HOW TO CHOOSE A MAJOR TIPS & STRATEGIES First, you need to understand: 1. Personal information about yourself: interests, motivation and values. 2. Knowledge of what particular majors mean. 3. Information on how majors interact with careers. 4. What skills you will need after graduation. During the first two years of college, you should: 1. Take a variety of classes & talk to your professors. 2. Get real world experience (p/t job, internship, volunteer activity, hobby). 3. Make an appt. to see a counselor. 4. Attend seminars/workshops on majors and career paths. 5. Talk to working professionals in your field of interest(s). 6. Think about a double major or a minor that complements the major. 7. Join a club related to your major & talk to other students. Do the necessary homework to find: 1. What interests you 2. Your talents 3. Your values 4. How to match these with a career DO NOT: 1. Accept the first idea that presents itself. 2. Be easily persuaded by others. 3. Have no clear correlation between your major and career/job. 4. Rely on faulty information (ie. what another student tells you). DO: 1. Investigate several ideas before making a decision. 2. Be independent in thinking; not easily swayed by others. 3. Have a clear idea of goals and how decisions affect these. 4. Check and recheck information to be sure it is accurate (see a Counselor).
How to Choose a Major TIPS: 1. Take as diverse a selection of courses as you can. Consider studying something you have no exposure to, such as psychology, graphics art, photography, journalism, anthropology, anatomy, etc. 2. Find out where the Career/Transfer Center and other resources are located on campus. Attend workshops and stay informed about events, such as the Career & Job Fair or Transfer Day. 3. Build your social skills so that you learn to talk to people easily and can get valuable information from them. 4. When you read newspapers and magazines, note what jobs people do and what the stories tell you about the jobs (salary, duties, requirements, education level). 5. Expose yourself to other people s interests. Meet people on campus who will expand our thinking about majors. If you have not developed your social skills yet, college is a perfect time to start. Places to meet people: cafeteria, bus stop, in class, playing sports, join a club, computer lab, study groups, workshops/seminars, etc. TOOLS: Write regularly about how you feel and what you imagine yourself doing. Write a mini-biography about your life and what you liked/disliked most. Interview your family and friends to see what they have experienced. Conduct interview(s) with professionals to see if you d like the job. Take some personality tests in the Career/Life Planning class: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Personality Test) Strong Interest Inventory (Vocational Assessment)
SOURCES OF INFORMATION *Deciding on a major involves talking to experts, hearing advice, keeping notes and reading about occupations. Think of all this work as your part-time job. A phone call to set up an informational interview, a quick stop at the college counseling office, just do a little every day. Counselor/Teacher Make an appointment to speak with your counselor regarding your education plan and course schedule to stay on track. Also, regularly meet with your teacher in a class that you particularly enjoy to ask questions and learn about the working environment. Campus Bookstore Check out the books required for the courses you plan to take. The books will give you a sense of the many aspects of the course, such as degree of complexity and amount of reading required. Campus Visits Not only are you going to get a tour of the campus, you need to request interviews with students and professors in the major you are considering. Career/Transfer Center Career Resources include: Career Planning Books Job & Internship website: www.foothill.edu/career/jobs Career Center Workshops Resume Writing & Interviewing Tips Workshops EUREKA career guidance software and web site Transfer Resources include: Books and Videos College Representatives Assistance with UC and CSU Applications College Catalogs TAA and Essay Writing Workshops
Career Fairs Employers attend career fairs to recruit students for full-time and part-time jobs. This is a great way to network with professionals and ask questions about occupations. Career-Life Planning Class: CRLP-70 SELF ASSESSMENT Exploration of individual skills, interests, values and personality styles as they relate to career choice. Includes testing, values clarification, skills identification, lifestyle assessment, decision making and goal setting techniques. CRLP-71 EXPLORING CAREER FIELDS Using Career Center resources and computerized career programs to investigate specific career choices, including job responsibilities, desired employee characteristics, training requirements, salary ranges and employment trends. CWE 70 GENERAL WORK EXPERIENCE (Cooperative Education) Earn units for work, internship or volunteer experience. College Catalogues Points to consider when looking at catalogues: What has the school chosen to emphasize? What majors does it offer? Which majors are of interest to you? What courses are listed under the major? Do the course descriptions sound interesting? What kind of people are represented in the pictures? Are there pictures of women as well as men, and minorities? Informational Interviewing Ask questions to another student, professor or career professional to learn as much as you can about a school, major, courses offered or your career field.
Internships Gain needed experience in your field before graduation. Also give you an opportunity to test the waters to see what the work environment is like for your field of interest. http://internships.fhda.edu Professional Organizations Keep members informed on the latest trends affecting your job and also give you professional information about what the job involves. Attend upcoming seminars and workshops. It is another great way to network with people who are already in the field that interests you. Research Occupations Explore and research a variety of occupations to learn about job duties and responsibilities, work environment, salary and benefits, level of education, jobs available in a major, and job demand by location. Student Organizations Meet other students with the same interests. Improve leadership skills and network with alumni etc. Join a club and attend weekly meetings to listen to guest speakers and learn valuable information. Transfer Day College recruiters from UC, CSU and Private schools attend to answer questions and discuss majors, departments, courses, transfer requirements, etc. Volunteering/Service Learning Offering to work without pay can open doors. You get to see how an organization/business works and whether it is appealing as a place to spend your career. You meet people who can steer you to other opportunities.
