Good morning,

Hope you're doing well.

I know making a decision about your major and your career path can feel like a big deal and lead to anxiety, overwhelm, and pressure to get it right. If that sounds like you, rest assured you’re not alone. I've been there myself and a lot of college students feel this way.

Based on my own experience and coaching other humans on their career, I’d like to share ten insights to help you use this opportunity to develop trust in yourself rather than make rash decisions out of fear:


  1.  The point is not to pick the “perfect” major or career path. The perfect career path does not exist. What matters is that you’re assessing what’s important to you – your values, needs, interests, unique challenges, and constraints. It means getting to know yourself and developing the confidence to make decisions aligned with who you are and your particular situation. That will look different for everyone.

  2.
Not knowing what you want to do is okay. No one has it all figured out, so don’t put that pressure on yourself or feel ashamed if you don’t know what you want to do in your career. Being human means you’re not going to have all the answers. However, you can take action based on what you know now and what feels expansive, even if it's uncomfortable. Give yourself room to experiment, take risks, make mistakes, and try new things. With every step and decision you take in your career, more information will reveal itself and make way for the next step. Again, it’s not about getting it perfect. Allow yourself to fumble and celebrate that as growth because, just like a baby learning to walk, you’ve not done this before.

  3.
Slow down and gather the information you need based on your specific situation. Talk to professors, advisors, alumni, and other humans to gather information to help you make a decision. If the information/advice you receive doesn’t resonate with you, you don’t have to act on it. It’s important to realize that people you talk to are also humans with their own biases and opinions and might not always see things from your perspective. Assess whether you feel heard and seen by them rather than blindly follow generic advice that makes you feel like an impostor or that you're not good enough as you are. Does the advice feel like it expands you or limits you? Trust yourself about what works for and what doesn't.

  4.
You’re not making a forever decision. You can change your mind and change paths. Your career is a long game and there are many twists and turns. If you believe picking a major or career path is a forever decision, the pressure to get it right will be intense. Just so you know, I majored in Finance in college and have changed paths multiple times. Changing your mind doesn’t mean you’ve failed – it only means you’re human.

  5.
When in doubt, zoom out. Take a step back to see the big picture and what’s meaningful to you rather than get caught up in the fear of a single decision. The point is not to get every decision right, but that overall, you’re moving in a direction that feels aligned with your needs and values. And that can mean switching to a different path.

  6.
Choosing not to make a decision is a decision. It's okay to not make a decision. However, rather than defaulting to that out of fear of making the wrong decision, you can intentionally choose to put off making a decision if that’s what’s needed at this point in time. Sometimes the best thing you can do is give yourself space to avoid forcing a decision that you end up regretting.

  7.
Your career does not have to be focused on a single field. There are many different ways to approach your career. You can choose to provide multiple services to people and organizations. Do you want to work part-time as a digital marketer for small businesses while also making jewelry and selling it on Etsy? That's great. You don’t have to limit yourself by fitting into a prescribed box, following the crowd, and settling for only the options presented to you. You’re multi-faceted and your career can be, too. This is where you get to tap into your creativity, express yourself, and draw on all of your colorful life experiences.

  8.
Progress does not always mean going forward. If the direction you’re going in is no longer right for you, it’s okay to stop, turn around, and head in a more suitable direction. For example, it’s okay to change your mind about your major. That doesn’t mean you’re losing everything you’ve worked for so far and starting from the bottom. Going in that direction was necessary to help you make a more aligned choice now that you have more information. Also, circumstances change and so do you. What was suitable for you a year ago might not be suitable for you any longer. That’s life. Don’t beat yourself up for it. Roll with it.

  9.
Don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone has a different starting point, values, needs, challenges, and constraints. Also, some people have access to networks and opportunities you don’t have access to. Comparing yourself to them and believing you’re behind will cause you to make decisions out of fear and see yourself from lack rather than appreciate the value you have to offer based on your life experiences so far.

  10.
A degree is not what sets you apart – your story does. While a degree gives you skills, it’s not your identity and who you are. It doesn't define who you are. Your story, including your background and the challenges you've faced, differentiates you and can help guide the course of your career if you want to show up fully rather than merely fit yourself into a box and limit your options. Also, competition becomes a problem when you’re trying to fit in, as you get lost in the crowd with everyone else who has the same degree and is also trying to fit in by showing up in the same cookie cutter way. There’s no competition when you own your story, your diversity as a human, and the value you bring (in addition to your degree, of course). No one can compete with you when you’re being yourself. It’s also how you become visible to the people and organizations that will appreciate you for who you are rather than just being seen as another cog in the wheel.


As Arthur Ashe, the tennis player, said, “Start where you are, do what you can, use what you have.”  Ask yourself, “Given where I currently am, what do I really want, what steps can I take, who can I talk to, what resources do I have to help me?”

Start there.

If you want to dive deeper, here’s a class to help you in the decision-making process.

Class: Career Decision Making<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://youtu.be/-OsEZV9VTMY__;!!PxiZbSOawA!OpCucEYhWnPROCTJ3jqiTGYhGr1eZ70BFCbVj4kgThkB4drgdVPR-3PnJVuCNeo-qMoSce7a77NIUgTg95QkhAJd2MdWxlq51BXbf_ncEFU$ >

Also, I recommend listening to these podcast episodes:

Episode 6: What I Wish I Had Done Differently in College<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://pnc.st/s/seek-human-spaces/226caf3b/what-i-wish-i-had-done-differently-in-college__;!!PxiZbSOawA!OpCucEYhWnPROCTJ3jqiTGYhGr1eZ70BFCbVj4kgThkB4drgdVPR-3PnJVuCNeo-qMoSce7a77NIUgTg95QkhAJd2MdWxlq51BXbZBumhyc$ >
Episode 8: The Importance of Failing<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://seek-human-spaces.pinecast.co/episode/334db038/the-importance-of-failing__;!!PxiZbSOawA!OpCucEYhWnPROCTJ3jqiTGYhGr1eZ70BFCbVj4kgThkB4drgdVPR-3PnJVuCNeo-qMoSce7a77NIUgTg95QkhAJd2MdWxlq51BXb9cn_1R0$ >
Episode 10: It's Okay to Switch Career Path<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://pnc.st/s/seek-human-spaces/df89f1c2/it-s-okay-to-switch-career-paths__;!!PxiZbSOawA!OpCucEYhWnPROCTJ3jqiTGYhGr1eZ70BFCbVj4kgThkB4drgdVPR-3PnJVuCNeo-qMoSce7a77NIUgTg95QkhAJd2MdWxlq51BXbnbspPOE$ >

What are your takeaways? Hit reply and let me know.

Be well,


Tanuja Ramchal

Career Coach

SEEK -- Baruch College



Are we connected on LinkedIn? Click here<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://linkedin.com/in/tanujaramchal/__;!!PxiZbSOawA!OpCucEYhWnPROCTJ3jqiTGYhGr1eZ70BFCbVj4kgThkB4drgdVPR-3PnJVuCNeo-qMoSce7a77NIUgTg95QkhAJd2MdWxlq51BXbLaVQFk4$ >