NationStates Jolt Archive

Major being one of the following:
Low to no job prospects
Low to no practical application
Just utterly, utterly pointless

Or if you don't like that question - know any bullshit majors?

Every major has "job prospects" so long as you stay within academia, so it matters what you mean by this.

Every major has "job prospects" so long as you stay within academia, so it matters what you mean by this.

You need honours to stay within academia.

You need honours to stay within academia.

Not in the US.

There are some that I think are rather bullshit, but none are "useless." There are job prospects for pretty much all of them.

No. Any degree is valuable for the sake of having a college degree on your resume.

You need honours to stay within academia.

No, you just need to go to school for an even longer period.

Not in the US.

Wtf? Really?

Wtf? Really?

You just have to get post-graduate education really. There are so many places to apply for grad school that if you're set on getting your master's, and/or doctorate, you can if you want to do that much work.

Art from a woman I know who basically got the exact same job as everyone who left school at 16

though I'd say they are all pretty useless if they are not in your career choice

You just have to get post-graduate education really. There are so many places to apply for grad school that if you're set on getting your master's, and/or doctorate, you can if you want to do that much work.

You have to do honours in undergrad here to go to grad school.

Like almost everything, it's in how you use it.

Though if there is, I went for the triple crown-
AA in Music, BA in Film and Digital Media, and graduate degree in Playwrighting.

I'm unemployable!

You have to do honours in undergrad here to go to grad school.

meh?
Admission to a master's program generally requires a bachelor's degree in a related field, with sufficiently high grades usually ranging from B+ and higher (note that different schools have different letter grade conventions, and this requirement may be significantly higher in some faculties), and recommendations from professors.

??

In American universities, while a B average or higher qualifies you for Honors, it does not necessitate honors courses and certainly greatly helps applicants get into graduate school. Though, as has been said, there are so many various universities of varying caliber and recognition, that it's likely one will be able to find a place, no matter their grades, and perhaps transfer afterwards.

Yes.

meh?


??

In American universities, while a B average or higher qualifies you for Honors, it does not necessitate honors courses and certainly greatly helps applicants get into graduate school. Though, as has been said, there are so many various universities of varying caliber and recognition, that it's likely one will be able to find a place, no matter their grades, and perhaps transfer afterwards.

your tier one requires a B + to an A. Tier 2 schools are normally for B students. also results on the GRE,LSAT, and so on can affect admissions too.

Like almost everything, it's in how you use it.

Though if there is, I went for the triple crown-
AA in Music, BA in Film and Digital Media, and graduate degree in Playwrighting.

I'm unemployable!

I got a BA in History, how do you think I feel?

Philosophy perhaps.

Philosophy perhaps.

Philosophy is generally a supplemental major or for those who go on to graduate school, in my experience.

An MFA in Creative Writing. In the words of one of my professors (who herself got that degree):
"You've got this degree, and it is meaningless until you've published a book. And then nobody cares about the MFA because you've got a book."

History, certainly.

Also, mechanical engineering.

>.>
<.<

XD

I got a BA in History, how do you think I feel?

my history professors keep hawking that more history majors get into law school then pre laws.

The OP question depends on what degree, and the times in which it's earned. If the economy collapses, my degrees in music education will be less than useless. I cross my fingers a lot.

my history professors keep hawking that more history majors get into law school then pre laws.

That's because pre-law is a shitty major in the first place.

Any degree that has to do with natural resources, especially engineering in those fields, is very risky if you're graduating at the wrong time probably even moreso than many others. Recall that during the mid-1980's the oil and natural resources industries went in to a slump so severe that the number one employer of petroleum engineers in Texas was...Safeway. A lot of others such as the fine arts or history are generally safe from economic conditions; you kind of trade low cyclical risk for the fact that there are never very many positions out there regardless of economic conditions.

Hell, even accounting is in bad shape right now...I'm really not confident I'll be able to get any kind of internship next summer especially if the automakers suffer a spectacular collapse.

Poli Sci. Trust me.

Hell, even accounting is in bad shape right now...I'm really not confident I'll be able to get any kind of internship next summer especially if the automakers suffer a spectacular collapse.

My brother is a CPA, and he doesn't seem to be suffering any. Of course he's employed by Grant Thornton, so that may have something to do with it.

My brother is a CPA, and he doesn't seem to be suffering any. Of course he's employed by Grant Thornton, so that may have something to do with it.

