Does Major = Career?

Does Major = Career? It doesn’t have to!
Myth: Picking your major= picking your career
Fact: 80% of people in today’s workforce are in career fields unrelated to their majors
Example of how Major Doesn’t = Career
In the Career & Professional Development office, our staff possesses diverse academic backgrounds and undergraduate majors including Psychology, Human Services, Communications, Human Resources, Kinesiology, and Radio-TV-Film to name a few.

Examples of how major does = Career – Alumni Profiles
Meet some of our UW Oshkosh Alumni and find out what they had to say about how they ARE using their major in their current role.
- Michelle Chitel – Social Work – Teen Center Coordinator at Boys & Girls Club
- Jenny Kyzer – Sociology – Recruiter at SEEK Careers/Staffing
- John Rank – Organizational Administration – Student Life Department Coordinator – Intercollegiate Sports
- Chris Vue – Anthropology – Unit Director for the Boys & Girls Club of the Fox Valley at Roosevelt Middle School
For more information and a video message from each alumni click here.
Make Yourself a More Desirable Candidate
Check out this great blog post from the Campus Career Coach that echoes much of what is outlined here.
Step 1. Prepare!
Participate in career events:
- Mock Interviews
- Career Fairs
- Dining with Professionals
- Workshops
Step 2: Get Experience!
Step 3: Develop Transferable Skills!

- Part/Full Time Jobs
- Internships
- Volunteer Work
- Class Projects
- Leadership Opportunities
- Campus Involvement
Market Yourself When Applying for a Job Outside Your Degree Area
Step 1: Focus on Transferable Skills
- E.g: Critical thinking, problem solving, communication.
- Resumes – Show how your experiences and skills will benefit the employer
- Interview – Provide examples of your abilities that will be of value to the employer and be prepared to answer situation based questions
Step 2: Define abilities you possess
Examples:
- Technologically savvy
- Background in graphic design
- Comfortable with computer programs
- Marketing experience
- Artistic
Learn More:
Learn more about Colleges and Majors at UWO.
To learn more about different occupations, check out the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Explore different careers and learn more about what careers may be a good fit for you http://wiscareers.wisc.edu/
Related Links:
http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/does-the-college-major-matter-not-really/?_r=0