HELPFUL TIDBITS OF INFORMATION www.quintcareers.com/choosing_major.html Yes, there are some students who arrive on campus and know exactly their major and career ambitions, but the majority of students do not, thus there is no need to rush into a decision about your major as soon as you step on campus. And guess what? A majority of students in all colleges and universities change their major at least once in their college careers; and many change their major several times. Choosing a major is merely choosing a label to wear on campus. Concentrate on skill development!! You need to develop transferable skills. Skill development should run parallel to a thorough understanding of your major. Skills have become the gold standard for success in whatever you choose to do after graduation. The goal is to choose a major wisely and not spend unnecessary extra time and money in college. One of the important skills you will learn in college is how to analyze problems. Consider choosing a major an exercise in problem solving. Corporations are looking for people who can solve problems. They also want people who can communicate effectively, get along with others and reach goals through team activities. Your major does not determine the areas of work you will or will not be eligible for. College graduates are typically hired primarily for potential to learn rather than for related work experience. Your attitude toward work, your diligence and trustworthiness and your potential to learn can all be demonstrated through part-time or volunteer work and extracurricular activities you have participated in while in college. Employers seek out graduates with a record of success and then train them to perform specific tasks.
Questions to Ask College Representatives, Students & Teachers What will I learn in this major? What are the strengths of the professors in this major? How does a major at this school differ from the same major at other schools? Are there opportunities for field study or internships? Are classes in my major hard to get into? What do students with this major do for a living after they graduate? What is the most difficult class in this major? What are typical minors that students in this major have chosen? Is there an opportunity for foreign travel with this major? In this major, how many years does it typically take to graduate? What are the most popular courses in this major? What skills do you need to have to do well in this major? At what stage of my college career do I have to declare this major? Is it competitive to get accepted into the department? What grade point average is required? Where are most of the classes in this major held on campus? Is it possible for me to sit in on a class? (Request this ahead of time.) What skills will I have upon completion of this major?
How long has this been a major on this campus? Is there any thought of eliminating or merging this major with another discipline in the near future? Is the school sensitive to language barriers on the part of its teaching assistants? Are the teaching assistants (TA s) evaluated for their teaching by the faculty? How much access will I have to full time faculty members? What is a typical course of study each year in this major?
QUESTIONS TO ASK PROFESSIONAL IN THE CAREER NAME OF CONTACT: POSITION: COMPANY/ORGANIZATION: ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: REFERRAL: DATE OF FIRST CONTACT: PURPOSE OF INTERVIEW: RESULTS: 1) How did you decide to work in this field? For this company? 2) What is a typical workday like? A typical week? Year? 3) How many hours per week do you usually work? It is common to take work home? 4) Do you travel a lot? 5) What is the best training or education to acquire? 6) What is your background and education? 7) Do you have an area of specialization? If so, what? 8) How did you decide in which area to specialize? What are other areas? 9) What are the most difficult problems/decisions/challenges you face?
10) Is the field growing? What are the various types of employers? 11) How secure is employment? 12) Do you find certain personality traits make it easier to do this work well? Which traits? 13) What is it like to work here? 14) What is the hiring process? Is that process standard procedure within the industry? 15) What is the best way to find a job in this field? 16) If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently? 17) What is a typical starting salary? 18) Are there professional trade journals I should read? Which ones? 19) Do you belong to any professional associations? Can nonmembers attend meetings? 20) Would you mind reviewing my resume and making comments or suggestions? 21) Can you recommend other people I might talk to?
BIBLIOGRAPHY CAREER RESEARCH What Color is Your Parachute? Richard Nelson Bolles, 2001, Ten Speed Press Great Careers: The Fourth of July Guide to Careers, Internships and Opportunities in the Nonprofit Sector, edited by Devon Cottrell Smith, 1990, Garret Park Press. VGM S Careers Checklist: 89 Proven Checklists to Help You Plan Your Career & Get Great Jobs, Arlene S. Hirsch, 1992, VGM Career Horizons. Discover the Best Jobs for You! Tools and Strategies for Career Success, Ronald L. Krannich & Caryl Rae Krannich, 1993, Impact Publications. CAREER ASSESSMENT Discover What You re Best At: The National Career Aptitude System and Career Directory Barry and Linda Gale, 1990, Simon & Schuster. Career Planning for the 21 st Century, Donald H. Blocher, Mary Heppner, Joe Johnson, 2001, Love Publishing Company. Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type, Paul D. Tieger & Barbara Barron-Tieger, 1995, Little, Brown & Co. MAJOR SEARCH How to Choose a College Major, Linda Landis Andrews, 1998, VGM Career Horizons. Major Decisions: A Guide to College Majors, Richard A. Blumenthal and Joseph A. Despres, 1990, Orchard House, Inc. OCCUPATION GUIDES The Complete Guide for Occupational Exploration, edited by J. Michael Farr, 1993, JIST Works Inc. The O-Net Dictionary of Occupational Titles, U.S. Department of Labor, 1998, Jist Works, Inc.