Want Something Different Out of Your Degree?

Some students may start to second-guess their original career path while in the middle of a degree program. Some realize this early and their degrees within the first or second year. But you may recognize this later in your studies — feeling that it’s too late to make the switch or too expensive to start all over again — and now you feel trapped in a field that isn’t the right fit. But it doesn't have to be this way, as having a traditional degree doesn’t necessarily lock you into a single career path.
 

Feeling uncertain is common

There’s plenty of real-life examples of people taking unexpected career paths with their traditional degrees, like a psychology graduate going into UX research, an English scholar doing tech writing or an engineer moving into AI ethics research. A lot of people take unconventional paths to achieve their dream careers, even if their degree is in a completely different field.
 

How to figure out what you actually want

It takes a lot of self-reflection and exploration to figure out what you want. Everyone lives as if they’re on a deadline, but it’s okay to take a step back to consider what you’re passionate about. Remember that just because someone else already landed their dream job, doesn’t mean you have to be where they are right now.

Here are a couple things to start thinking about:

• What transferrable skills do you have from your degree?
• What problems do you want to solve? What environments do you thrive in?
• Consider exploring volunteer boards, co-ops, contract work or internships before fully committing to a specific career path.
   

Tools to help you discover your options

WorkBC has free resources to help you start exploring, including:

• Career Transition Tool — for mapping where your current skills could take you.
• Career Profiles — use the Related Careers section at the bottom of a Career Profile page for discovering adjacent paths.
• Career Discovery Quizzes — for those who aren’t sure where to start.
• Find Your Path — to explore careers and related education and skills training pathways, using the EducationPlannerBC site.
• BladeRunners Program — provides free job readiness training, work experience, job coaching and more to support unemployed or precariously employed young adults (ages 15-30) across B.C.
• High Opportunity Occupations — if you want to know what careers will offer the best opportunities over the next 10 years.
   

Making the move

Transitioning from one field to another can be intimidating, but taking that first step, even a small one, is how the transition starts. You can start by volunteering, exploring co-op options, finding part-time work or internships as low-risk ways to test a new path. WorkBC.ca has a job board that you can access for free.

WorkBC Centres also provide free services to help you position your degree for an alternative field, how to frame your experience in a resume and cover letter and how to build experience and skills in a new area. You can register for free online or find a WorkBC Centre near you.

You can also book an appointment with a career advisor at your institution, and you can discuss traditional and non-traditional career paths in your field. This is a free service that is available to both current students and alumni.

Connecting with professionals in the field can be helpful. You can learn how they got there and have access to direct advice and guidance on how to get to your dream career. Read our page on networking for tips on how to reach out.
 

Find your career

Amidst the chaos of figuring out what you want and transitioning into a different path, know that it takes time. You’re not the only one going through this, and there are a lot of resources available to support you when you’re ready.