Every year thousands of college graduates enter the job market, hopeful to find work related to their major. However, within just a few years, many people report low job satisfaction. Why do so many people hate their jobs, and how can we change this? It starts with students and their ability to get an education that they really want.
Passion
Parents sometimes shudder at the idea of their children doing “what they love” for a living. After all, not everyone can be a rock star or a professional skateboarder.
This is true enough, but there are plenty of ways for individuals to bring their passion to their work, no matter what they do. Studies show that when people care about the work they are doing, and believe that their work has a positive impact on the world, they have higher job satisfaction.
Consider creative ways that your child’s interests can lead to job opportunities, such as musicians that study audio engineering. Matching the student to a major that inspires creativity and interest will lead to greater happiness.
Purpose
Another factor in job satisfaction long term is whether or not employees feel that they have a purpose. In a day and age where so much of office work environments are automated, and people are segregated to work quietly on their own, few employees are feeling engaged with their work.
Students should look for majors where they will be actively engaged, and where they feel that they can make a difference in the world. If they don’t see any jobs where there is potential for them to take control and really own the job they will be doing, it is likely a poor fit. Again, choosing a good major is key to loving your job after graduation.
Environment
One big piece of the puzzle that many students don’t consider is the type of work environments they will be dealing with. They may love the idea of being a lawyer making their argument in a courtroom, but don’t realize the long hours of research and paperwork that comes before the exciting part. Before settling on a major, have your child do some research into the types of jobs that are available and what the day-to-day lives of those professionals really looks like.
Choosing a major is the first step toward having a happy career, and students who choose a major that they love are more likely to graduate on time. For an easy way to get your child to begin considering potential majors, have them take Majors Matcher.
Debt only holds you back…
While we encourage students to choose majors and careers that they love and are passionate about, we also want them to be aware of the realities. No college graduate is free to pursue their dreams when they are burdened with massive debt. Students should always be aware of the realities of their dream career so they can plan ahead accordingly and not take on too much debt in their education.
