Spring semester is coming to a close. You’re either graduating, or you’re not, but either way there are some very important details about your future that you should be considering. I know you don’t need me to tell you to start thinking of your next steps for after college, so what I’m planning to do here is to be of some service and help you get your wheels turning. If you’re graduating, Oooph I send you a joyous “Congratulations!” combined with a solemn “Good Luck!” The job market is tough right now and if you happened to major (or be majoring) in something that is more of a passion for you instead of something that you’re guaranteed to make a living from (I’m talking to you, Art History majors, Philosophy, Fine Arts and the like) then I hope this article acts as just a little bit of something to help you figure out what to do next. Though I am one of the first to say that money doesn’t buy happiness, I’m also realistic. Our world unfortunately isn’t run by the barter system. If you want goods or services you need money to pay for them so this week I’m concentrating on what can help you make the best living out of whatever degree you chose to major in.
I am one of those people of which I speak. I’m getting a degree in a field which has potential for good money, but without lots of hard work and determination I’ll be spending my days sitting cozy in the middle of the middle class. I began my college career with very artistic aspirations, but when my co-workers at the radio station I was working for begged me to get a degree in something other than radio (since I’d “learn everything [I] needed to know while on the job”) I looked down more altruistic lanes. I thought about Social Work, perhaps Psychology, but I always came back to a Communication leaning degree. Unfortunately a degree in Communication is right there with a degree in Theatre or Dance in the sense that unless you get really really lucky then that degree isn’t going to make you a living very easily. I have since landed in majoring in Global Studies with a primary focus on Journalism. Now in order to make good money with this degree I’m thinking my best bet is to succeed my college degree with graduate school or at the very least an internship. When really looking at it, it seems this may be the case for many other artistic/altruistic degree holders.
Those with an Engineering or Economics degree the job market looks rather pretty for you. Just take a look at the 2010-2011 College Salary Report at payscale.com. For those of us (including myself) who don’t quite have the scientific or mathematic gift we’re going to have to work a little bit harder not just at finding jobs that fit our degree, but at actually making money in those career fields. When it comes to some of those popular “low-paying” degrees such as Political Science and Liberal Arts a logical next step for after college graduation is law school (In fact you can consider law school an option no matter what degree you majored in). It’s a great way to ensure yourself the opportunity to make good money, but it really isn’t for everyone. In American law schools students take one test for each class at the end of each semester. These single tests are worth 100% of your grade. If you’re a good test taker and self motivator then you can really succeed in law school.
There is also always the option of applying to law school somewhere other than the U.S. It’s good to know though that in the U.S. and Canada “law school” is typically a post-graduate option but in most areas of Europe it is part of your undergrad studies. Also, you would have to do your research because not all law school are the same thus graduating from law school doesn’t guarantee that you can practice law wherever you want to. If law school isn’t your “slice of pie” and you tend to be a better writer, take it from one law student I talked with who stated that he, “knows [he] isn’t the best test taker” and “wishes [he] would have gone to grad school for his Doctorate in Political Science instead” because he, “loves writing and would have not only enjoyed it more, but knows [he] would have excelled.” This type of thing can be the case for many people, and it’s good to start thinking about it.
If you’re graduating this semester with nothing lined up, or if you still have another year or two left but haven’t quite thought about what you plan to do after college, it is never too late or too early to look into options. For those graduating this spring, it may be too late to consider starting grad school in the fall, but getting an internship is a good way to cover your gap. Internships are a great choice, because not only will you be getting real world experience, you’ll also be getting your foot in the door into a career field that you want to be in. There are so many internships available, and besides your school’s career office, one of the easiest places to find out about internships is by simply searching online. You can intern in anything from non-profits, radio and television stations, to magazines like Forbes, and large and small corporations and companies. There are internships available overseas too, so for those who didn’t get the chance to study abroad while in college there are still opportunities to do something similar.
Whether you decide to do grad school, law school, an internship, or just jump right into the work force after college graduation remember that although money buys the things you want and need, happiness is what really makes life worth living. For your average person making money is unfortunately a necessity and that knowledge can lead many to believe that they have to do work that they don’t like if they really want to succeed. It’s important to know though that if you love something then you’ll excel at it, so do something you enjoy. Life is short and although money is what makes the world go round, being happy is really the most important thing.
Sources
http://www.walletpop.com/2010/05/13/10-lowest-paying-college-majors/
http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/degrees.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_school