May

23

My Father Was Right: Bachelors Degree is Not Enough

May 23, 2008 |

Today I was reading the news that the firms hiring the most recent graduates are Enterprise-Rent-A-Car, Walgreen’s, and Progressive Insurance. It almost matches my father’s pessimistic and proven-inaccurate prediction that by the time I finish college the average college graduate would only find a job at McDonald’s, and the average High School Graduate will find no jobs. Although he was probably exaggerating – maybe to increase awareness – there was some truth into it.

In today’s market there are more people with Bachelors Degrees. Many B.A.’s and B.S.. Some of them are good candidates for the current job market.  I have a Bachelors Degree (B.S.) in Engineering. I do not have a Masters, nor PhD and I have absolutely no plans to pursue one ever. I am just not cut to be academic. I could if I wanted, but it would be an effort beyond my current desire.

I have had some advantages, however. I did graduated from a career in high demand. Engineers, especially on the IT world can have a great salary just by graduating college. Most careers do not enjoy such an advantage. I know how to produce and work hard.  I learned how to associate my work to things that sell. Another advantage: I am not afraid to sell – especially to sell what I can produce. Early in my career I got bored with the current production (engineering) task at that time and moved into pre-sales engineering (half produce half sales). I gained skills and confidence that allow me to sell – at least in a rudimentary way.  (Produce and/or Sell)

Some things we probably have to keep in mind (in no particular order):

  • Study what you want – Go for the career that you would enjoy doing for free, and learn hard. Really hard. And upon graduation, decide if you need graduate studies. And decide to work hard for what you like.
  • Study if you really want – A plumber may (or may not) earn more than an English literature B.A. My plumber charges $200/hour. Don’t feel forced to go to college. Find a career you really like and then meet the requirements. Or go to college because you enjoy the career you will study and are willing to put the extra effort.
  • Study More - If you do not feel at the level you want to be on your career upon graduation, take advantage of young age.  Study while you still have energy.  Get a graduate degree while you haven’t had a taste for money (salary) — be it sweet or sour.  Study until you feel ready for what you want.
  • Work Hard – Really Hard. College is not a free pass to have an easy life. College is a great way to learn, to be more educated, to understand the world better. It is also a great tool to land a job. But moving above the average $30 to $50,000 starting salary for a recent college grad requires hard work, lots of it.
  • Recognize that Some Careers are More Difficult than Others – People joke about some careers being easier than others (at least in college). What I have found is that how easy is a career at college has no relation to how easy it is at real life. Some careers who seem to be easy at college face difficult job markets and low salaries.  Even worse, they face steep ascents through the corporate ladder.  Nothing wrong with that, as long as people are aware of it.
  • Have Low Expectations – Expect less, achieve more. Many of us are privileged kids who where given anything we wanted by our parents. Recognize that not every career can provide the same luxury. When we go on our own we can slip down a few economical levels/classes. And that is fine – as long we understand it.
  • Teach Your Kids Realities – Parents often give mixed signals. My father also said that I should study anything I wanted. What he didn’t told me was the expected salaries for each career. Nothing wrong with earning a lot or earning a little – as long as you know you will be happy with that amount and you know what that amount will be able to buy you. Many young-adults get into debt when they suddenly discover that they have studied a career that doesn’t make it easy to earn what their parents did.  Sometimes parents think they have taught something, but maybe they where not explicit enough — or didn’t did so when the kid was paying attention.

It is a difficult job market for sure.  I think there is a good career to be made — just not always in an easy way.


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