Career Path Of A Social Science Major Finding A First Job
Alison, a Senior Equity Portfolio Manager, advises social science majors lacking detail-orientation to leverage their major's versatility, highlighting that "it's very...applicable to a lot of different careers." The broad skillset gained from such a major is valuable, even outweighing a STEM background, as demonstrated by Alison's own career path and preference for candidates with diverse experiences and perspectives.
Career Exploration, Job Search, Communication, Problem-Solving, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Alison Shimada
Senior Equity Portfolio Manager
Allspring Global Investments
UC Berkeley
Harvard Business School, MBA
Political Science, American Studies
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Finance
Honors Student
Video Highlights
1. A social sciences background is applicable to many careers, including business, economics, consulting, management consulting, public relations, and government.
2. Employers value candidates with diverse experiences and perspectives, not just those with a STEM background.
3. Having broad-based experience from various college activities shows interest in multiple areas, which is beneficial in many business fields that require more than just specialized skills.
Transcript
What advice would you give students with a major in social sciences who are not detail-oriented about finding their first job?
What advice would you give students with a social sciences major who are not detail-oriented about finding their first job?
Well, I think the benefit of being a social sciences major is that there are many different backgrounds. This major is applicable to a lot of different careers, whether that be something in business, economics, or consulting. It could also be in public relations or government-related fields.
So, I think it's a very useful area to be in. There's a lot of emphasis on STEM in the current environment. In my time, it was more focused on computer science and engineering.
However, if you can show that you have relevant experience for a career you're interested in, plus a social sciences background, I don't think people should feel that's a deficiency. I don't think people should feel they're deficient if they're not a STEM or hard sciences major.
If I were hiring someone now, I would look for that kind of crossover, broad-based experience in college. It means you're interested in many different things.
While some people drill down and do one specific task, I think that's not enough in many areas of business. You need to bring something to the table, and a different perspective is very important. So, I think it's terrific to be a social scientist.
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