Careers in Music

Sheet Music

Music can inspire emotions, dreams, and actions.  Many students find so much meaning in music that they want involvement in music to be their life’s work.  Classical musicians usually train from childhood, then go on to major in music at a university or study at a conservatory.  What about the rest of the musicians and music fans out there?

The Berklee College of Music has put together an extensive list of various roles within the music industry.  You can learn more about the occupations of musicians and singers, as well as many related occupations, by visiting the Occupational Outlook Handbook.  The University of North Carolina-Wilmington and Northern Illinois University have compiled list of links pertinent to students with interests in careers in music.

Students are required to audition in order to major in music at Baylor.  However, an audition is not required to minor in music or church music.  Non-majors may also participate in bands, orchestras, and choirs, as well as registering for music classes as a non-major.  For more information on programs through the School of Music at Baylor, visit their website.

Written By: Amy Ames

Top 10 Career Strategies for Freshmen and Sophomores

You control your career destiny! Just going to class and picking up your diploma after four years doesn’t cut it. You need to become active on and off campus.

Becoming marketable to employers or graduate schools is a four-year job. Here are the top 10 things you can do during college to make yourself marketable at job-search time. In fact, if you do all 10 of these, you’ll be unstoppable:

  1. Keep your grades up—Employers and graduate schools want candidates with good grades. That will probably never change. Doing well academically not only proves that you have a good knowledge base, but indicates a strong work ethic—a trait that employers value.
  2. Identify your interests, skills, values, and personal characteristics—The first step to clarifying your career goals is to go through a process of self-assessment. Visit your career center and take advantage of the self-assessment instruments it has to offer.
  3. Actively explore career options—You owe it to yourself to find a career that enriches your life, not one that brings you down. Actively exploring careers means talking with professionals in occupations of interest and observing professionals on the job. Your career center probably has alumni and other volunteers who are willing to talk to you about their careers. Also, attend any career expos, career fairs, and career speaker panels that are offered.
  4. Become active in extracurricular activities and clubs—Active involvement in activities and clubs on campus is highly valued by employers and graduate schools. Joining a club is fine, but becoming active within that club is what matters most. Become a leader, hold an office, or coordinate an event. You will develop your skills in leadership and teamwork—skills that recruiters covet!
  5. Get involved in community service—It’s important that you begin to understand and appreciate the importance of giving back to your community, and that you live in a larger community than your college or hometown. Typically, students look at community service as a chore. After they’ve served, however, it’s usually one of the most rewarding experiences they’ve had! Recruiters love to see that you’ve volunteered to help in your community.
  6. Develop your computer skills—Take advantage of the computer courses and workshops your college offers. You can also learn a lot by just experimenting with different software packages on your own. Finally, you should learn how to develop your own web page or web-based portfolio. There are many web-design software tools that make it real easy to develop your own web page! Contact your college’s information technology office to see how to get started.
  7. Develop your writing skills—Over and over, company and graduate school recruiters complain about the lack of writing skills among college graduates. Don’t avoid classes that are writing intensive. Work at developing your writing skills. If there is a writing center on campus, have them take a look at your papers from time to time. Remember, the first impression you give to recruiters is typically your cover letter or personal statement.
  8. Complete at least one internship in your chosen career field—More and more, internships are the springboards to employment and getting into graduate programs. Many recruiters say that when they need to fill entry-level jobs, they will only hire previous interns. In addition to making yourself more marketable, internships also are a great way to explore careers and determine whether or not certain careers are for you. When you work for a company as an intern for three to four months, you get a really good feel for whether the field (and company) is one in which you want to work day in and day out!
  9. Gain an appreciation of diversity through study abroad, foreign languages, and courses—We are now, more than ever, working within a global work force. For you to be successful at work and in your life, you must stretch yourself, and learn about people and cultures different than yours. Take advantage of the wonderful study-abroad opportunities and the courses relating to diversity. This is your time to travel! Most people find it harder to take time to travel as they begin their careers and start families.
  10. Use your career center all four years—Your college career center can help you throughout your entire college career. Here is just a sampling of what your career center can help you do:
  1. Choose your major and career direction,
  2. Explore career options,
  3. Obtain an internship,
  4. Write a resume and cover letter,
  5. Develop your interviewing skills,
  6. Identify your interests and values,
  7. Develop a job-search or graduate school plan,
  8. Connect you with prospective employers (career fairs, on-campus recruiting, and more), and
  9. Connect you with alumni mentors.

