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Health & Fitness

Blog: Check the Numbers, Unemployment for Many Professions At All Time High

With so many unemployed college graduates, employers are looking for experience. Students should USE that internship to network, get experience and get a job in their major at the end of college.

For those students who think they know what they want to do…please check to see if you will be able to put food on the table with your chosen field of study.   

For some professions, one doesn’t need a 4-year degree.  Many students are being admitted to grad school who are unlikely to find career advancement worth the cost.   

According to a report issued in June 2012 by the Association for Legal Career Professionals, the overall employment rate for those who graduated law school in 2011 is the lowest since 1994. But that figure doesn't reflect just how bad the job market is. Many law graduates are landing jobs for which they didn't need to go to law school (many times taking out loans to do so).

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We see a lot of students who want to go into the soft sciences…having NO idea what the labor market will bear.  Psychology and Communications seem to be the most popular among girls…and many guys seem to want Business.  And to add insult to injury, many want to go to a large public research university.  Without going down that trail…just realize that UCLA or Berkeley for an undergrad is NOT the same labor outcome or education experience that was had a generation ago. 

We see students who want to dance, or act, or sing, or paint…none of which need a degree.  A family just came in last week, and the daughter was a big fish in her small pond of a high school.  She had put all her time into singing and acting, and her grades and test scores suffered.  The family would have to take out loans for her to attend college…My advice was for the student to work in community theater first, and intern and network.  This is the same process she would have to do 4 years from now…only she would likely have a lot of debt.   

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Is college a good choice for a non-academic artist?  Only the family can decide, but if it were my money, and my student, the answer would be no.  Students who have a passion for philosophy or literature will also likely hit a lot of roadblocks in a job search.  Pursuing a degree in the soft sciences / humanities isn’t always a good idea if the family can’t write a check.

I get calls frequently from recent public college graduates who ask me about employment …and without guidance, they tend to take their unmarketable degree, go into more debt, and get an unmarketable graduate degree. 

Don’t misunderstand me…I am totally FOR higher education for the right student, but like every resource, you want to have a good ROI.  If your child is weak in math, engineering is NOT the field for them, even though it is marketable.

Probably, the biggest piece of advice I can give is to WORK in college.  Not just a small job in the food court or library…but get an internship or apprenticeship.  With so many unemployed college graduates, employers are also looking for ROI, and are looking for experience.  Students want to USE that internship to network, glean experience and information and hopefully get a paying job in their field of interest at the end of college.

Tell all your friends about our “Maritime College Series” at our office in the harbor…8/1 at 6:30 pm.  And for a chance to win a $1,000 software package.  For free seminars, WEBinars, and useful tools to help guide the college planning process, please go to www.GetCollegeFunding.org, and sign up for our "7 Mistakes Most Parents Make When Planning For College".

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