Congrats! You have made the sound decision to attend college. Now that you’ve chosen your school, it’s time to choose your career path. Whether you are going back to school later in life to change careers or are a recent high school graduate entering a new phase of life, knowing what career path you want to take is essential to your studies. A very small number of people know exactly what they want to do with their lives, but it’s important to note that knowing exactly what path you want to take isn’t always clear, no matter how old you are or how many careers you have already held.

At Everglades University, we work hard to offer a variety of course programs that tailor to all students needs. Whether you want to work in the sky doing aviation or stay closer to the ground with construction management, our degree programs let students choose prosperous careers that they can be happy and successful in.

In order to make the decision easier, there are a few things to look at before settling on your chosen career path.

Look at Your Skill Set

Sometimes, the thing we are best at ends up being the thing we enjoy the most, too. You may want to look back to things you excelled at in school, whether in high school or during previous studies or look to more real world skills, like having an outgoing personality, being able to talk to anyone, or being great with your hands. Starting here can launch you towards career options that you will instantly excel in.

Find Out What You Enjoy

You’ve probably heard the phrase “if you love what you do, you don’t work a day in your life.” And while this may be true to some, the reality is that we will all feel like work is work at some point. The key is to find something that you enjoy doing, even if your skill set doesn’t exactly match up. If you love writing, you may not become a novelist, but you can study communications or marketing and use that love of writing to create a fruitful career.

Understand the Job Market

The job market is always changing, so as a student, it’s important to understand exactly what the market looks like during your job search. If the market is tough, it may be harder to land the job of your dreams. If that’s the case, try to find a career that will help you down the path towards what you ultimately wish to do. Stepping stones like this are vital to a successful future and can greatly help you down the line. If you are completely unsure of your path, consider the most popular industries of the moment—if you find one that suits you, you won’t have to worry too much about finding a job post graduation.

Try to Gain Hands-On Experience

You may have always pictured yourself becoming an attorney, but after spending a few weeks in a law office, you realize that dream is anything but. Instead of risking this after you complete your studies, try to get hands on experience now. See if you can spend a few days shadowing or helping out around an office to see exactly how the day-to-day is at that career. It will help you decide if the path you want is really for you or if you want to change your studies.

If you are just beginning your studies and unsure where you want to take them, contact Everglades University at 888.854.8308 or visit our website to learn more.