Special edition: college life coming at you live! We’re here to help those of you freaking out about your major, career path, and the ultimate question, “What do you want to do after college?” We’re also here to let you know, it’s okay not to know yet! Here are a few ways of figuring out your interests both inside of school and outside…

In School:

One of the most important lessons to be taught in school is to explore. After all, most universities now offer hundreds of classes on almost any topic you can dream of! Especially in the first few years of college, it is vastly important to take advantage of YOUR time to enroll in any classes that pique your interest. Try a journalism class, science class, even a business class! With a plethora of knowledge as to which varying classes you enjoyed and truly looked forward to, you will be able to differentiate your academic “likes” and “dislikes”.

More School:

A part of school that students often neglect due to their busy schedules is academic fairs. We’re here to tell you that you should look at them as required, not optional! Always always always attend your student organization fairs and explore the thousands of different organizations, clubs, or sports that your university has to offer. Not only will this help you add to your list of hobbies, student organizations are the driving force of an endless amount of friendships. Joining one of these will help you connect to other students, and in turn, learn about different academic paths and continue to explore your own.

• Imagine this: You join an intramural soccer team, meet your two new best friends that you would never have imagined yourself growing close to, and you realize that you love the in’s n out’s of sports games. Combine that with the joy you felt each time you walked into your “Intro to Broadcasting” class and voila: You’re ready to begin your journey towards becoming a Sports Anchor!

Reach Out!

Although it may seem daunting, all professionals love to talk about and even sometimes brag about their careers. If you believe you may be interested in a field, connect with a professional in that network on LinkedIn and ask if you could conduct a phone interview with them, or grab a cup of coffee! The more you build your network, and the more you learn about a true day-to-day life of a person in your desired field, the more you will be able to solidify your desire to one day be just like them.

• Extra note: This also applies to professors. They are available as your resource and also as an outlet for exploration! It is amazing how much information you can obtain by just meeting for a quick cup of coffee minutes from your dorm or apartment.

Test Yourself:

If you are still at square one and have absolutely no idea about your professional interests, try out a career quiz or personality test! There are an endless amount of free resources on the internet to help you navigate your personality strengths, and place you in a field that will complement those same strengths. Check out the 11 best career quizzes by themuse! From personal experience, these really helped me to draw similarities between the areas in which I excel, and the careers that would require these same traits. They also help you to avoid certain jobs where you may not find your best fit.

With a combination of these four strategies, you are sure to discover your dream career path in no time!

Ready to begin your exploration with an internship? Learn how to search for one here!

Already ready to apply for a job? Check out our open jobs list!

At Esquire Recruiting, we are always happy to help out! If you have any questions about our field, send an email to [email protected] and we’ll get back to you right away!