Transitioning from College to Career
The world is full of opportunities, which can be both exciting and intimidating. It’s important to keep your mind open as you explore and figure out what is most important to you as you make this first decision. Learn how to plot a career path that feels authentic, aligns with your values, and aligns with market trends.
St. Kate’s Alumni and Their Majors
Sometimes, people feel pressure to find a job that perfectly aligns with their degree. However, most people don’t take this linear path. Take a look at the majors and careers of some St. Kate’s alumni:
| Major | Career |
| English | Psychotherapist |
| English | Child protection intake worker, Anoka County |
| French | President/CEO, Maine Public Broadcasting |
| Math | Preservation Officer, State of CA |
| Math | Director of Marketing Services, Land O’Lakes |
| Philosophy | Claims Account Manager, United Healthcare |
| Political Science | Credit Analyst, Wells Fargo Foundation |
| Psychology | Residence Hall Director, U of CO |
| Sociology | Diversity Initiatives Consultant, Hennepin County |
Career Myths
It’s easy to let your initial thoughts control your outlook. Take some time to read through these career myths so you can recognize them in your own thoughts if they arise.
Reality: Most people will go through many career transitions throughout their lives. There is not one perfect job for most people.
Reality: Most people will not be able to decide on their career path in certain terms. It’s important to reflect on what you want out of a job so you can continuously assess the job market and the opportunities available at the time.
Reality: Most majors have a variety of options for career paths rather than one specific job that aligns with the major.
Communicate Your Value to Employers
Value of a Liberal Arts Education
There are many values of a liberal arts education. The Association of American Colleges and Universities’ newest report describes how employers believe that a liberal arts education serves as preparation for more than one specific job. This preparation provides knowledge and skills that are important for career success.
“More than any other curriculum, the liberal arts train people to think critically about concepts and society, look at the big picture and analyze cause-and-effect relationships, break an idea or situation into component parts and put it back together again…”
-Robert Goodward, director of publications, Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., from his article, “Why Hire Humanities Graduates?”
“A good liberal arts education produces generalists who can think critically and creatively, exercise judgment, sort through complexities, tolerate ambiguity, communicate effectively and adapt to change…”
-Stanley Gault, head of Rubbermaid Inc.
Career Competencies
The Career Competencies are the skills that employers want students to have when they apply for internships and jobs. Learn more about these competencies so you can describe to employers all the ways you’ve learned these skills throughout your courses and activities at St. Kate’s.
How to Do Research
There are a lot of resources on the internet that can help you do research for potential career paths. Check out some of the resources below. You can use the Career Comparison Worksheet to keep track of and compare different career options.
| Resource | Description |
| O*NET | O*NET has detailed descriptions of jobs used by job seekers, workforce development and HR professionals, students, developers, and researchers. Find, search, and browse across 900+ occupations based on your goals and needs. Use comprehensive reports to learn about requirements, characteristics, and available opportunities for your selected occupation. |
| Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) | The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook provides information on what people in a specific job do; a job’s work environment; the education, training, and other qualifications for a job; job pay; the job outlook; state and area data job data; similar occupations; and sources of additional information for more than 300 occupational profiles covering about four out of five jobs in the economy. |
| PathwayU | PathwayU is an assessment tool to explore your interests, personality, work preferences, values, and align them to different career options. |
Explore: What Can I Do With This Major?
Whether you’re exploring majors or searching for information about your chosen field, this website will help you connect majors to careers. Learn about typical career areas and types of employers that hire people with each major, as well as strategies to make you a more marketable candidate.
Identify What You Value
Identify what is important to you in a career. You can use the Career Values Card Sort game to reflect on your career values. Career satisfaction is closely linked to doing work that is consistent with your career values, so knowing what your career values are makes it easier to plan for the future and find the right job opportunities.
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This tool provides up-to-date data on employers, job titles, and skills.
Are you a first-year student at St. Kate’s and looking for an on-campus job? Need help with a resume? Do you have absolutely no idea what you want to major (or minor) in as an undergraduate? Are you curious about graduate school? Career Development is the place where you can find resources, answers to all these questions and more!
