Literally, hundreds of students have passed through my classrooms unsure of what they want to do for a living after graduation. Compounding the problem is that universities require their students to declare majors much too early, forcing students to feel like they’re selecting career paths.

My advice to students is to be proactive. Students have to invest time and attention in themselves to discover what they can be paid for, what they’ll be good at, and what they’ll truly enjoy doing every day of their careers.

Be bold Step off campus for once.

Here are a few suggestions to guide that exploration:

1. Take a few courses you wouldn’t normally consider. Take courses in phonetics, math, literature, physics, or art. Naturally, that list could be longer. But exposing yourself to courses with elements that may interest you will help steer your journey.
2. Avail yourself of some good career and psychological assessments. Many such instruments have been developed to help people determine careers that are suited to their personalities and strengths.  It’s likely your university career center offers some of these assessments but I would also encourage reading on the topic and spending a few dollars off-campus at vocational testing services. Even though the assessments available from your Career Center may be “free” or inexpensive, a university career center isn’t focused on helping you find your career direction. [I recall vividly a student who availed himself of an assessment provided by the Career Center. It was frustrating to learn it recommended he be a florist, an occupation that doesn’t even require higher education. Today, he’s a Wall Street executive.–a successful “numbers man.]
3. Schedule some informational interviews with employers who have established themselves in their fields. That’s right, go off campus to meet those employers. An informational interview shouldn’t be confused with a job interview. Its purpose is not to solicit employment. Talk about the executive’s day to day routine and responsibilities as well as those of others who work within the organization. Conduct these interviews both in or around the city in which your university is located as well as your hometown and, perhaps, a location in which you have an interest in living.
4. Don’t wait for your senior year requirement to take an internship. Start interning at various corporations your freshman year. Don’t consider any internship long-term. Commit 3 to 6 months to each. And make it a point to talk with various managers and executives within each organization about what they do, what they like about what they do, and what they don’t like, and (if you feel they’ve gotten to know you) how they think you should go about determining whether their industry or job function is right for you.
5. I’ve always been intrigued by what I call “hidden occupations.” Those are career opportunities that don’t appear in the limelight. For instance insurance actuaries, corporate trainers, advertising agency account planners, logistics managers, city planners, and customs brokers. That is not an exhaustive list but it should give you an idea of the diversity of careers you can spot if you step off your college campus, pay attention to such things, and if you don’t allow your career to default to what do you think your degree has qualified you to do.

The value of a college education has come under scrutiny. It’s your job to maximize your investment in your education by educating yourself on career opportunities.