It is part of the dream. The ideal that colleges sell to us. Not only will you graduate from college with a degree but you will also find a job that you love. The theory is that there is a vocation that suits all of us. We all have exclusive talents or passions for certain careers and college supports us in nurturing those talents to an employable level.
An investment in a college degree is as much an investment in the rest of your working life which is why tuition fees are ultimately deemed worth it. What is a little debt for the career of your dreams? At the end of the day you are investing in what will become the biggest portion of your entire life. The time we spend at work tends to define who we are: workaholic, laid back, meticulous, creative, loyal, or somewhat disenfranchised by the whole ordeal.
We spend tens of thousands of dollars on something that will bring us reputation, reward and happiness. An article written in August 2013 suggests that graduates are in fact unhappy in work.
If you’re a college graduate and unhappy at work, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re outpacing your peers without degrees in the disengagement category, per a new study conducted by Gallup (Vicki 2013)
The survey approached 150,000 adults of varying ages. The result was that 55% of graduates do not feel engaged at work – in fact they feel emotionally disconnected from their workplace. This compares to 48.2% of disengaged individuals whose schooling ended at high school.
There could be many reasons for these statistics but there is one I can vouch for because I experienced it myself. I graduated with the career of my dreams in mind only to find that the government had pulled funding to the sector and so jobs were very difficult to come by. I went through several years of gloom trying to find something that satisfied my hunger for what I left University passionate for.
I have found my career now and I would class myself as engaged and content with my lot. But, if was so nearly very different. Colleges build up your expectations until you are only interested in one route through life. If that route fails to meet your expectations then you quickly become disillusioned.
This is just a short blog with a simple message. Have interests outside of college and build them so that when work fails to deliver engaging moments you are fed from other sources. Or, opt for a job that can build into something special where you know you are working from the ground up towards a final achievement. That way, you may bypass college but you are certain about the route you are on.
A dream really is just a dream until your realise it and a college degree is not a ticket into your favourite career. Try and avoid a sad future by being realistic and doing your research over what past students have gone on to do. Colleges do not exchange your hard earned money for the precise product you have in mind. It is a bit of a gamble, a fight, and a struggle so be wise with your college investment. There is more than one way to live the dream!
Vicki Salemi (2013). College grads are sad, jobs report says. Accessed online 15/12/13: http://www.metro.us/newyork/lifestyle/2013/08/04/college-graduates-grads-sad-jobs-report/#sthash.vI2xGX0i.dpuf
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