What should I study?

Question: I am a junior in high school and I am not quite sure what I want to study in college. I am thinking about psychology, public administration and business administration-real estate or management. What do you think I should study?


Answer:  While I do not want to tell you what to study, I can give you some information about the job outlook for these majors.


Psychology:

• About 34 percent of psychologists are self-employed, mainly as private practitioners and independent consultants.
• Employment growth will vary by specialty; for example, clinical, counseling, and school psychologists will have 11 percent growth; industrial-organizational psychologists, 26 percent growth; and 14 percent growth is expected for all other psychologists.
• Acceptance to graduate psychology programs is highly competitive.
• Job opportunities should be the best for those with a doctoral degree in a subfield, such as health; those with a master’s degree will have good prospects in industrial-organization; bachelor’s degree holders will have limited prospects.
• Reference: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos056.htm
• Sample of current job openings: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-Psychology

Public Administration:
State and local government:

• Local governments employ more than twice as many workers as State governments.
• Professional and service occupations accounted for more than half of all jobs; fire fighters and law enforcement workers, concentrated in local government, are among the largest occupations.
• Although job prospects vary by State and region, overall prospects are expected to be favorable.
• Employer-provided benefits are more common among State and local government employees than among workers in the private sector.
• Reference: http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs042.htm
• This information may change due to current State and Local government budget issues. 
• Sample of current job openings: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-%22Public+Administration%22

Business Administration-Real Estate:

• A license is required in every State and the District of Columbia.
• Residential real estate brokers and sales agents often work evenings and weekends.
• Although gaining a job may be relatively easy, beginning workers face competition from well-established, more experienced agents and brokers.
• Employment is sensitive to swings in the economy, as well as interest rates; during periods of declining economic activity or rising interest rates, the volume of sales and the resulting demand for sales workers fall.
• Reference: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos120.htm
• Sample of current job openings: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-%22Real+estate%22

Business Administration - Management: 

This is a degree that can be applied to most any job opportunity and may offer the best opportunity for entry level work. Administrative services managers plan, coordinate, and direct a broad range of services that allow organizations to operate efficiently. They might, for example, coordinate space allocation, facilities maintenance and operations, and major property and equipment procurement. They also may oversee centralized operations that meet the needs of multiple departments, such as information and data processing, mail, materials scheduling and distribution, printing and reproduction, records management, telecommunications management, security, recycling, wellness, and transportation services. Administrative services managers also ensure that contracts, insurance requirements, and government regulations and safety standards are followed and up to date. They may examine energy consumption patterns, technology usage, and personal property needs to plan for their long-term maintenance, modernization, and replacement.

Job prospects. Applicants will face keen competition for the limited number of higher-level administrative services management jobs; competition should be less severe for lower-level management jobs. Job prospects will also be better for those who can manage a wide range of responsibilities, than for those who specialize in particular functions. In addition to the new administrative services management jobs due to growth in the occupation, many job openings will stem from the need to replace workers who transfer to other jobs, retire, or leave the occupation for other reasons.

Job opportunities may vary from year to year because the strength of the economy affects demand for administrative services managers. Industries least likely to be affected by economic fluctuations tend to be the most stable places for employment.

Reference: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos002.htm

Sample of current job openings: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-%22Business+Management%22