of my questions and helped me understand what a typical day for him looked like, which got me excited for the future. In addition to giving me guidance, it pushed me to help their organization by volunteering and later becoming an intern (most rewarding internship I could’ve had, by the way).
Option #2 - Audit a college class. While many universities still make you pay for the class or have some kind of fee involved, auditing a class can be a great way to learn the content but not have the added stress of tests or final papers. It allows a student to learn the topic and understand if they like it before they enroll in a major or start taking classes toward a degree. Many universities also offer free audited courses, as well. To learn more, click here.
Whatever you decide, research thoroughly. Understand your new career path in and out and a plan on how you’ll get where you want to go. It’s okay to change your mind. Just keep in mind whatever you do, get all the information beforehand. Your bank account and happiness will thank you later.
A college degree is a great way to advance your career and create further opportunity. Without informing yourself on the front end and understanding what opportunity looks like in the end, you’re not arming yourself with the right tools to be successful.
This article is my own and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of TEKsystems.
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