Trouble Planning Your Career? This Office Can Help

Thinking about the future can be daunting. In the past, I often shied away from talking about my plans after college. I had a range of ideas, but they were not concrete and seemed out of reach. I wasn’t sure how to choose the best career for me, or how to make my aspirations a possibility once I determined what they were. 

I hoped that college would provide me the resources and guidance I needed to find my purpose and a career that I could be excited about. After my first year, I still did not have a solidified career goal, though I felt confident in my choice to major in English and in wanting to pursue something related to that. So, this fall semester, I enrolled in Arcadia’s Strategic Career Planning course. I felt that a full class devoted to helping students find a career would be just what I needed to determine the right path for me.

The class only met for the second half of the semester, but it was undoubtedly helpful within that short amount of time and provided me and the rest of the class with invaluable resources. The course is closely connected with the Office of Career Education, as the professor, Cynthia Nichols, is the Associate Director of Career Education. Professor Nichols had so much expertise to share.

I learned important lessons in finding potential careers that would match my skill sets and interests. I got real, beneficial experience conducting informational interviews and creating a résumé that showcases my experiences and strengths. Every assignment was applicable to the world outside of the classroom and encouraged students to explore themselves and their potential. 

Interestingly, I also learned that our generation is expected to change jobs 15 times on average within our lifetimes, so we will likely have many opportunities to figure out what we truly want to do. That number shocked me, but it is important to realize that our first job after college does not have to be what we are stuck with for the rest of our lives if we are not satisfied, and we can continue changing and exploring new opportunities.

The class also exposed me to the new website for the Office of Career Education: the Career Launchpad. It encapsulates all of the career and major-based resources a student might need, such as upcoming career events, tips and advice, and internship and employment options. 

One of the most useful resources I found within the Career Launchpad was “What Can I Do With This Major?” You can input any major, and it will give you career options that relate to it and that will incorporate the skills and knowledge you gain through your education. For my English major, I found a variety of relevant career types, including publishing, journalism, and law—all options that interest me.

I don’t have my future planned out yet, but this class has helped me feel more confident and prepared for life after college. I encourage all students to take the Strategic Career Planning class and to get acquainted with the Office of Career Education so that they can use its resources and prepare for their careers.