4 answers
Ethan
Student
Colorado Springs, Colorado
1
Question
Updated
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How can I utilize my personal interests to find a good and meaningful career in the business world?
I've always had the ambition to learn more about myself. College is a way to do so. How do i apply my interest in business to the real world?
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4 answers
Rick Kneisley
Retired Investment Broker and Investment Sales Manager
33
Answers
Georgetown, Texas
Updated
Rick’s Answer
Ethan,
This is a far better question than you may realize, because you’re not just asking what job should I get, you’re asking who am I, and how do I bring that into the world of business? That’s exactly the right place to begin.
Let me tell you how it worked for me.
When I went to college, I didn’t know myself very well. Like most students, I thought picking a major was a logical exercise. What classes make sense? What career sounds stable? How can I earn the most money? What do other people think I should do? I tried that route first, and it didn’t work. Something felt off. I was doing the work, but there was no energy in it. No pull. No excitement.
What I eventually learned, the hard way, is that meaningful careers don’t start in the logical part of the mind. They start with interest. Curiosity. The things I naturally leaned toward without being told to. For me, it turned out I was endlessly interested in people: what motivates them, how they make decisions, why they want what they want. Business, I discovered, was simply a real-world laboratory for those interests.
Here’s the key shift that helped me:
Business isn’t a subject. It’s a set of ideals and principals.
Ethan, your personal interests don’t need to compete with business; they need to plug into it. If you like psychology, business becomes sales, leadership, negotiation, or marketing. If you’re interested in systems and efficiency, business becomes operations or strategy. If you enjoy creativity, business becomes branding, entrepreneurship, or product development. I believe the real world rewards people who bring themselves into their work, not those who try to imitate some generic idea of “a business professional.”
College will give you vocabulary and structure, but the real world, and your emotions, will teach you who you are. Pay attention to the classes that energize you instead of draining you. Notice the projects that grab you and won't let go--because you care. Those signals are worth more than any career aptitude test.
So, don’t ask, “How do I fit myself into business?”
Ask, “How can business become the vehicle for who I already am and who I want to be going forward?
That will lead you, like it did me, to where good careers come from - which is your heart and your soul, not just your rational conscious mind.
Do this and you will succeed at all you do, all you will have and all you will achieve.
Rick
This is a far better question than you may realize, because you’re not just asking what job should I get, you’re asking who am I, and how do I bring that into the world of business? That’s exactly the right place to begin.
Let me tell you how it worked for me.
When I went to college, I didn’t know myself very well. Like most students, I thought picking a major was a logical exercise. What classes make sense? What career sounds stable? How can I earn the most money? What do other people think I should do? I tried that route first, and it didn’t work. Something felt off. I was doing the work, but there was no energy in it. No pull. No excitement.
What I eventually learned, the hard way, is that meaningful careers don’t start in the logical part of the mind. They start with interest. Curiosity. The things I naturally leaned toward without being told to. For me, it turned out I was endlessly interested in people: what motivates them, how they make decisions, why they want what they want. Business, I discovered, was simply a real-world laboratory for those interests.
Here’s the key shift that helped me:
Business isn’t a subject. It’s a set of ideals and principals.
Ethan, your personal interests don’t need to compete with business; they need to plug into it. If you like psychology, business becomes sales, leadership, negotiation, or marketing. If you’re interested in systems and efficiency, business becomes operations or strategy. If you enjoy creativity, business becomes branding, entrepreneurship, or product development. I believe the real world rewards people who bring themselves into their work, not those who try to imitate some generic idea of “a business professional.”
College will give you vocabulary and structure, but the real world, and your emotions, will teach you who you are. Pay attention to the classes that energize you instead of draining you. Notice the projects that grab you and won't let go--because you care. Those signals are worth more than any career aptitude test.
So, don’t ask, “How do I fit myself into business?”
Ask, “How can business become the vehicle for who I already am and who I want to be going forward?
That will lead you, like it did me, to where good careers come from - which is your heart and your soul, not just your rational conscious mind.
Do this and you will succeed at all you do, all you will have and all you will achieve.
Rick
Wong Loke Yuen
Head of Programme cum Senior Lecturer
645
Answers
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Updated
Wong’s Answer
Hi Ethan. Business is a very wide field. It includes areas like marketing, finance, management, sales, entrepreneurship, and data analysis. Because of this, you need to ask yourself what you enjoy doing the most. Do you like working with people? Do you enjoy solving problems, organizing tasks, or coming up with creative ideas? Understanding what energizes you will help you focus on careers that match your personality and strengths.
