There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays!

YES! You made it to Fall Break! No matter what holiday you celebrate, there’s nothing quite like being able to go home, unwind from the craziness of the Fall Semester, and spend time with your family. Of course, this comes with the one family tradition that every college student dreads; the seemingly never-ending string of:

“So, what’s your major?”

“What are you going to do with it?”

“Are you looking for a job yet?”

Handling these questions, especially when you aren’t sure of the answers, can make what’s supposed to be a relaxing time off from responsibilities stressful! So, your friends at The Career Center have put together a list of things for you to think about to help you combat nosy Aunt Nelly!

If you don’t have a major yet: Own it! Point out that you’re taking this time to explore courses that really interest you. Even if you haven’t come closer to deciding what you DO want to major in, you may have already figured out a few subjects that you DON’T—which is sometimes even more helpful!

Explaining the career paths for your major: Sometimes this is pretty cut-and-dry, especially for students enrolled in trajectory programs like pre-law or pre-med. However, certain majors have many career options. Sites like CandidCareer offer valuable insight on the many different career paths one can pursue, and even Googling “What can I do with [insert major here]” can be incredibly helpful!

Your job search (or potential lack thereof): Even if you haven’t started looking for positions to which you can apply yet, it’s never too early to start networking! Use the Alumni Student Konnection to A.S.K. Hofstra alumni from a variety of fields questions about their career path! To access A.S.K., log in to the Hofstra Portal and click on “Hofstra Online,” then click on “A.S.K.” To keep in touch with everyone in your network, make sure your LinkedIn profile is professional and up-to-date (or create a profile if you don’t have one!).

Whatever you do, don’t sweat it! Your family is there to support you no matter what step of the Path you might be on, and your Career Center family is here to help you when you get back to campus!

Have a very happy and healthy holiday!

Amy Smith, Graduate Assistant