Ah, but here's the Catch-22: I can't get my CPA license unless I have a year's worth of experience (not to mention I still need to complete my major and pass the exam), but it's tough to get experience because the economy has encouraged belt-tightening that makes companies less likely to take on unexperienced interns which means the positions that are available are either full-time ones for CPAs or ones targeted at seniors completing their coursework and getting ready for the transition in to their career.

I'm doing a degree in Journalism and English Literature...even the News companies are starting to let people go. Then again I've heard a lot of journalists go into consultancy and PR.

Ah, but here's the Catch-22: I can't get my CPA license unless I have a year's worth of experience (not to mention I still need to complete my major and pass the exam), but it's tough to get experience because the economy has encouraged belt-tightening that makes companies less likely to take on unexperienced interns which means the positions that are available are either full-time ones for CPAs or ones targeted at seniors completing their coursework and getting ready for the transition in to their career.

Yea, my brother got lucky, he got his CPA a year before the economy decided that a nose dive would be fun.

Yea, my brother got lucky, he got his CPA a year before the economy decided that a nose dive would be fun.

With any luck it will be better in 2010 when I graduate, but who knows?

With any luck it will be better in 2010 when I graduate, but who knows?

Do you plan to get a Master?

A Bachelor of Creative Industries Interdisciplinary is pretty bullshit. It's kind of like a Bachelor of Arts. You pick - for example - 2 majors, a minor and four electives, then you pick from lists that are from different schools of arts, for example, I majored in Film and Television and minored in Performance. It would be an amazing course with great job prospects if the university that offers it didn't screw it all up. They made it so confusing and strict and introduced ridiculous core units that were called, for example "Approaching Interdisciplinarity", and all of the students were idiots who got in because they weren't talented enough to get into a Bachelor of Fine Arts. It should be the most amazing course in the world - it was, in fact, the first of it's kind - but it got all screwed up... So I changed.

Now I'm doing a Bachelor of Fine Arts Film and Screen Production. It doesn't really have any amazing job prospects unless you're super-talented, productive and willing to go from job to job, especially in my country.

It's the person that makes the degree, not the degree that makes the person.

No. Any degree is valuable for the sake of having a college degree on your resume.

Thats proved totally valuable to me... its kept me from getting I don't know how many jobs.

I have two degrees, a Bachelor's in Graphic Art and an Associate in Business that I got simultaneously. Neither one has proven any real use in my life.

Any degree that has to do with natural resources, especially engineering in those fields, is very risky if you're graduating at the wrong time probably even moreso than many others. Recall that during the mid-1980's the oil and natural resources industries went in to a slump so severe that the number one employer of petroleum engineers in Texas was...Safeway. A lot of others such as the fine arts or history are generally safe from economic conditions; you kind of trade low cyclical risk for the fact that there are never very many positions out there regardless of economic conditions.

As far as engineering goes, if you pass the PE exam in California (it has two halves - the national and California-specific parts), then you're in good shape for an international job because the California-specific portion deals with structural and geospatial information dealing with earthquakes.

Speaking of majors, considering that my major, Civil Engineering, is currently impacted due to a)our administrators being fucktards, and b)state funding considerations, I'm seriously considering either double-majoring or minoring in Construction Engineering Technology, or minoring in Math or Mechanical Engineering or something.

Thats proved totally valuable to me... its kept me from getting I don't know how many jobs.

I have two degrees, a Bachelor's in Graphic Art and an Associate in Business that I got simultaneously. Neither one has proven any real use in my life.

And how many more jobs do you think you would have not got if you had no college degree on your resume?

business.

no, seriously, hear me out.

sure, it really does help with the job prospects, but that's due to a lack of imagination among the professional managerial class rather than business majors having any particular skills that the degree got them. the world would be a better place if business majors were forced to get real degrees.

business.

no, seriously, hear me out.

You mean, you have to explain it?

I thought it went without saying...

So many people do business though.

Philosophy perhaps.

philosophy is perhaps the epitome of non-job training higher education. it is rigorous and explicit training in the ultimate portable skill set; creativity, critical thinking, problem spotting and problem solving, written and oral communication skills, etc. the problem you get with philosophers is one of temperament - they could do pretty much anything, but you'll have to convince them the particular pursuit is worthwhile.

And how many more jobs do you think you would have not got if you had no college degree on your resume?

