14 answers
Kate
Student
Scranton, Pennsylvania
1
Question
Updated
1110 views
Does anyone have advice on careers and pathways to them?
Hi everyone, I am a finance major but I recently did an internship and I didn't love the work I was doing. I now am confused on whether to change my major or not. I know I don't want to sit at a desk all day. I was thinking of switching it to marketing or even switching to kinesiology and becoming a Physical Therapist. I have also thought about Law. Any insight on careers and pathways would be super helpful!
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14 answers
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
1446
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hi Kate,
I wouldn't rush to change your major just because you didn't enjoy one internship. An internship can tell you that you didn't like that particular type of finance work, but it doesn't necessarily mean you won't like every career connected to finance.
The first thing I'd do is figure out what exactly you disliked. Was it sitting at a desk all day? Working with numbers? The company culture? The type of tasks? Or did you feel like the work wasn't meaningful to you? That answer can help you narrow things down.
Marketing can still involve a lot of computer and desk work, although some roles involve events, sales, communications, research, and working directly with clients. So I wouldn't choose marketing simply because you want something different from finance.
Physical therapy is a much bigger career change. If you genuinely enjoy anatomy, exercise, helping people, and working directly with patients, it could be worth exploring. I'd recommend shadowing a physical therapist before changing your major. Seeing what they actually do every day is much more useful than choosing the career based on what it sounds like.
Law is another option, but keep in mind that lawyers also spend a significant amount of time reading, researching, writing, and working at a computer. Some areas of law are more client-facing or active than others.
You also don't necessarily need to abandon finance. There are careers where a finance background can be useful while giving you more interaction with people, such as financial advising, relationship management, commercial banking, consulting, sales, or financial planning.
Before changing your major, try to get exposure to the actual work. Talk to someone in each career, shadow professionals when possible, and try another internship or part-time experience. You don't need to figure out your entire career from one internship.
Your goal right now isn't to find the perfect career immediately. It's to gather enough information to make a better decision about your next step. That process can take some experimenting, and that's completely normal.
Best wishes!
I wouldn't rush to change your major just because you didn't enjoy one internship. An internship can tell you that you didn't like that particular type of finance work, but it doesn't necessarily mean you won't like every career connected to finance.
The first thing I'd do is figure out what exactly you disliked. Was it sitting at a desk all day? Working with numbers? The company culture? The type of tasks? Or did you feel like the work wasn't meaningful to you? That answer can help you narrow things down.
Marketing can still involve a lot of computer and desk work, although some roles involve events, sales, communications, research, and working directly with clients. So I wouldn't choose marketing simply because you want something different from finance.
Physical therapy is a much bigger career change. If you genuinely enjoy anatomy, exercise, helping people, and working directly with patients, it could be worth exploring. I'd recommend shadowing a physical therapist before changing your major. Seeing what they actually do every day is much more useful than choosing the career based on what it sounds like.
Law is another option, but keep in mind that lawyers also spend a significant amount of time reading, researching, writing, and working at a computer. Some areas of law are more client-facing or active than others.
You also don't necessarily need to abandon finance. There are careers where a finance background can be useful while giving you more interaction with people, such as financial advising, relationship management, commercial banking, consulting, sales, or financial planning.
Before changing your major, try to get exposure to the actual work. Talk to someone in each career, shadow professionals when possible, and try another internship or part-time experience. You don't need to figure out your entire career from one internship.
Your goal right now isn't to find the perfect career immediately. It's to gather enough information to make a better decision about your next step. That process can take some experimenting, and that's completely normal.
Best wishes!
Cliff Schreier
77
Answers
Rochester, Minnesota
Updated
Cliff’s Answer
Kate,
You went into Finance for a reason, so why did you choose that? What did you like about it? Internships are great for potential employers as well as for you to decide if you want to do this role or not.
Quick story: My son wanted to be a doctor, but I didn't want him to do pre-med so if he changed his mind he would be left with no career options. He chose computer science, did an internship and HATED it! He asked me about it and I said: "Great, now you are SURE you don't want to do that!" He changed his degree to Biology and finished his degree in 5 years and is now a pediatrician and loves it. Pre-law is like pre-med in my view, so I'm not as big on that but only you can decide what is best for you.
You have had an internship and didn't love it, so you are in the same boat as my son. Now is the time to truly decide on your future. Do you know anyone in marketing, kinesiology, PT, or law? Do you have any relatives or friends who know those people? Do you know any of your peers who are pursuing those career options? If so, I would be talking with them straightaway. If you don't know any of them, career services might be able to help you. If I were you, I would do some serious soul-searching on this right now as this is the time to change majors. You might be able to switch and still graduate without losing time as many early credits can still apply to a new degree.
