3 answers
Trever
Student
Louisa, Virginia
2
Questions
Asked
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How does an undergraduate degree pertain to career choices?
Hello! I am in my freshman year of community college, and I've been wondering how an undergraduate degree pertains to an overall career. Should I focus it on a secondary career, my main career interest? Thank you!
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3 answers
Rebecca Tang
Banking
2397
Answers
Hong Kong
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. My suggestions is always focus on your primary interest first.
Below are my suggestions:
1. Think about what you have interest, eg your hobbies, favourite subjects, etc and identify the related careers
Eg if you like maths, would you like to be an accountant, engineer, banker, financial analyst, maths teacher, etc
If you have interest in music, would you like to be a musician, singer, musical artist, music composer, music producer, etc
2. Find out more on these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counselor, your parents, etc
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in colleges and how to convert your credits from community college to colleges
Hope this helps! Good luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Below are my suggestions:
1. Think about what you have interest, eg your hobbies, favourite subjects, etc and identify the related careers
Eg if you like maths, would you like to be an accountant, engineer, banker, financial analyst, maths teacher, etc
If you have interest in music, would you like to be a musician, singer, musical artist, music composer, music producer, etc
2. Find out more on these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counselor, your parents, etc
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in colleges and how to convert your credits from community college to colleges
Hope this helps! Good luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
I appreciate your answer and your assistance, thank you!
Trever
Wong Loke Yuen
Head of Programme cum Senior Lecturer
645
Answers
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Updated
Wong’s Answer
Hi Trever. An undergraduate degree can be an important part of building your career. It gives you knowledge, skills, and qualifications that many jobs require. In some careers, like teaching, nursing, or engineering, you must have a specific degree to get the job. So, if you already know your main career goal, it is usually a good idea to focus your degree on that path. For example, if you want to be a teacher, you should study education. If you want to be a nurse, you should choose a nursing program.
However, some careers are more flexible. For example, fields like business, art, or communication often accept many different degrees. In these cases, your degree helps you learn how to think, solve problems, and work with others. Employers value those skills, even if your major is not exactly related to the job. You can also gain experience through internships, part-time jobs, or volunteering, which can help guide your career.
If you are unsure about your main career interest, that is ok. Many students do not know right away. You can use your first year or two in college to explore different subjects and see what you enjoy. You may find that your secondary interest becomes your main goal. Talk to your college advisors, take different classes, and try new things. That will help you decide. All the best.
However, some careers are more flexible. For example, fields like business, art, or communication often accept many different degrees. In these cases, your degree helps you learn how to think, solve problems, and work with others. Employers value those skills, even if your major is not exactly related to the job. You can also gain experience through internships, part-time jobs, or volunteering, which can help guide your career.
If you are unsure about your main career interest, that is ok. Many students do not know right away. You can use your first year or two in college to explore different subjects and see what you enjoy. You may find that your secondary interest becomes your main goal. Talk to your college advisors, take different classes, and try new things. That will help you decide. All the best.
Thank you so much for the detailed answer, I appreciate it!
Trever
You are most welcome
Wong Loke Yuen
McKenzie Stephenson
Assistant Merchandise Manager
3
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
McKenzie’s Answer
Hi Trever,
I asked myself the same question as I was entering college. I put a lot of weight on the importance of choosing a career path, knowing exactly what I was going to do in life, and aligning my undergraduate degree with the aforementioned. An important lesson I learned however, is that you can't predict where life is going to take you.
For instance, I got my undergraduate degree in Theater Management. I focused on managing, operating, directing, and producing live theater. While I was in college, I began working for a large retail brand and found that the business and merchandising aspect of the business was very appealing to me. In my junior year of college, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and my original post graduate plans were completely derailed and the entire industry that I was apart of, was shut down. The uncertainty of my post graduate life made me lean into the minimum wage retail job that I had been working. Fast forward several years and I am in a management position at a major theme park working in merchandise. I could've never predicted that this is what I would be doing.
Your under graduate degree should pertain to something that interests you. You'll find a renewed love for learning during your undergrad years because you'll be primarily learning about topics that you have a passion for. Now whether you go into a career in that field or not, will be a future decision. But placing such high importance on whether or not you choose the absolutely correct major, isn't necessary. Having a degree in and of itself is an impressive feat. In a lot of career fields, you gain more from working in the industry, than you do from what you study in college. You can take all of the correct courses and you will gain a lot of knowledge from them, but you won't get the full picture until you are working in the industry and experiencing it first hand. Most soft skills you learn throughout your college experience are also versatile and can be adapted to whatever industry you find yourself in.
Just focus on what interests you or what you are passionate about. Thats the best advice I can give.
I asked myself the same question as I was entering college. I put a lot of weight on the importance of choosing a career path, knowing exactly what I was going to do in life, and aligning my undergraduate degree with the aforementioned. An important lesson I learned however, is that you can't predict where life is going to take you.
For instance, I got my undergraduate degree in Theater Management. I focused on managing, operating, directing, and producing live theater. While I was in college, I began working for a large retail brand and found that the business and merchandising aspect of the business was very appealing to me. In my junior year of college, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and my original post graduate plans were completely derailed and the entire industry that I was apart of, was shut down. The uncertainty of my post graduate life made me lean into the minimum wage retail job that I had been working. Fast forward several years and I am in a management position at a major theme park working in merchandise. I could've never predicted that this is what I would be doing.
Your under graduate degree should pertain to something that interests you. You'll find a renewed love for learning during your undergrad years because you'll be primarily learning about topics that you have a passion for. Now whether you go into a career in that field or not, will be a future decision. But placing such high importance on whether or not you choose the absolutely correct major, isn't necessary. Having a degree in and of itself is an impressive feat. In a lot of career fields, you gain more from working in the industry, than you do from what you study in college. You can take all of the correct courses and you will gain a lot of knowledge from them, but you won't get the full picture until you are working in the industry and experiencing it first hand. Most soft skills you learn throughout your college experience are also versatile and can be adapted to whatever industry you find yourself in.
Just focus on what interests you or what you are passionate about. Thats the best advice I can give.
Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it!
Trever