By Gretchen Seewald | Friday, March 3, 2017
Whether you’re a first year who is still exploring a lot of possible options or an upperclassman who has already declared a major, you’re probably familiar with the rainbow-colored “What can I do with this major?” packets in Career development. Here is a guide on how to get the most out of these valuable resources no matter what stage of planning you’re in for your life after Gustavus.
Areas of Employment
The first column has a list of general fields that you could choose to work in based on your major. This is useful for researching general career fields that you may need to learn more about, and it can also introduce you to possibilities that you hadn’t considered. It is well known that an English major can be an editor or a teacher, but did you know that they could also work in the fields of advertising, marketing, or technical writing?
Employers
The second column is possible employers for each of the areas of employment. This is important to know when searching for a job or internship because it can help you narrow down what kind of organization would be a good fit for your skills and interests. Having a list can make a broad field of options seem a bit more focused. For example if you’re looking for a job with a Psychology major in the broad field of human services, it’s useful to know if you would prefer to work at a nursing home, a college or university, a nonprofit, a branch of the local or federal government, or another place. Finding an employer that is a good fit is just as important as finding an appropriate job or internship!
Strategies
The third column is strategies for each career field. These are tips on what you can do now with your four years at Gustavus to prepare you for a career in your field of interest. These strategies suggest student organizations to join, what minor(s) or classes may be relevant to complement the major, and internship and volunteer opportunities that would fit within that career field. An Economics major interested in banking or finance could be the treasurer of a student organization. An Elementary or Secondary Education major could volunteer with Big Partner, Little Partner or Gustie Buddies on campus.
All of the “What Can I Do With This Major?” packets for Gustavus’ majors can be found in the Career Development office or online.
Curious about what you could do with your major? Want to talk about opportunities in a career field? Stop by Career Development Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:45pm and we’ll be happy to help!
Save