As I have only had 3 jobs since graduating from college and I have applied to roughly 150 jobs since I graduated... you do the math. 50 of the jobs I applied for where in my field, I did not get a single one because I lacked experience, the other 97 I didn't get... I would like you to hazard a guess as to why I didn't get them.

philosophy is perhaps the epitome of non-job training higher education. it is rigorous and explicit training in the ultimate portable skill set; creativity, critical thinking, problem spotting and problem solving, written and oral communication skills, etc. the problem you get with philosophers is one of temperament - they could do pretty much anything, but you'll have to convince them the particular pursuit is worthwhile.

Not something, in my experience, that employers are likely to do. :tongue: Most of them have no clue what to do with you, don't understand why you applied, and need a good deal of convincing that you do belong there.

Not something, in my experience, that employers are likely to do. :tongue: Most of them have no clue what to do with you, don't understand why you applied, and need a good deal of convincing that you do belong there.

so much the worse for employers. as i said, the professional managerial class are pretty much mindless drones. my plans are more long-range, more about making society better rather than catering to such as them. thus my claim that a business degree is one of the few truly worthless ones.

Major Burns is pretty useless.

What a dumbass :D

so much the worse for employers. as i said, the professional managerial class are pretty much mindless drones. my plans are more long-range, more about making society better rather than catering to such as them. thus my claim that a business degree is one of the few truly worthless ones.
Is that based on experience with managers?

If you get a 2:1 or better, no, otherwise, any humanity. And I say this as a History student.

If you get a 2:1 or better, no, otherwise, any humanity. And I say this as a History student.

the problem with history is you need another degree afterwords a history degree on its own is only useful for teaching English in Asia.

the problem with history is you need another degree afterwords a history degree on its own is only useful for teaching English in Asia.
I can also speak French and German, and basically just want to go into the Civil Service.

I can also speak French and German, and basically just want to go into the Civil Service.

I wish I could to that. The mutlilingual always impress me; it's something I have a lot of trouble with.
So even if you don't get a job and are forced to panhandle, you'll at least have the knowledge that you impressed the anonymous American from the Internet forum you used to post on before you sold your computer for booze. That has to be worth at least something.

I wish I could to that. The mutlilingual always impress me; it's something I have a lot of trouble with.
If you can speak English, you're set. I just speak other languages because it makes people more polite, combined with my classic British charm and all.
So even if you don't get a job and are forced to panhandle, you'll at least have the knowledge that you impressed the anonymous American from the Internet forum you used to post on before you sold your computer for booze. That has to be worth at least something.
I wouldn't sell my PC for booze. For one thing, it's about the only thing in my life that stops me going to the pub every day :tongue:

business.

no, seriously, hear me out.

sure, it really does help with the job prospects, but that's due to a lack of imagination among the professional managerial class rather than business majors having any particular skills that the degree got them. the world would be a better place if business majors were forced to get real degrees.

Amen brother.

If you can speak English, you're set. I just speak other languages because it makes people more polite, combined with my classic British charm and all.
Well, there's the other problem. As a boorish American, people are even less willing to try to understand my ridiculous gestures or idiotic shouting. The Hawaiian shirt is another turn-off, I think.

Well, there's the other problem. As a boorish American, people are even less willing to try to understand my ridiculous gestures or idiotic shouting. The Hawaiian shirt is another turn-off, I think.
Claim you're Canadian and wear a 3-piece, and your problems will be a thing of the past.

I can also speak French and German, and basically just want to go into the Civil Service.

i speak Korean and Chinese and want to get into the Foreign service.

i speak Korean and Chinese and want to get into the Foreign service.
Good for you, hope you're not too white.

Good for you, hope you're not too white.

pale as a cloud.

Well... I think there are quite a few majors that make life a little more difficult but it's better to have a Music Appreciation major than to not have one at all.

philosophy is perhaps the epitome of non-job training higher education. it is rigorous and explicit training in the ultimate portable skill set; creativity, critical thinking, problem spotting and problem solving, written and oral communication skills, etc. the problem you get with philosophers is one of temperament - they could do pretty much anything, but you'll have to convince them the particular pursuit is worthwhile.

So basically the jack of all trades, but the master of none?

so much the worse for employers. as i said, the professional managerial class are pretty much mindless drones. my plans are more long-range, more about making society better rather than catering to such as them. thus my claim that a business degree is one of the few truly worthless ones.

Yea, but the Business Majors are able to get jobs. So far my BA in History has been worthless in the "gainful employment" department. So far, every job I have applied for, I'm either under qualified, or over qualified.

the problem with history is you need another degree afterwords a history degree on its own is only useful for teaching English in Asia.

Amen...I should've gotten a degree in business...

