<p>It is true that eduction and knowledge are valuable for their own sakes, but the OP, who has a degree, is using income as a measure of success. Now posters are trying to help the OP move further toward what s/he values as success.</p>
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<p>The problem is, money becomes much more important when you have very little of it (or negative amounts of it – debt).</p>
<p>Remember also that people old enough to be parents of today’s high school or college students graduated in a time when college education was significantly less expensive, and the number of non-career-specific bachelor’s degree graduates was smaller relative to the number of jobs available for them (the [current</a> recession](<a href=“http://www.newsweek.com/2010/01/08/the-recession-generation.html]current”>Recession Generation Will Spend Less for Life) does not help the situation).</p>
<p>So while study to a non-career-specific bachelor’s degree may be worthwhile in non-monetary terms, it is more likely that a student today may find that the path that his/her parents took is too expensive relative to the benefits (monetary or otherwise). Of course, one can consider other, less expensive ways to study to a bachelor’s degree (e.g. community college, then transfer to an in-state public university or one with good financial aid, as opposed to going to a private four year third tier school with limited financial aid). But it does mean that the financial aspects need to be considered more carefully now than earlier generations needed to.</p>
<p>ryhoyarb:
i don’t think you’re going to get anything more out of this website than what you’ve seen so far. lots of swell older parents whose work developed under completely different economic conditions. and boy do they like to proselytize the virtues of higher education for its own sake. bs. you already did that and it got you nowhere, so don’t waste more time in the system until you know it will do something very specific for your ability to support yourself. i know something about those smaller towns in north texas, and they are not employment bonanzas. the last great depression still isn’t completely gone from the mindset of some of those places. my last advice here is drop this silly discourse (unless you’re just into the pain of listening to people tell you what a really great thing your ba history is - you just can’t see it because your rent is still due). join the navy and see how the rest of the world lives. good luck.</p>
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<p>Good point. Maybe the OP’s issue isn’t about whether college education will help you so much as it is about job openings in his area being simply too few and far between. Any jobs.</p>
<p>Take your college degree to a bigger town with a better economy and the education may well turn out to be a lot bigger “help” to you there.</p>
<p>" lots of swell older parents whose work developed under completely different economic conditions. and boy do they like to proselytize the virtues of higher education for its own sake. bs. "</p>
<p>You are both mischarecterizing what people are saying, and you are rude. You might consider that both listening skills and social skills are helpful in seeking employment.</p>
<p>This question comes up all of the time in many forms. Is it worth it to go to law school? Is it worth it to get one’s master’s? The question I would ask in answer to those questions, and, yes, it means answering a question with a question, is “what else are you planning to do?” For those who have things to do that are far worthier, more important to them, more beneficial in the long and short term, by all means, go ahead and do it. Many kids are doing just this with a gap year or two. Some are simply choosing not to go into college right away. </p>
<p>So it is entirely possible that a person has alternatives that are more valuable than going to school. However, if it means lying in bed till noon, working at a hated job for a few hours and then hanging out until the AM each night, you might as well be studying something. It sure as heck isn’t going to hurt your resume for later job bids to have been taking classes when you are working at some job that isn’t going to impress anyone, and only working a few hours, at that. Taking some classes can serve as a good place holder for times when a someone needs to take a pause from life. </p>
<p>I write this because with the economy the way it is and jobs difficult to find, there are a number of young adults I’ve met who are having problems explaining away periods of time when they weren’t doing anything. It can be very detrimental to your resume. Being a student does add a bit of respectability to one’s resume. But if you are doing something that sound much more worthwhile, don’t worry about it.</p>
<p>I want all of my kids to get a college degree, but if any of them had an interest in violin carving, or cooking or joining the military, that would be fine with me. Just hanging out for more than a few months is not.</p>
<p>To answer your questions:</p>
<p>-I went to the University of Houston</p>
<p>-I live in the Dallas/FT Worth area</p>
<p>-I went to college thinking a degree woul help me</p>
<p>-I’ve redone my resume and tailor it to different jobs I apply for</p>
