Aug 21, 2014
2:21:30pm
2:21:30pm
Couldn't agree more but...
I totally agree with you that there is more to life then wealth. I chose a career in public service where I earn less than I could, but I absolutely love my job. But...I also chose a career that gives me enough to support my family. I was able to make this choice because I was smart about my education. I got a degree I could afford with large job prospects across multiple industries.
A degree in history or social work or philosophy makes sense if you are 1) truly passionate about the topic and want to work within the industry 2) you are comfortable providing for yourself given the realistic salary expectations in that industry.
Most people who graduate college only consider former and never the latter. They love teaching history but only find out too late, they can't live on the salary.
Even worse are the ones who become crippled by the debt they used to earn their degree. It is a real vicious cycle they put themselves into. They need a high paying job to pay off the debt they incurred getting a history degree, but they cant get a high paying job because they only have a degree in history.
I should point out that I have spent the last 7 years hiring kids right out of college. I have been to countless college career fairs and each time I am there I always notice a phenomenon I call "The Wanderers". These are the students with degrees in Psychology or Criminal Justice or History who show up to the career fair eager and ready to meet employers to get a job. But once they get there, all they do is wander. The walk from booth to booth never talking to anyone and you can see the same look of dawning comprehension on their face: there are no jobs for me.
I had a young man with a degree in philosophy walk up to me and say "Do you have any jobs for people with a degree in philosophy? I am looking for like an ethics job."
I wish I could have said yes, but despite representing a multi billion dollar organization with thousands of employees, I had to say simply: no.
He had just spent over $120,000 earning a degree for which no one had a job and he, and all the other wanderers usually realize this fact too late.
A degree in history or social work or philosophy makes sense if you are 1) truly passionate about the topic and want to work within the industry 2) you are comfortable providing for yourself given the realistic salary expectations in that industry.
Most people who graduate college only consider former and never the latter. They love teaching history but only find out too late, they can't live on the salary.
Even worse are the ones who become crippled by the debt they used to earn their degree. It is a real vicious cycle they put themselves into. They need a high paying job to pay off the debt they incurred getting a history degree, but they cant get a high paying job because they only have a degree in history.
I should point out that I have spent the last 7 years hiring kids right out of college. I have been to countless college career fairs and each time I am there I always notice a phenomenon I call "The Wanderers". These are the students with degrees in Psychology or Criminal Justice or History who show up to the career fair eager and ready to meet employers to get a job. But once they get there, all they do is wander. The walk from booth to booth never talking to anyone and you can see the same look of dawning comprehension on their face: there are no jobs for me.
I had a young man with a degree in philosophy walk up to me and say "Do you have any jobs for people with a degree in philosophy? I am looking for like an ethics job."
I wish I could have said yes, but despite representing a multi billion dollar organization with thousands of employees, I had to say simply: no.
He had just spent over $120,000 earning a degree for which no one had a job and he, and all the other wanderers usually realize this fact too late.
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- badodo
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