Whether you’re a freshman just beginning your Longwood experience or a senior who can see the finish line ahead, you might be wondering how the major you’ve selected will impact your career opportunities.
At University Career Services, we’re so glad you’re curious!
The answer, however, is “it depends.” The answer depends on what matters to you.
Regardless of what you decided to study, employers want to know that you are not only willing to learn about their business but are passionate about working in their industry or field and are eager to work for them. That’s why convincing a prospective employer that you truly are passionate about working for them matters more than your major.
Keep in mind that what you study at Longwood can definitely matter in terms of landing an internship or job. For some majors, like Nursing and Teaching, there are strict regulations for the amount of time students must spend training and practicing outside of the classroom. It would be pretty difficult to get fully trained and graduate with a teaching degree only to then try and land a job in a completely different field. The same is true with nursing; with so many hours dedicated to earning a nursing degree it would be hard to demonstrate that another career path matters to you.
So ask yourself a few questions:
- Do you want to work for a specific company, like, say, Apple or Google?
- Is there a cause that really matters to you, like, say, educating inner city children or bringing clean water to parts of the world that need it?
- Are you passionate about a hobby or area interest, like cars, or fitness, or travel…?
Don’t wait! Come and see us as soon as possible to get started.
The trick is to figure out what matters to you and make a plan that helps you learn what you need to learn. Of course plans can change, but developing one will help you get a job or internship.
The trick is to figure out what matters to you and make a plan that helps you learn what you need to learn. Of course plans can change, but developing one will help you get a job or internship.
University Career Services is here to help with that challenge. You can be an art major and work in finance. You’ll probably need to go to graduate school in order to learn the skills required, but that’s okay. Or you can major in biology and work in public relations; there are plenty of PR firms that represent clients in STEM industries.
As a student at a great liberal arts university like Longwood, the sky is the limit for you and your career path. The major you choose will provide you skills and connections to alumni graduates from the same department. If you’re an English major, check out Longwood’s Linkedin University Page and find out what other English majors have done with their degrees since graduation.
The best way to find out what your options are is to talk with alumni. They’re out in the real world making things happen and doing what matters to them. And they want to help Longwood students!
The Longwood Network is full of alumni just waiting to connect with you. University Career Services can help you make those connections too.
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