Your Major Doesn't Define Your Opportunities
When you’re young, you may know exactly what you want to do when you grow up. Or, like me, you may have absolutely no idea. After shuffling through a variety of majors at Grand Valley during my Freshman and Sophomore years, I finally settled on Advertising & Public Relations. I visualized myself one day working in an agency setting or in a corporate PR department. But then, it all changed during my junior year.
I received an opportunity to serve on the Executive Board for the Grand Valley’s on-campus student PR firm, GrandPR, as the Vice President of Operations. In this position, I held human resources responsibilities, such as checking in with client teams, interviewing candidates, and hiring. With all the passion I felt in public relations, I felt even more in this role. That is when I decided that human resources was the career I wanted to pursue. This is not the path I thought I would take when studying Advertising & Public Relations but I am glad it’s the one I’m on.
Here’s how you can not let your major define your career opportunities:
Analyze what makes you happy and fulfilled.
As much as I love strategic plan books and creative design, a core element of what makes me feel fulfilled, especially in a work environment, is helping others. For me, I felt that human resources allows me to do that on a more personal level, and that’s what I love about it. Make sure to sit down and think about parts of a job that makes you happiest - is it writing? Design? Project management? Finding out what makes you happiest will lead you to a career you love.
What are you most good at in your major?
In Advertising & Public Relations, I feel I’m best at writing and interpersonal communication. These are both skills I can take into my career in human resources. For you, maybe you’re best at media relations or crisis communications. These skills could lead you to a career at an agency, corporation, or a news room. To find your place, it’s best to realize which skills are your strongest, what you enjoy the most, and what setting you’d most like to work in.
Look for opportunities that are outside of the box.
If the idea of working for an agency or a huge corporation makes you nervous, then it’s okay to look for other opportunities where your skills and experience can fit. With a major in Ad/PR, so many basic skills are learned for many different types of jobs. Start somewhere small in an industry that interests you, and with experience, you’ll become an expert in no time.
Just because you have an idea of what your future career will look like does not mean that’s how it will turn out in the end. It’s okay to study something and then eventually, change your mind. Set your sights high and don’t let your major define your opportunities.
About Kayla:
Kayla Brown is a senior studying Advertising & Public Relations at Grand Valley State University. She is currently an Account Executive with GrandPR this semester. She is excited to graduate and begin a career in Human Resources, as well as a Master’s degree in HR from Central Michigan University.