In this column, Bizkids, we will feature interviews with successful entrepreneurs and professionals in which they share their advice to aspiring kids with entrepreneurial spirits. To send in your questions or advice, email cindyjenkins@beijing-kids.com.
According to a new survey published today by the website The Student Room, 20 percent of students would have picked their majors differently having sampled their choice firsthand. With so many options, pithy truisms, and conflicting advice around, choosing a college major is hard. Whose advice can you trust? What are the major questions students should ask themselves before choosing their university degree? How do students know if they need a career counselor? What are those questions you might face in real life?
We invited Emily Lumb, the representative for the Morrisby China Team, to help you figure out how to choose a major in college based on her student career counseling experience. In 2015, just after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with Accounting and Finance, an opportunity arose for her to teach in Asia. It was at this point that she realized that she had a real passion for educating and supporting students. After experiencing such a change in career direction, she realized that students should be aware of all opportunities and alternative routes for their future career. This is why she represents Morrisby, an online assessment and career guidance platform, as she believes it gives students the chance to understand their unique passions and interests, and gives them practical advice on suitable and relevant career options that they will enjoy and be able to flourish in.
beijingkids: What are the top 5 questions students should ask themselves before choosing their university degree?
Emily Lumb (EL):
- What benefits will this university course offer me?
- Who am I doing this university course for? Is it for myself, or are there other people pressuring me to choose this particular university course?
- Do I enjoy this subject major enough to potentially do it my whole life?
- Is my university course choice based on high grades I have achieved in the past, or what I have the desire to do in the future?
- Have I done enough research about this course, or am I choosing based on my own assumptions?
How do students know if they need a career counselor?
EL: It is not about judging when and if students need a career counselor. All students should be provided with good career guidance. The younger students start to learn about careers, the more they understand how the subjects they learn at school are connected with their future, thus increasing motivation in class as they start to understand their end goal.
According to the UK Department of Education, “A young person with four or more encounters with an employer is 86% less likely to be unemployed.” This shows students with a high exposure to employers from a young age are more employable in the future, as they have most likely identified the soft skills that employers are looking for, and are also able to navigate the challenges of choosing and applying for a first job.
Scenario Based Questions
1) “I am a senior in high school and I am not sure what I want to do in the future. How should I decide which university course is best for me?”
EL: Many seniors in high school are not sure about their future direction or what course they would like to study. It can be difficult to decide what career you may want to pursue most of your working life. The decision for your course/career won’t appear in front of you one day, it requires research and understanding yourself; the first step is to look at your unique interests, preferences, and skillset. Morrisby is a great resource for students who are unsure about their future, as it provides a detailed breakdown of their skillsets, interests and preferences, and recommends suitable jobs based on these factors. This is a great starting point for researching job descriptions and industries that you are interested in. Once you have narrowed career options, internships and work experience are a great way of further understanding if the job role is right for you. Gaining hands-on experience of the workplace environment may even open your eyes to job roles you didn’t know existed.
2) “What if my potential career doesn’t work out, is it ever too late to start my “plan b” career?”
EL: It is never too late to change careers. In fact, 96% of graduates under the age of 24 have changed their career at least once. It can be difficult to decide what you want to be in the early years of your career, but changing careers is completely reasonable and completely normal. In most jobs you will build both soft skills and hard skills. Most soft skills are transferable to other careers, such as self-confidence, communication skills, or leadership skills, and employees usually hire employees that have a high-level of soft skills. Depending on the industry you are moving into, hard skills can be more difficult to transfer. For example, if you are an accountant and you would like to be a pilot, the hard skills acquired are difficult to transfer as they are fundamentally different jobs. No career change is impossible. However, if there are specific hard skills that are required, it may be time-consuming to be trained in that field or to achieve a qualification.
3) “Should I choose a university course that I enjoy or a course that can lead to a job with higher income potential?”
EL: This is the typical job satisfaction vs financial gain problem. It is a very common issue that affects people at all ages. You need to consider the short-term and the long-term; it may be sustainable for you to endure a job you dislike for financial gain in the short-term, but usually, job satisfaction is more important in the long-term. This decision needs to be made by what you see as a higher priority. Success and happiness can be measured in different ways, and different people may be most satisfied with different choices.
Usually, people flourish in the job role that they enjoy, as they have the passion to work hard. What’s more, any industry has the potential to lead to success, even if it is not a stereotypical ‘moneymaking’ job. Being in a role you do not enjoy can hinder your progress and income potential, as it is more likely you will not have the interest and the passion to work hard. For both options, it is crucial to keep all options open by maintaining a high level of soft skills that are transferable between jobs.
4) “How much education do I really need? Can I just start my business after high school?”
EL: It is a common misconception that going to university is the only route to further education, but there are many alternatives and opportunities, such as apprenticeships, internships, degree apprenticeships, or starting work. If you have the desire to have a career that requires a more vocational route (e.g. builder, car mechanic), it is recommended to seek other alternatives, rather than going to university, as these roles require on-the-job training and experience. All these alternatives will provide the opportunity to learn new skills and build on previous skills, and they will also provide knowledge and further your education in the industry.
Starting a business requires entrepreneurial skills, experience, and education, as well as the right opportunities. It is not impossible, but it is very rare that a student finishing high school has the skill set or the network to start their own business. Attending university may be able to provide opportunities to meet and network with others interested in the industry and also provide the education they would need to start their own business. Universities can also be a great place to meet potential mentors who have experience starting their own business. Like most things when starting a business, however, this is not a requirement. Part-time work whilst attending university can provide an experience of a workplace environment and strategies they may use in their business.
If you would like to learn more about Morrisby, please contact Emily directly at emily@morrisby.cn.
KEEP READING: The Beijinger Pizza Cup is Back!
Photos: courtesy of Emily Lumb, pexels
