top of page

Finding Your Career Path


If you are anything like me, you fear the uncertain and embrace having a plan. So, when I woke up one day and realized that I had no idea what I wanted to do after graduation, naturally, I panicked.

Let’s back up… before this existential crisis occurred, I set my sights on various career choices ranging from a lawyer to an investment banker to a marketing teacher. Each time I changed my plan I had a new plan in place almost immediately. But this time, there wasn’t a single career option to replace my former choice. Since I am on track to graduate early, I knew that I had to apply to summer internships in an industry I liked – after all, this could be the job that lands the start to my career. But what exactly would that career be? To answer this question, I went through a series of steps that I am hoping will be just as useful to you as they were to me.

Step 1: Make a list of your interests/passions.

Luckily, the business education we receive in Pamplin can take us far beyond the Big Four accounting firms or the Forbes list of Top 100 Companies to Work For. The fact of the matter is, everything from art to food to healthcare involves business functions. Take a moment to think about what it is that you like to do in your free time. For me, I love going to concerts, listening to music, and discovering new artists. Once you identify your area of interest, commence step 2.

Step 2: Research where business fits into your interest.

Fortunately for us, we have a fantastic tool at our disposal 24/7. (I’m looking at you, Google.) Start researching how the business functions are used to make your interests available. After a few quick searches, I learned that there are an infinite number of ways to make music available to others by working for record labels, event venues, booking agencies, and more.

Step 3: Find ways to get involved.

As we’ve all witnessed at Gobblerfest, there are tons of campus organizations. From the most well-known clubs to the groups just starting out, (or perhaps started by you – after all, CWIB was just founded recently and look how much it has grown!) there is bound to be something that will give you an opportunity to further explore your interests. If you are having trouble finding something on campus, expand your search to the town of Blacksburg!

Pro Tip: Whatever you get involved in can give you something to talk about and reference in future job applications and interviews!

Step 4: Seek internships for companies that are relevant in your industry.

Turn back to the internet and start finding the big players in the industry you have set your sights on. Try key words such as “Top 5 [enter industry] Companies.” For example, during my research for jobs in the music industry, I searched everything from “Top 10 Artist Management Companies” to “Music Marketing Firms.” Once you find a company website, look to their website menus or scroll to the bottom to find a page label “Jobs” or “Careers.”

Pro Tip: If you have any inkling of where you would like to live after you graduate, it may help to add the name of the city to the end of your search phrase to narrow the results.

Step 5: Seek education on your industry outside of the classroom and campus.

Books, podcasts, online seminars, industry talks and conferences are just a few examples of where to start! There are so many resources that will give you an edge in an interview if only you know where to look. Use your time in college to gain industry knowledge before you even enter the workforce.

Employers want people who can think outside of the box, right? So start now! Don’t feel as if the only businesses out there are the ones who send representatives to career fairs. Choose a path you know you’ll love and take the right steps to get there. Good luck fellow businesswomen!

P.S. If you’re feeling lost in your search, I am only an email away! Feel free to reach out anytime – mwharton@vt.edu.

bottom of page