Yea, but the Business Majors are able to get jobs. So far my BA in History has been worthless in the "gainful employment" department. So far, every job I have applied for, I'm either under qualified, or over qualified.

My problem exactly.

Amen...I should've gotten a degree in business...

Hasn't helped me much.

Amen...I should've gotten a degree in business...
You get a decent degree or what?

My problem exactly.



Hasn't helped me much.

Bah...then what degree is worth it? Because so far, I may just start using my diploma as toilet paper...

Amen...I should've gotten a degree in business...

just go for law school. or get a masters degree.

just go for law school. or get a masters degree.

Have you seen me debate in here? Not exactly my strong suit. I may go back and get a bachelor, master and a PhD in Psychology. I took Abnormal Psych back in the Fall of '07 and I loved it! I'm trying to see if I can specialize in Abnormal Psychology.

Bah...then what degree is worth it? Because so far, I may just start using my diploma as toilet paper...

What might make you laugh, is I wanted to get a History Degree...

But then again I wanted to get into education.

I have a bachelor's in Fine Arts...my family says I can now color inside the lines.

I should've just painted my own degree rather than dump lots of money into a curriculum just to get a piece of paper that says I can paint and draw.

But hey! Everyone knows a starving artist!

Have you seen me debate in here? Not exactly my strong suit. I may go back and get a bachelor, master and a PhD in Psychology. I took Abnormal Psych back in the Fall of '07 and I loved it! I'm trying to see if I can specialize in Abnormal Psychology.

well with a master's degree you can be a base / unit historian for a military unit.

pay in the 40k range but loan repayment and government benefits.

not all lawyers are trial lawyers. you could easily be focused in other areas.

you could easily be focused in other areas.

Like what?

Like what?

Research, law librarianship, fields that rarely require any form of argument beyond the most basic (that's the great majority of the profession, btw).

Research, law librarianship, fields that rarely require any form of argument beyond the most basic (that's the great majority of the profession, btw).

Hmm....*goes to google law librarianship*

Hmm....*goes to google law librarianship*

also if your willing to tolerate pretending to be a fundie. apply to a law school ran by evangelicals and say your grades were low in undergrad because those liberal professors discriminated against you.

So basically the jack of all trades, but the master of none?

more like a jack of all trades, master of whatever they happen to put their mind to. that's what i mean by calling it the ultimate portable skill set. mastery of something comes later, with experience. but give me the girl who is a generalist at the start rather than a well trained space monkey that knows which lever to push.

Yea, but the Business Majors are able to get jobs. So far my BA in History has been worthless in the "gainful employment" department. So far, every job I have applied for, I'm either under qualified, or over qualified.

well, try not to think of it like your degree should give you a particular class of job, but rather think about what skills you acquired from working in that field, and how those skills might be put to use somewhere else. after that, it's all about the networking - applications have never worked for me outside of academia

Political science has got to be one of the least worthwhile diplomas out there (since a child could do a better job than most of the politicians who supposedly earned these degrees.) However, I can safely say that any Bachelor's is better than nothing, because a lot of employers out there will hire someone with a Bachelor's, no matter how unqualified, in preference over a High School grad. It might not be morally right, but it's true.

just go for law school.

Fuck off. You actually have to have a brain for that.

Is there such a thing as a "uselesS" major?
Major being one of the following:
Low to no job prospects
Low to no practical application
Just utterly, utterly pointless

About half of them.

Fuck off. You actually have to have a brain for that.

now now i wasn't suggesting you go to law school.

now now i wasn't suggesting you go to law school.
Man you're on fire tonight.

An MFA in Creative Writing. In the words of one of my professors (who herself got that degree):
"You've got this degree, and it is meaningless until you've published a book. And then nobody cares about the MFA because you've got a book."

I long to go for my MFA in creative writing. :(

For now, I will have to stick with my oh-so-practical B.A. in the subject. :rolleyes:

I'm doing a degree in Journalism and English Literature...even the News companies are starting to let people go. Then again I've heard a lot of journalists go into consultancy and PR.

Do not go into journalism. Everyone from the paper I used to work for is getting into teaching. Or crying.

now now i wasn't suggesting you go to law school.

Chuna nabish.

Nice one.




Bitch.

Man you're on fire tonight.

Spit-take.

Political science has got to be one of the least worthwhile diplomas out there (since a child could do a better job than most of the politicians who supposedly earned these degrees.)

Eh, the problem with Pol. Sci. is that it's an extremely broad field. There is some very interesting work that can be done in it, but there is also a lot of bullshit that falls under the same exact degree. It's very much the same for philosophy. It's simply a matter of focus and application.

