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Read Aaron Clarey's book Worthless. A lot of degrees just are not worth it, do not do much to help you get a good job, and burden you with debt to boot. Degrees are investments and you need to analyze it and figure out if there is a return on that investment.
A bachelors degree has long since been what a high school diploma used to be. The minimum of education needed to get any job that pays more than minimum wage.
Have to differ on that greatly. Bachelors degree can do many great things, just depends what you study as a bachelors in stem is an infinite world of possibilities, whereas a bachelors in English, philosophy or history is utterly useless. Great analytically but nothing marketability. Go to ultrasound/trade school if you don't use that English degree as a stepping stone to a liberal arts grad program
Last edited by Sportfan1; 12-25-2016 at 03:06 AM..
Have to differ on that greatly. Bachelors degree can do many great things, just depends what you study as a bachelors in stem is an infinite world of possibilities, whereas a bachelors in English, philosophy or history is utterly useless. Great analytically but nothing marketability. Go to ultrasound/trade school if you don't use that English degree as a stepping stone to a liberal arts grad program
But even a degree in English will still allow you apply for jobs that require a generic bachelors degree, which is just about any job that pays more than minimum wage. This is why everyone is getting college degrees today.
Have to differ on that greatly. Bachelors degree can do many great things, just depends what you study as a bachelors in stem is an infinite world of possibilities, whereas a bachelors in English, philosophy or history is utterly useless. Great analytically but nothing marketability. Go to ultrasound/trade school if you don't use that English degree as a stepping stone to a liberal arts grad program
I hate to say this, but any degree in a liberal art is useless these days.I have a BA in History, trust me, you and I are in the same boat. I know several people with political science degrees. One works at a university, another teaches. The rest are either unemployed or in retail.
I hate to say this, but any degree in a liberal art is useless these days.I have a BA in History, trust me, you and I are in the same boat. I know several people with political science degrees. One works at a university, another teaches. The rest are either unemployed or in retail.
Nowadays even retail requires a generic bachelors to become a manager. I still think people are better off with any degree than just a HS diploma (unless they go the trade route)
Credential inflation is becoming a very real concept. The more degrees the public earn the more one will be expected for even a relatively menial job.
Only half of engineering graduates get jobs in their field. For those who do get a job, the average engineering career is seven years. The right STEM degree, from the right university, if the individual gets good grades, will lead to a good job. For those with lower grades, or who graduate from an undistinguished college, they are in the same boat as many liberal arts graduates. Outsourcing, and bringing in lots of immigrants, with the goal of keeping a young (low paid) workforce, have damaged engineering as a career choice.
For those who pursue liberal arts, they need to get a high GPA so they can get into graduate school. I had a college roommate majoring in English, who had straight As, he got into med school.
A liberal arts degree with good grades should also allow someone to get into officer candidate school, so they can be an officer in the military. Twenty years service provides a great inflation adjusted pension, as well as medical care.
Read Aaron Clarey's book Worthless. A lot of degrees just are not worth it, do not do much to help you get a good job, and burden you with debt to boot. Degrees are investments and you need to analyze it and figure out if there is a return on that investment.
An "investment" is probably the best way to look at a degree. And just like investments some pay off faster and or better than others. So the Computer Programming, the Accounting, the Supply Chain management, the Accounting etc.., the rate of return for those type of degrees are typically very good.
For the English, the History, the Anthropology degree etc... -Yes you can get good return on them as well but it will be harder. Remember you are trying to sell a degree that is largely seen as "worthless" to the employer so right off the bat your initial obstacle will be getting an interview in the first place. I see many people earlier posted about various research positions and yes they can be done with the History degree but one may have overlooked the fact that the various research associate positions usually want experienced people as opposed to someone fresh out of school with no professional experience. Now if the History degree, the political science degree etc... where not seen as "worthless" then you could get hired, build upon that experience, move up the corporate ladder etc... but remember if your degree is seen as "worthless" it can be kind of hard to get hired in the first place so then you are stuck in the "Need experience to get a job but how can I get a job without experience" loop.
OP, I know I have probably mentioned it before but what I would recommend:
1) Hit up any friends, family , relatives etc... for any type of connection, if anyone is able to get your resume to human eyes and bypass the whole Taleo system, that is a good thing. There is a reason why "its not what you know its who you know" is relevant.
2) If you can get an "in" to a company you want to work for even if it is a position you don't really want- take the "IN". If it means settling for the customer support, data entry, sales etc...- you usually will have a better shot at moving up the ladder if you are willing to endure the bleh position.
3) Consider going back to school for something more marketable. You know the whole "if you cant beat them, its better to join them" -there is a reason why 2nd degree Accounting and Nursing programs are popular.
4) Never stop applying for the dream job but be willing to settle in the interim.
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