College is a great place to explore these questions because it gives you the chance to try new things in a low-pressure environment. You can take different business classes to see which subjects keep your interest. For example, a marketing class might show you that you enjoy creating strategies, while a finance class might help you realize you like working with numbers.
College also gives you access to clubs, business organizations, and events where you can learn outside the classroom. Joining these groups can help you build confidence, learn how teams work, and discover what roles you naturally enjoy.
To connect your business interests to the real world, you need to get hands-on experience. If you're interested in marketing, you could help manage social media for a campus club. If you're curious about entrepreneurship, you could start a small online shop or join a start-up competition.
Another helpful step is talking to people who are already working in business. This might include professors, alumni, or professionals you meet at events. You may learn about career paths you didn't know existed. Building these connections can also open doors to internships, mentorship, or job opportunities. Good luck.
College is a great place to explore these questions because it gives you the chance to try new things in a low-pressure environment. You can take different business classes to see which subjects keep your interest. For example, a marketing class might show you that you enjoy creating strategies, while a finance class might help you realize you like working with numbers.
College also gives you access to clubs, business organizations, and events where you can learn outside the classroom. Joining these groups can help you build confidence, learn how teams work, and discover what roles you naturally enjoy.
To connect your business interests to the real world, you need to get hands-on experience. If you're interested in marketing, you could help manage social media for a campus club. If you're curious about entrepreneurship, you could start a small online shop or join a start-up competition.
Another helpful step is talking to people who are already working in business. This might include professors, alumni, or professionals you meet at events. You may learn about career paths you didn't know existed. Building these connections can also open doors to internships, mentorship, or job opportunities. Good luck.
Rebecca Aidoo
Fashion specialists
20
Answers
Accra, Greater Accra Region, Ghana
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
A meaningful career in the business world starts with understanding who you are. College is not just a place to earn a degree—it is an opportunity to learn about your strengths, values, interests, and the work that genuinely excites you. Business becomes more powerful and fulfilling when you apply it to the areas you care about.
The most important step is to start with self-discovery. Ask yourself what problems you want to solve and what impact you want to make. Your interests can lead you toward many different business paths—whether it is sustainability, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, or product innovation. Every interest has a business opportunity attached to it.
The next step is to move from interest to action. You learn business by doing business. Internships, volunteering, student leadership, small projects, clubs, and online challenges allow you to test your ideas in the real world. When you take initiative, you build skills in communication, problem-solving, leadership, creativity, and decision-making—the same skills employers look for.
Business is not a career you discover in theory; it is one you grow into through experience, reflection, and exploration. Don’t wait until after graduation to start. Use college as a training ground to experiment, network, and get exposure to different industries. Talk to people already working in roles you admire and learn from their journey.
Building a meaningful career is not about having one perfect answer from the beginning. It is about staying curious, open-minded, and proactive. When you follow your interests, take action on your ideas, and develop real-world skills, you set yourself up for a career that aligns with your passions and creates opportunities for personal growth and impact.
In business, your interests are not just hobbies—they are the foundation of a future career.
The most important step is to start with self-discovery. Ask yourself what problems you want to solve and what impact you want to make. Your interests can lead you toward many different business paths—whether it is sustainability, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, or product innovation. Every interest has a business opportunity attached to it.
The next step is to move from interest to action. You learn business by doing business. Internships, volunteering, student leadership, small projects, clubs, and online challenges allow you to test your ideas in the real world. When you take initiative, you build skills in communication, problem-solving, leadership, creativity, and decision-making—the same skills employers look for.
Business is not a career you discover in theory; it is one you grow into through experience, reflection, and exploration. Don’t wait until after graduation to start. Use college as a training ground to experiment, network, and get exposure to different industries. Talk to people already working in roles you admire and learn from their journey.
Building a meaningful career is not about having one perfect answer from the beginning. It is about staying curious, open-minded, and proactive. When you follow your interests, take action on your ideas, and develop real-world skills, you set yourself up for a career that aligns with your passions and creates opportunities for personal growth and impact.
In business, your interests are not just hobbies—they are the foundation of a future career.
Rebecca Tang
Banking
2397
Answers
Hong Kong
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. You can find a career you have interest.
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 music, would you like to be a musician, singer, musical artist, music composer, music producer, etc
If you have interest in maths, would you like to be an accountant, engineer, banker, financial analyst, maths teacher, 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
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 music, would you like to be a musician, singer, musical artist, music composer, music producer, etc
If you have interest in maths, would you like to be an accountant, engineer, banker, financial analyst, maths teacher, 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
Hope this helps! Good luck!
May Almighty God bless you!