Pay Your Dues, or Pay the Piper
Lets take a trip down memory lane to our freshmen year of high school (some may need to travel a little farther than others). I’m sure we can all remember what it was like. Nervousness filled the body, and we asked ourselves questions like, will we fit in? Will I like my classes or teacher? Is the cafeteria food really as bad as my sister said? Countless questions filled our tiny little brains, but one thing we knew for sure; we were at the bottom of the food chain. We knew we had to put in the time and work required to reap the benefits of Senior year. We knew graduating from measly middle school didn’t mean a damn thing except granting us entry into big bad high school. So if we knew the ranking of power then, why is it so hard for so many young graduates entering the workplace to understand it now?
As a member of Generation Y, I have heard employers say many good things about my generation but also several areas where we can improve. One of the most common criticisms employers have about young college graduates entering the workplace is that they want all of the benefits of a successful career, but aren’t willing to put in the work and pay their dues. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to most, since this generation has been built on coddling parents and participation awards. The belief that as long as you try your best you will be rewarded has plagued this generation and has created an entitlement type persona. If you are a college grad applying for a job and you believe that an employer “owes” you something because you have a measly college degree, you are in for a rude awakening.
Young adults are earning college degrees at a record rates, which means the chances of getting your dream job right after college is slim to none. This is why it is so important for young graduates to understand, you have to start somewhere! While at home during Christmas break, I visited a friend who had graduated last year with a Bachelors in Biology, and I was excited to hear how she was doing. To my surprise I found out she was unemployed and living at home, by choice! She told me she refuses to work at a “menial” job, and because she has her degree she will not except anything that is beneath her. I was baffled by her answer so I asked, “So you must of talked to your advisor freshmen year of high school to get transferred into senior classes since freshmen year was clearly beneath you?” She looked at me like I was crazy and responded, “Of course not!” Expecting to jump straight into your dream job is almost as crazy as thinking you can jump straight into Senior year.
Although some Universities have 90% or higher job placement rates, studies done by job placement firm Adecco show 60% of young college grads cannot find work in their field. While Economic Policy Institute showed in 2014, young college graduates had an unemployment rate of 8.5% and an underemployment rate of 16.8%.
Young graduates have to keep in mind that in todays workforce it is common to completely change careers several times throughout a lifetime, so where you begin has little to no influence on where you might end up. However, having the patience to understand that your first job is only temporary, the integrity to do that job at the best of your ability and the willpower to stay focused on your goals will make your first, that much closer to your dream.
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