<p>-I’ve gone back to the career counselor and have seeked help. One of the counselors I was with was baffled why I keep on applying for low paying jobs. I also took a test to see what I was interested in. That didn’t really help.</p>
<p>-I apply for low wage jobs because I’m not qualified for anything better. Some of the jobs I’ve applied for in the past are retail jobs, fast food restaurants such as McDonalds and pizza places, and janitor positions. This past week I applied for a bank teller position and for a cook at a fast food restaurant. (My dad said I was wasting my time applying for the cook position) </p>
<p>-When I’m at an interview, I wear a suit and tie, interview well, and have a positive attitude. I had an interview a few months ago at a retail place but the managers who interviewed me said the employees were wondering why I was wearing a suit. Needless to say I didn’t not get the job. I guess I was overqualified. </p>
<p>-I don’t want to do teaching because there are no jobs in the field. My mother is a teacher and told me teachers are going to be laid off. She has also said for every position that is available, 15 or more people apply for it. This is for everywhere accross the country.</p>
<p>-I’m studying to be a pharmacist technician though I don’t have any real interest in it. I’ve already learned the top 200 drugs and have the math down. It’s not that hard once you learn it. But those jobs start off around 8-10 dollars an hour. </p>
<p>-If I had to do it all over again, I would have gone to a trade school. At least I would have received skills for a job. Going to college and getting a degree was a waste. If I could, I would give it back and get back the money it costs.</p>
<p>Sorry for my frustration on here. I just never pictured myself at 29 to be where I’m at.</p>
<p>While in college, what were your career plans? I think if a person goes to school, comes out four years later with a liberal arts degree and just then starts thinking about jobs, a failure to plan surely took place.</p>
<p>I think career and degree should be considered separately when planning for the future. Always have in mind what one wishes to do for pay, then consider which degree combines one’s interests and the prerequisites for a chosen field best. The method of choosing a degree based on some combination of reasons, then asking “what can I do with it?” is not as effective.</p>
<p>If one doesn’t wish to work in a field requiring a specific degree, or has a way for acquiring technical skills outside of one’s major/classes, then learning about history/literature is perfectly reasonable.</p>
<p>ryhoyabie:</p>
<p>If you can afford it, maybe try an internship or volunteer work. Even if you can only afford to do so for 3 months, it can sometimes lead to something. (I actually just did an internship in an historic preservation non-profit, in my late 50’s: have you considered something like that with your degree in history?)</p>
<p>Also, many people start low in an organization and work their way up. Figure out, or even randomly choose, an organization or agency or company to work with in some capacity and stick it out for a bit. (Even in schools, substituting often leads to another position at some point). Or try temping with a “temp agency.”</p>
<p>You can also pick up some training that is more career-oriented after already getting your BA. The BA is not wasted: it shows that you are intelligent, hard-working and persevering. If your resume has a BA and, say, a certificate in graphic design, or classes in emergency medicine, or a class in cheese-making (I actually know of a Harvard grad who is apprenticing as a cheese-maker), or gemology (I know another Ivy grad who went to school for gemology after college, and worked in jewelry stores), it’s a great combination…Look at your local community college, adult education or vocational center.</p>
<p>You could also consider grad school, if affordable (or you could be a teaching assistant and get a stipend). The BA will serve you for the rest of your life, as a platform to go on to something else academically, when you do know what you might want to do as a “professional.” (Museum studies and public history programs are “hot” right now, but it could be something entirely different from your undergrad experience.)</p>
<p>These years of wandering and low level jobs will also serve you well, though you may not realize it now. (My husband didn’t have a real job until 40, and we have raised 3 children with enough sustenance and enrichment to launch them well. At your age he was going door to door with encyclopedias!)</p>
<p>Perhaps most importantly, the economy has, of course, been in a recession, and things really will get better. I’ve been through a few of these cycles myself (picked apples and harvested potatoes in the 70’s, for instance, when I could not find anything else, also worked in a fish factory). It’s tough to wait it out though…</p>
<p>OP, I’m sorry that you’re in this pickle. </p>
<p>Are you having someone proofread your resume? I don’t normally comment on people’s spelling or grammar in posts because people are generally writing quickly. Your writing, on the other hand, seems generally well thought out, which makes the spelling and grammar issues stand out. “I’ve redone my resume and tailor it to different jobs I apply for”, “I’ve gone back to the career counselor and have seeked help.”, “Needless to say I didn’t not get the job.” </p>
