Career Services

Guidance Choosing a Major

Don’t stress out about deciding on a major. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Most people don’t find a subject they’re passionate about until they are in their fifties or sixties.
• Contrary to what many people believe, this is not a decision that you have to live with for the rest of your life.
• On average, people change careers seven times in their lives.
• Try not to let other people influence your decision or make you feel rushed.
• Be patient, making an important decision like this takes time.

For assistance in the decision-making process or to gather more information, visit Lewis University Career Services or call us at (815) 836-5282. 

What to consider when choosing a career or major

Learn more about yourself:

• What interests you
• What talents you possess
• Your values (salary, time commitment, prestige, power, helping others, etc.)

Learn more about careers or majors:

• How a major translates into a career
• The day-to-day work involved in a particular career
• The demand for the career in the geographical area where you want to work
• Typical salaries for various careers
• How much education is needed for careers that interest you 

Consider how your skills, values, and interests correlate with various careers.

• If the major or career you are interested in lacks a value, skill or interest that is important to you, try to fulfill that desire through leisure activities.
• If you want to evaluate your skills, values, or interests, you can take assessments in all three areas at Career Services.

What you can do to determine if you would enjoy a particular career:

• Make a list of pros and cons
• Shadow someone working in a career that interests you
• Get an internship or a part-time job in a field of interest

What to do until you choose a major:

• Take a variety of classes
• Talk to professors
• Compare ideas about majors with upper-class students
• Visit Career Services to read books and articles or talk to a counselor
• Talk to working professionals about their majors in college
• Think about a double major or a minor that complements the major you are considering 

Portions taken from:

Andrews, L., L. (1997). How to choose a college major. Chicago, IL: VGM Career Horizons.

Career Exploration Tools Available at Career Services

Learning About Careers/Majors

Discover: Discover is a comprehensive computer program that allows the user to explore numerous careers. The user can also take assessments concerning his/her skills, values, and interests to see how they relate to careers. It also provides job search information and current salary data. It is a very informative system which students can use on their own and at their own pace.

Library Materials: Our career library contains numerous publications on choosing a major and learning about careers. You can read brief descriptions of every job in the country or detailed information on common careers. Information available includes salary expectations, educational requirements, work environments, and job outlook.  

Part-time Jobs/Internships: Another way to learn about a career field is to get a part-time job or internship within the field. This is a great way to "test the waters" and to help you prepare for your professional career. Counselors in Career Services can help you locate a part-time job or internship. Lewis University students and alumni may also search JOBNET which is an online internships and employment resource.

Learning About Yourself

Self-Directed Search (SDS): The SDS examines career interests and skills in a systematic, self-guided way. After answering questions about what activities you enjoy, skills you have, and jobs that might interest you, a three-letter code is generated. This code is linked to majors and careers. It can be used to learn about your personality and the types of careers that people with personalities similar to yours enjoy. The assessment takes about 30-45 minutes to complete and at least 15 minutes for discussion with a counselor.

Card Sort: The card sort is a career assessment used to discover interests, values, and skills. The student and counselor work together. The student is provided with a stack of ninety cards describing various careers. The student sorts the cards into stacks, which reflect his/her likes and dislikes. The counselor then assists the student in determining what themes the careers have in common (i.e. the student likes working with children, but not in a teaching atmosphere; the student does not want to travel or work more than 40 hours per week). Total time required for the card sort is about 20-45 minutes.

Values Inventory: The values inventory is a simple checklist of values that are related to careers. It helps students become aware of how their personal values correspond to different careers. The checklist only takes 5-15 minutes and can be completed without a counselor.

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