4 Ways to Explore Business Careers in College

If you’re like me, college has opened up a whole new variety of careers that I never even knew existed. For example, earlier this year, I attended an information session on Management Consulting put on by a consulting student group, which I found to be incredibly informative since I previously knew nothing about it. I am now considering consulting as a career option, so I’ve compiled some tips on how to find what sparks your interest.

1. Join several different business clubs, even if they aren’t what you’re passionate about.

College is a time of discovery, so even if you are set on a career in marketing, try a club focused on investment management or finance. You might find that you’re even more passionate about another field of business than the one you originally thought. Joining student groups also provides for excellent networking opportunities for internships and jobs. Clubs are a great way to try out different careers in an informal setting, and can help you to practice a certain skill before entering the workforce.

2. Attend Information Sessions.

Student organizations often put on events like “Careers in Finance” or “Management Consulting 101,” and attending these events can give you more information about a certain career in a short amount of time. This type of event is how I discovered my interest in management consulting, and if I hadn’t attended, I might not have known that it was even an option for me.

3. Use Career Services.

Soon after I attended the information session on Management Consulting, I went to an event with University Career Services on interviewing strategies. The speaker mentioned case interviews, an important part of getting a job in consulting. Attending these events can give you a leg up on your competition because of the useful information they often contain. In addition, in speaking further with University Career Services, I learned that they offer practice case interviews and other valuable resources like resume reviewing, all for free. Their website will usually list the services that they offer.

4. Read Vault Career Guides.

One of the most useful tips that I learned from Career Services was the existence of Vault Career Guides. They contain all of the important information about a given career and how to break into the field or prepare to enter it as a college student. They even include information on topics such as how much travel is required for a certain job, and what a typical day would look like in the given career. Your college’s Career Services center probably has access to these guides, and they would also be able to help you with any questions that you might have about them.

In following these steps, you might discover a new career choice that you never even knew about that is a perfect fit for you.

Kaitlyn Lannan is a sophomore at Northwestern University. She is majoring in economics and communication and plans on attending business school. Her dream job is becoming Chief Marketing Officer at a Fortune 500 company. You can find Kaitlyn on Twitter at @KaitlynLannan.