Choose Your Career Before Choosing A Major

The first four letters of the word “career” – purely coincidentally, I’m sure – are “c-a-r-e”. 

Care.

Many of the new college entrants say; 

• “Choosing my major is hard…”
•  “I hate my major…”
• “There are no jobs in my major…”

Screw the major. It doesn’t matter.

Oh, it matters to your college – which will force you to pick a major even before you’ve figured out what you want to be when you grow up. And it matters to those high school guidance counselors still dishing out advice from the 1990s. And, perhaps most obvious, your major matters to some parents who wear their child’s chosen major like a badge of parenthood honor.

For you, however, a major is not an indicator of where you will end up in your career, how much money you’ll make or how far you’ll go as an entrepreneur. It will not affect how happy or proud your parents will ultimately be of you. Or how happy or fulfilled you will be as you navigate life.

There are a number of studies examining this topic:

• Studies that show how often students change their majors
• Studies that show someone with a history major can make as much money as someone with a business degree – in a business-related role
• Studies that show what employers really want are employees with excellent communication and transferable skills
• Studies that show your practical experience (gained through internships and mentorship relationship) and your ability to add value to the company – outweigh what you chose to study
• Studies that show how few of us workforce veterans actually work in careers directly related to our undergraduate majors

And yet, even before you enter college or have experienced the real world to any significant degree, you are expected to choose a major. And you choose based on high school academics, online strengths and aptitude tests, your parents’ agendas, the notion that you must be “practical” in your decisions and maybe even the latest press tidbit that lists the “Top 10 Majors” for right now.

Insane.

Unless you’re destined to work in academia or in a STEM-related career path (where a degree in Liberal Arts will obviously not help you), choose a course of study that will get your butt out of bed every morning. Choose a major where you can see yourself engaging in the classroom, being passionate about projects and courses – and developing leadership skills. Choose something that keeps you interested, even when you’re surrounded by distractions.

Ever see anyone that was absent of passion or disengaged – that didn’t care – serve as an effective communicator? Leader? Motivator?

Maybe you just entered college and are undecided on your major? Perhaps you are unhappy with your major choice… or are worried about the lack of jobs available that cater to your major? Relax. Avoid the drama. Stop watching the news, and reading doomsday blogs. Spend your energy doing something productive, or even challenging.

Realize that most employers look for those who possess an exceptional work ethic, exhibit character and passion, communicate well, think like an entrepreneur, lead others and fit within their existing culture.

Ultimately, employers want to know two things:

1)      Can you do the job well?
2)      Do you CARE?

Nothing else – including your major – matters.