Yesterday during the discussion about whether an education is a debt sentence or not, a Studenomics reader known as MyLifeROI made an interesting comment questioning senior college students that switch their major. At first I agreed with the comment and thought that it made no sense but after talking with some other readers it hit me that there are times when a career/program change is needed. As a result I figured it was time to do another edition of outside the box thinking, discuss the few times that changes to your career or college program need to be made:
Not enough money in the field.
You may have gotten into a specific major or field because you were interested in the subject but soon after realized that you could not earn a decent living. Everyone should follow their interests and passions but we all need to earn a decent living as well. If one of your passions is not profitable then have no fear because you can always try out another passion or interest of yours to determine whether it will be highly profitable.
Lack of growth/work potential.
Some college programs offer very few opportunities for work after graduation. The field could be really competitive, there could be few firms hiring or just simply stagnant in growth. For example, there are many people that got into IT/Computer Science after the boom in the late 90s only to be struggling to find work a few years later. This is an excellent opportunity for you to turn an adversity into an opportunity. Instead of sinking with the ship you could get back on your feet by trying out a new career path.
You lost interest in the subject.
Many people jump into a college major or career expecting every day to be insightful and exciting. A few boring lectures later they realize that the subject is actually pretty boring and full of repetitive theory. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself and regretting your decision your best option is to look into other subjects that will interest you.
Better late than never.
There’s no point in spending the rest of your life working in a field that doesn’t interest you just because you may have already dedicated a few years to it or acquired a high level of debt in the process. Sometimes it’s better to cut your losses and move on with your life doing what makes you happy. Many young people will argue that they feel the need to work in the field because it cost them a small fortune to complete college. This will be one of your first harsh lessons in life; you will learn that some career/education decisions may be debated many times until you eventually end up with that dream job.
Have you guys ever experience a career or major change? If so, what were the reasons behind your decision to switch things up?