One of the questions I asked in my survey was "What advice would you give young people who are undecided about what to study in college?"
What really struck me about the answers was how many hiring managers urged undecided young students to follow their passion and to study something they love. Take a look! I put the first 25 responses from my survey below!
1. Figure it out and fast. The reason for this is that your studies will be more focused and have more meaning. For example, if you want to be in marketing you will spend a lot more time on the subject seeking to learn it, instead of just getting the grade.
2. Always go with your passion. Whatever you feel naturally drawn to, whatever you feel passionate about, study exactly that. Be true to yourself. When we love something, it's almost natural that we'll become good at it. There is no point studying something that might stand a chance to success just because it is in demand in the market today when you don't truly believe in it and don't feel the passion for it. It will only be a torture and will not lead you to success unless you really like it and enjoy it. Great works don't come out of dedication and hard work, but also out of passion and conviction.
(That's just the first 2. Click through for the rest of the 25. More later... I have over 500 responses for this question!)
11. Do some apprenticeships while doing your prep work for college to determine what you would like to do and then focus the majority of your college time on subjects that will help you be successful.
12. Study what you like. Uncurious, uncreative business majors are minted a dime a dozen.
13. Study what you enjoy.
14. If you really don't know what to do, go for Business. Every company and organization, big or small, is a business. It is not an easy major by any means, but it can take you anywhere.
15. Stay the course; and more importantly seek out an education that interests or inspire you.
16. Go with your gut instinct at the time. What you are interested in at that age. As life goes on you will find your niche.
17. Study what you are interested in until you get a feel for what drection you want to focus in.
18. Figure out what you're good at rather than what you or your parents want you to be good at. Determine what interests you so much that on a Monday morning you know that for the next 40 years you'll scramble out of bed to go somewhere to do that thing. If it's something you want to do then you'll do it, you'll do it well and you'll become successful at it ~ who knows...you may even make some money doing it. Either way you'll have an enjoyable life rather than being miserable doing something you don't want to; and probably failing at it repeatedly because it's not something your interested in.
19. You can never go wrong with engineering. Students with engineering degrees are very desirable in the marketplace and can get in to any grad program if they choose further education. This isn't true with other majors.
20. Excel in the basics and talk to people smarter than you. I would suggest researching growing industries and where the experts say those industries will be 5 years from now.
21. See what you are so passionate for. What you study doesn't say what industry you'll work in. You can change careers always. I studies computer science but am now a marketer in the furniture industry!
22. Match your desire with what will sell 5 yrs from now.
23. I would advise the undecided student to major in English. This is a great overall major that develops your critical thinking and communication skills. The world is full of smart people who are unable to communicate! The ability to communicate at a high level will take a person far in life!!!!
24. Follow your passion and make it unique for you.
25. Take classes that interest you. Look for something different - learn something new or unexpected.
3. Go for a general degree in business first - that will give you a lot of different classes that could give you a hint at what you might like to focus in on. 4. Business with an emphasis on international. 5. Follow your heart and your dreams.
6. Before choosing the major, list down all the majors. Now start reading relevant books, articles and thesis in those areas. Look for future development in those areas through current affairs. Do this exercise for about a 2-3 months period. You will start developing interests towards some subjects out of many and start hating others. Try zeroing on them till you get your final number and major.
7. Take a variety of classes that interest you and you can feel passionate about. This will enable you to get to know yourself better and eventually find a position that your interests and strengths are well suited for.
8. Take as many writing and oral communication classes as possible. Study something you have an interest in and combine it with practical skills like marketing or sales.
9. Whatever you study, be open minded and have some common sense. Sometimes that is just as, if not more important than book sense.
10. Study your passion, not the field that contains the most opportunity.
Your survey about majors was interesting. Following my passion is what I did when I decided to get my degree in education so that I could coach football. It work well for about 20 years. And, the coaching led to my opportunity to work at LB. LB was never my passion, but I made good money and did enjoy the people I worked with and the program that I was in charge of. Still, it wasn't coaching football.
Posted by: Fred Konrath | February 22, 2007 at 04:49 PM