11 answers
alex
Student
Dhaka, Dhaka Division, Bangladesh
2
Questions
Updated
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What is the best way to choose a career when I have too many interests?
I have four totally different interests. Right now, I’m stuck between Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Business and Criminology. How can I combine these into one job? I’m worried that picking one major means I have to give up on everything else I’m interested in. I am afraid i will make the wrong choice and regret it later.
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11 answers
Justin Sprinkle
Consultant
3
Answers
Arlington, Virginia
Updated
Justin’s Answer
I found myself in a similar position when I was in college and the best piece of advice I can give you is your major does not define your long term career field. Pick the major that you are most interested in studying right now but do not be afraid to shift while you are in school or after the fact when you graduate. Especially in the fields you are wanting to study their are multiple careers that provide opportunities to shift and use all of these skills.
My major in college was in history, it helped me get into my masters program, but I no longer use my undergrad degree for anything related to my professional career. Focus on the field that interests you the most right now and you will have other opportunities to shift later in your college career and professional career if you want to chose a different path.
My major in college was in history, it helped me get into my masters program, but I no longer use my undergrad degree for anything related to my professional career. Focus on the field that interests you the most right now and you will have other opportunities to shift later in your college career and professional career if you want to chose a different path.
Eddy H
Consultant
56
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Eddy’s Answer
It’s great that you have so many diverse interests, because that kind of curiosity can actually be a real advantage when choosing a career. Based on my experience, fields like computer science, cybersecurity, business, and criminology can fit together more naturally than they might seem at first. All of these interests point to strong problem solving skills and a desire to understand how systems and people work, which is valuable in many roles. There are career paths such as cybersecurity specialist or forensic consultant where you can combine these areas by analyzing data alongside security information to identify patterns, risks, and threats for organizations. It’s also important to remember that choosing a major doesn’t mean you have to abandon your other interests, since you can often take electives or even pursue minors in different departments to keep exploring them. Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors.
Teklemuz Ayenew Tesfay
Software Engineer and Career Mentor
677
Answers
Ethiopia
Updated
Teklemuz Ayenew’s Answer
Start by identifying your genuine interests and passions and take time to understand what truly motivates you. Pay attention to your inner preferences, but balance them with an honest assessment of your strengths and the skills you can realistically develop. Then consider your long-term career goals, including the kind of work you want to do and the impact or environment you want in the future. After that, compare your options and choose the interest that feels most meaningful and sustainable for you, then prioritize it as your main focus while still keeping space to explore your other interests through electives, projects, informational interviews, job shadowing, or future learning. It is also important to recognize that no single university program fully integrates Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Business, and Criminology as equal, deeply developed paths.
Computer Science is a strong foundation because it is broad and flexible, with Cybersecurity as a natural specialization. From there, you can also branch into areas like artificial intelligence, software engineering, or data science. Because university programs require focus to build depth, trying to pursue all four fields equally can lead to a scattered direction and weaker expertise. If you try to chase everything at once, you risk losing depth in all of them instead of mastering any one. I recommend you pursue Computer Science first and then specialize in Cybersecurity if it matches your interests. Once you have a solid foundation, you can gradually expand into complementary areas like business or criminology through further study or experience.
Computer Science is a strong foundation because it is broad and flexible, with Cybersecurity as a natural specialization. From there, you can also branch into areas like artificial intelligence, software engineering, or data science. Because university programs require focus to build depth, trying to pursue all four fields equally can lead to a scattered direction and weaker expertise. If you try to chase everything at once, you risk losing depth in all of them instead of mastering any one. I recommend you pursue Computer Science first and then specialize in Cybersecurity if it matches your interests. Once you have a solid foundation, you can gradually expand into complementary areas like business or criminology through further study or experience.
Di An
Consulting
20
Answers
Raleigh, North Carolina
Updated
Di’s Answer
It's so exciting that you have so many interests! You definitely don't have to make the "perfect decision" right now and your interest may also change overtime. You should talk to some people in each of the fields that you are interested in, better understand what excites them about the work, what are things they wish could be different, what skills do they need in each role. You should also start to take foundational classes in each area and see which is more exciting to you. If you can't decide on the right choice, maybe start to eliminate things that do not excite you as much and try to narrow it down. You can also anchor in something now and pivot later, especially with something like business, many people will make career changes by getting their MBA, so you can always pursue that as a later option.
