Career choices for students have always been a daunting task with plenty of options and many more issues to work through regarding what they will ultimately do post-college.

In the 1940s, women chose careers that many men previously did, but they were all off fighting a war. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, men rose fast in business and women began to make a name for themselves.

Men had jobs much like they do today, but with less technology. They tended to work in companies as executives or they had more industrial jobs working in warehouses or as mechanics. Women however, didn’t have as many choices but many did become teachers, flight attendants, or secretaries.

In the 1970s, a special policy was put into place that allowed those who returned to civilian life from the military feel “appreciated.” They were put into government positions as chief security officers, and those who were trained academically got civil service or government positions.

One of the greatest setbacks for today’s college student is financing educational costs. Few can afford the cost of tuition and books while supporting themselves. These financial setbacks in turn keep students from changing careers or continuing to pursue a career choice. However, community colleges offer various types of scholarship programs to help offset costs.

Job recruiters are also affected by students’ ever-changing career choices. The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University’s student newspaper, reported that the number of on-campus recruiters at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences fell by nearly 20 percent in spring 2008. This was due to the increasingly competitive job market and the diversification of students’ career choices besides just finance and accounting.

Many students also come up with back-up plans for their career choices. Tracy Meng is thinking of returning home to work for her dad’s business or going into the public sector.

Many high-schoolers also tend to make changes as to where they will spend their college careers. Many leaders of community colleges are telling parents that their children can get a well-paying job with a two-year degree from a community college.

“It may be a lower-cost alternative, but it’s not a lower-quality alternative,” said Scott Ralls, president of the North Carolina state community system. “We’ll find a place for everybody, but that doesn’t mean that what we offer is not of a high standard.”

Oh, and women, listen up. According to LiveScience.com, women now are three times more likely than those born a century ago to follow in their father’s footsteps into his line of work. LiveScience.com reported that just below six percent of women born from 1909 to 1915 worked in their father’s occupation, while around 20 percent of women born in the mid ‘70s do so.

Chris Palko, a senior at American University in Washington, D.C. would like to get into politics but has not set his career choice just yet. “I know I want to work in D.C. but beyond that, who knows,” he said.

Steve Isaac, a junior at AU on the other hand has not considered changing his career choice due to the economic downturn. Isaac would like to become a policy specialist, analyst or expert on the Middle East or the Arab World. He’d like to accomplish this by working for the Department of Defense or State or another government agency.

“I chose this because I’m passionate about this region of the world and I want to serve my country in the hopes of contributing my knowledge and analysis of this region to policymakers,” Isaac said.

A diehard Republican, Isaac said as long as Obama is in office, he doesn’t see himself working for the government as a career choice just yet. “In that case, I hope to get a good entry-level job in D.C., either with a GOP politician or lobbying firm,” he said. “I also want to get my Masters and eventually my Ph.D. in a field relating to International Affairs.”

Will Haun, a senior at AU, decided on a criminal prosecutor as a career choice. “I think I can make a meaningful contribution to elected office,” he said. “My career allows me to pursue my life-long passion for public service, a drive that has been a big part of a lot of what I’ve done in life, even as a kid and young adult.”

Haun is planning on going to law school immediately after he graduates. “I am very conscious though of how well I’ll have to distinguish myself academically and in networking and internships in order to secure a job,” he said.

In five years, Haun sees himself as a year out of law school serving as a clerk or starting his career as a prosecutor. “The best part about life though is what remains to be seen, so you can never say for certain where you will end up,” he said. “I’m optimistic for how my professional opportunities will unfold.”

Haun, Isaac and Palko may be in luck with their government and political career choices. Time Magazine reported last week that government is the only industry planning to hire more new grads this year than last, as the new Administration gets bigger and the older workforce retires. At Rutgers University’s career services annual Big East Career Day at Madison Square Garden, last year there were only 15 government and nonprofit employers. This year, 30 federal agencies attended last Friday’s event.

Students’ majors also tend to shift with the times. Before the economic recession, finance and accounting were top choices, especially at Baruch College, a part of the City University of New York, The Ticker, the college’s newspaper reported. Now, industrial and organizational psychology, management, marketing and corporate communications have all grown in popularity at Baruch, The Ticker said.

Colleges are also seeing an increase in students going back to school to find new careers. At the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System, they announced an enrollment of almost four percent last year, reported ABC 6 News in Minnesota.

Student Laura Meyer mentioned that in her anatomy class, there are a lot of 30 and 40-year-olds going back to school. They’re returning to change their original career choice, as many are barely hanging onto jobs, or are laid off or fired as a result of the recession, ABC 6 News said.

If you’re confused about what to do for your career, it’s best to take some time out and examine your interests. Figure out where your strengths and weaknesses are and look into careers that match your personality.  Also, it wouldn’t hurt to maybe talk to a career counselor.

Here are some great tools to head to when trying to figure out where you should take your career:

1. Find your career personality! - College News wrote an article on career personalities. This is a great place to begin your career search.

2. Choosing a Career - This article has great links within itself. Written materials and informational interviews are all included.

3. Majors and Careers- College board divides interests on their site, and once you click on yours it gives you a list of specific jobs to choose from. Media and Communications (my choice) alone had at a dozen itself.