Picking the Right Major

By Beverly Asante

Adam Kotsko once said, “We ask 18 year olds to make huge decisions about their career and financial future, when a month ago they had to ask to go to the bathroom.” How many of you can relate? As college students we are pressured to pick a major, plan our lives, and figure out the career path destined for us, all while simultaneously trying to transition from childhood to adulthood. Indeed, being 18 in the Western world is a big deal and picking the right major is an even bigger one. Scary right? It doesn’t have to be. Here are some things to consider when deciding the right major.

You are not alone

It is statistically proven that many college students change their major at least three times. Although that may not necessarily be the case for you, it is a bit comforting knowing that you’re not the only one confused. In fact, there are many people going through the same thing you are. There are even more people who have gone through it and survived. Not knowing your major at the moment may be extremely stressful. It may even feel like the end of the world, but it isn’t. It’s a start of an adventure, a new experience in which you get to get the know and understand the most awesome person in the world. You! So take a deep breath, and relax. Each and every single day that passes gives you another opportunity to grow and become one step closer to figuring out your unique pathway to success.

Talk to your advisor

Your advisor is your best friend. Get to know him or her. They are willing to help. Express to them what truly makes you happy. Ask them questions. Explain to them any concerns you may have. By listening to what you have to say, they can recommend the best classes for you. It is the best feeling to know that there is someone who is in your corner and willing to guide you every step of the way. Don’t be alarmed if you feel like your schedule is all over the place. It’s okay if you are taking classes that represent a little bit of everything. In fact, it’s a good thing, that way you can test the waters and see what your likes and dislikes are. How else would you be able to come up with a final paper, if you don’t have a first draft? 

Trust yourself

You have the key to success. No matter how much your mom wants you to be Pre-med, or an engineer, the decision is ultimately up to you. You cannot live your life in the eyes of others. It will come a time where you will realize that although your parents love you, they cannot live through you. You are given one life and you need to live the best life for yourself. Follow your dreams, whether it is becoming a chef or an actress. Never forget to trust yourself and know that even if you fail, you failed because you tried and not because you were too scared to try.

Why Worry When You Have Us

By Alysha Gomes, Toppel Peer Advisor

With all the stress of courses, jobs, and even social events, University of Miami STUDENTS AND ALUMNI often overlook the resources the Toppel Career Center offers.

As a student myself, I walked into the building and was amazed with its structure and technology; however, Toppel’s purpose is not to mystify, but to educate and assist. I did not realize all the opportunities Toppel offers until I was hired as a peer advisor.

Growing up, my parents portrayed the professional population as being in one of two fields: Food service or healthcare. Simply put, I could either become a doctor or I would end up working at McDonalds (flipping burgers, not as a corporate worker). However, now that Toppel has opened my eyes, I now know how many occupations and professional fields there actually are and how simple it is to request help in acquiring a desired position. I encourage you all to, as cliché as it may be, let Toppel open your eyes as well.

Don’t know where to start?

• Come in for a tour! – A tour will give you an overview of all our staff members and services we offer.
• Don’t feel like coming in? –Go online to HireACane.com! You can find anything and everything Toppel with just a few clicks.

Don’t know what professions are out there?

• Come to one of our information sessions! Companies from big to small come to Toppel every week to provide information on their company. These can be found on our programs/events calendar at HireACane.com!
• Companies that you may have never heard of but are absolutely amazing come to Toppel! Also, they provide new information each time they come, so don’t assume you know everything about them. In actuality you can never know enough if your going to invest you time into applying!

Don’t know what professions to pursue?

• Schedule an appointment to speak to an advisor! Simply go onto HireACane.com and click request an appointment on the right side column. They will help you:
• Pick a major
• Choose a professional field/career
• Figure out your life

Need help in applying to a(n) internship/job/school/anything?

• Come to walk-in hours on Monday-Thursday from 10:00am- 4:30pm to get help with your resume and cover letter!
• Schedule an appointment for a mock interview to practice your interviewing skills or go over personal statements and applications.
• Come to one of the countless workshops Toppel holds on how to:
• Interview
• Resume Build
• Utilize Social Media
• Organize/Time Manage
• AND SO MUCH MORE

Need help in getting hired/chosen?

• Come to one of our fashion shows on how to present yourself professionally! (This is actually really useful because things you would think are presentable are actually not.)
• Come to a networking event! Toppel has amazing connections! They can help you connect to pretty much anything anywhere.

Toppel offers even more beyond this! If you can think of anything career related, we have someone you can talk to that not only knows about it but is an expert on it and can get you in touch with a recruiter/school/anyone regarding it. It is truly a wonderful resource that is not utilized as often as it should be. I love Toppel and use its connections/resources all the time in my professional life- so should you!

           

Advice from a Career Advisor: Tip 2

 Written by Megan Garber





Always have someone look over your resume!

A resume is a marketing document, and it is more than a summary of your education, experiences, and skills. Most resumes are only one or two pages, and those pages need to be perfect! A typo or inconsistency in format can get your resume thrown in the trash. Why?! You might be a qualified applicant, but a typo or inconsistency can be a sign that you have poor attention to detail or simply that you did not thoroughly review your document before you sent it to the employer. Yes, we are all human and we all make mistakes. However, you do not need to review your resume all by yourself. The Toppel Career Center staff can review it, as well as your family and friends. Small mistakes happen to all of us, and you want to make sure you have someone else review your resume so any mistake is caught before you send your resume to an employer. I have been reviewing hundreds of resumes a year for almost seven years, and even I make mistakes on my own resume, mostly because I am so familiar with it that I over look my mistakes. I once had a colleague at the Toppel Career Center review my resume and he quickly noticed that I had written “trail” instead of “train.”

Bottom line: have at least one set of eyes other than your own review your resume any time you make an edit!