How easy is it to find a job in your field?

I went to college and earned a business degree with an emphasis in marketing. The field I am currently working in is not related to marketing but I feel the business degree did help prepare me for the corporate world.

While a college degree may be important for a specific field, the work experience can sometimes be more important. Find a job/career or company that you are interested in and passionate about. What is important to you while in college can/will change over time, so the field you get your degree in may not be the same profession that you stay in for your entire life.

I work in an industry where there are many jobs and tools to help you find a job. If you end up in a field where it may be hard to find a job, use tools, resources and networking to help find the right fit for you. Tools like LinkedIn, social media, and recruiters to expand your options.

This is a great question and also can be quite different company by company. Software engineers are in really high demand right now, so there are lots of jobs available. There are many focuses in software, like user interface applications, mobile applications, hardware specialties, back-end (writing programs that run things behind the scenes). All of these are important. Sometimes your first job can be the most challenging to find, since you are matching your interest/skills to a particular position. Once you have experience, it will be easier and easier. Find areas you are interested in and start learning more about what it takes to work in this area.

I have a software engineering background and so I will answer in that context.

All businesses need to have a storefront on the internet and so, software engineers are in demand. There are many skills that are included under the umbrella of software development. You could be a User Interface developer, or a backend developer or a security engineer or any number of other types of software developer. The demand for each of these types of engineers varies but good engineers are very much in demand.

I work in accounting and it is fairly easy to find an accounting job if you are smart and hardworking. Different majors have different demand. If you choose to be in a very competitive field it is harder to find a job because there are less opening and only the best of the best will be chosen.

Also, some major are simply more specific and narrow than others. If you are studying astronomy you will likely have to end up in the astronomical field, whereas someone like me who studied accounting could likely move around to other business majors fairly easily because they are closely related.

If you have a major in mind try making connections early on in your college career. Getting an internship is a great way to gain experience and get your foot in the door at a company who could then offer you a job after graduation. This is one way to ensure that even if there a not a lot of job opportunities, you still end up in the field you want to be in.

While some may not end up in their chosen major, that's okay too! It may seem like you've wasted your time studying something that you aren't using but everyone has different experience and your diverse knowledge could bring something new to your company that will make you stand out amongst your peers.

It is also important to remember that your first job is not your last. Ask anyone in your life over the age of 60 to list all the jobs they have ever had. Some may be similar but I bet you will be surprised at how common it is for career paths to change over time.

Any advanced knowledge you attain will be helpful in your life. Even if you aren't using the specific facts you learned in college, there are other techniques and learning abilities that you will carry with you to any profession. Things as simple as study habits, time management, and organization, are all must haves in surviving college and will be important tools to any company as well.

It definitely depends on the field that you are entering. It is both possible to find jobs in your field and outside of your field with the right resources. I would recommend reaching out to your school's academic counselor and sit down to discuss options. In addition, many schools also have Career Preparation Departments or counselors that you may be able to take advantage of to explore career options (for example the business school I attended had career counselors to discuss potentials for my degrees). In addition, many schools have online platforms to apply for internships which you can narrow down the option by major and interest for opportunities.