After graduation day
As fourth-year college students prepare for their last exams, they realize that for the first time in their lives, they do not have to go back to school next year. Leaving school is both a happy and sad experience. They are happy because it marks their achievements after many years of efforts and graduation is a cause for celebration. At the same time, they are sad because it means leaving their friends and the innocent student's lives. As the last day of school is near, many are also thinking about their careers and jobs.
For graduating students, this is the time when their lives change forever. They are no longer students but adults with responsibilities. They are no longer innocent when facing with the reality of life. When they step out of their protective cocoons, they begin to realize about their career plans and their dreams. This is the time when they fully understand if their career plans are good or not. This is also the time when they realize that there is a difference among themselves. By graduation time, they will find that some friends already have job offers while others are still searching for jobs. They will find that some friends are confident that they will get something soon while others are panic on unanswered applications. They will learn about expectations from companies on job skills that they never heard of and many will be shock.
Every year, I see graduates in the library or in the school lounge with similar stories such as “I graduate with degree in history but no one wants to hire historian.”, “Do you know of any company that hire graduates in literature?” “I need a job in drama as my dream is to go to Hollywood.” This is also the time when reality and dream clash and many dreams are shattered.
Many college professors consider their jobs are to educate students but what students do with their education is not their concerns. Some do not want to talk with these distressed students. They refer them to school career counselors. Many career counselors would give students advices on how to apply for jobs or how to prepare for job interviews but limit their involvement afterward. That leaves many distressed students the feeling of being abandoned.
I often gather some of them in library to begin a serious discussion with them about their future. I start by saying that there is absolute nothing wrong with selecting a field of study that they love. There is nothing wrong if they like literature and follow their passions to be writers. There is nothing wrong with selecting drama and have a dream to be actors or actresses in Hollywood. However, do not confuse between passion and wish. There is a big difference between what they wish and their passions. No one can guarantee that following a passion will lead to what they wish. Their passion does not guarantee them to succeed, to be rich, or have fame. My advice is simple: Do not waste time being miserable. Do not feel bitter about your choices as you cannot change things in the past. Enjoy your life and do not afraid to fail. You might not be able to get a job that you want today, but you can take one small step today to improve your situation. There is something that you can do to enjoy and not feel bad such as read a good book to enjoy your day; take a walk in a park with a friend; or help someone in need and think about all the possibilities that you could do. Not getting a job at this time is not the end of the world and there are always alternatives. Would you ever consider another year or two in college to learn a new skill as an alternative choice than stay home and feel bitter? There are jobs that do not have enough people and there are people that do not have jobs. Would an additional training to a field of study in high demand is a reasonable solution?
Many students are so stressed so they do not think about the alternatives. They compare themselves with others and feel bitter. Sometime they complain: “We spend the same amount of time in college; the same amount of effort but some have good jobs, good salaries and we do not even get an interview.” I advise them not to have that negative feeling because not having job offer after graduation does not mean that they will not be successful in life or be able to enjoy life. This is not the time to dwell in bitterness but understand that they have achieved something important by complete a college education. Learning does not end there as it will continue to the rest of their lives.
Facing difficulty in finding a good job, many students are considering continue their education to learn new skills to meet the demand of the job market. According to a new figures released by the U.S government, the number of student enroll in second degrees was up by 27 percent in 2011 compared with previous year. The top choices among them are: Information technology, biotechnology, and health-care.
Actress Julia Robert did not get her acting job after studied Drama. She switched to veterinarian to earn a living but still pursued her passion. Eventually she got a small acting job in a New York theater. After several years she was offer a job in Hollywood. Brad Pitt studied Journalism but could not get a job before he failed one class in his last year. He switched to modeling clothes before getting an acting job. Tiger Wood studies economics, cannot find job than become professional Golfer. Actor Matt Damon studied English Literature, working in restaurants for years before acting. Now he is famous and makes good living, he begins to write novels (His passion). Billionaire Donald Trump studied economics and wanted to be a college professor but could find job. He became a high school teacher and invested in land where he became billionaire. Now he opens his own university where he can be a professor. Few people succeed after college, many spend years working in jobs that have nothing to do with their education, but as long as they follow their dreams and passions, some will succeed.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
