The Career-Minded Student

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Book excerpt

Chapter 1: Introduction

College and high school students have it tough.  They are told that they need a college degree to achieve success, and then they are told what few degrees the “experts” consider to be of true value.  Finally, these weary students are sent off with little training on how to succeed academically and to prepare to compete for jobs right after graduating with a college degree and little to no relevant experience.  No wonder why college students are so stressed and too often fail to graduate.  This book is meant to compensate for this failing of American educational systems.

With twenty plus years providing academic, career and personal counseling to college students, I have compiled a list of steps for students to take to excel in their college classes, to gain useful career insight and to be competitive for jobs immediately after graduation.  From experience, students who follow these steps usually excel in their classes, graduate with a degree and obtain a job in their chosen field soon after graduation.  Having read too many reports about the low graduation rates at colleges and universities, and having heard countless students rightfully complain of the lack of realistic preparation they are given, I wrote this book so that students besides my own advisees would have a blueprint for success.  Now, before diving into the pages of advice herein, there are a few things I think you should be aware of.

First of all, I don’t care what degree you pursue.  It’s your life and you should follow the path that best fits your abilities and interests.  I obtained both a bachelor’s and a master’s in Anthropology and am quite happy with the career I’ve had.  It’s funny, quite a few people told me Anthropology was a “useless” degree.  Yet, my studies in Anthropology well prepared me for all my jobs, and I am more than satisfied with my subsequent career.  To that end, I will not tell anyone what degree or career path to pursue.  It’s your decision just as Anthropology was mine.  What is important is that you research yourself and your career interests to see what major best fits your career and personal goals.  Don’t worry, we’ll cover degree and career research later on in this book.

A second thing to recognize is that a bachelor’s or graduate (master’s or doctorate) are not necessary for every career path.  However, ‘higher education’ is necessary whether that education is an associate’s degree program at an accredited community college or a trade school (carpentry, plumbing, etc.).  In some instances, an online certificate program may be all that you need to get started on your career path.  Whatever the case, gaining knowledge beyond high school is generally required.  That is why it is critical that individuals study their career interests as soon and as thoroughly as possible to determine the level of higher education needed.

Lastly, you will notice I provide a lot of study strategies in this book.  Why?  Career success is often dependent on doing well in classes, because you won’t get a college degree if you don’t pass your classes or do well in a job if you failed to retain relevant knowledge and skills.  Consequently, it is imperative to enter college with the skill sets needed to excel academically.  Otherwise, all your career preparation will be useless as most good paying jobs require a college degree in order for a job applicant to even be considered for an interview.

Special Note to Transfer Students

            Transfer students have long been a concern for colleges and universities as this pool of students generally struggles to find academic and, ultimately, career success.  From my discussions with transfer students, I found that they often feel lost in or ignored by their new college or university.  At the same time, I found that transfer students were unfamiliar with all the resources their new campus had and were reluctant to seek help.  A major reason for my writing this book was in fact to confront this dilemma.  We, the faculty and staff of colleges and universities, want our transfer students to be as successful as every other student on the campus.  We want transfer students to ask us for academic and career guidance.  You truly matter to us; just ask for help whenever needed.  For starters, I recommend that all transfer students find a mentor/advisor within her/his major department and meet with that mentor bi-weekly.  This should be done within the first month after admission to the college.  Also, transfer students should attend any orientation programs offered by their new college.  These programs will help familiarize students with the campus layout and academic resources, not to mention faculty students will likely take classes with at some point.  Remember, these programs offer a great opportunity for students to get questions answered.

Next, a transfer student should visit the college’s career center and familiarize herself/himself with the center’s resources connected to the student’s major.  Lastly, transfer students should join a club connected with their major or one of their hobbies.  From my experience, transfer students who follow through on this advice tend to achieve academic and career success.