College, Career, Life

Difficulty in choosing the right major is a common problem among college students.  Many students spend extra time (and money) in college after changing majors several times. This isn’t surprising since few high schools offer career counseling and college career centers often focus more on job hunting rather than career planning.  Unfortunately, choosing the wrong major is costlier than ever.  With college tuition costs rising faster than the overall inflation rate, students are under tremendous pressure to finish school on time and with the right degree.   A few career planning steps to help you maximize your time and money :

Career Testing. Career testing is an important part of the career planning process.  After taking several assessments, you’ll get an idea of what careers might be a good fit.  For a list of professional career tests, see Best Online Career Tests.

Career Counseling. Many school guidance counselors don’t have the time to provide extensive career testing and counseling.   Although it may seem expensive, paying for a professional career counselor will be well worth the investment. A good career counselor can help you understand the results of your career assessments and give their own career tests.   If you’re in college, you can visit your campus career center to see if counseling is available.

Career Research. Job shadowing and informational interviews are great ways to find out about a career.  There are resources for those who want information about a career, but don’t know anyone to interview.  Websites like WIKIcareer and TheCareerProject.org offer insider information about a variety of careers.  In-depth career research is the last step in career planning process, after your choices have been narrowed to a few careers.

It’s never too early to start thinking about what career path you want to pursue. Beginning the career planning process before college gives you time to do more research and reduces the stress of making such an important decision.

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