Megan Ferguson
Cybersecurity research and analysis
5
Answers
Arlington, Virginia
Updated
Megan’s Answer
Hi Alex! You've got some great advice here in the answers and I'm hoping I can add to them.
TL;DR: there are jobs that combine all those areas and getting a degree in one thing won't stop you from getting a job outside of that degree area.
Starting college can be so stressful, especially when you feel pressure (internal or external) to choose a major right away. Luckily, you may not need to make that choice immediately as your first two years in college you'll likely be taking classes to meet college requirements with a few elective classes.
I know this because that's what I did. After freshman year my mom convinced me to take a business class and I registered for it, but spent all summer thinking that I didn't want to take that class and instead kept coming back to a history class I had seen in the catalog. When I started my sophomore year I immediately dropped the business class and took the history one and I've never regretted that.
It's a nice little story but here's what you really need to know - I did 3 degrees in history and loved it, but had trouble getting a job as a professor...which actually worked out really well, I ended up in cybersecurity and using all the skills I developed working for those history degrees. So even if you get a degree in something, you can end up working in a very different field if you want to, with little to no regret about the path you initially chose.
The great news here is that there are jobs that combine all the things you talked about.
You like problem solving? So do people who work as pentesters and blue teamers, not to mention threat analysts, security operations center (SOC) analysts, other network defenders, as well as cyber analysts that work to reverse engineer malware or study vulnerabilities and the ways they can be exploited by cybercriminals. There are companies that have positions dedicated to figuring these things out and then publishing reports that network defenders use to protect against cyber threats.
You want to figure out the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) that bad guys use to get into networks, build malware, conduct campaigns that use phishing and ransomware? So do people who work as pentesters and blue teamers, threat analysts, SOC) analysts, other network defenders, ... and people like me who love to do research and analysis on threat actor groups. These jobs also need to learn how to think "if I were the bad guy what would I do next?" - all the fun of thinking like a black hat while still being a white or grey hat.
You end up liking criminology the most? There are cyber and computer science jobs in law enforcement, including working at a state fusion center or the Department of Justice (FBI). The FBI conducts operations (and partners with other agencies and international partners) to take down cybercrime operations like botnets or ransomware. There are a variety of jobs that go into doing that. There's also computer forensics, investigating an individual or organization's systems to identify malicious activity (from the inside and/or the outside).
Where does business come in? Cybersecurity companies are always developing new new tools and services and there are jobs for informing people about them, supporting the customers that use them, getting new customers, and coming up with the next thing.
No matter what you end up starting out with, you can (and will) end up in a career that you're happy with and you'll know that changing direction later is easier than you think.
TL;DR: there are jobs that combine all those areas and getting a degree in one thing won't stop you from getting a job outside of that degree area.
Starting college can be so stressful, especially when you feel pressure (internal or external) to choose a major right away. Luckily, you may not need to make that choice immediately as your first two years in college you'll likely be taking classes to meet college requirements with a few elective classes.
I know this because that's what I did. After freshman year my mom convinced me to take a business class and I registered for it, but spent all summer thinking that I didn't want to take that class and instead kept coming back to a history class I had seen in the catalog. When I started my sophomore year I immediately dropped the business class and took the history one and I've never regretted that.
It's a nice little story but here's what you really need to know - I did 3 degrees in history and loved it, but had trouble getting a job as a professor...which actually worked out really well, I ended up in cybersecurity and using all the skills I developed working for those history degrees. So even if you get a degree in something, you can end up working in a very different field if you want to, with little to no regret about the path you initially chose.
The great news here is that there are jobs that combine all the things you talked about.
You like problem solving? So do people who work as pentesters and blue teamers, not to mention threat analysts, security operations center (SOC) analysts, other network defenders, as well as cyber analysts that work to reverse engineer malware or study vulnerabilities and the ways they can be exploited by cybercriminals. There are companies that have positions dedicated to figuring these things out and then publishing reports that network defenders use to protect against cyber threats.
You want to figure out the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) that bad guys use to get into networks, build malware, conduct campaigns that use phishing and ransomware? So do people who work as pentesters and blue teamers, threat analysts, SOC) analysts, other network defenders, ... and people like me who love to do research and analysis on threat actor groups. These jobs also need to learn how to think "if I were the bad guy what would I do next?" - all the fun of thinking like a black hat while still being a white or grey hat.