 

Remember, you control your career destiny. Don’t wait until your senior year to start realizing your goals. Your career train is on the move. Jump on board now so you can reach your destination!

By Bob Orndorff. Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

FOCUS on a major

FOCUS

Need help focusing on a career path? Through our office, all Baylor students have free access to the FOCUS 2. This is an online assessment that is completely self-guided. You can access all of your results, research career options, and even see which Baylor majors will be a good fit. The FOCUS 2 assesses values, interests, personality and skills, and their relation to possible majors and careers. Feel free to take advantage of this wonderful tool. If you have questions afterwards, you can always schedule an appointment with a career advisor to discuss your results further.

University-Wide Majors Fair Today

Come one, come all to the University-Wide Majors Fair from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the second floor of the Bill Daniel Student Center today.  Whether you are looking for a new major or just trying to figure out what you can do with your current major, this event is for you.  Click here to view a list of departments and programs that will be represented.  Faculty will also be available to talk about academic minors and secondary majors.  Please join us for lively conversations and stick around for a Dr Pepper float (Dr Pepper Hour sponsored by Career and Professional Development from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.).  See you there!

University-Wide Majors Fair in One Week!

Whether you started the semester undecided on a major or your current classes have you reconsidering your major, please join us for the University-Wide Majors Fair on Tuesday, October 8th.  The event will take place from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the second floor of the Bill Daniel Student Center.  We will have faculty representatives on hand to discuss academic programs at Baylor and what they can offer you.  We hope to see you there!

Calling All Shutterbugs!

Amateur photographers at Baylor have many opportunities to enhance their skills and perhaps even discover a future career.  Here are a few options:

Majors– Baylor offers several majors that can help you grow from amateur to professional.  Consider these possibilities:

Minors– For those who want just a taste:

Baylor Photo League– A student organization that focuses on hands-on experiences, guest speakers and field trips for the photography enthusiasts on campus.

Now, it’s time to get snapping!  What do you think is the best photo op on Baylor campus?  Tell us in the Comments section.

Should I Choose a Minor?

Post by Mandi Canuteson

Did you know that Baylor offers 80 different minors? Having a minor can be a great way to add to your college experience and gain knowledge in an area outside of your major but it’s not a must-do for everyone. Some majors, like journalism, require you to choose a minor, but for others it’s a decision that deserves a lot of thought. Here is an article from the Huffington Post that shines some light on how to know if it’s right for you:  The Benefits of a College Minor.

Click here to find out which minors are offered at Baylor.

Three Ways to Major in Economics

For students who take an interest in economics, there are multiple ways to build an academic plan that will suit each student’s unique career needs.  Students can choose a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business Administration, or Bachelor of Science degree plan.  What this means is that students who have an interest in double majoring have 86 possible choices for their second major.  Students can use this foundation to enter thousands of occupations, including business, law, and healthcare.  An Economics minor is also available.

Click here for some initial ideas on career possibilities with an Economics major.

Entrepreneurship

Do you have a desire to create your own company? If so, you might be called to entrepreneurship. Lucky for you, Baylor has just the program you need.  Click here to learn more about Baylor’s Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship programs.

Here are a few related articles you may find interesting:

6 Tips For Starting Your Startup From An Entrepreneurial Guru

Female Startup Founders Share Lessons Learned

I Started My Own Company: Ten Lessons I Learned

Majors for Physics Enthusiasts

Did you know that the Department of Physics at Baylor offers a wide array of options for undergraduate students?  With majors, secondary majors, and minors available in physics, astronomy, and astrophysics, students can select academic plans with their specific career goals in mind.  For ideas on possible career pursuits with a background in physics, check out the following websites:

Office of Career and Professional Development

Job Prospects for Physicists (American Physical Society)