What do you think about chances of success after college?

Career Opportunities & Internships
1

College definitely doesn’t guarantee a job and it costs a lot (depending on the university).

What would you do in order to maximize your chances of getting the career you want or success in general?
What back-up plans do you have?

Only 27% of graduates have a career in their major…

Also, I’m unsure if the debt is worth the trouble if I’m not in the 27%

2

That statistic tells us next to nothing. Out of the 27% who have a career “in their major,” how many are satisfied with their careers? Same goes for the 73% who do not have an in-major career. For example, I graduated with plenty of people who majored in social sciences like political science and sociology and wanted to get into banking or consulting; they are mostly quite satisfied with their career path, but according to the statistic you cite, none of them would be in a career their major “prepared” them for.

3

It actually depend on how you do in college i think ? :smiley:

4

It actually depend on how you do in college i think ? :smiley:

5

There are a million variables, but let’s start with the basics.

The more debt you accrue going to college, the more money you’ll have to pay back after college.

The more years of college you need, the more it’s likely to cost you up front.

The more competitive a job market in a particular major, the tougher it will be to find employment in that field, or to move up within it.

Finally, the fact that people don’t always find jobs in their majors doesn’t really come into play. If that degree gains them entry into a field where they can eventually find both success and happiness, then the degree was absolutely worth it.

You want success? Here’s what I suggest:

  • Be good at what you do. That means attention to detail. It means thinking outside the box once you’ve tackled all the stuff inside the box.
  • Don't think for a second that you'll graduate from college knowing exactly how to be the best in your field. College doesn't do that. College prepares you to begin to learn how to do your job. That cocky recent grad who enters any workplace with a million ideas of how things SHOULD be done won't last. They never do. Things are done for a reason-- some other cocky recent grad has already come up with the exact same ideas you have. Be willing to learn from those who have been in the trenches, doing the actual job and making it work.
  • Be willing to go the extra mile. Very often, something comes up at work that requires time and effort outside the regular hours or regular parameters of your job. People notice who pitches in and who puts his head down and says "that's not in my job description."
  • Build relationships. Sure, networking is great. But real relationships matter more. Be kind to those you work with. Know the names of the maintenance staff, the office assistants, the interns, everyone else. Be considerate of their needs, both professional and personal. (Are you a Survivor fan? This season it's about "old school" vs "new school." Old school built relationships, New school built alliances. Old school seems to be the way to go on the show, and it's absolutely the way to go in a professional workplace.)
  • Know that EVERYONE is replaceable.
  • Find a job that you can love 90% of the time. You're going to spend decades working-- far, far more time than you've spent in school. Find one that you can love.
  • Stop and look at what's done by the people who have found success in your field. Note how they dress, how they speak, what they prioritize.
  • At the end of your life, you'll look back. Make sure that you'll be able to say that you made a difference to the people who mattered most to you.
6

Does it really trouble you that well-compensated doctors with an undergraduate Chemistry degree are not counted as having a career in their major?

Of the 78% who have careers not in their major, how many of those careers required a college degree?

Sara Blakely, the CEO of Spanx, is the world’s youngest female self-made billionaire. She has an undergraduate degree in Communications. She’s one of the 78%.

7

I think bjkmom says it well. There are a lot of factors in determining success. A mediocre salary might be just fine for someone who loves their job and has little or no debt, modest desires, and a small family. A large salary might be necessary for someone with a lot of debt, or with high standards of living, even if they don’t care much for the job itself. How do you define success?

If you don’t think the debt is worth the risk, then find a way to pursue a career with little or no debt. This might mean starting at a community college, going to a less desirable university with better funding, commuting to school, or even working for a few years before going to college (or never going to college at all). You will not be guaranteed anything, regardless of what you major in, what grades you get, or what the job market looks like right now. Risk is part of life. You need to determine how much risk you’re willing to take for what level of payoff.

You also need to know yourself. Don’t kid yourself into thinking you’ll be a successful freelance artist if you’re a mediocre artist. Don’t think you’ll be a great doctor if you’re terrible at, or hate biology and related coursework. Surround yourself with people who will be honest with you and offer constructive criticism, not people who will just tell you what you want to hear and lead you down the wrong path.

Even if you do all the “right” things - get good grades, research or internship experiences, excellent recommendations, major in STEM or some other “hot” field - you can still be disappointed in the end. Sometimes we lose even when we really try. Life’s a gamble. The best you can do is weigh your options and see where they take you.

8

Sometimes, or some people simply just go for it you know? There’s probably no actual result to it because you still need to try and experience the “real world” to know if you’ll succeed in the path you chose. Although, yes we have those new found technologies to increase the rate of success of people but still it’d be have to consider how you really perform ones you step into the professional world.

9

Hm, sometimes it depends probably on how you’ve been in college doesn’t it? because some people don’t really push through it (college) while some of those who actually made it through sometimes shifts from what they’ve learned to another career. Do I even make any sense? It’s just my observation though.

10

a lot of companies do require experience just to hire you. you might want to have an internship first. With the internship, you can gauge your skills based on the results. not all are fortunate to have a good career based on their course, you just have to know what you really want to do in life, your passion.