Party's over. Was it worth it?
Bachelor's degree does not guarantee jobs in your field
Anna Camp
Issue date: 11/23/05 Section: Features
Since the 2001 recession, the wages of college-educated workers has dropped, suggesting employers increasingly take degrees for granted, Hecker said.
Richardson said she recognizes that attitude daily.
"I feel like a bachelor's degree is like a high school diploma was 10 years ago," she said. "It's as if employers don't value it as much anymore."
Students' Role in the Equation
Hecker also said some reasons for the difficulty many bachelor's degree-holders have finding a job can be directed at their own motivation to prepare for life after college.
"Many of them didn't develop the skills employers were looking for while in college, and some of this is due to their choice of a major that does not lead directly into a specific job field, such as a communications major or a liberal arts major," Hecker said.
He said some graduates are increasingly choosing lower-level jobs that are not as financially rewarding as others because of a passion for a subject such as art, music or teaching. In these cases, he said a love of the job is more important than a larger paycheck.
"There are a lot of factors feeding into the equation that's leading to a changing job market for bachelor's degree-holders," he said. "Some of the factors are unavoidable, but some of them are in the hands of the degree-holder."
Hecker said he warns college students, "Make sure you're acquiring the right skills for the job you want, and have an internship or some experience more than a bachelor's degree, although for some jobs, know you'll have to go on to get another degree."
Richardson said: "I keep telling my friends that are in school to get more experience with real employers in their job field working as interns or employees before they graduate. I know that if I had really gotten myself ready this way, I wouldn't be where I am now."
Jenny Cureton, assistant director of career development for TCU Career Services, said she does not think students are getting enough real-world experience in their fields before they graduate.
Richardson said she recognizes that attitude daily.
"I feel like a bachelor's degree is like a high school diploma was 10 years ago," she said. "It's as if employers don't value it as much anymore."
Students' Role in the Equation
Hecker also said some reasons for the difficulty many bachelor's degree-holders have finding a job can be directed at their own motivation to prepare for life after college.
"Many of them didn't develop the skills employers were looking for while in college, and some of this is due to their choice of a major that does not lead directly into a specific job field, such as a communications major or a liberal arts major," Hecker said.
He said some graduates are increasingly choosing lower-level jobs that are not as financially rewarding as others because of a passion for a subject such as art, music or teaching. In these cases, he said a love of the job is more important than a larger paycheck.
"There are a lot of factors feeding into the equation that's leading to a changing job market for bachelor's degree-holders," he said. "Some of the factors are unavoidable, but some of them are in the hands of the degree-holder."
Hecker said he warns college students, "Make sure you're acquiring the right skills for the job you want, and have an internship or some experience more than a bachelor's degree, although for some jobs, know you'll have to go on to get another degree."
Richardson said: "I keep telling my friends that are in school to get more experience with real employers in their job field working as interns or employees before they graduate. I know that if I had really gotten myself ready this way, I wouldn't be where I am now."
Jenny Cureton, assistant director of career development for TCU Career Services, said she does not think students are getting enough real-world experience in their fields before they graduate.
