College Degrees and unrelated Careers

Declaring your college major is one of the most exciting parts of the academic process. You have finally grown up and now you get to decide what career field you would like to enter when you graduate college. However, graduation comes and goes and the first job you get has nothing to do with your college major. This happens to a lot of students, but why?

Scholarships

Some students are awarded academic scholarships for their college education; however they may not receive a scholarship for their intended major. Maybe they receive a scholarship for a Business major, but they may have wanted to pursue an Art major. Since college is expensive and scholarships are competitive, most students will take any money offered to them, regardless of the major.

Opportunity

So you graduated from college with your degree in Education; however you were just offered a job with a tempting salary at a reputable company. Once again, money talks and when opportunity knocks, you will most likely take the given offer.

Change of Mind

Some students go through college and halfway through may change their mind as to what career they would like to pursue. Rather than start over with their core credits, they just continue on to pursue their degree within their current major. Once graduation rolls around, they may try to obtain a job within a different career field.

Career may not have a Major

Some people choose careers that may not have a specific major. Of course careers in Education and Medicine require specialized degrees, however there are occupations where a specific degree is not needed.

Liberal Arts Degree

There are students who pursue a Liberal Arts degree so that they get a wide range of courses and get to experiment with different subjects. This way, they can have a choice of a few different careers. Liberal Arts degrees are sometimes looked down upon as it may seem like the student could not make up their mind as to what major they would like to pursue. However, with this type of degree, the student will have knowledge on a wide range of subjects, which may make the student more appealing to prospective employers. Some students pursue this degree and back it up with a minor in Business.

If you have a degree and decide to venture off into a different career, don’t despair. The important thing is that you have the higher learning that is preferred in today’s market. The job market is extremely competitive right now and a high school diploma just will not work anymore. A college degree in almost any major will guarantee you a second look by your prospective employer.

When you are sitting down at an interview for a job, the person on the other side of the table may take a quick glance at what you majored in, however they will mainly want to see that you actually graduated from college. Just the fact that you graduated from College will show prospective employers that you are a dedicated individual. College is supposed to be a preparation for the real world, and this is why employers prefer those with degrees. Just remember, what you chose to major in, doesn’t always mean you will end up doing that line of work.