Career Myths Debunked!

By Peer Advisor: Trish Vega

Ever thought about your future career and felt a tiny bit (or a lot-a-bit)... well… exasperated? I think we’ve all been there at one point or another. But worry not, perhaps I can help ease some anxiety. In this post, I will debunk three common career misconceptions in order to help you look at your future career not with nervousness, but with excitement!

Myth #1: My major dictates what kind of jobs I will get.

Contrary to popular belief, what you major in does not necessarily lock you into a specific industry. In fact, (with the exception of careers that require highly technical skills and knowledge such as engineering or medicine) it is possible for almost any major to find a fulfilling career in any industry! I actually know of a family friend who happily works as a Marketing Analyst at AAA, and he graduated with a music degree. The fact of the matter is, your skills and what you learn from your experiences are more valuable than your specific major. Focus on those, and you’ll be surprised at the multitude of opportunities that open themselves to you!

Myth #2: I have to know it all to get the job.

Most employers don’t expect you know you every single aspect and duty of a given job when considering hiring you. This is why it’s very important to take into account transferable skills. These skills are qualities such as creativity, good decision making, positive energy, and confidence. You can take these skills with you wherever you are in your career journey, and they will help you be adaptable and open to learning on the job, which is very valuable to employers.

Myth #3: I need to find the one perfect job for me.

Your perfect job is going to look different depending on where you are in your career journey. What might be piquing your interest now as a college student may be wildly different as you gain more experiences under your belt. It is also possible to explore multiple avenues at the same time. I have another friend who travels the country as a speaker, but also has taken time in her career to write for blogs, do service work, and record a jazz album! Another great example is entrepreneur, video blogger, entertainer, educator, writer, philanthropist, and musician Hank Green. He is another highly successful, real-world example of how you can succeed in having your career being made up of multiple paths. The possibilities are endless!

Hopefully some of these demystified misconceptions can ease your view of the career world. The world is your oyster, and here at Toppel we aspire to help you explore your future with optimism and excitement!

Thinking About Changing Your Major?

By Lindsey Shanck, Toppel Peer Advisor

As an incoming freshman, it seems like students are on one of two sides of a spectrum. They either know exactly what they want their major to be and will not waiver, or they have absolutely no idea what they want to do, and they chose a major because it sounded like a good option. No matter what the case is, studies show that most students end up changing their major at least once in their college career.

When I was a freshman, I thought biology was the only subject I was interested in, and I would never stray from the pre-med track. I believed that if I dropped pre-med, I would stumble into a deep depression and never achieve my dreams. But what I did not realize is that there are so many factors in deciding what major is right for an individual. These include lifestyle choice, if grad school is a possibility, maintaining a strong GPA, and ultimately doing something that makes you happy. Almost everyone I know has changed their majors at least once, some from biology to psychology, like me, or some making a bigger jump from chemistry to journalism.

Although changing majors is very common, and it is possible to change them more than once, it is still important to put some thought behind the decision. Some people I know have switched majors simply because their other major was hard and they wanted an easy out. As a result, they are now very confused about what they want to do after graduation, and are no longer passionate about what they are studying. In order to make an educated decision about whether one should change their major, there are some things that should be done first.

1. Picture yourself in 5 or 10 years. Is what you are doing/ your dream job, related at all to the major you are thinking about switching to? If not, you may not be making a decision for the right reasons. While one should be happy in their major, college is for gaining experience to enter the workforce, and gaining a degree that could help with that. Changing a major simply because it is easier would be a good decision for the rest of your college career, but not for life after college.

2. Take a career assessment. Toppel offers lots of resources to help students find what career might be right for them.  Students can either come into Toppel to take an assessment, or take an assessment online. Sokanu is a new, free assessment that produces top job matches based on a variety of factors. For me, Sokanu produced very accurate results. These assessments may confirm the career you have always been thinking about, or give you new career ideas that may have been off your radar.

3. Talk to an advisor. Make an appointment at Toppel to meet with an advisor. They can talk to you about different career options within your major, offer advice for how to achieve your new goal, and discuss if changing your major is needed. Furthermore, your academic advisor is very knowledgeable about the field you want to go into and how to get there.

