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What advice would you give a first year undergraduate business major who is unsure of the field in business they would like to pursue post-college?
Currently, I am a senior in high school and will be an incoming first year business major. I'm aware of the vast career opportunities in business, but I'm unsure where to start looking and any guidance would be appreciated.
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9 answers
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Tammy’s Answer
Hi David! I wanted to add my perspective here - growing up, I always wanted a stable and lucrative career. In college, I was between finance, marketing, and accounting. While marketing seemed fun and would let me explore my creative side, I learned that marketing jobs are difficult to get. I know a lot of people in college who ended up switching majors - so that is always possible! I ended up majoring in Accounting and Information Systems and I was able to experience internships in my sophomore to junior year summer and my junior to senior year summer. I was also able to get a job right out of college from that internship which has helped me achieve the stability that I was chasing. Definitely keep in mind that you aren't tied down to the major that you pick. You can always minor or double major as well! I hope this helps!
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Hector’s Answer
Hi David. I would apply a very simple approach. Make a list of the things that you like to do and the things that you think you're good at or that you are interested in. Once you've completed your initial list you can score each item on the list to develop a new short list of things that you think you might want to do as a career. Next you can look at job descriptions on linkedin.com using key words from your short list. This process will help you to clearly see the things that you want to search for in a field, career or specific job.
Hope that helps.
Hope that helps.
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Ryan’s Answer
College is the perfect environment for exploration. Take a variety of introductory classes to see what genuinely interests you. Join business clubs or student organizations to get exposure to different career paths. Look for internships, part-time jobs, or volunteer roles that let you experiment and gain real-world experience. And don’t underestimate the value of talking to professors, upperclassmen, or professionals. Those conversations often spark new ideas or reveal paths you didn’t know existed.
As you gain experience, you’ll naturally start gravitating toward the areas that feel the most engaging and meaningful to you. Many students discover their direction halfway through college or even later, and that’s completely normal.
The most important thing right now is to stay curious, be open to trying new things, and allow your interests to evolve as you learn more. Your first year is about exploration, not perfection.
As you gain experience, you’ll naturally start gravitating toward the areas that feel the most engaging and meaningful to you. Many students discover their direction halfway through college or even later, and that’s completely normal.
The most important thing right now is to stay curious, be open to trying new things, and allow your interests to evolve as you learn more. Your first year is about exploration, not perfection.
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Lisa’s Answer
Try volunteering or doing an internship in a field you think you might like. I once thought I wanted to be a teacher, but after volunteering at a school, I quickly realized it wasn't the right fit for me.
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Isabel’s Answer
Hi! Majoring in business has its advantages because for your prereqs you will have to take all the different business classes that a college offers like financial, accounting, marketing, information systems, etc. During this time it is important that you take the time to understand each class to help you decide what you like and dont like so that you can ultimately pick the right major for you. I have found that college is good at exposing you to different career paths but it is up to you to apply yourself in each one to find what works for you and your passions!
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Michael’s Answer
Hi David! Stay open to new experiences and discover what you love to do. I was unsure about my path, so I tried several internships in college. Exploring different fields helped me see what I enjoyed and allowed me to meet new people. This is a fantastic way to find your passion, try new things, and grow your network.
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Maria Marcia’s Answer
Don't worry about having everything figured out right away. Business is a vast field, and the first few years are perfect for exploring areas like finance, marketing, operations, consulting, supply chain, HR, or technology.
Stay curious and dive into internships, student organizations, networking events, and projects. These experiences will help you discover what you truly enjoy.
Focus on building important skills like communication, analytical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability. These skills are useful in any business career. As you gain more experience, your interests will naturally become clearer.
Stay curious and dive into internships, student organizations, networking events, and projects. These experiences will help you discover what you truly enjoy.
Focus on building important skills like communication, analytical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability. These skills are useful in any business career. As you gain more experience, your interests will naturally become clearer.
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Marissa’s Answer
Hi there! Great question. It's important to keep an open mind and find out a little bit about many business topics, especially during college. Perfect time and opportunity to hear more about all the various aspects within business. Take time to reflect on it at a cadence that works for you. What am i interested in now? Do I like working with people (client-facing) or do I like to work more 'behind the scenes'? Do I like working with numbers? tech? strategy? marketing? etc and then dig in a little deeper with those that you identify with. Keep doing that process and I bet you will find a great fit! And there is no rush - you can and should keep doing this throughout your working career! Good luck!
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Ella’s Answer
Hi David! This is a common question business majors have when entering college but you're in a great spot. In my opinion, the best way to decide your career path / major is by exploring as many areas as you can to learn about your personal interests.
A few ideas to become involved / learn more about your options:
- Attend a career fair: Most colleges have a career fair in the beginning of the school year where the organizations on campus set up booths to tell prospective members about their organization. Look for business fraternities, marketing, finance, accounting, supply chain, advertising, etc., and see what piques your interest.
- Find a career counselor: Most colleges have career counselors/advisors who can be helpful on their own or lead you to other resources.
- Diversify your class schedule: When starting in business school, your classes are usually more general and become more specific as you choose your major. Lean into this structure to find out more about what interests you through school.
A few ideas to become involved / learn more about your options:
- Attend a career fair: Most colleges have a career fair in the beginning of the school year where the organizations on campus set up booths to tell prospective members about their organization. Look for business fraternities, marketing, finance, accounting, supply chain, advertising, etc., and see what piques your interest.
- Find a career counselor: Most colleges have career counselors/advisors who can be helpful on their own or lead you to other resources.
- Diversify your class schedule: When starting in business school, your classes are usually more general and become more specific as you choose your major. Lean into this structure to find out more about what interests you through school.