How did you end up working in a different field from what you studied in college?

Hello everyone, I am 19F and I am currently entering my third year of college. Right now I am majoring in Art History with a minor in Fine Arts, at a top university here in the US. I love my major and I am passionate about it. Art and art history have always been passions of mine, and I have never seriously considered pursuing any other field.

However, over the past year, I have found myself receiving some great but completely unexpected job opportunities for that have made me question what my future career path might look like.

Last year, during the summer before Sophomore year, I somehow landed a position at a small bankruptcy law firm in my city. A friend of a friend had some insider-information about an opening in this law firm, and despite having no prior experience in the legal field, I was hired. The experience ended up being incredibly valuable, and I learned a great deal during my time there. Fast forward this summer, I was fortunate enough to secure a great opportunity, this time at a larger, highly respected law firm in New York City. Even though the pay is decent and nothing insane,, this was kind of a shocker for me. It seems like I am finding some kind of success in a field that has little to do with what I am studying in college.

This realization has kind of created some concern and anxiety in me, for the future of my career. Right now I’m not finding too much success in museum studies, but instead, I’m gaining experience in legal and administrative work. I know it is nothing too impressive. It’s not very difficult to obtain a job at a law firm. However, I often find myself wondering what my future will look like if I continue down this path. What kind of career could this experience lead to? How valuable will it be in the long run?

I do not envision myself being a legal assistant forever in my life. But at the same time, since I’ve slowly become so immersed in the legal world, I have started to question wether I should continue exploring it after graduation in some capacity. I have never had a strong desire to become a lawyer - heck, it never even ever crossed my mind. But I wonder wether there are other career paths adjacent to law that could offer some financial stability and long-term growth for me in the future.

I know the future is impossible to predict. “Do not disturb yourself by imagining your whole life at once” Marcus Aurelius once said. But the direction my professional experiences have taken so far has forced me to reconsider my original post-grad plans. I would appreciate any advice from people who have found themselves in a similar position or who have experienced navigating an unexpected career trajectory.