Does a College Degree Really Matter?
Posted in Career Education
College students are killing themselves over their studies do they can land competitive jobs in the future.
There are people who are already part of the labor force - high school graduates and college degree owners alike - who, despite acquiring a wealth of experience and attaining mid-level managerial positions, have difficulty finding a job.
Successful and rich dropouts like Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and millionaire super athletes like Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant, both of whom, started playing professionally straight out of high school, got people wondering if they should bother (or should have bothered) getting a college degree at all.
The importance of earning a college degree
In the past, college was optional. Not it is a minimum requirement for getting a good job and having some success in the labor force.
There are some people who, though they have already attained mid-level managerial positions, believe that the lack of a college degree has kept them from advancing in their careers further.
And then there are those who left college for one reason or another, who have no experience and who started their careers late. Yet they have no trouble getting employed. - promoted even.
Why do such scenarios happen. Perhaps, it depends on the position you're after?
We all have our opinions regarding this matter. Most people agree though, that a college degree can lead to more career possibilities.
First and foremost, although studies have shown that college degree holders earn 75 percent more than, they do not claim that getting a college degree guarantees that. Career opportunities are called opportunities because they are exactly that: opportunities. Possibilities. Chances.
Are you up to for the task?
Charles Murray, author of the "The Bell Curve" says that "most college degrees don't necessarily qualify the graduate for anything."
To illustrate his point, Murray gives the following example: ""Walk into Microsoft or Google with evidence that you're a brilliant hacker, and the job interviewer is not going to fret if you lack a college transcript."
Murray thinks that showing an employer proof that you are up to the task despite the lack of a degree will become more acceptable as companies become better-informed about what it takes to do the job and what a college degree provides.
To illustrate Murray's belief, here are a few examples: Murry Gerber, President and CEO of Equitable Resources, was a geology major at Augustana College; Carly Fiorina, formerly of Hewlett Packard, majored in medieval history and philosophy and Michael Eisner, formerly of Disney, majored in English and never took a single business course.
Your degree, your GPA, the name of your school. These factors can only take you so far (if at all). Ultimately, it will boil down to your skills, your attitude, believing in abilities and and how you conduct and present yourself.