My brother-in-law has a B.A. in "Cultural Studies"; it was the program at Concordia with the least amount of required courses (one, if I recall). I'd say that's about as useless a major as you can acquire.

Chuna nabish.

Ooh, ooh, I've seen that one before! My Cree obscenity-spotting skills are awesome.

Eh, the problem with Pol. Sci. is that it's an extremely broad field. There is some very interesting work that can be done in it, but there is also a lot of bullshit that falls under the same exact degree. It's very much the same for philosophy. It's simply a matter of focus and application.
Also it's a BA masquerading as a science. Which just sets of every bullshit alarm there is.
My brother-in-law has a B.A. in "Cultural Studies"; it was the program at Concordia with the least amount of required courses (one, if I recall). I'd say that's about as useless a major as you can acquire.
... cultural studies... what the fuck is that...

Let's see.

I went into Honours English, first year Uni, not cuz I like English, but because that was the easiest program to apply for. Then I switched to anthroplogy, hated it, switched to Latin American Studies, found it useless, was sick of school and got my BEd...should have got my combined BEd/BA, but I was dumb, got the credits but didn't do it right. Went and taught for 5 years and loved it. Now I'm in an LLB program, and need to do another two years to get my BCL (Bachelor of Civil Law). Fuck I hate school. But I also love it. It's an end to a means.

Man you're on fire tonight.

not drinking tonight (sadly) got to wake up early and drive for many hours.

Also it's a BA masquerading as a science. Which just sets of every bullshit alarm there is.

Well, there's a very good reason it's a BA and not a BS. Also, it depends on whether or not you consider statistical analysis "science," I'd say it's about as much science as cultural anthropology and economics in that regard but, again, this depends on what you're doing as a "political scientist."

Ooh, ooh, I've seen that one before! My Cree obscenity-spotting skills are awesome.

That's actually Nakoda Sioux, since the closest reserve to me growing up was a Stoney reserve...it means 'dirty kunt'. *nods*

Also it's a BA masquerading as a science. Which just sets of every bullshit alarm there is.



My university offers it as both a BA or a BS.

The BA side is close to a history course the difference is the papers are normally prediction of whats going to happen, or problem solution papers.


the BS side is more about statistics, demographics, and voting blocks.

That's actually Nakoda Sioux, since the closest reserve to me growing up was a Stoney reserve...it means 'dirty kunt'. *nods*

...my "Sin's random language obscenity" spotting skills are awesome.

Strangely, that's exactly what I thought it meant. Weird.

My university offers it as both a BA or a BS.

The BA side is close to a history course the difference is the papers are normally prediction of whats going to happen, or problem solution papers.


the BS side is more about statistics, demographics, and voting blocks.

Ah, yes. The university you're going to on "scholarship" funds from "claiming to be every minority in existence". Magical universities would offer it as two different degrees, I mean, naturally.

That's actually Nakoda Sioux, since the closest reserve to me growing up was a Stoney reserve...

nituwe he?

Ah, yes. The university you're going to on "scholarship" funds from "claiming to be every minority in existence". Magical universities would offer it as two different degrees, I mean, naturally.

mostly veterans benefits
some financial aid
a little bit of minority scholarship.

mostly veterans benefits
some financial aid
a little bit of minority scholarship.

Naturally, a minor means to an end. :P

Naturally, a minor means to an end. :P

yeah get a university degree with out any debt and buy a 47 inch TV while doing it(with veterans benefits ).

... cultural studies... what the fuck is that...

Exactly. He works in construction now.

yeah get a university degree with out any debt and buy a 47 inch TV while doing it(with veterans benefits ).

So that's the problem with veteran benefits? They keep throwing TVs at vets instead of money to help with med bills and such?...

Oh wait, I see the conspiracy now. Crush the vets and they don't come looking for money.

Horrific.



[Disclaimer: This is in no way meant to disrespect those who've served/are serving in the armed forces of any country.]

So that's the problem with veteran benefits? They keep throwing TVs at vets instead of money to help with med bills and such?...

Oh wait, I see the conspiracy now. Crush the vets and they don't come looking for money.

Horrific.



[Disclaimer: This is in no way meant to disrespect those who've served/are serving in the armed forces of any country.]


Its not a problem. its just if I cover tuition books rent and food with other money i can use the (scholarships, government aid, etc...) I can use the educations benefits for the big TV.

as for health care I get that for free as long as i drive an hour to the veterans affairs hospital.

