I once wanted to be Hannah Montana, then a middle school teacher, and then an astronaut. Somehow, I chose a marketing major instead. However, I didn’t get into the Business School, so I changed my major to journalism. I then fell in love with writing—until the Journalism school rejected me as well. At this point, I’ve contemplated just dropping out and going with my first plan as Hannah Montana. One problem: I’m tone deaf and can’t even beat Guitar Hero.
Money’s tight, my grades aren’t what I’d like them to be, and I feel like I’m running out of options. My plan A, B, and C through Z didn’t work out, and I have no idea what I’m doing with my life. All the various classes I’ve taken have almost nothing in common, and I’m terrified that I won’t be able to graduate on time. I just want to figure out what kind of job I want and how I can get myself there.
What you like to do will decide what type of company you’d like to work for. What do I like to do? I like reading magazines and watching too many episodes of Family Guy. I love going out for drinks after work and dancing around my room to Ke$ha. Think about things you like to do in your free time and try to imagine how those could turn into a potential job. No one will pay me to dance around my room to Ke$ha, but they might pay me to organize her world tour. Think of other companies that reflect your personality. Netflix. Victoria’s Secret. The NFL. Apple. Coachella. Maybelline.
Your ideal work environment will decide what kind of job you’d like to do within a company. What kind of work environment do I want to be in? I love meeting new people, being in a fun and easy-going atmosphere, and flexible scheduling. I hate uptight and tense work environments. Although these factors don’t seem that important, they will decide whether or not you are happy in your job. Think of jobs that embody your work values. Traveling sales representative. Advertising team for television commercials. Social media director. Psychological analyzer. Chemist. Project planning. Club promoter. Entrepreneur.
So on that note, pair what you’re good at with what you like. If you like to drink and you like to travel, you can literally get paid to sample wine tasting. Be a chemist for Neutrogena. Be a corporate psychologist for Starbucks. Talent scout for Universal Pictures. Project plan Lollapalooza’s lineup. Advertise for Miller Lite. For all these big name corporations, there are a million more similar careers.
There is no major called “Super Bowl Halftime Show Organizer,” but you can get there with almost any kind if you can tailor your resume and paint yourself as the ideal candidate for the job. Because of that concept, I broadened my major. If you feel like you’re running out of time to pick out a major, choose a broad one so that you can take it in any direction. It doesn’t matter what people say about your major, because any college degree is something to be damn proud of. Psychology. Economics. Communication Arts. The fact that you haven’t given up and dropped out says a lot about your perseverance and determination to succeed. Your future job title probably won’t be the same title as your major anyway.
Figure out your interests and your ideal work environment, and list various jobs that you could actually see yourself loving. It’s so easy to think of the real world as only a couple main jobs: doctor, lawyer, engineer, and businessperson. There are so many more jobs than those four, and you can get paid to pursue your interests.
If I can’t BE Hannah Montana, maybe I can be her fashion consultant. If I can’t be a middle school teacher, maybe I can be a really good mom. I may not make it to the moon, but maybe I can write about it in National Geographic. It’s so easy to disregard your personal interests as career distractions. Chances are, your favorite thing to do is also the thing you do best. If you have no idea what you’re doing with your life, do what you love.