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success by gaining a deeper understanding of why you are attending college, how to set goals and priorities,
and how to begin your academic and life planning. By the time you complete this chapter, you should be able
to do the following:
• Learn what a career is and how it applies to you.
• Identify resources on campus that can help you explore careers and develop a plan.
• Increase your self-awareness relative to your career aspirations, and map productive steps forward.

12.1 Why Worry about a Career While I'm in College?
Estimated completion time: 12 minutes.
Questions to Consider:
• What should I consider when choosing a career?
• How do I separate career myths from reality?
CAREER (noun)
Definition of career (Entry 1 of 2)
1: a profession for which one trains and which is undertaken as a permanent calling
a career in medicine
—often used before another noun
a career diplomat
2: a field for or pursuit of consecutive progressive achievement especially in public, professional, or business
life
1

Washington’s career as a soldier

Throughout your life, you’ve probably heard about getting a “good job” after you graduate. Everyone might
define that differently. Many people say a good job is one where you can make a lot of money, but is that true?
And is that true for you?
Consider the definition of “career” above. Does it seem exciting? Are there parts that sound intimidating? How
can you navigate both parts of the responsibility of having a career? Many people believe that just because
they have had a job, they know how to have a career. Getting a job is a single transaction. Crafting a career
takes more strategy and time.

What Is the Difference Between a Job and a Career?
A universal definition of a job is “work that you do in exchange for money.” It can also be a particular role or
title. Going back to our definition of career above, a career is something for which we train, something that we
1 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/career

Access for free at openstax.org

12.1 • Why Worry about a Career While I'm in College?

intend to do permanently—which in actuality means long-term and over time, not necessarily for the rest of
your life. It is a field or area in which we have achievement. It occurs progressively and usually consecutively.
Here is how some current college students have defined “career”:
•
•
•
•

“A career is long-term; you do it until you can’t anymore.”
“Something you love . . . a dream job.”
“What you plan and strive for while you work.”
2
“When you are more invested in the activities of the job than just getting a paycheck.”

Shira
When Shira was in college, she had a job at a local ice-cream stand. She made very good money in the
summertime, so she could work less during the school year. She also learned a lot about customer service and
working with her coworkers as a team. Shira eventually took on more responsibility as a supervisor, creating
work schedules and interviewing prospective new employees. She really enjoyed this part of her job because
she liked tasks involving helping people do well at work. Her boss, customers, and coworkers told her she was
good at it. Unbeknownst to her at the time, this was the beginning of Shira’s career in human resources.
How did this happen? As she took classes in psychology and business, Shira saw her courses in organizational
psychology and management as applicable to her work. She enjoyed learning about how people interact in the
workplace. She learned about human resources, which is typically defined as the department of a business or
organization that deals with the hiring, administration, and training of people. She wanted to learn even more,
so she got an internship in the human resources department of a bank before she graduated and loved it.
After getting her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology, Shira got her first career-oriented job, as a
recruiting specialist at a health insurance company. After about two years of working diligently, Shira got
promoted to a job as a human resource generalist, with responsibility for recruiting strategy and process;
recruiting specialists now report to her. In addition to working full-time, Shira also is active in her local chapter
of the Society for Human Resource Management and will begin studying to take the national certification
exams offered through this organization, giving her a highly sought-after professional credential. Within 5 to
10 years, Shira hopes to become a human resources director.

Figure 12.2 (Credit: University of Essex / Flickr / Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC-BY 2.0)

Shira’s career path is a straightforward one. She learned a lot about herself early in her college career. She got
some experience and studied academic subjects she was interested in. Shira was nervous and uncertain at
times, but she remained positive and adjusted her course as needed. She worked hard and made plans to be
sure she could get a “good job.”
2 Canisius College Student Interviews, Buffalo, NY, September 2019

371

372

12 • Planning for Your Future

WHAT STUDENTS SAY
1. What is your most significant concern about starting your career after college?
a. I didn’t choose the right major
b. I won’t have enough experience or knowledge to get a good job
c. I might have to compromise my interests or goals
d. Something about my career path, my past, or my decisions will impact my ability to be hired.
2. With what do you feel you need the most help in preparing for your career?
a. Choosing the best major/pathway
b. Gaining experience that will lead to success
c. Standing out from others with similar majors or experience
d. Writing a resume/profile and/or building a portfolio

success by gaining a deeper understanding of why you are attending college, how to set goals and priorities,

and how to begin your academic and life planning. By the time you complete this chapter, you should be able

to do the following:

• Learn what a career is and how it applies to you.