Another thing to consider and another story: I REALLY wanted to be a math teacher because I really wanted to work with kids, but I didn't want to work for a union, and parents were starting to think of school as daycare all of which made me choose Electrical Engineering instead. I found an outlet to work with kids as a soccer coach, Sunday school teacher, and math league coach. I still tutor some neighbor children in math and will likely do more of that when I retire. So, depending on your motivation, you can still do that in other ways.
Net message: Don't give up on what you want, you might be able to get fulfillment/satisfaction in a different way than you originally planned. Only you can decide what that is and how you can achieve it.
Good luck, Kate! You CAN create a GREAT FUTURE for yourself! Make it happen!
Thanks.
You went into Finance for a reason, so why did you choose that? What did you like about it? Internships are great for potential employers as well as for you to decide if you want to do this role or not.
Quick story: My son wanted to be a doctor, but I didn't want him to do pre-med so if he changed his mind he would be left with no career options. He chose computer science, did an internship and HATED it! He asked me about it and I said: "Great, now you are SURE you don't want to do that!" He changed his degree to Biology and finished his degree in 5 years and is now a pediatrician and loves it. Pre-law is like pre-med in my view, so I'm not as big on that but only you can decide what is best for you.
You have had an internship and didn't love it, so you are in the same boat as my son. Now is the time to truly decide on your future. Do you know anyone in marketing, kinesiology, PT, or law? Do you have any relatives or friends who know those people? Do you know any of your peers who are pursuing those career options? If so, I would be talking with them straightaway. If you don't know any of them, career services might be able to help you. If I were you, I would do some serious soul-searching on this right now as this is the time to change majors. You might be able to switch and still graduate without losing time as many early credits can still apply to a new degree.
Another thing to consider and another story: I REALLY wanted to be a math teacher because I really wanted to work with kids, but I didn't want to work for a union, and parents were starting to think of school as daycare all of which made me choose Electrical Engineering instead. I found an outlet to work with kids as a soccer coach, Sunday school teacher, and math league coach. I still tutor some neighbor children in math and will likely do more of that when I retire. So, depending on your motivation, you can still do that in other ways.
Net message: Don't give up on what you want, you might be able to get fulfillment/satisfaction in a different way than you originally planned. Only you can decide what that is and how you can achieve it.
Good luck, Kate! You CAN create a GREAT FUTURE for yourself! Make it happen!
Thanks.
Judy Gray
CPA
3
Answers
Niceville, Florida
Updated
Judy’s Answer
I have an accounting degree and work as an auditor, but I've also explored other careers like being a financial advisor and a mortgage lender. These roles involved marketing and sales, which let me step out of the office. My accounting degree gave me a strong foundation for all these jobs. A finance degree can open doors to many different fields and serves as a great starting point.
Sarina V
Business Analyst
12
Answers
San Jose, California
Updated
Sarina’s Answer
For better or worse, internships are not always what the full time role entails- it's so good to recognize what you do and don't like about the role so you can find a good fit.
I know each school is different but if you've come all this way doing a business based curriculum, instead of switching to another school, is there another aspect of business that interests you? Maybe a minor or a concentration? Some classes can count for multiple requirements as well.
The finance degree can also be used as a way to get into the industry and then you pivot to something. Careers are largely about the skills accumulated. I know friends with finance degrees that don't do anything remotely related to finance now but leveraged those skills to careers they love (consulting is a popular path)
I'd say stay open minded about finance- if your school has a mentorship program as well, that could be great too. Talking to professionals can be helpful.
Good Luck!
I know each school is different but if you've come all this way doing a business based curriculum, instead of switching to another school, is there another aspect of business that interests you? Maybe a minor or a concentration? Some classes can count for multiple requirements as well.
The finance degree can also be used as a way to get into the industry and then you pivot to something. Careers are largely about the skills accumulated. I know friends with finance degrees that don't do anything remotely related to finance now but leveraged those skills to careers they love (consulting is a popular path)
I'd say stay open minded about finance- if your school has a mentorship program as well, that could be great too. Talking to professionals can be helpful.
Good Luck!
J D
Managed Investment Operations Sr specialist
31
Answers
Arlington, Texas
Updated
J’s Answer
Finance is a great building block to many career paths. At some point you had interest to pursue it. I would not base your career prospects on the one internship, each job can have a lot of variety and opportunities to use more personal skills. For instance leadership roles like a manager for a team of representatives. Financial and advice planning conversations with clients. Having said that, you know yourself better than anyone. If a change is needed, have courage and faith that you can make the best decision for yourself, just know the corporate world has many different roles you can really benefit from with a finance background
Tim Butler
Recruiting
15
Answers
Portland, Oregon
Updated
Tim’s Answer
Hi Kate,
You've got a lot on your plate, but remember, you're not alone in this journey. Many people have faced similar questions and found their way. I, too, changed my major but stayed in the same field to finish my degree in four years. It was important for me to complete it rather than start over. Changing careers is more common than you might think. Try setting up informational interviews with professionals in fields like PT or Marketing. This will give you a better idea of what their daily work is like and help you see if it's something you'd enjoy in the long run.
