CAREER CENTER SERVICES AND PROGRAMS :: Langsdorf Hall 208 :: (657) ::

Office Information Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Located in Langsdorf Hall (LH) 208 (657)

Myths and Facts about Major & Career Exploration

Myth or Fact Most students entering college are certain of their academic major.

The Fact is… National statistics vary but up to 50% of entering college students are undecided about their majors.

Myth or Fact Once a student declares a major, he/she will stick with it.

The Fact is… 50-70% of students change their majors at least once. On the average students change their majors 3 or more times before they graduate.

Myth or Fact Students should choose majors directly related to their chosen career.

The fact is… More than half of all college grads pursue careers not directly related to their major.

Can you guess what they majored in?  Will Ferrell  Eva Longoria  Denzel Washington  Lucy Liu  Adam Sandler  Hugh Hefner  Jay Leno  Conan O Brien  Carrie Underwood  Michael Jordan  Speech Communication, (BA)  Mass Communication (BA)  Geography (BA)  History & American Literature (BA)  Psychology (BS)  Sports Information (BA)  Kinesiology (BS)  Drama (BFA)  Chinese Language and Culture, (BA)  Journalism (BA)

Trivia Answers  Will Ferrell, USC, Sports Information (BA)  Eva Longoria, Texas A&M, Kinesiology (BS)  Denzel Washington, Fordham University, Journalism (BA)  Lucy Liu, Univ. of Michigan, Chinese Language and Culture, (BA)  Adam Sandler, NYU, Drama (BFA)  Hugh Hefner, Univ. of Illinois, Psychology (BS)  Jay Leno, Emerson College, Speech Communication, (BA)  Conan O Brien, Harvard, History & American Literature (BA)  Carrie Underwood, Northeastern State University, Mass Communications (BA)  Michael Jordan, North Carolina, Geography (BA)

Myth or Fact Once a student commits to a major, they will be stuck in a career for the rest of their life.

The fact is… Majors don’t necessarily lead to careers. Most people can expect to have 4.5 careers over their lifetime and work for an average of 10 different employers.

Myth or Fact Students only need to concentrate on getting a high GPA to improve their chances of career success.

The Fact is… Employers want to hire people with a good GPA, good interpersonal skills, and a variety of experiences. Earn good grades Participate in extracurricular activities Complete internships Work at summer and part-time jobs Do volunteer activities Study abroad

Choosing a Major and Career Development Resources  Career Counseling appointments  Drive-Thru Advising  The Strong Interest Inventory and The Myers Briggs Type Indicator: help to identify a major and career options  Ferguson’s Online Career Guidance Database: an in depth career exploration database  EUREKA: skills assessment and career information database

Preparation and Professional Development Resources and Services  Titan Resume Builder: online tool to help you build your resume  Interview Stream: interactive online tool for interview practice  Mock Interviews, Resume and Cover Letter Reviews  Career Resource Library  Workshops and Programs  Graduate and Professional School Information

Job Search Services and Resources   Titan Connection: CSUF online job and internship posting  On Campus Interviews  Linked In

Industry Specialist Elizabeth Munoz: Education, Health and Non Profit Maria Valvidia- Pellkofer: Business Laura Neal: Arts Entertainment and Communications

Industry Specialist Miguel Martinez: Government, Humanities & Social Sciences; Employer Relations Michelle Chang: Government, Humanities & Social Sciences; Graduate School Sonia Rosas: Engineering & Computer Science; Natural Sciences & Mathematics

Career Development Michelle Chang Elizabeth Zavala-Acevez Drive Thru Monday-Thursday 10:00 am – 2:45 pm

Choosing a Major When choosing a major it is important to identify…  Your skill sets  What you can do  What you like to do

Major to Career Resources  Ferguson  Eureka  O’Net:  California Career Zone:  Occupational Outlook Handbook:

Questions?

Thank You! CSUF Career Center Michelle Chang Career Development Specialist Miguel Martinez Employers Relations Specialist Phone: (657)