Oberlin College & Conservatory

Researching Careers

"Find a job you like and you add five days to every week." H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

People tend to gravitate towards what they know, which is natural and understandable - but it may limit your choices. So how can you choose a career if you don't know what kinds of jobs are out there?

Here are some suggestions for how to learn about the enormous range of possibilities:

• Read about careers and organizations. The resources in the Right column will serve as a good starting point, but also consider the many books in our Career Resource library. There is virtually no information you want that you cannot find.
• Browse the Alumni directory at LinkedIn. What are alumni in your major doing? What was their career path. While doing research, remember to interview several people. A variety of opinions will provide you with a balanced picture of the field.
• Each year a number of alumni visit campus for academic department and career sponsored events. Attend them!

Questions

• What are the responsibilities of the job?
• Does the work match my skills, interest, values and personality traits?
• What is a typical day like? Week?
• What are the prospects for entering the field?
• What are the advancement opportunities for women?
• What are the education and experience requirements to enter this field?
• What would be the best way to find work/get experience?
• What kind of salary could I expect to make?
• What are the positives and negatives about this career?
• Will I be happy and effective doing this work?
• What does the physical setting look and feel like? Can I work in such a setting?
• Are there people like me in this career field? Will I be comfortable with my colleagues?