For some students, their major may serve as a path to a lifelong career. For others, their major only represents a transient academic interest.
对于一些学生而言，他们所学专业可能是通向毕生职业之路。对于其他人而言，他们的专业可能只是代表了一种短暂的学术兴趣。
According to a recent career survey released by Beijing Municipal Commission of Education, about 45 percent of graduate students work in an area unrelated to their major.
根据北京市教委最新的一项职场调查显示，约45%的毕业生其工作领域与所学专业完全不对口。
When they first started university, only 25 percent of them were satisfied with their major, while 17 percent were unsatisfied with their curriculum.
刚升入大学时，他们其中只有25%的人满意自己的专业，而17%的人对自己的课程感到不满意。
Cao Xuelin, 27, an online game designer at Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Co Ltd, studied a purely theoretic discipline but now finds himself working in a very pragmatic industry.
27岁的曹学林（音译）是腾讯科技(深圳)有限公司的一名网游设计师。尽管上学时他学的都是些纯粹的理论学科，如今却在一个非常务实的行业中工作。
“I studied mathematics at university, not computer science, but I began to work as a software designer after my graduation,” said Cao, who initially thought he would become a math teacher or work for a research institute.
曹学林说：“我大学时学的是数学，并不是计算机科学，然而毕业后我的第一份工作竟是软件设计师。”他原本以为自己会成为一名数学老师，或者去一家研究机构工作
It is difficult finding a job relating to a specific major, especially when your major is regarded as highly “impractical”. In fact, many of Cao’s classmates became finance analysts or even work in public relations.
想找到份与专业对口的工作绝非易事，尤其当你的专业被认为严重不实用的时候。事实上，曹学林的很多同学都成为了金融分析师，或就职于公关行业。
“Assuming a job has to be tied directly to your major is a very old-fashioned way of thinking. Employers’ attitudes have changed completely,” said Wang Xiaojun, HR director at General Electric Company.
通用电气公司人力资源部总监王晓军表示：“想找一份与专业对口的工作，这是种十分过时的想法了。用人单位的态度已经彻底发生了转变。”
“Knowledge, adaptability, practical work experience and the ability to analyze from a well-rounded perspective are more important to employers than your major.”
“对于用人单位而言，知识、适应能力、实际工作经验以及缜密周到的分析能力远比你的专业重要得多。”
Sometimes, when you engage in a different field of work, you may not even realize how much your college major is helping you. Chen Juan, 24, a psychology major from Beijing Normal University, now works for Ogilvy & Mather Advertising as a project manager.
有时，当身处一份完全不同的工作领域中时，你甚至不会意识到你的大学专业帮了你多少忙。24的陈娟（音译）毕业于北京师范大学心理学专业，现在奥美广告公司任项目经理。
“Psychology helps a lot at work because my current job involves a lot of consumer strategy. It also requires the ability to do research and data analysis, which I honed during my studies,” she said. As a result, when Chen looks at the resumes of potential hires, she doesn’t restrict herself to looking at those with a major specifically relating to advertising.
她表示：“在工作上心理学很有帮助，因为我现在的工作涉及到很多的消费者策略。同时需要你具备调研以及数据分析的能力，这些正是我在上学期间不断磨练的内容。”因此，陈娟在翻阅潜在员工的简历时，她不会只关注那些专业与广告行业对口的人。
“Even if a candidate majored in biology, I would only consider their genuine interest in the advertising and marketing industry.”
“即使应聘者就读于生物专业，我也只看重他们对广告和营销行业是否真正有兴趣。”
So, how should students deal with the potential discord between their major and career? One possibility is to study across a wide range, or to foster interests in different areas.
所以，学生们要如何应对专业与工作不对口这一问题呢？有一种可能是广泛涉猎各种知识，或是去培养你在不同领域的兴趣。
“If you major in mathematics, you can study finance and computer programming in your spare time,” Cao said. “If you combine them with your strategic thinking or data analysis skills, it can make you more flexible during job-hunting.”
曹学林说：“如果你的专业是数学，你可以利用课余时间来学习一些金融与计算机编程方面的只是。如果你将它们与你的战略性思维或数据分析技巧融合起来，这将会使你在求职时更加游刃有余。”
An increasing number of training courses are teaching students skills to start their careers, such as secretaries or accountants. Such training is an opportunity to turn study into a lifelong cause.
传授学生们职场新人技巧的培训课程越来越多，例如秘书或会计类的课程。这类的培训让你有机会将学业转变为毕生事业。
Last month, the Chinese University of Hong Kong announced a variety of professional, general and distance learning programs with the School of Continuing and Professional Studies and the Shenzhen Research Institute.
上个月，香港中文大学深圳研究院专业进修中心开设了多种多样的专业性、常规类以及远程课程。
The courses on offer cover a wide range of disciplines, including management, social sciences, information technology and the environment.
所开设的课程涵盖管理类、社会科学、信息科技以及环境等多个学科。
“We introduced them with the aim of increasing people’s access to continuing, lifelong education,” said Dr Ella P. O. Chan, director of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
香港中文大学专业进修学院陈宝安博士表示：“我们之所以引进这些课程，旨在让更多人去接受继续教育与终身教育。”
Above all, Zhu Hong, director of the Employment Guidance Center at Nankai University, believes that studying one’s major well still matters. “Explore, have fun, and consult your faculty, friends and family when in need of guidance.”
值得一提的是，南开大学就业指导中心主任朱红（音译）认为学好专业知识仍然很关键。“探索、享乐，当需要指导时，可以向老师、朋友以及家人咨询。”