Libraries
 

Q294: Basic Career Development

 

Deciding on a major is an important decision. Indiana University Bloomington has many options. Before you choose a major it is a good idea to do some research on the majors and career opportunities available to you. This career guide will connect you to some of the resources available to you at IUB.  

Selecting Major

Choosing a major can be a daunting task. Use the resources below to help you find information on various majors at Indiana University. You can also click on the "majors" tag in the tag cloud below to use these and other web sites related to majors.

Books on Choosing a Major in the Career Reference section of the Information Commons::

  • Book of College Majors
    This book is published by the College Board. It provides in depth descriptions for 190 of the most popular college majors including the requirements for the major, what courses students can expect to take, career options and employment prospects. We have a copy of this book in print in the Career Reference section in the Information Commons. The call number is L901 .C74.

  •   College majors handbook with real career paths and payoffs : the actual jobs, earnings, and trends for graduates of 60 college majors
    This resource includes a wealth of information about majors and careers that can assist you in selecting a college major. This book provides details on jobs and the salaries of college graduates in 60 majors. We have a copy of this book in print in the Career Reference section in the Information Commons. The call number is HF5382.5.U5 F644 2004.

  • To find additional books visit the Major/Career Interest page of the Career Reference Collection of the libraries' web site.


Web Sites Related to Choosing a Major::

You can also click on the "majors" tag in the tag cloud below to use these and other web sites related to majors.

  • Explore Majors at IU
  • IUB Academic Schools, Departments, and Divisions

  • Career Development Center

  • MyPlan Majors & Degrees Database

  • UT What Can I Do With This Degree

    Not sure how to choose your major? Watch this video for a few tips on selecting a major.

      Majors & Careers Research

      Research various careers opportunities available to you can help you select a major. Once you know what type of career you would like to pursue, it will be easier to decide on a major. Researching careers will allow you to learn more about different career opportunities and help you choose a major that suits your skills and interest. To learn more about various careers use these resources:

      • Occupational Outlook Handbook

        This resource is published by the U.S. Department of Labor. It provides descriptions of hundreds of jobs with the employment outlook for the next decade. This is a great resource to use to find out what careers will be in demand in the future. In addition to the online resource, we also have a copy of the handbook in print in the Career Reference section in the Information Commons. The call number is HF5381.A1 O15.

      • For more information on careers visit the Career Reference section of the libraries' web site.

        Not sure what career is right for you? Watch this video on choosing a career.


        Career Preparation: Choosing A Career

      Additional Web Resources

      Use the tags to find additional information on majors, careers, internships and industries!

      Industry Research

      You may also want to research the industries that employ students with your major. Learning more about the industry will help you find potential employers.

      Occupational Outlook Handbook

      Vocational Biographies

      ***TIP*** To find industry information click on Industry Research at the top of the page and then select Industry Overviews.


      Company Research

      To find this background information on a company, you will should review the company's web site as well as library databases. The company's web site will often provide you with extensive information on the company's history and their products or services. The library has several databases that can provide you with information on competitors, company management, and any legal issues.

      Company Website (For example: Eli Lilly and Company)

      Many companies provide their company goals and missions, history, news releases, description of goods and services, corporate officers, locations of regional, national and international offices and divisions as well as subsidiaries on their web site.

      Career Services Subscription Job List

      Hoover's Online

      This database provides information such as the company history, corporate overview, top competitors, subsidiaries and divisions, corporate officers, financial overview and web address. You can also search this database using through ABI/INFORM.

      ABI/INFORM Global Suite

      Provides access to more than 2,000 business and management periodicals and journals and newspapers. Some of the areas included are advertising, accounting, economics, human resources, finance, marketing, and technology. It also includes the full-text of the Wall Street Journal from 1984.

      Use the search box below to begin your search in ABI/INFORM.

      Enter your search terms:
      The Wall Street Journal
      Use the database to find articles about the company you are researching. You can also find news articles discussing current trends in various industries.

      Mergent Online
      Covers 15,000 public U.S. companies and their SEC filings and over 20,000 foreign companies. Includes current and historical annual reports on 10,000 U.S. public companies. Annual reports on all companies in our International Company Data database are also available. Company information includes history, mergers, officers, debt, income statement, balance sheet, and more.

      Factiva
      This is a great resource for finding financial information about companies. Use the Company Quick Search feature to find competitors, comparisons, SEC documents and the latest news by company name or ticker number. It provides access to full-text SEC filings, stock quotes, financial histories, market research reports, country reports, and the latest business news from over 6,000 academic, trade and popular publications. You can also do company and industry comparisons.

      In addition, Factiva provides access to general news and business information, international newswires and pictures, TV and radio transcripts.

      Thomson Research
      Thomson provides access to full-text SEC filings and to scanned images of U.S. and international company annual reports submitted to U.S. and foreign exchanges. Contains basic company information, annual and quarterly financials, earnings information, fundamental ratios, officers and directors, institutional and insider ownership, and a complete list of company subsidiaries.

      Watch this video to learn about the type of information you need to find out about potential employers.