Why a College Degree Won't Get You a Job

I think the biggest lie my generation was fed as we went through school was to do well in high school to get into a good college. Once you got a degree from a good college, you would be set for life. Well, I studied hard, did well in high school, and got into a wonderful private university in Georgetown, Texas. I studied hard there and, with the help of summer classes, managed to graduate a semester early with a pretty high GPA. That was two years ago, and since then I've had one steady job as an administrator in Kansas City for nine months. When I quit to move back to Texas I started doing some contract work. That and writing have been the only employment I've been able to find since moving back. If I had a dollar for every opportunity I didn't have the work experience for, or every rejection letter stating that they were looking for someone with more experience (keep in mind, this is for entry level jobs), well I wouldn't need to be looking for a job! The fact is a college degree, no matter what school it's from, is no longer enough.

One of the biggest factors in securing a job is internships held during college. On their Career Services website, Southwestern University has a four year plan for students, and for freshman, sophomore, and junior years they recommend internships. Internships not only help students to explore their interests and possible career paths, they also provide students a chance to learn necessary job related skills and give students experience to put on their resumes. Even many so-called entry level jobs now require some kind of previous experience, so these summer or semester internships provide students the needed experience to secure jobs.

Another important factor employers look at is campus involvement. Southwestern's four year plan encourages students to get involved in things that interest them on campus, particularly things that will help diversify their interests. In an article for The Boston Globe titled "20 To-Dos Now to Get a Good Job Later", Penelope Trunk encourages students to not only be involved in clubs but to also play sports. She states that people who play sports tend to have greater monetary success than those who do not. She also suggests that the team mentality seems to be the greater factor, as she shows no correlation between athletic ability and monetary success.

Keep in mind this is not to say that academic success is not important. Many internships have GPA requirements (usually at least a 3.0), so academics still have a deciding role in success after college. However, a high GPA on its own will not help you to secure a good job after graduation. Southwestern University's website and Penelope Trunk's article both list many more factors that will help students secure jobs after college, but the two discussed above have been the most pertinent as I have conducted my own job search. Essentially, companies are looking for well-rounded, well educated, highly trained individuals. College classrooms only provide the education. The rest comes from clubs, sports, volunteering, and internships.

Citations:

Office of Career Services, "Four Year Plan." Southwestern University.

Penelope Trunk, "20 To-Dos Now to Get a Good Job Later." The Boston Globe.