College Major & Impact on Job Search

Ask most what they wanted to do after high school and more likely than not they will say “I wanted to go to university” which, generally speaking, is a good idea but after graduation many realize that both going to college and picking the right major are the keys to career financial success and a foundational element of any job search.  According to a recent report 53% of new graduates are either jobless or underemployed; meaning they do not have a job or have a job that is not related to their college major.  In particular liberal arts majors (i.e. psychology, fine arts, humanities, etc.) have the highest unemployment rate among college graduates whereas engineering, Healthcare or IT majors have the lowest unemployment rate.

Why is this the case?  It is simple supply and demand; plus, many people don't know "what they want to be when they grow up" and don't get proper guidance about the long term consequences of certain majors. 

So what’s the solution?  If you currently have a 4 year degree that does not pay well and want to make more money you need to reeducate yourself and go back school but this time you must be strategic.  Pick an area that has a good return on investment (ROI); this will typically mean going to a local community college to get a technical specialization or pursuing an in-state graduate degree.  The best source of information on majors or career specializations and salary information is the Occupational Outlook Handbook.  Also, after you research your career do a quick search on indeed.com and see if there are many job openings in that field; if there are then that major will more than likely be good for your financial health.  

With that said, I generally advise against changing careers because it can really impact your earnings and slow down career progression so really think long and hard before you go down that road.   If after considering many factors you still think it is worth it then by all means do it – time is the most precious resource of all.

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Now got get em’

recruiterMikeC

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