Explore Career Paths

In your degree studies, you gain advanced skills that can be applied in a wide variety of careers. You gain the career readiness skills that most employers value and domain knowledge related to your major. The resources below can help you explore career pathways.

If you are unsure about what jobs relate to your major, the resources below can help you obtain information about the career possibilities.

What Can I Do with This Major?

This website is a great starting point for viewing related fields, job titles, work places and professional organizations related to an academic major.

Candid Career Videos

Search by a major to view interviews from working professionals who majored in that discipline. You can also search by an industry that interests you. An industry describes the activity of the company and includes people with different occupations who work for the same type of business.

Cal State LA Handshake

When you sign up for this free college student job site, you can search for current job openings by a major. You can also search job openings by industry, which is the type of business activity a company or organization performs.

Search by Job Family

Job families are groups of occupations based on work performed, skills, education, training and credentials. Select the type of work that interests you to find related job titles.

Search by Industry

Industries are broad groups of businesses or organizations with similar activities, products or services. Select the type of activity, product or service that interests you to find related job titles.

If you are unsure what major you should study, you can assess your work interests, values, skills and personality style to identify job options and determine which majors lead to that job.

Focus2Career (Use access Code: EAGLESLA)

Use this self-guided career assessment software to assess your work interests, values, skills, personality and leisure interests. Then, combine the results to find job options that match all or some of your qualities. Choose which job options interest you to see what majors lead to that job. You can also search job options by job family. A job family is a group of jobs based on the work performed, skills and education required.

These videos can help you interpret each section of Focus2Career.

You can explore employers and job titles by a wide variety of interests. Use these resources to help your research.

Industries and Companies

  • Vault Guide to Jobs — Research these guides to learn about key careers and industries by job activities of interest.
  • Business Finder by Industry — Search this list of industries by location to find employers near you who perform a business activity of interest.
  • Employers by Major — Search this list of employers in California who have hired college graduates with the major.
  • Corporate Scorecard — Search this index to find companies that match your career values.

Job Titles By Sector

If you would like to know the starting salary for a job or major, use these resources.

CSU Explore Graduate Earnings Data

The California State University system provides data on the salary earnings of students who graduated. Select Los Angeles to view the salary outcomes by major of graduates from Cal State LA.

Job Future Caster

Choose an occupation category/job family that interests. Then, select a specific occupation/job title of interest. You can also look by state and regional metro area.

The College Payoff

Explore lifetime earnings based on workers with varying degree levels (e.g., bachelors, masters). Filter the data by your area of interest including undegraduate major, occupational field, industry, state, etc.

H1B Visa Salary Database

International professionals looking for work visa sponsorship can search by employer, job title or city to find the highest paid with H1-B filings. The H1-B program allows employers to obtain a labor certification to employ temporary workers in the professions, specialty occupations & fashion models.

To learn more about a job and major, it’s helpful to speak with someone who is working in the profession. Professionals are eager to give back and help students explore careers.

What should I ask working professionals?

You can gain a better understanding of an occupation or an industry by talking to people who are currently working “in the field.” Use this handout to brainstorm questions to ask the professional.

Career Conversation Questions (handout)

Where can I find professionals in my field of interest?

Cal State LA Handshake

When you sign up for this free college student job-seeking software, you can view employer profiles and message them to connect. You can also attend employer events to build relationships with working professionals in a job title or company of interest.

Cal State LA Alumni Mentoring Program

The Alumni Association provides a career mentoring program where you can connect with alumni who would like to give back by helping you with career exploration, development and goal setting.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is an online social networking site for working professionals and college students. You can view the profiles of working professionals and message them to connect. Use these resources to get started.

A professional brand is how employers see you in your major and career. It reflects who you are as a professional. You demonstrate your professional identity in your classroom assignments and campus activities. These experiences are included in your college résumé, job applications and job interviews. Use these resources to start exploring your professional brand.

What is a professional brand?

Professional Brand Template and Scoring Rubric (worksheets)

Use the professional brand template to start creating your professional brand in your major. Then, use the scoring rubric to see how you can continue to advance your brand.

How can I develop my brand while in college?

Professional Development Plan Timelines (presentation)

Review the professional development plan presentation to learn what you can do each academic year to gain experience in your major and build a brand that will help you obtain a good job upon graduation.

Exploring My Major at Cal State LA (worksheet)

Choose Your Own Career Adventure in College (worksheet)

Use the above worksheets to brainstorm how you can explore your career interests and network while in college.

Professional Development Plan Template (worksheet)

Use the development plan template to schedule what you will do each semester to explore your major and career.

Additional Support

Career advisors, students and campus mascot Eddie smile while at a booth outside the Career Center

Career advisors are available by individual appointment. We can help you explore your career options and create action plans to help you gain experience. Schedule an appointment with a career advisor.

We offer workshops throughout the year to help you identify your professional brand, connect with professionals to explore career options and create action plan to help you gain experience. Sign up for workshops on the Career Center calendar.

Part of choosing a career path includes knowing about workplace culture and what opportunities are available with your degree. Employers host events where you can learn more about what's possible. Sign up for employer events using Cal State LA Handshake.