Here are some steps you might find helpful:
Chat with the recruiter from the internship company about your questions
Conduct informational interviews
Check in with your uni's Career Services office to see if they have advice
Continue using CareerVillage! :)
You've got a lot on your plate, but remember, you're not alone in this journey. Many people have faced similar questions and found their way. I, too, changed my major but stayed in the same field to finish my degree in four years. It was important for me to complete it rather than start over. Changing careers is more common than you might think. Try setting up informational interviews with professionals in fields like PT or Marketing. This will give you a better idea of what their daily work is like and help you see if it's something you'd enjoy in the long run.
Here are some steps you might find helpful:
Tim recommends the following next steps:
Elissa Ehrlich
Public Relations
4
Answers
Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
Updated
Elissa’s Answer
Now is the time to explore careers and not stick with one thing if you're not sure about it. Talk to your counselor at your college and see if she or he has any suggestions on ways to explore new paths.
I also suggest that you make a list of careers you'd like to try, then research internship opportunities in your area for these different careers. Go to your school's career center and explore internship opportunities.
Finally, keep in mind that even if you didn't like this one internship, it doesn't mean that finance isn't right for you. Perhaps it was the company or people that you worked with that made the experience lousy. In my experience it's the people that make the job rewarding. Another internship could prove to be a better experience in finance.
I also suggest that you make a list of careers you'd like to try, then research internship opportunities in your area for these different careers. Go to your school's career center and explore internship opportunities.
Finally, keep in mind that even if you didn't like this one internship, it doesn't mean that finance isn't right for you. Perhaps it was the company or people that you worked with that made the experience lousy. In my experience it's the people that make the job rewarding. Another internship could prove to be a better experience in finance.
Martin Ligas
Talent Marketing & Engagement
8
Answers
Bratislava, Slovakia
Updated
Martin’s Answer
Since you already have a finance background, I wouldn't be too quick to throw that away because of one internship. Sometimes it's not the field that's the problem, it's the specific role or company.
What stood out to me is that you realized you don't want to sit behind a desk all day. That's actually really useful information when thinking about your next step.
If you're interested in something more creative and people-focused, marketing could be worth looking into. It can involve a mix of strategy, communication, creativity, and working with different teams rather than staring at spreadsheets all day.
If you enjoy helping people directly and being active, physical therapy could also be a great fit. It's a very different path, but it's much more hands-on and people-oriented.
I'd just recommend spending some time talking to people who work in these fields before making a big change. The day-to-day reality of a job is often very different from what we imagine.
My biggest piece of advice is to pay attention to the kind of work you enjoy doing, not just the job title. The more your career matches your interests, strengths, and preferred lifestyle, the happier you'll probably be in the long run. Most people don't figure it out overnight, so don't stress if you're still working through it.
What stood out to me is that you realized you don't want to sit behind a desk all day. That's actually really useful information when thinking about your next step.
If you're interested in something more creative and people-focused, marketing could be worth looking into. It can involve a mix of strategy, communication, creativity, and working with different teams rather than staring at spreadsheets all day.
If you enjoy helping people directly and being active, physical therapy could also be a great fit. It's a very different path, but it's much more hands-on and people-oriented.
I'd just recommend spending some time talking to people who work in these fields before making a big change. The day-to-day reality of a job is often very different from what we imagine.
My biggest piece of advice is to pay attention to the kind of work you enjoy doing, not just the job title. The more your career matches your interests, strengths, and preferred lifestyle, the happier you'll probably be in the long run. Most people don't figure it out overnight, so don't stress if you're still working through it.
Kim Gravell
Healthcare Executive
7
Answers
Nipomo, California
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi Kate
You have been given some excellent advice from other mentors. In addition to their recommendations, you may want to consider gaining insight into your natural strengths and building your career options from there. There are several assessments available. My favorite is StrengthsFinder. Here are a couple of other options to research.
CareerOneStop (https://www.careeronestop.org): This website provides various tools and resources to help you assess your strengths, explore occupations, find training programs, and build a career plan.
CareerExplorer (https://www.careerexplorer.com): CareerExplorer offers a free assessment test to evaluate your personality traits and matches them with potential careers. It also provides detailed information about each occupation.
Best wishes for a successful journey.
You have been given some excellent advice from other mentors. In addition to their recommendations, you may want to consider gaining insight into your natural strengths and building your career options from there. There are several assessments available. My favorite is StrengthsFinder. Here are a couple of other options to research.
