As the economy continues to sputter through recovery, it’s more important than ever for college students to get serious about plotting a course toward employment. Patricia Imbimbo, PhD, director of Baruch College’s STARR Career Development Center, said students should think out how a major becomes a career sooner rather than later.

“It’s a process not an event, and it’s done in the context of who one is as a person,” said Imbimbo.

One mistake students make when choosing a major is considering future income independent of other factors, said Imbimbo. Instead, they should first consider their values and skills. Imbimbo uses finance as an example. The income is attractive, but students who value security should take stock of recent history.

“Finance is a great career,” said Imbimbo. “However, it’s quite evident it’s not exactly a secure job.”

Another critical step towards success in a major is looking beyond what Imbimbo calls the “media image of a career.” Many students enter college with unrealistic notions of what it means to work in a given profession. They need to do the research and find out what the reality is, said Imbimbo.

Internships are not only a means of previewing a career, explained Imbimbo, they’re increasingly important in securing work after graduation. Imbimbo said she’s seen more students moving from internships to staff positions. That means recruiters have fewer slots available for grads who are interested in working for a company, but haven’t interned there.

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