4. Learn your strengths and weaknesses. While a career might interest you, it is very important to consider the lifestyle you want, if you are compatible with the job, and if you would be utilizing your best skills. The career assessments can help you determine certain personality traits you have and how those traits could help you or hurt you in a job.

The beginning of the school year can be hectic, and with classes starting, it is often overwhelming to think about making changes to your schedule or major. However, with all the resources Toppel has to offer, these decisions can be a little less daunting. 

Creative Careers

By Carsyn Crane, Events and Marketing Intern 

Every student’s wish after graduating college is to get that ideal job. “Make the big bucks”, you may have heard this expression before.  Majoring in marketing, political science, philosophy, or studio art makes you wonder what you actually can do with $50,000 degree. You’ve learned various skills throughout your undergraduate career and still are not sure about your career path.

My undergraduate major was media studies. I know what you are thinking. What does that even mean? My dad continued to ask me this question until the day I graduated. 

I had no idea what I wanted to do once I graduated. I figured I would go into marketing or advertising but I never really explored my options.

I didn’t know how I was going to take my degree and transfer it into career. As a student you may be feeling the same way. The pressure of deciding your career path may be a frightening, but it is good to take a few steps before you make a decision. Some helpful tips when it comes to finding a career:

BE OPEN-MINDED. The first job you get after college may not be your dream job but it could open doors into a direction that works for you.

EXPLORE. Do the research and look for jobs you may not have thought of before.

PASSION: Figure out what you’re passionate about then narrow down your job options based on your desire.

You can always transfer the skills you’ve learned from your past experience and articulate why it would be good fit for that specific new job. The major you may be in might not be the exactly fit for the career you choose and it’s OKAY :)

  

You have skills. Prove it. Make us proud at the Toppel Career Center.

Take it From Chuck! 5 Ways Chuck Norris Can Help You Be a Better Student

Written by Thien Van Tran

“There’s no way all those ridiculous facts about Chuck Norris could be true, they’re so far-fetched,” said no one ever. Everyone wants to be like Chuck, in every way. And while that’s so highly impossible that it’s completely laughable, there’s something we can all take away from this. It’s like when people say aim for the stars and hit the moon; we should have our aspirations of mimicking Chuck, and hopefully learn something that we can apply to our own lives. Me? I just need to apply more tanning oil. These guns could use some color.

Chuck Norris Was Never Aware of the Filming of Walker, Texas Ranger

He had no idea that his daily life was being watched by millions of adoring fans who followed his every move. Rather than caring about what others thought about him, he continued to be an awesome, hyper-masculine human being. But people judge. That’s just human nature. You know there’s that nerdy club with all the engineers, the muscle-bound frat boys, and the weird music school Acapella groups. While these stereotypes aren’t always true, some people get caught up in how they think others will view them. Forget that, do what you want. Study what you want, and be happy.

When Chuck Norris Left for College, He Told His Dad, “You’re the Man of the House Now”

Sometimes you have to leave your home or your comfort zone in order to discover new interests. You may not know anyone in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, but that shouldn’t stop you from joining in order to partake in the many design competitions and projects. And this applies to any activity or group! You don’t have to be super smart or a science genius to join the robotics club. Some of us are cut out for math, and some aren’t. I found out at a very young age, when a teacher asked me, “If you had 10 lollipops and I took half away, what would I have?” A broken arm.

When Chuck Norris Gets Bored, He Tells Himself Jokes He’s Never Heard Before

Don’t just sit around and twiddle your thumbs if you find that you have some down time once in a while. Never sit still. Either start your work early so that you are ahead, or find some other activities to do. Find an on campus job! Join an organization! Make some angel hair pasta! Go to the gym! Being like Chuck will take some work. I mean, Chuck Norris has muscles in places where I don’t even have places.

When Life Hands Chuck Norris Lemons, He Makes Grape Juice

I have no idea why the “When life hands you lemons…” saying even exists. How does that signify taking a negative situation and turning it into a positive one? Lemons are PERFECT for making lemonade! When life hands you lemons, you say THANK YOU. But in any case, when life hands you something you don’t want, you can still make the best of it. If you get stuck with an 8AM class that you have to take, so be it. Schedule your other classes earlier in the day so that you’re finished sooner. If the sorority you wanted to join didn’t give you a bid, so be it. Kill them. Cry about it. Drown your sorrows. Knit. Rush another sorority! Maybe that one wasn’t the right one for you anyway.