CareerOneStop (https://www.careeronestop.org): This website provides various tools and resources to help you assess your strengths, explore occupations, find training programs, and build a career plan.
CareerExplorer (https://www.careerexplorer.com): CareerExplorer offers a free assessment test to evaluate your personality traits and matches them with potential careers. It also provides detailed information about each occupation.
Best wishes for a successful journey.
Michael Tan
Retired lawyer
16
Answers
San Diego, California
Updated
Michael’s Answer
The law may be your answer. Particularly litigation. You will spend much of your time in court. All the best!
DENNIS A BREEN
Lawyer
280
Answers
Cary, North Carolina
Updated
DENNIS A’s Answer
Hi Kate: I have been a lawyer for 45 years because like you I hate sitting at a desk. I'd suggest you relax - you have a ton of options. Keep doing internships to see what you like. Look into sales in the finance area - since you are familiar with it. Check out computers/finance stuff. Good area to go into. Throw in AI and who knows! Good luck!
Hetal Patel
34
Answers
Updated
Hetal’s Answer
Hey Kate! Totally get u, sitting at a desk all day gets super boring.
Since u already have a business base, check out an Advanced Diploma in Marketing Management. It builds on ur current background but gets u out from behind a desk for campaign launches, brand events, and client work.
That way ur finance credits don't go to waste and u get a way more active career! Lmk if u wanna chat abt it.
Since u already have a business base, check out an Advanced Diploma in Marketing Management. It builds on ur current background but gets u out from behind a desk for campaign launches, brand events, and client work.
That way ur finance credits don't go to waste and u get a way more active career! Lmk if u wanna chat abt it.
Chandler Archuleta
Engineering Manager
35
Answers
Baltimore, Maryland
Updated
Chandler’s Answer
Professionals are often eager to share their knowledge with those interested in their fields. Job shadowing is a great way to learn about a job without spending years studying it. I suggest reaching out to professionals in your area to ask about shadowing opportunities, either virtually or in person. You can do this through professional or volunteer organizations.
Professional Associations:
- American Institute of Architects (AIA): Connects students and career changers with architects for office visits and shadowing.
- American Medical Student Association (AMSA): Helps pre-med students find clinical shadowing and doctor observation opportunities.
- American Marketing Association (AMA): Links members with marketing professionals for informational interviews and workplace shadowing.
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): Runs local mentorship programs for students to shadow engineers on job sites.
Volunteer and Community Organizations:
- Rotary International: Connects young professionals and students with local business leaders for career mentoring and day-long shadowing.
- Kiwanis International: Organizes youth programs that link students with community workers for job exploration.
- Volunteermatch: Lists local non-profit and community agencies offering volunteer roles with shadowing opportunities.
- SCORE: Provides small business mentoring where volunteers can shadow experienced entrepreneurs and advisors.
1) Search for information on the careers you are interested in exploring.
2) Share your interest with professional and volunteer organizations.
3) Ask to be matched with professionals in your area of interest
4) Pick the one that feels right. Your head can lie easily but your gut finds it very difficult.
Professional Associations:
- American Institute of Architects (AIA): Connects students and career changers with architects for office visits and shadowing.
- American Medical Student Association (AMSA): Helps pre-med students find clinical shadowing and doctor observation opportunities.
- American Marketing Association (AMA): Links members with marketing professionals for informational interviews and workplace shadowing.
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): Runs local mentorship programs for students to shadow engineers on job sites.
Volunteer and Community Organizations:
- Rotary International: Connects young professionals and students with local business leaders for career mentoring and day-long shadowing.
- Kiwanis International: Organizes youth programs that link students with community workers for job exploration.
- Volunteermatch: Lists local non-profit and community agencies offering volunteer roles with shadowing opportunities.
- SCORE: Provides small business mentoring where volunteers can shadow experienced entrepreneurs and advisors.
Chandler recommends the following next steps:
Rebecca Tang
Banking
2736
Answers
Hong Kong
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for uour question. Perhaps it good to find out the career is not suitable early than late.
Below are my suggestions :
1. Given you have a,wise range on interest, do some research and find out more in the careers you gace interest
2. Speak to someone who are working in these careers
3. Seek guidance from career counselor in college, your mentor, etc
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers yu would like to pursue
5. Explore the process to switch subjects in the college
Hope this helps! Good luck!
May Almighty Gid bless you!
Below are my suggestions :
1. Given you have a,wise range on interest, do some research and find out more in the careers you gace interest
2. Speak to someone who are working in these careers
3. Seek guidance from career counselor in college, your mentor, etc
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers yu would like to pursue
5. Explore the process to switch subjects in the college
Hope this helps! Good luck!
May Almighty Gid bless you!