Visiting workplaces that hire graduates with specific college majors helps students focus on the type of work done after graduation. The visits assist in determining the working conditions and requirements for job advancement. Visiting a broad spectrum of jobs in a single career field helps the prospective major focus on refining college coursework to obtain a job in the selected specialty field. Engineering students thinking about working in the nuclear industry, for instance, learn the best coursework to quickly advance in the field.
Interest inventories offer another activity to explore careers matching your talents and interests. Advanced career inventory testing helps identify possible jobs, many obscure to most students and done by small numbers of workers. While students have general information about the aviation careers working as a pilot or flight mechanic, few may be aware of specialty aviation careers working as a structural technician or crash investigator. High school career centers frequently provide computerized inventory programs and access to online websites allowing students to shop for potential careers. The inventories also outline the college degrees aligning with the professional field and interests. Some states, including Indiana and Florida, provide free online inventory services for state residents.
Interviewing workers or shadowing staff helps students learn firsthand the type of work done and the temperament necessary to succeed in the occupation. The information learned from the visits provides practical tips and hints not available in textbooks and from college professionals not working in the field. Talking to a variety of employees at different career levels also provides insight into the job duties for an entry-level position, mid-career job and seasoned professional in an occupational field. Work as an intern, if positions are available, also helps provide practical experience to determine if the major, employment field and your interests all align.
Traveling to college campuses to see the departments in person, meet the professors and visit classes, helps students entering college understand more about the study involved in a particular major. Shadowing a college student for a day or two also provides insight into the type of reading, general assignments and the requirements of the various college majors. Some university departments arrange shadowing opportunities and also provide open houses for prospective majors. If a physical visit isn't possible, conducting a virtual tour of colleges and departmental websites provides information about possible majors.