Susan knew that she wanted to get a college education. But she wasn’t sure what she wanted to major in. She wasn’t sure what type of a job she wanted to have. When it came time to register for classes, she worried about what she should do. She knew that tuition was expensive so she didn’t want to waste time flitting from one major to another trying to decide what career she wanted to have.
Many high school graduates have similar feelings. Indecision about what career path they should take plagues their thoughts. What they don’t realize is that many universities have resources that help students to resolve this dilemma. There are 6 ways that students like Susan can get career counseling at a university.
1. Universities have a general career-counseling center. Skilled counselors guide college students through the decision making process as to which subject to major in. They have brochures and pamphlets for students to read. They have skills tests that students can take. They have short movie clips to watch that explain what different jobs are like.
2. Career counseling centers often sponsor job fairs. While the main purpose of a job fair is to help college students get a job, it also provides students with an opportunity to talk to people from different businesses. Students can stop at different booths to ask the company representative questions. That discussion can help them determine if working in a job for that company would be a good fit.
3. In addition to the counseling center, universities offer courses that students can take for credit that provide them with information and skills necessary to make wise choices. The courses look in-depth at many careers so that students get a solid foundational knowledge about different careers.
4. The different majors offered at a university also have advisement centers. These centers have specific information about careers that are available to students who major in that content area. The advisement centers are very knowledgeable about jobs in their field and can guide students through the process of selecting a major.
5. The major advisement centers also set up internships for students. Internships are a great way to get hands-on experience on the job. Students are often offered jobs from companies where they have interned.