When Chuck Norris Was Born, the Doctor Said, “Congratulations, it’s a MAN”

Be confident in yourself! This applies mainly to interviewing situations. Everyone gets nervous to some degree, but remember: the interviewers want to talk to you for a reason, so there is something they like about you. You have some skill set or some strength that drew them to you, so just be yourself.

Career Toolbox: TypeFocus

By: Marissa Bell
Part of the Career Toolbox Series

When we were kids, people would ask, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and the answers were simple. A firefighter, a ballerina, a veterinarian, an astronaut. As we grew up, however, the answers got more complex and a lot less easy to come up with. After a while, for some, the only response available for that dreaded question was a nervous giggle and a quick change of subject. It can be scary when everyone else in a class is listing off exactly what they want to do after college and sound like they've known since they were 6, and your answer is, "I have no idea." There is a constant pressure to know what you want to do when you leave college and to start preparing for it from day one, from parents, from teachers, from advisers, even from friends. And, if at the age of say, 19, you still don't know have any idea what you want to do with your life, suddenly everyone is giving you worried looks.

But keep this in mind: There is nothing wrong with not knowing what you want the rest of your life to look like. Yes there are some people who do, and good for them, but there's a difference between not knowing and doing nothing about it, and not knowing and trying to figure it out. TypeFocus is an online tool that will help take you from the "doing nothing" stage and the "actively trying to figure it out stage".

What is TypeFocus?
TypeFocus is a free online personality assessment that asks you a series of questions that at first may seem mundane and simple, but are actually very calculated and specifically worded to get an in-depth analysis about your personality and what qualities and skills you posses. Its goal is to create self-awareness so that users have a better understanding of themselves, and in turn, can create a more educated decision about what careers they would enjoy given their unique interests and preferences.

What does TypeFocus tell you?
After you take the assessment, the analysis gives you pretty specific information. The program assesses your answers and tells you what traits you possess, what type of situations and activities interest you, and what things you value in the work place. At the end, the program combines all of these things and gives a list of careers that satisfy those conditions.

Explanation that came with Floral Designer

Things to Remember to Maximize Benefits
First thing to do to make TypeFocus most helpful to you is to take it by yourself when you're in a serious enough mood to care. If you're with friends, if you're just not in the mood, you'll start answering questions untruthfully, which will affect your answers, and make the results unusable. Yes, some of the questions seem like they're crazy, but there is a reason for all of them, so take it seriously and answer truthfully. The most important thing to remember when taking the TypeFocus, or any personality assessment, is to not focus on the results, but rather what the results mean. When I, an advertising and psychology major, took the test, my top results were a florist and a clergyman. I scoffed and dismissed the results. I never took the time to try to understand why I got those results. Once I did, I realized that I was someone who was creative, and enjoyed being a leader, but also valued communication with others and wanted a nurturing workplace. If you just take results at face value, they will mean nothing. Take the time to really understand your results. With TypeFocus, it's nice because all you have to do is click on the job title to get an in-depth explanation about exactly why that result appeared for you. It's the traits that matter in a position, not the title. I don't want to be a florist, but I know I need a job that is people focused and creative to be happy. And knowing that tells me that being a researcher isn't for me which is priceless information to know when choosing a career path in school.

Where to Find TypeFocus/Other Options
TypeFocus is free for University of Miami students and alumni, but if you just try to log on via the website, you will have to pay. In order to create a free account, go to your HireACane account, login, and scroll down. In the middle of the page about halfway down is a graphic that says, "TypeFocus, New Users Here!" click there and voila! There are three separate assessments, make sure you take all of them to reap the full benefits. All together, it will take about 25-30 minutes. Other options you have if you still want more is the SDS, a self-graded assessment, or the Strong Interest Inventory, which costs $10, but comes with an hour long appointment with one of our advisers to go over the results. Feel free to come in to Toppel between 8:30-5:00 and we'll set you up with either.

Utilize these tools so that next time someone at a holiday party asks you what you want to do after school, or the kid next to you starts talking about his 10 year plan, you don't feel an overwhelming urge to slap someone.