UNDECIDED MAJOR? Choosing a Major

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UNDECIDED MAJOR? Choosing a Major

• Missouri State University
• Dr. John F. Chuchiak IV

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• The average American beginning a career will
  work in 10 or more jobs for 5 or more employers
  before retiring!
• Workplace 2000 The Revolution Reshaping
  American Business

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Why Plan your Career?

• Your career affects 1/3 of your life 10,000
  days.

• Your career generates up to 2,000,000 in
  lifetime earnings with BA/BS.

• Your career affects your identity as a person.

• Your career affects your physical mental
  well-being.

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How to Plan? Let Career Services help you!
CAREERSERVICES
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Identify Who are You

• Career inventories and your past experiences
  identify
• Interests Abilities
• What am I good at?
• What do I like to do?
• What skills do I have?
• What skills do I need?
• How much education am I willing to complete?

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Values Needs

• What would make a job satisfying to me?
• Which work environment fits me best?
• What is most important to me in a career?

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Skills are Key to Careers!http//online.onetcente
r.org
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Investigate Occupations

• Conduct Informational Interviews. Talk to people
  who do the jobs youd like to do!
• Get hands-on experience through internships,
  part-time jobs volunteer work.
• Research job trends projections Which jobs
  are growing/declining? What do they pay? Are
  there vacancies where I want to live?

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Americas CareerInfoNet www.acinet.org
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Most New Jobs in the US Missourirequiring
BA/BS degree or higherBureau of Labor
Statistics, 2002-2012.

• United States
• Computers
• Software Network/Database Engineers
  Administrators (top 5 jobs), Computer Systems
  Analysts, Computer IS Managers
• BusinessAccountants Auditors, PR Specialists,
  Employment Specialists, Construction Managers,
  Graphic Designers
• EducationMental Health Substance Abuse Social
  Workers, Spec Ed, Kindergarten, Elem MS
  Teachers

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Design Implement Your Plan

• Compare each career with what you know about
  yourself.
• Which major best prepares you?
• Would you enjoy doing this career every day?
• Does this career match your personality, needs,
  wants, abilities?
• What are the risks? Your chances for success?

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Use Career Services!
University Professionals can help you to

• Make your decision.
• Set goals to get where you want to go.
• Implement your plan.
• Evaluate your plan.
• Re-focus, if needed.
• Do it over again throughout your life!

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Choosing a Major!

• How to do it!

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Feel like the only person who cant decide on a
major?

• Nationally, three out of four entering students
  express some uncertainty about their choice of
  major, while between one and two-thirds change
  majors.
• Recent studies suggest that it is typical for
  undergraduates to try out four or five majors
  before arriving at a decision.
• So if you haven't chosen a major or are
  uncomfortable with the one you have chosen,
  you're in good company.

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What Is a College Major?

• You're required to major in a specific academic
  subject (or professional field) to demonstrate
  sustained, high-level work in one field.
• Depending on the college, you might be able to
  major in two fields, have a major and a minor, or
  even create your own major. (www.collegeboard.com)
  

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Major misconceptions!

• The best way to find out about majors is to take
  courses.
• Ill just get my Gen. Eds. out of the way first.
• Picking a major and a career are the same thing
• Choosing one major means giving up all the
  others.
• The major I pick now will determine my lifelong
  career.
• (Courtesy Penn State University)
• NO TEST can tell you what to pick! Ultimately
  the decision is yours.

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How Do I Choose?First and second-year students
usually take more general courses while they try
to decide on a major. After this initial
"shopping" period, coursework becomes more
focused and specific. Make sure that you have
genuine interest though. You don't want to
choose a major by process of elimination -- that
could take a while.Take courses in areas that
appeal to you, then try to focus on a subject
that will interest and motivate you. You'll do
better, and your motivation will continue through
college and into a job.(www.collegeboard.com)
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How Do I Choose?

• First and second-year students usually take more
  general courses while they try to decide on a
  major.
• After this initial "shopping" period, coursework
  becomes more focused and specific.
• Make sure that you have genuine interest though.
  
• You don't want to choose a major by process of
  elimination -- that could take a while.
• Take courses in areas that appeal to you, then
  try to focus on a subject that will interest and
  motivate you.
• You'll do better, and your motivation will
  continue through college and into a
  job.(www.collegeboard.com)

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The Truth is

• A common myth about an academic major is that it
  ties you to a specific career path.
• The reality is that a bachelor's degree can
  prepare you for many career paths.
• In fact, research indicates only about 50 of
  college graduates report a close relationship
  between their major and their job. (University of
  Minnesota CDC)

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What Are My Options?

• Some majors strongly correlate to career options,
  while others are less directly related.
• For example, a Nursing major will most likely
  become a Nurse.
• However, a Psychology major may become a teacher,
  case worker, detective or an insurance claims
  agent, to name a few!

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I need some help getting started choosing a
major. Do you have any tips to get me started?

• Examine what you value in work e.g. helping
  society, working under pressure, group
  affiliation, etc.
• Think about the courses you've done well in and
  enjoyed before.
• Explore your options. Investigate the instructors
  and courses.
• Talk to students who have a major and ask them
  what they like/dislike about their subject or
  classes.
• Explore internship opportunities to get a feel
  for the kinds of jobs you could get with
  different majors.
•  

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• Consult your academic advisor and/or the Missouri
  State course catalog to consider the prerequisite
  requirements for majors.
• Consider whether you would be willing to spend
  the necessary time and money.
• Look at the different fields to which your major
  can be applied.
• Think about the growth of the field that
  interests you. Is the field expanding? Are
  graduates with your major being hired right out
  of college, or do they need additional training?
   
• Contemplate the earning potential and base salary
  of jobs that are related to certain majors.
• Think of the lifestyle you would like to maintain
  and how certain salaries may affect it.

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When Should I Declare a Major? At most colleges,
you aren't required to declare a major until the
end of your sophomore year. Declaring a major
does not commit you forever.
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ABILITIES

• Consider your academic performance and life
  experiences.
• What experiences? What are your strengths?
• Your college admission test scores (PSAT, SAT,
  ACT) are a good source of information. The verbal
  scores relate to liberal arts electives, and the
  math scores relate to math and science electives.
  
• Check your transcripts. Review your previous
  experiences and write down both courses and
  activities where you enjoyed some success.

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INTERESTS

• Would you enjoy the subject matter, activities
  and people involved in a field?
• What you've enjoyed in life up to this point is a
  good indication of what you'll like in a major.
• Your academic record and personal experience give
  important clues about possible directions.
• Please take the time to write down courses and
  activities you are interested in and enjoy.
• Now compare this list with the one you compiled
  under the abilities section and notice the common
  areas.

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Should I choose a major based on a career that is
in demand?

• No! The job market, like everything else, is
  cyclical.
• A career that appears to be in demand or trendy
  now could be saturated by the time you graduate.
• There are many factors that help change market
  demand, such as large numbers of students
  entering the field or changing economic patterns.
  
• Be true to yourself.
• Choose a major that genuinely interests you.

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Even Famous People Chose Majors That Are Not
Related to Their Current Job!
More Famous People
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and here are a few more.