How Do I Decide On a Major and a Career Goal?

Things to Do to Help Me Make a Decision

  • Read the University catalog and highlight any course that sounds interesting.
    Is there a pattern?
  • Take an introductory course in a major that sounds intriguing.
    It won't be a waste of time - it will count as an elective.
  • Evaluate courses you complete.
    Did you like the subject matter, the assignments, the skills you used in the course? Do you want to learn more about this particular area?
  • Meet with a professor who teaches courses in your major(s) of interest.
    Ask the professor questions that will help you better understand the major and future career opportunities.
  • Conduct brief informational interviews with individuals who are in a job you think you might enjoy.
    People are more than willing to talk about what they do.
  • Visit the Career Development Center and persue books about occupations of interest.
    There is a wide selection that may be borrowed from the Center.
  • Complete the FOCUS or WholeBrain assessments in the CDC.
    Assessments can help affirm or discover skills or interests you may have that relate to a career.
  • Seek self-knowledge - complete individual assessments to identify your skills, abilities, talents, personality type, and how those attributes match with different careers and jobs.
    This information helps you make a wise and true career choice.
  • Meet with the Director of Career Development to discuss your questions/thoughts and to develop an individual plan for identifying a major and future career.
    Appointments may be made by calling ext. 3247.
  • Seek opportunities for involvement on campus in order to test your skills and determine what you are doing.
    Over 25 organizations from which to choose!
  • Seek career related volunteer or work experiences.
    Employers will hire individuals who have completed internships, summer jobs, or volunteer work in the industry in which they are seeking their first full-time position.
  • Don't panic.
    A major and a job are not one and the same. There are a variety of careers available to liberal arts majors. Waiting a year to declare your major may be one of your wisest decisions.

Bluffton University Career Development Center. Discover. Connect.