Kelsey Mix – Online Editor/Copy Editor
College is fantastic, you can’t convince me otherwise. As much as I’ll complain about my classes and the endless amounts of homework, I’ve gotten very comfortable with the college lifestyle; which is why I’m dreading applying for graduation in the spring. The real world is only a few short semesters away: meaning paying bills and going to graduate school, but most importantly, finding a real job.
It doesn’t matter what field you’re studying, finding a job right out of college is a struggle. You’re eager to jump right into the workforce and you’re broke from paying off your undergrad years, so you’re pretty much desperate for whatever you can get, even if its not in your field.
Ryan Morgan, a Southern Connecticut State University graduate, knows what its like to face the working world and work in a field that she never planned as an undergrad.
“I was lucky enough to find a media internship at a small non-profit where I was given a lot of opportunities to use a variety of skills,” said Morgan, who graduated with a degree in journalism.
“After graduating, they offered me a part-time position in a different department and I took a chance on it. Today I’m full-time in a totally different field than I ever planned on and I love what I do,” said Morgan.
According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census 2010 American Community Survey, only 27 percent of college students find a job within their major after they graduate. This means that 73 percent of college graduates don’t even use their degree that they’ve spent four (or more likely five) years and thousands of dollars for.
So if you decide to take Morgan’s route and change fields post-graduation, finding a job is what matters, and that’s what Southern is preparing us all for.
“My advisor pushed me to say yes to everything and constantly stay ahead of the competition,” said Morgan. “I think that drive is what helped me secure the full-time position where I am today and I’m thankful.”
Nicole Velazquez, senior liberal arts major, agrees with Morgan in the sense that Southern has helped prepare her for the real world. She believes that the resources on campus should be taken advantage of in order to succeed.
“I think they have [prepared me] with providing all the resources needed like the Career Center and I have a good advisor,” said Velazquez, “but you have to be willing to do the work. If you don’t use what’s available to you on campus then you will feel like you aren’t prepared.”
Now that we’re prepared with the degree that we may or may not use, we have to consider the scary truth: there may not be any jobs in the field you’ve been studying for the past few years. Every field is different; take teaching for example. No one really wants to teach science or math, so naturally those teaching positions are highest in demand.
Morgan, who works at the Governor’s Prevention Partnership in Wethersfield, Conn., knows there are jobs available in the prevention field.
“The prevention field offers a lot of opportunities,” said Morgan. “I’m thinking I would like to pursue a Master’s degree to be a school guidance counselor.”
Jobs such as a guidance counselor or teacher obviously require more schooling, which some graduates are trying to avoid. Velazquez is minoring in history, psychology and women’s studies, so she has more than one option after graduation in May.
“If I went in the route of history, I could work within museums and they tend to always need people,” said Velazquez. “While women’s studies and psychology would allow me to work with Planned Parenthood and other organizations of that nature.”
Although those are jobs within her major’s field, those workplaces and organizations tend to have volunteer opportunities at first, and then you work your way up eventually. For a recently graduated adult, I can’t imagine volunteering sounds better than a potential paying job.
One popular option after graduation is to attend graduate school for your Master’s and even beyond depending on your career. This is a great option to look more appealing to potential employers…but to also burn a deeper hole in your wallet.
Whatever your decision after graduation, I wish you the best of luck.
“As long as you keep trying to find new ways to grow and learn, life will stay sweet,” said Morgan. “A little luck and hard work never hurt either!”