<p>Speaking of the career counselor, you say that you took a test to see what you were interested in, but that it “didn’t help”. I think you need to push more on the career center at U of H to see if there are some other tests that are going to be able to tease out your interests. You majored in history–what attracted you to that field? Do you like reading, or writing, or research? </p>
<p>Without having a better idea of what you’re interested in, anything like trade school would, I fear, land you in the same position you’re in now. You said that you went to college thinking a degree would “help you”. What was it supposed to help you do? If there was something specific you were interested in for trade school, it might be a good idea, IF you wouldn’t end up deeply in debt. </p>
<p>Finally, forgive me for asking, but this is all anonymous anyway 
You strike me as someone who just doesn’t have any faith in himself. Quotes like "I apply for low wage jobs because I’m not qualified for anything better. " and “I guess I was overqualified.” worry me. You mention comments from your parents that are all negative about your chances in the job market. The applying for low-wage jobs is understandable now with the economy in trouble, but that wasn’t the case in 2005. Have you always been this down on yourself? Or is this just because of your post-college struggles?</p>
<p>One suggestion which might sound Pollyanna-ish but is heartfelt and possibly useful: even if you don’t like the pharma tech work, or the pay, work hard at it. Find the enjoyable parts of it. Take pride in mastering the work and the math. Work on getting along fabulously with your instructors and fellow students. It may not be what you end up doing the rest of your life, but a job well done can be a stepping stone to bigger and better things. To see a real-life example of this, go to your local library and find a copy of “How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else” by Michael Gates Gill.</p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>
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<p>Oh wow! I believe YOU, but I can’t believe this policy! This is insane! Somehow I feel that any region that does not require a substitute teacher to have a degree is the same kind of region that would not care that you have a degree for most jobs. As I mentioned before, can you/will you consider MOVING AWAY? </p>
<p>I know people have a different mindset about this. There is half the world that will move half the world to make a career; and the other half that strongly values being close to family, friends, familiar ties. I appreciate both sides (and sometimes envy my family who stayed put), but I think often those that stay put are working against a big disadvantage.</p>
<p>Slithey Tove: Sorry about the grammar problems. I did not proofread everything which is indicative of the poor spelling. </p>
<p>I’ve had several people proofread my resumes and they haven’t found anything wrong with them. </p>
<p>I picked history because I thought it would be an interesting subject. The reading and writing 15 page papers all the time did get old, but I guess I did prepare me to actully learn how to write well thought out papers and construct sentences. I sure as heck didn’t have a clue as to know how to write papers in high school. As for the degree in history, I was told to major in anything and that would help me later on with a job. I guess I followed what everyone else was going to do while I was still in high school and hoped for the best and never expected anything less.</p>
<p>I’m also registered in the U of H alumni services where they have jobs for college graduates. But those jobs are looking for a specific major with a specific skill set, and unfortunately I’m not what those employers are looking for. </p>
<p>"Finally, forgive me for asking, but this is all anonymous anyway You strike me as someone who just doesn’t have any faith in himself. Quotes like “I apply for low wage jobs because I’m not qualified for anything better. " and “I guess I was overqualified.” worry me. You mention comments from your parents that are all negative about your chances in the job market. The applying for low-wage jobs is understandable now with the economy in trouble, but that wasn’t the case in 2005. Have you always been this down on yourself? Or is this just because of your post-college struggles?”</p>
<p>Yes I’m hard on myself and don’t really have any faith/confidence. I’m like because I’m still struggling, but I wasn’t like this when I just graduated college. I guess anyone would be if they were in the same position. And to be honest, I don’t think I believe I’m qualified for anything better despite working hard when I’m at a job. </p>
<p>Compmom: I’m registered with a temp agency. </p>
<p>Starbright: It takes money and a plan to move away. I don’t have either of them. If I move, where will I go to? What would I do for a job? How will I pay for moving to another place when I don’t have any money? Questions to ponder over…</p>
<p>I’m sorry for the ranting I’ve done on here. I guess I just wanted to be heard.</p>
