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Has there ever been a time you doubted your major or career choice? And how did you go about handling that?

#doubtcareer #notsure #career-choice #major #clinicalpsychologist

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Ken’s Answer

We all at one time or another have doubts about our focus. I did in college and did what many people do, and what I should have done in high school to get started on the right path. I went to my academic adviser and the counseling department and took an interest and aptitude test, which allowed me to see how my personality traits aligned with those of people in various careers. This gave me a focus. Later on when I set up and ran a program to help laid off worker find suitable jobs, I found that this helped many to refocus and get into more suitable jobs.


Getting to know yourself and how your personality traits relate to people involved in various career opportunities is very important in your decision making process. During my many years in Human Resources and College Recruiting, I ran across too many students who had skipped this very important step and ended up in a job situation which for which they were not well suited. Selecting a career area is like buying a pair of shoes. First you have to be properly fitted for the correct size, and then you need to try on and walk in the various shoe options to determine which is fits the best and is most comfortable for you to wear. Following are some important steps which I developed during my career which have been helpful to many .

Ken recommends the following next steps:

The first step is to take an interest and aptitude test and have it interpreted by your school counselor to see if you share the personality traits necessary to enter the field. You might want to do this again upon entry into college, as the interpretation might differ slightly due to the course offering of the school. However, do not wait until entering college, as the information from the test will help to determine the courses that you take in high school. Too many students, due to poor planning, end up paying for courses in college which they could have taken for free in high school.
Next, when you have the results of the testing, talk to the person at your high school and college who tracks and works with graduates to arrange to talk to, visit, and possibly shadow people doing what you think that you might want to do, so that you can get know what they are doing and how they got there. Here are some tips: ## http://www.wikihow.com/Network ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/nonawkward-ways-to-start-and-end-networking-conversations ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-questions-to-ask-your-network-besides-can-you-get-me-a-job?ref=carousel-slide-1 ##
Locate and attend meetings of professional associations to which people who are doing what you think that you want to do belong, so that you can get their advice. These associations may offer or know of intern, coop, shadowing, and scholarship opportunities. These associations are the means whereby the professionals keep abreast of their career area following college and advance in their career. You can locate them by asking your school academic advisor, favorite teachers, and the reference librarian at your local library. Here are some tips: ## https://www.careeronestop.org/BusinessCenter/Toolkit/find-professional-associations.aspx?&frd=true ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/9-tips-for-navigating-your-first-networking-event ##
It is very important to express your appreciation to those who help you along the way to be able to continue to receive helpful information and to create important networking contacts along the way. Here are some good tips: ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-informational-interview-thank-you-note-smart-people-know-to-send?ref=recently-published-2 ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-tips-for-writing-a-thank-you-note-thatll-make-you-look-like-the-best-candidate-alive?bsft_eid=7e230cba-a92f-4ec7-8ca3-2f50c8fc9c3c&bsft_pid=d08b95c2-bc8f-4eae-8618-d0826841a284&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_20171020&utm_source=blueshift&utm_content=daily_20171020&bsft_clkid=edfe52ae-9e40-4d90-8e6a-e0bb76116570&bsft_uid=54658fa1-0090-41fd-b88c-20a86c513a6c&bsft_mid=214115cb-cca2-4aec-aa86-92a31d371185&bsft_pp=2 ##
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Tammie’s Answer

I think everyone probably doubts their choice of college majors at some point and time so don't be discouraged if you think you are alone! 


The biggest help for me was visiting my college's career services office.  I was hesitant to go, since the name implied that I should already have a career/major firmly chosen, but I found once I arrived that they  were prepared for someone like me.  The career counselor I worked with gave me personality and interest assessment tests that helped me to realize there were entire career fields that I would have never considered without the test results.  I liked that it helped me better hone in on what I really liked, which then helped me to feel better about the fields I ended up majoring in.  There were no crazy questions about what my parents/friends/acquaintenances expected me to be when I grow up or how much money I wanted to make, instead it was only about me and what I like.  The tests helped me to not only learn about potential job fields to pursue but also helped me gain a better knowledge about myself and my own personality interests and qwirks that I had not been aware of.


I wish you the best as you decide on your major but understand that there are no bad choices!  The college degree itself is a proud accomplishment.  Later in life people may worry less about what your major was or your overall GPA, but employers will be impressed that you worked hard to achieve this educational milestone!
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Josee’s Answer

Hi Esther

It happened many times. Once you get to college the most important thing is to keep an open mind and be open to new possibilities. One good thing that helps is keeping the lines of communication with your college guidance counselor. They are experts and they are willing to help.
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Jeanine’s Answer

Hi Esther! I definitely changed my mind a couple of times before landing on the career. I think it is important to know what you are passionate about first. I thought that a high paying job would make me happy, but I soon realized that money wasn't really what made me happy. I enjoy helping people and making an impact in other peoples' lives. It is ok to doubt your choices, and only you know what will make you happy in the end. Good luck!
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