8 answers
Chris
Student
Rosemead, California
1
Question
Asked
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How can I figure out what career path I want to follow and choose a degree path that best suits my career?
I am deciding between business management and IT—help desk/user support—but I am unsure if I want to pursue either of those. What should I do?
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8 answers
Lavanya Thalla
1
Answer
Cary, North Carolina
Updated
Lavanya’s Answer
Business management offers many exciting opportunities and can be used in many different areas. IT help desk or user support roles can be more specific to certain fields or industries. If you're unsure, check out the courses offered in both paths on a community college or university website and see which ones catch your interest.
Consider what jobs might have a promising future and are less likely to be automated by AI. Between the two options, business management seems to have a brighter future, but there are also many IT help desk roles that require personal interaction.
Consider what jobs might have a promising future and are less likely to be automated by AI. Between the two options, business management seems to have a brighter future, but there are also many IT help desk roles that require personal interaction.
John C
Software Engineer
4
Answers
Updated
John’s Answer
Self-discovery is a big part of identifying what type of career or degree you would be interested in. Consider taking a Career Fit Test or Career Aptitude Test, or even a personality test, to help you narrow things down.
I'd start out by finding some free ones, and keep in mind that these don't define you, but are a way to help you discover careers and degrees that might be a good fit.
I'd start out by finding some free ones, and keep in mind that these don't define you, but are a way to help you discover careers and degrees that might be a good fit.
Matthew Fortier
Fundraising & Partnership Building
2
Answers
Washington, Washington
Updated
Matthew’s Answer
A mentor once shared with me the concept of "small, low-risk experiments" in determining where and how to invest yourself more fully in your career, and I would like to pass this advice on to you. Echoing some of advice already given, these "small" and "low-risk experiments" represent ways to dip your toes into the water before jumping all the way in.
Examples could include:
(1) information interviews - find people in Business Management and IT - Help-Desk/User Support through your network and through LinkedIn and talk to them. Find out what they love and hate about their field, what their day-to-day is like, what their journey looked like, and how they feel about the opportunities that await.
(2) while talking with people is a good start, you are your own person so it's important too that you form your own opinion through direct experience. But to keep the experiments small and low-risk, look for volunteer opportunities, internships, fellowships, apprenticeships (growing in the U.S.), contract and consulting opportunities, and other short-term work-based learning experiences.
(3) take time to reflect and document your experience. I found the book Designing Your Life, by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. to be a wonderful accompaniment to career exploration. For example, they have a "good times journal" which is a tool to track your daily activities and reflect on them, noting when you feel most engaged, energized, and in flow versus when you feel drained or disengaged. The goal is to build awareness of what actually gives you energy and enjoyment in your life, rather than just what you think should make you happy.
(4) Make a decision with the knowledge that your decision is never final - careers are not linear rather, they often look like a wild rollercoaster ride with many turns (pivots), ups and downs. What's most important is how you intentionally approach each career opportunity and then build from it. Go into a job with a list of things you want to achieve, including skills you want to develop, experiences you want to gain, and things that you want to learn about yourself as it pertains to your career journey. That helps ensure that no experience is wasted and that you are always strengthening your professional profile (good for the next job) and your personal self-understanding of your strengths, interests, and areas for development.
*as a bonus, I personally love the concept of a strengths-based approach, which you can read about more in many places, including from the Management Consultant Peter Drucker. The concept, simply put, is to focus on your strengths rather than your "weaknesses". You get a higher ROI on doubling-down on your strengths, because developing your strengths will come naturally to you, than focusing on your weaknesses. Let somebody else be good where you are weak - that's why we work in collaboration and on teams - and instead focus on your strengths which is where you'll have the greatest value add to a team and organization.
Examples could include:
(1) information interviews - find people in Business Management and IT - Help-Desk/User Support through your network and through LinkedIn and talk to them. Find out what they love and hate about their field, what their day-to-day is like, what their journey looked like, and how they feel about the opportunities that await.
(2) while talking with people is a good start, you are your own person so it's important too that you form your own opinion through direct experience. But to keep the experiments small and low-risk, look for volunteer opportunities, internships, fellowships, apprenticeships (growing in the U.S.), contract and consulting opportunities, and other short-term work-based learning experiences.
(3) take time to reflect and document your experience. I found the book Designing Your Life, by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. to be a wonderful accompaniment to career exploration. For example, they have a "good times journal" which is a tool to track your daily activities and reflect on them, noting when you feel most engaged, energized, and in flow versus when you feel drained or disengaged. The goal is to build awareness of what actually gives you energy and enjoyment in your life, rather than just what you think should make you happy.
