Choosing the Right Major/Career for YOU! Lunch ‘n Learn March 20, 2015

Importance of Choosing a Career/Major  High school course plan  Post-secondary options  CSU – Freshman students with a declared major have higher graduation and retention rates.  The longer you take to graduate, the more debt you can incur and you are the less likely you are to graduate.  Ultimately, we want to have satisfying occupations with which to support ourselves.

Truth or Myth?  Students should take general classes and choose a major later.  Most majors don’t train you for your career.  A major doesn’t equal a career path.

College Student Stats.  If you are uncertain about your major, you're not alone. At The University of Texas at Austin, there are more than 2,000 students who are undeclared when they enroll each fall semester. Additionally, more than 65% of students change their major at least once.  3 out of 4 students across the country are not certain of their major when they enter college.  On the UT campus, 2 out of 3 students who start with a declared major will change their major. 

Know Yourself!  Values – family, wealth, etc. (May not want to work in education if you value wealth)  Interests – math, science, helping others (How in depth do you want to pursue those interests?)  Personality – for ex. introverted vs. extroverted (Most majors have a personality.)  Skills – both skills you have and want to learn (Think of skills you have and those that you know you will never have.)

Self-reflection  How do students get to know their  Values  Interests  Personality  Skills  Students need to have experiences in order to know what’s out there.  They need to figure it out for themselves sometimes.

Naviance Tour  Colleges  Super Match College Search  Scholarships  Careers  Career Assessments  Roadtrip Nation  About Me  Resume  Portfolio

My College QuickStart My Personality Personality test Description of your type Tips for success Majors and careers that might be a good fit for you

My College QuickStart

My Majors & Career Matches Major you chose Related majors Related careers

My College QuickStart

Know Your Options  Majors, minors, certificates (can combine interests)  Honors programs, work-study, study abroad and internship opportunities, leadership (can gain experience)  MyMajors.com

Explore Careers  Job Outlook is key! Check for outlook in the state you plan to live  What education is required for the career you want  Research careers that are require special training  Seek out help from professionals in that field or search online

Make a Decision  What has been the method of decision making that has served you well in the past? (gut feeling, pro-con list, etc.)  Integrate what you have learned about yourself with your available options and your decision making process.

Resources & Tools  Naviance/Family Connection – Career Assessments and RoadTrip Nation for thousands of interviews with successful professionals and how they found their path  Texas Crews  rvlet.ibfs rvlet.ibfs  Occupational Outlook Handbook 