By Madeline Dunlap
If you’re anything like me, the question, “What are your career goals?” terrifies me. As a college student, figuring out your career path is a large part of your education, and also very intimidating. Choosing your major and minor, finding an internship, and networking are all steps we must take to obtain the career we want, but what if we don’t know what that is?
Roughly 44% of university students don’t know what they want to do after graduation. It feels like something we need to figure out as soon as possible because we are constantly hearing our friends saying, “ I want to be a doctor” or “I want to be a journalist”. While it’s great some students know exactly what they want to do out of school, it’s completely normal not to know what you want. There are thousands of career paths and jobs you may not have even heard of and could be a perfect fit for you, but ultimately it’s up to you to find them.
Choosing the right career can be an overwhelming process and feel challenging at times when being bombarded with options, but there are plenty of resources to help guide you along. Here are a few I have found:
University of Oregon Career Center: The career center at UO has been a tremendous help in exploring my career interests. They provide you with websites, personality, and career quizzes, coaching for any questions or concerns you might have, along with help writing a cover letter or resume. Don’t be afraid to book an appointment on their career website at https://career.uoregon.edu/.
Student Advising: If you’re feeling uncertain about your major or minor, book an appointment or drop in to see your advisor at https://advising.uoregon.edu/navigate-student. The advisors are here to personally assist you along your college journey to find your path to success as well as find your niche. They are experts in their fields and talk with students every day about their career choices, so don’t feel like you’re the only one who doesn’t know exactly what you want to do. They can create a plan for achieving your career goals or even figure out what interests you by finding courses, internships, or clubs to join while exploring job strategies.
Career Assessment websites: One website that helped me in my job search was Vitanavis. It offers a short assessment quiz that helps identify where your interests and talents lie as well as job fields that could be the right fit for you. Vitanavis gives you insight into your strengths, values, and personality traits relevant to your career choice. You can also look at vocational paths, learning styles, skill development, and so much more. Check out Vitanavis at https://vitanavis.com/.
Trying to find the right path for you can feel daunting at times but you must remember there are numerous career resources available and ready to help you achieve your professional goals and advance your career. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of these resources in order to gain insight and guidance to find opportunities that match your interests.
Comments