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<p>Well if it makes you feel better, I only started working for an income around your age. It’s all worked out though. I think you would benefit hugely from getting out of your expected world and seeing the world, expanding your viewpoint of what ‘should’ be and seeing the vastness of possibilities. I think you need to stop with the rut life- living where you are living, applying in a suit to the same retail jobs over and over again, thinking you are doing all the things right but the world is rallying against you.</p>
<p>Go teach English in Korea or volunteer in Thailand for a year. Save up your retail earnings, and backpack and work your way through Europe in menial jobs. Move to somewhere else in the country and stop assuming you are only qualified for McDonalds! Aim for higher, and show up and convince them you are qualified. Look for more open ended opportunities where you can move up, regardless of the entry level job. Consider offering to intern to gain experience in an industry that interests you. And stop assuming that because you dress well and personally judge yourself to be ‘positive’ or ‘interviewing well’ that everyone who matters agrees with you, or that somehow translates to you acting on the job like someone worthy of promotion. </p>
<p>You actually sound depressed. Stuck, defeated, doing the same old same old. Down on yourself and down on the ‘system’. Even if valid, this surely is not going to help you get out of the hole you sound like you are in!</p>
<p>You wrote " Starbright: It takes money and a plan to move away. I don’t have either of them. If I move, where will I go to? What would I do for a job? How will I pay for moving to another place when I don’t have any money? Questions to ponder over…" </p>
<p>Yes but now I hear how you are thinking. It’s all the barriers, why it won’t work, why even try…" Have you saved anything from your current work? can you move back home and save more? Now can you apply to jobs from afar- that is what people with degrees do. Do you have a car? Can you drive it to the other part of the country? Can you borrow from your folks? </p>
<p>I am not suggesting it is as simple as I suggest, nor that all my ideas are realistic. They are just ideas. I’m just trying to push you to start thinking outside the box, to think creatively and expansively, at possibilities/potential, instead of this inward, glass is half empty approach. To get you to stop dismissing things quickly because of the downsides you immediately point out. You are not a victim. You needn’t figure it all out, but view it as a puzzle to put the pieces together and it is solvable. You are richer than probably 80% of the world’s population, with a huge amount of resources and possibilities at your disposal.</p>
<p>Never mind–I see this is written from a student.</p>
<p>“Oh wow! I believe YOU, but I can’t believe this policy! This is insane! Somehow I feel that any region that does not require a substitute teacher to have a degree is the same kind of region that would not care that you have a degree for most jobs. As I mentioned before, can you/will you consider MOVING AWAY?”</p>
<p>I applied for a teaching job with a Bachelor’s, two years of teaching experience and five years of tutoring experience, even though allegedly they wanted someone who had a GED or above.</p>
<p>It turns out the ad was written that way because they already had someone in mind and wanted that person. :P</p>
<p>Short answer: yes</p>
<p>Long answer: yeah</p>
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<p>When I was 29 I had a bachelors degree and was quitting my job of 6 years to go back to grad school in order to qualify for better jobs. I didn’t resume my career until I finished my PhD at age 33. And having that advanced degree has made all the difference for me in my career.</p>
<p>So maybe that’s a better approach for you as well. Instead of constantly lowering your sites by applying for more and more menial jobs, maybe you should raise them. Go after even more education instead of complaining that you’ve got too much. It might open up whole new possibilities for you. It’s not too late.</p>
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<p>That has been getting less true over the years. A bachelor’s degree may prevent you from being excluded due to not having one, but, these days, there are so many people with non-specific bachelor’s degrees that you are competing against a huge applicant pool of people who (in employers’ viewpoints) are very similar to you.</p>
<p>Once upon a time (when people old enough to be parents of today’s high school and college students graduated), the supply of non-specific bachelor’s degree graduates was smaller relative to the number of entry level job openings for such people. So parents, counselors, teachers, etc. may be speaking from their own experiences, perhaps not aware of how things have changed since then. In addition, an education leading to a bachelor’s degree is much more expensive now than it was back then, resulting in greater likelihood of large student loan debt.</p>
<p>This does not mean that every student must pick a career-oriented major in university. But it does mean that a student needs to carefully consider the decision of going to university, which one to go to (including cost considerations), and what to major in, rather than the old way of “just go to any university, figure out what you want to major in later, and you will have a good job at graduation that will easily pay off any student loans quickly”. In other words, students must consider the “bang for the buck” much more than they used to.</p>