Career Planning

These days, students come from all walks of life and enter college for a variety of reasons, and with a variety of expectations. Many of these students are acutely aware of the affect collegiate life will have on future career options, and use their college experiences to discover and refine a career path that will satisfy them. Other students are in the midst of their careers and either want to change career paths or are looking for job training to advance their careers.

Career planning is a valuable exercise for any of these students.

A good starting point in deciding what course of collegiate study would best prepare you for a career is to analyze very thoughtfully what particular skills are strengths for you. In general, are you adept at working with people, or numbers, or the written word, and so forth? What subjects in high school or activities since graduating have had the most appeal for you? You should make a list of the activities you enjoy and the subjects you like to read about or discuss.

Another valuable career planning activity is to read up on career information. Research careers that you are interested in and that would utilize your strengths. What type of education is required to get into the field? Do you need a graduate degree? Will you need to pursue a long internship or residency program? Are you willing to spend the time it takes to fulfill these requirements?

Remember, you don't have to have all the answers, but if you have an idea in mind, it can only help you. With possible careers in mind, you can research the college majors that are relevant. You can determine what colleges offer strong programs in your chosen majors, or if a career college would be a good option.