• Identify resources on campus that can help you explore careers and develop a plan.

• Increase your self-awareness relative to your career aspirations, and map productive steps forward.

12.1 Why Worry about a Career While I'm in College?

Estimated completion time: 12 minutes.

Questions to Consider:

• What should I consider when choosing a career?

• How do I separate career myths from reality?

CAREER (noun)

Definition of career (Entry 1 of 2)

1: a profession for which one trains and which is undertaken as a permanent calling

a career in medicine

—often used before another noun

a career diplomat

2: a field for or pursuit of consecutive progressive achievement especially in public, professional, or business

life

1

Washington’s career as a soldier

Throughout your life, you’ve probably heard about getting a “good job” after you graduate. Everyone might

define that differently. Many people say a good job is one where you can make a lot of money, but is that true?

And is that true for you?

Consider the definition of “career” above. Does it seem exciting? Are there parts that sound intimidating? How

can you navigate both parts of the responsibility of having a career? Many people believe that just because

they have had a job, they know how to have a career. Getting a job is a single transaction. Crafting a career

takes more strategy and time.

What Is the Difference Between a Job and a Career?

A universal definition of a job is “work that you do in exchange for money.” It can also be a particular role or

title. Going back to our definition of career above, a career is something for which we train, something that we

1 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/career

Access for free at openstax.org

12.1 • Why Worry about a Career While I'm in College?

intend to do permanently—which in actuality means long-term and over time, not necessarily for the rest of

your life. It is a field or area in which we have achievement. It occurs progressively and usually consecutively.

Here is how some current college students have defined “career”:

•

“A career is long-term; you do it until you can’t anymore.”

“Something you love . . . a dream job.”

“What you plan and strive for while you work.”

2

“When you are more invested in the activities of the job than just getting a paycheck.”

Shira

When Shira was in college, she had a job at a local ice-cream stand. She made very good money in the

summertime, so she could work less during the school year. She also learned a lot about customer service and

working with her coworkers as a team. Shira eventually took on more responsibility as a supervisor, creating

work schedules and interviewing prospective new employees. She really enjoyed this part of her job because

she liked tasks involving helping people do well at work. Her boss, customers, and coworkers told her she was

good at it. Unbeknownst to her at the time, this was the beginning of Shira’s career in human resources.

How did this happen? As she took classes in psychology and business, Shira saw her courses in organizational

psychology and management as applicable to her work. She enjoyed learning about how people interact in the

workplace. She learned about human resources, which is typically defined as the department of a business or

organization that deals with the hiring, administration, and training of people. She wanted to learn even more,

so she got an internship in the human resources department of a bank before she graduated and loved it.

After getting her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology, Shira got her first career-oriented job, as a

recruiting specialist at a health insurance company. After about two years of working diligently, Shira got

promoted to a job as a human resource generalist, with responsibility for recruiting strategy and process;

recruiting specialists now report to her. In addition to working full-time, Shira also is active in her local chapter

of the Society for Human Resource Management and will begin studying to take the national certification

exams offered through this organization, giving her a highly sought-after professional credential. Within 5 to

10 years, Shira hopes to become a human resources director.

Figure 12.2 (Credit: University of Essex / Flickr / Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC-BY 2.0)

Shira’s career path is a straightforward one. She learned a lot about herself early in her college career. She got

some experience and studied academic subjects she was interested in. Shira was nervous and uncertain at

times, but she remained positive and adjusted her course as needed. She worked hard and made plans to be

sure she could get a “good job.”

2 Canisius College Student Interviews, Buffalo, NY, September 2019

371

372

12 • Planning for Your Future

WHAT STUDENTS SAY

1. What is your most significant concern about starting your career after college?

a. I didn’t choose the right major

b. I won’t have enough experience or knowledge to get a good job

c. I might have to compromise my interests or goals

d. Something about my career path, my past, or my decisions will impact my ability to be hired.

2. With what do you feel you need the most help in preparing for your career?

a. Choosing the best major/pathway

b. Gaining experience that will lead to success

c. Standing out from others with similar majors or experience

d. Writing a resume/profile and/or building a portfolio