Why did you choose your major? Was it a professor who engaged you in a particular subject or a bet on the guarantee of a future career? Did an alumnus you met at a campus event motivate you or were you responding to a strong parental suggestion that you choose something that was more ‘career related’?

As you look toward your future, what are the factors influencing you to choose one career path over another? In the past, you could look to the choices of those who preceded you into the workplace for guidance. For some time there had been stability in the process of entry-level job search. If you achieved a GPA over 3.5 combined with a relevant major you were set.

Now, there are few certainties and internship experience far outweighs major and GPA in the selection process. Several career fields have closed their doors to new hires. How do you guess at an uncertain future?

Don’t guess. Do your research. Where are the emerging opportunities in this new economic model? The Sunday New York Times article, ‘Crème de la Career’ suggests that talent is shifting away from financial services and consulting and into positions in government.  Time to apply your common sense. If our society has determined that greed is not part of the value system, it is natural to consider the alternative, altruism.

Having the experience of a university that places high value on community service, you are on your way to your new career. If you think about it, most students are looking for a chance to contribute to society; to do important work and be recognized. That is not to devalue compensation. We all need a salary and benefits. This new model proposes a resetting of priorities. And with these new priorities, new places to work.

Does your career path exist with these new priorities or is it time for you to invent something new? This is a great experiment, rather than guess about the future, create it.

When considering career options we tend to be comfortable with the familiar. This year, some of these options have closed and we are forced to seek out alternatives. One you might not have explored is a management development program. Most large organizations have a program designed to develop their future leaders. Depending on the industry, these rotational assignments can last two to three years. Think of it as a ‘fast track’ to a leadership position in management.

In recent years, the way to earn a large salary in a short period of time was to pursue a career in finance or real estate. These fields reward individual success very quickly based on individual results. What if your career plan is more long term? Do you think you have the skill set to manage multiple operations with large numbers of employees?

The typical management development program gives the new hire a chance to prove themselves in a relatively short term in a variety of work settings. In most cases the recruitment process seeks out candidates from all majors. Why?  The employer is looking for a generalist who can adapt to a variety of situations and learn quickly. Often the employer would rather teach you the aspects of how they do business than hire someone with a preconceived idea from a business curriculum. These programs are designed to create a corps of ‘elite’ potential leaders who receive supplemental training and access to senior management.

You will find that each organization has a unique label for their program ranging from trainee to leadership development. All have the common objective to provide a professional development experience across a number of functions. You may start in marketing and then move on to finance and end in manufacturing. The organization wants to provide the best education about their customer, product, pricing and distribution. In addition, you gain insight into the corporate culture and fundamental value system. Once you have completed a management development program successfully, you have the opportunity to choose your next step and be rewarded with a promotion.

If you would like to learn more, check out the Vault Guide on Management and Leadership Development Programs. This guide and a list of management development employers are available through connectSC. You will find the Vault Guide under Vault Employer Guides. You may also want to listen to a podcast of an employer panel discussion on these opportunities.

Last week the recruiter from NBC Universal described their Operations Mangement Leadership Program as a way to accelerate your career and accomplish in two years what it would take the average entry level employee to do in five. If you are looking for a challenge and the opportunity to learn a business across multiple areas, lead a team of people and gain immediate management experience consider the alternative of a management development program.