(4) Make a decision with the knowledge that your decision is never final - careers are not linear rather, they often look like a wild rollercoaster ride with many turns (pivots), ups and downs. What's most important is how you intentionally approach each career opportunity and then build from it. Go into a job with a list of things you want to achieve, including skills you want to develop, experiences you want to gain, and things that you want to learn about yourself as it pertains to your career journey. That helps ensure that no experience is wasted and that you are always strengthening your professional profile (good for the next job) and your personal self-understanding of your strengths, interests, and areas for development.
*as a bonus, I personally love the concept of a strengths-based approach, which you can read about more in many places, including from the Management Consultant Peter Drucker. The concept, simply put, is to focus on your strengths rather than your "weaknesses". You get a higher ROI on doubling-down on your strengths, because developing your strengths will come naturally to you, than focusing on your weaknesses. Let somebody else be good where you are weak - that's why we work in collaboration and on teams - and instead focus on your strengths which is where you'll have the greatest value add to a team and organization.
Colleen Granelli
3
Answers
Updated
Colleen’s Answer
Hi there! Great question.
Choosing Business Management or Business Administration is a fantastic career path! I majored in it myself. This field gives you the skills to lead a team or run an organization. You'll learn about finance, budgeting, business law, and presentation skills. These are essential for starting your career. I also transitioned into IT helpdesk support mid-career, which taught me a lot about customer service and how to treat customers well. Both Business Management and IT support are excellent steps into the tech world. Best of luck, Chris!
Choosing Business Management or Business Administration is a fantastic career path! I majored in it myself. This field gives you the skills to lead a team or run an organization. You'll learn about finance, budgeting, business law, and presentation skills. These are essential for starting your career. I also transitioned into IT helpdesk support mid-career, which taught me a lot about customer service and how to treat customers well. Both Business Management and IT support are excellent steps into the tech world. Best of luck, Chris!
Daniela Velásquez
3
Answers
Updated
Daniela’s Answer
It's perfectly normal to feel unsure about your next steps. Start by noticing what you love doing every day, like making music, analyzing TV characters, having deep talks, building things, or dancing. Business management offers a broad view of how companies work, while IT and user support focus on solving real-time problems.
Try talking to people in both fields, watch videos about their daily work, or take short online courses to see what interests you. Think about your long-term goals: do you see yourself leading teams and making big decisions, or working with technology to tackle technical challenges?
Remember, there's no wrong choice. You can succeed in either path, and skills often transfer between them. The key is to start, stay curious, and keep learning along the way.
Try talking to people in both fields, watch videos about their daily work, or take short online courses to see what interests you. Think about your long-term goals: do you see yourself leading teams and making big decisions, or working with technology to tackle technical challenges?
Remember, there's no wrong choice. You can succeed in either path, and skills often transfer between them. The key is to start, stay curious, and keep learning along the way.
Martin Varghese
Engineering Planning
3
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Martin’s Answer
If you're able to do both business managemt and IT. Learning leadership skills early on is a great advantage.
Joseph Ford
222
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Joseph’s Answer
This is a good one. When you are unsure but can identify majors which you may have an interest in you can always take Liberal Arts. This allows you to select some classes in those areas that you may have an interest in but are unsure. Also this is quite normal many students change majors during there college experience. Just make sure whatever you select you enjoy and find it challenging.
Good luck
Good luck
Jackson Lagerwey
Consulting
32
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Jackson’s Answer
Hey Chris,
It’s completely normal to be unsure at this stage, so try exploring both fields through classes, clubs, or part-time work to see what feels right. Even watch some youtube videos like a day in the life or someone that compares different jobs etc. Business management can open doors to leadership roles and working with teams, while IT support focuses more on problem solving with technology and helping people directly. You could also talk to people working in those jobs to hear what their daily work is like simply by reaching out on LinkedIn. Another option is to look for internships or volunteer roles that give you hands on experience. Most importantly, you don't need to be stuck with your first choice so stay open to change.
It’s completely normal to be unsure at this stage, so try exploring both fields through classes, clubs, or part-time work to see what feels right. Even watch some youtube videos like a day in the life or someone that compares different jobs etc. Business management can open doors to leadership roles and working with teams, while IT support focuses more on problem solving with technology and helping people directly. You could also talk to people working in those jobs to hear what their daily work is like simply by reaching out on LinkedIn. Another option is to look for internships or volunteer roles that give you hands on experience. Most importantly, you don't need to be stuck with your first choice so stay open to change.