You end up liking criminology the most? There are cyber and computer science jobs in law enforcement, including working at a state fusion center or the Department of Justice (FBI). The FBI conducts operations (and partners with other agencies and international partners) to take down cybercrime operations like botnets or ransomware. There are a variety of jobs that go into doing that. There's also computer forensics, investigating an individual or organization's systems to identify malicious activity (from the inside and/or the outside).
Where does business come in? Cybersecurity companies are always developing new new tools and services and there are jobs for informing people about them, supporting the customers that use them, getting new customers, and coming up with the next thing.
No matter what you end up starting out with, you can (and will) end up in a career that you're happy with and you'll know that changing direction later is easier than you think.
Arman Jalalian
Security Engineer II
5
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Arman’s Answer
Hi Alex,
This is a great question, and one I had asked myself too when I was in your shoes!
Having many interests is a positive, not a negative, and you are not expected to have it all figured out right now.
To reassure you of this, I personally had started off in criminology and worked in this field for 2 years before making my shift over to Cybersecurity. The opportunities to shift will only grow as you gain work experience, not diminish.
Choose the major that you are most interested in, absorb as much as you can from it, and you'll figure things out if you do come to a point in your career where you feel you need to pivot. A college degree has never tied someone down to one specific line of work!
This is a great question, and one I had asked myself too when I was in your shoes!
Having many interests is a positive, not a negative, and you are not expected to have it all figured out right now.
To reassure you of this, I personally had started off in criminology and worked in this field for 2 years before making my shift over to Cybersecurity. The opportunities to shift will only grow as you gain work experience, not diminish.
Choose the major that you are most interested in, absorb as much as you can from it, and you'll figure things out if you do come to a point in your career where you feel you need to pivot. A college degree has never tied someone down to one specific line of work!
Ibraheem Alsaadi
Cyber Security
4
Answers
Manassas, Virginia
Updated
Ibraheem’s Answer
In your first two years of college, you can change your major if you're unsure about your choice. It's a great idea to try free courses to see if you really enjoy that field. These courses can help you decide what you truly like.
Bennet Sammann, SPHR
Project Manager
2
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Bennet’s Answer
You do not have to have everything figured out right now. Having many interests is a strength, not a problem. Fields like cybersecurity can combine computer science, business, and criminology in areas like fraud, digital investigations, and risk. Choose one path to explore first, then use classes, clubs, or internships to test what fits best. Your first choice does not have to be your final one.
Shannon Zulauf
Risk & Independence
66
Answers
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Updated
Shannon’s Answer
Hi Alex! It's fantastic that you have so many interests. I encourage you to keep exploring all of them. Try to find how they connect instead of seeing them as separate paths. It might not be obvious at first, but those connections are there. Having experience in different areas can help you easily shift your career if your interests change over time.
These fields are more linked than you might think. Instead of asking, "Which one should I drop?" consider asking, "What problems do I want to solve?" Choosing a major is just the beginning. Your internships, projects, and early jobs will guide your career more than your degree title.
For example, I studied accounting with a minor in information systems. There wasn't a specific "forensics" major back then, and cybersecurity was less defined. Yet, I ended up working in investigations and forensics alongside cybersecurity teams because those fields intersect naturally.
I hope this helps you see your interests in a new light and encourages you to keep them all as you pursue your career. Good luck!
These fields are more linked than you might think. Instead of asking, "Which one should I drop?" consider asking, "What problems do I want to solve?" Choosing a major is just the beginning. Your internships, projects, and early jobs will guide your career more than your degree title.
For example, I studied accounting with a minor in information systems. There wasn't a specific "forensics" major back then, and cybersecurity was less defined. Yet, I ended up working in investigations and forensics alongside cybersecurity teams because those fields intersect naturally.
I hope this helps you see your interests in a new light and encourages you to keep them all as you pursue your career. Good luck!
Walid Emara
Anesthesia Consultant
15
Answers
Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia
Updated
Walid’s Answer
You are not sure to have a career because you disturbed your mind with 4 different careers. My advice to you that make up your mind to know your career after 10 years how it will be and go on your thinking
TammyLynn Adilin Lambrecht-Richards CRT
Rt
2
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
TammyLynn Adilin’s Answer
Choose something that you would do for free, and that pays the amount you want to make! Example :Remote mental doctor .
You can find many college courses on line for free or almost free. Ask chat GPT anything! Enjoy life, have a partner and kids eat good food
You can find many college courses on line for free or almost free. Ask chat GPT anything! Enjoy life, have a partner and kids eat good food