Great careers don't just magically happen!  Yes, there are some students who stay with their  initial choices after high school and find them a good match for their capabilities, interests, and temperaments.  Others, however, simply start out undecided or change directions once something, i.e. class work, experience, information on other options, or personal reflection, sparks a re-examination.  The former group generally stays on course because their course work, experiences and sense of self continually reinforce the accuracy of their initial selection. The latter group may succeed academically but still be inadequately prepared to make even preliminary career choices because they have never faced this particular problem and therefore don't have a sense of how to proceed! 

Solid career outcomes generally occur when a career field captures the interest of students, allows for the exercise of their skills, affords room for growth, and proves to be a good match with their temperament and personal priorities.  For many students, their college years are years of discovery, a time when they may, for the first time, begin to realize what their skills and potentials really are, what kinds of things in the "real world" command their attention, and how "personality" helps shape their preferences for activities, learning styles, and eventual work settings. 

Students who understand and actively engage the career development process are better prepared to make informed committments as they exit their college years, whether they transition into employment, continue their studies, or engage in some other meaningful activity.  As the world of work evolves in this age of technology and changing modes of work, graduates will need a set of career management skills and perspectives that can enable them to meet the problems and challenges of the 21st century successfully.  They can build many of these skills and perspectives by connecting early and often to people and resources at Syracuse.