When people are asked what aspects of life give them the most meaning, family, health, and work are usually the most common answers.
And, to a large extent—though especially in the latter case—they are all connected to the decision we make when we ask ourselves which career to choose.
A career assessment test and talking with mentors can help, but they aren't enough. We're talking about your future.
So here are 5 tips on how to choose a college major and a short-term program.
1. Reflect on yourself and try to get to know yourself better
When the time comes to decide which major to choose, it feels like we lose our composure.
It's completely natural.
Apart from those few exceptions where some prodigious minds claim to have known what they wanted to do with their lives ever since they learned to walk, it’s only natural that you don’t know.
And not only that, but you may also find it difficult to figure out how to choose the right major. Social pressure is high, the options are vast, and even though our families mean well—with their love and probing questions—they end up confusing us even more.
Calm. Above all else, calm and tranquility.
Beyond the "which major should I choose" quiz you were searching for on Google—with all its tired clichés and everything else—the only person who can truly figure it out is you. But only from the calm and peace of mind that comes from understanding that, as a unique and irreplaceable individual, everyone moves at their own pace.
Still not sure what to study?
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Take some time to reflect and get to know yourself better. For example, make a list of your interests, preferences, and skills. Think about what you enjoy doing most and what motivates you the least, the tasks you enjoy doing the most, and the ones that require the most effort on your part.
Getting to know yourself is the first step toward figuring out how to choose the right career.
5 Questions to Help You Discover Your Calling
Part of evaluating yourself and getting to know yourself better also involves asking yourself some questions.
You can use the same approach: grab a pen and paper—give it a try; it’s better than a smartphone and has fewer distractions—and, in all honesty, answer questions like these:
1. What are my goals?
To be independent, to help someone, to achieve financial stability, prosperity, and abundance?
2. What are my interpersonal skills?
Communication, leadership, conflict resolution skills, active listening, empathy?
3. What are my technical skills?
Am I good at math, drawing, art, sports, or research?
4. How would you describe my personality?
Am I an extroverted, sociable person who enjoys working in a team, or am I an introverted person who prefers to be solely responsible for my work and performs better in more controlled environments?
Still not sure what to study?
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5. What are the things I spend the most time on and enjoy the most?
Teaching, researching, reading and writing, creating, building, playing sports, interacting with others?
By answering these questions, you’ll not only gain a much clearer understanding of who you are at this stage of your life and what motivates you, but you’ll also be one step closer to figuring out how to choose the right career path for you.
2. Identify your priorities and what you’re looking for in a job
It’s also very important to know what your profession will entail—the field you’ll be preparing for throughout your entire degree program.
In that sense, thinking beyond your education and picturing yourself already in your future job will help you identify the tangible factors that you’ll value most about it.
These factors might include, for example, how much control you’d like to have over your schedule, the work environment, or whether you’ll be able to work while traveling. In other words, the kinds of things you won’t have flexibility over in your job.
Once again, ask questions such as:
- Do I want to work in an office, from home, or while traveling?
- How many hours a day do I want to dedicate to this?
- How much free time do I need?
- What kinds of tasks could I do, and what kinds could I not do?
With all this information, along with what you learned in the previous section, you’re now in a position to draw some conclusions about who you are, what your goals are, and what role your career will play in helping you achieve them.
3. Do some research and make a list of your best options
The next step is to do some research: look for information, read up on the topic, and talk to people you trust to hear about their firsthand experiences.
You'll discover that while there are traditional bachelor's degrees—which are the best known—there is also a wide range of new and diverse university programmes , as well as short-term and technical programs.
With this information in mind and using the conclusions you reached in the previous points, you can compile a list of your best options—that is, the ones that best align with your personality, skills, goals, and priorities.
When putting together this list, there are two things that you may find very useful:
List your options and compare them with your skills and preferences
By understanding your skills and career preferences, you can evaluate your options and determine which ones are the best fit for you.
For example, if you enjoy gardening and landscaping, care about the environment, and find that time flies when you're surrounded by plants, it makes perfect sense to add a short-term program like the Landscape Technician program to your list, right?
On the other hand, if you’ve always been into numbers, enjoy math, and are interested in finance, you might want to consider a bachelor’s degree in economics.
Still not sure what to study?
Check out all the degree programs at Universidad ORT Uruguay
Perhaps what drives you most is creating and telling stories, starring in video games, and drawing—in which case, the Bachelor's Degree in Animation and Video Games might be right up your alley.
Or maybe you're more interested in the sciences and have always imagined yourself conducting experiments and working in a lab. If that's the case, you might want to consider a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology as one of your top choices.
It's easy to understand, isn't it?
Talk to your close friends and trusted individuals
You can reach out to trusted individuals who are currently working in fields you might consider pursuing and hear their stories.
It's something every professional has gone through, so they'll understand. You can tell them that you're exploring your options but haven't been able to decide on a career path yet.
Understanding what day-to-day work is like, what the salaries are in the industry, and what prospects and opportunities it offers will be very useful information when putting together your list.
4. Experiment and deepen your experience
There’s no doubt that nothing clears up doubts better than experience. So, how about taking part in a workshop for high school students?
Along with interviews with professionals in the fields that interest you most from your list, informational sessions, and testimonials from current students, this experience will be far more enlightening than any career aptitude test.
5. Contact university specialists and ask them any questions you may have
Even if you've followed all these recommendations on how to choose a career, you may still not have been able to make a decision.
No problem.
One of the first points we mentioned was precisely this: that everyone manages their time in their own way, and there’s no need to give in to the pressure.
In this regard, it is extremely helpful to reach out to specialists at the university itself to seek advice, discuss the situation in detail, and receive professional support.
Still not sure what to study?
Check out all the degree programs at Universidad ORT Uruguay