Over the years the expectations of college graduates have been altered profoundly. With a waning job market newly graduated students both compete for and receive jobs that do not require a higher education which leaves them paying debt for numerous years. So does this mean that their investment in their education was a waste of time or will the investment pay off in the long run?
Current studies have revealed that only 14% of college graduates have jobs waiting for them post-graduation. Of course there are many aspects that could factor in why there is such a low percentage of students who do not receive a job post-graduation. Such as when the students begin to apply for a position that best suits their major.
The majority of college graduates seem to begin the application process during their senior year which creates an influx of candidates that is not necessary. Another factor to consider is their major, some fields such as law is saturated and may cause difficulties for new comers who try pursue the career. Therefore what is needed to assist college students regardless of the major to be successful in finding a job and should the dynamic of priority shift in stages as one passes each year to prevent one from settling for a job that they are over qualified for?
In a recent poll conducted by The Declaration Staff in April of 2016 asked the public “What do you think is the Number one priority of college students?” To their surprise an appalling statistic arose. 39.3% of participants presumed that participating in campus activities was the number one priority, while only 11.5% of people believed that making dean’s list was of the utmost importance.
When asking Tiffany McKenzie opinion on the subject she responded that “Although this is not the number one cause of why people are unable to receive a job it plays a huge role. If a person’s expectation outweighs the reality of the current situation they are already behind in a race that is extremely difficult to catch up in. When someone is a college student there is not one priority it would nice to believe this is so but there are multiple that all weigh heavily on what path ones future may take. But the first priority that one have to acquire is making dean’s list then the other steps may follow such as participating in campus activities and so on.” McKenzie also expressed her view that because various colleges do not have the same ranking and are not all notable schools college students should be more inclined to work for better grades because it will make them more competitive.
On the contrary new Colonia High School English teacher Ms. Raven Lake had a completely different take on what her college experience was like and her view on what was her focal points were. She explained in great detail that “My number one priority was to graduate with my undergraduate degree in four years or less. If I were to go back to school I would probably have added another minor. I think participating in campus activities is more important than making dean’s list because it enhances social skills and allows networking opportunities. Thus, the statistic does not surprise me so much. College did prepare me for my current position. However, I could have benefited more if I had student taught for a year.” She dabbled in an internship called the student teaching and “I would say the majority of people I know received a job from their internship and I don’t think anyone right out of college is over qualified, no matter their position. While there is much to learn in college, majority of what of what people learn is through experience (Internships).
Being competitive is essential when in search of a new job whether someone is a college student or not but when someone is a college student this is somewhat of a more difficult process due to their lack of experience. According to various sites one being briankim.net a large percentage of college students believe that having a degree alone will make them more qualified for the job in which they are applying to. This is not the case although it is one of the requirements it is not a deal breaker. Most jobs seek candidates who have job experience “So they can’t get a job because they have no experience and in order to get a job, they need a job for work experience, but they can’t get a job without work experience and the cycle viciously continues.” Similarly the qualifications of having a competitive resume is no longer the same where one was once viewed as an asset when obtaining their Bachelor’s degree, they are not “The prestige that comes with having a degree has now become diluted with the rampant number of students graduating. You now need something more than just a degree to get you that first job out of college.” Which have forced many alumni to return to either their school or online to receive their Masters or PhD. Which not only takes time that could be investing in beginning their career but more money (loans). So where will all these potential employees work to pay off their lump sum of debt?