So that's the problem with veteran benefits? They keep throwing TVs at vets instead of money to help with med bills and such?...

Oh wait, I see the conspiracy now. Crush the vets and they don't come looking for money.

Horrific.



[Disclaimer: This is in no way meant to disrespect those who've served/are serving in the armed forces of any country.]

Don't worry, odds are 1000:1 that he's ever serviced anyone but himself.

So that's the problem with veteran benefits? They keep throwing TVs at vets instead of money to help with med bills and such?...
Oh lol.

Vets don't even need to know what a medical bill looks like, free healthcare for life is the biggest advantage of military service.


P.S.
Not the only one.

Political science

My brain must be off. I should've metioned this before first...

>.>

Or first.

Major being one of the following:
Low to no job prospects
Low to no practical application
Just utterly, utterly pointless

Or if you don't like that question - know any bullshit majors?

Well, that describes a vast number of the Majors I've dealt with-especially the ones who've been monkey-dumped into dead-end assignments made of unending staff-work on unimportant (or seemingly unimportant) detail missions. It's a rank that seems designed to crush the soul of an officer...

Oh, wait...you're talking about academic majors-like as in college an' stuff... not really. Lots of places out there will take a sheepskin-bearer on in a salaried position, even if the degree has zero to do with the business in question.

A degree is a pass that says you're "Edjumakatid", there are a vast number of management positions that won't take someone who doesn't have any formal skoolin' past twelfth grade, but WILL take on people with degrees that have nothing to do with the job. (I had a manager at Boeing once, who had a degree in English Lit with a minor in Dance-neither of which provides either theoretical, or practical, applications for the building of aircraft or the management of a work crew. Said twenty-five year old had a four-year-degree, whereas the lead with twenty years' experience did not.)

I've taken courses that have (somehow) taken care of a good deal of my GE reqs. You have to take them in a series, lest you be dropped. It's called Interdisciplinary General Education and, quite honest, it's almost as easy as writing essays for Jr. high school... (7-8 grade, for... non-jr. high peoples >.>)

If, by any means, you relate everything you write to the name/theme of the course, you win an A. So, since their whole department is complaining that they don't have their own dean, asst. dean, et al., if that were to ever pop up, a BA in Interdisciplinary General Education from California State Polytechnic University: Pomona would be the worst major in the history of history.

I got a BA in History, how do you think I feel?
My BA is History, so I dunno what you mean by unemployable.

Though, I am in AFROTC and if that doesn't pan out, I'm getting my secondary teaching certification.

If, by any means, you relate everything you write to the name/theme of the course, you win an A. So, since their whole department is complaining that they don't have their own dean, asst. dean, et al., if that were to ever pop up, a BA in Interdisciplinary General Education from California State Polytechnic University: Pomona would be the worst major in the history of history.

In four years there, I could never figure out what in hell IGE was. :$

In four years there, I could never figure out what in hell IGE was. :$

One... more... quarter...

One... more... quarter...

Here's hoping your gradcheck isn't terribly, terribly wrong like mine was. Good luck! :D

Here's hoping your gradcheck isn't terribly, terribly wrong like mine was. Good luck! :D

Of course it will be.

What did you major in, perchance? I'm a civil, and there's exactly 3 sections of any of my core classes being offered next quarter, and it's only for one course. And it's a total mast-fest. One girl vs. 29 guys in dynamics course = fail. It's like going to class in China.

Of course it will be.

What did you major in, perchance? I'm a civil, and there's exactly 3 sections of any of my core classes being offered next quarter, and it's only for one course. And it's a total mast-fest. One girl vs. 29 guys in dynamics course = fail. It's like going to class in China.

So, the polar opposite of psychology, then? You usually get about a 4:1 ratio of women to men in those. I was one of those guys you probably still see moping around Bldg. 5 most of the day, a CLASS student. I'd be more specific, but I was one of about three people in my major, as opposed to the 6000 or so in yours. ;)

So, the polar opposite of psychology, then? You usually get about a 4:1 ratio of women to men in those. I was one of those guys you probably still see moping around Bldg. 5 most of the day, a CLASS student. I'd be more specific, but I was one of about three people in my major, as opposed to the 6000 or so in yours. ;)

So the only option is to try to date a psychology major? I see. :p
Well, or possibly an architecture major. A few of them are around.

And yes, although I hadn't been anywhere near Bldg. 5 this last quarter, it's easy to spot all of the people loitering outside there. The only difference between that and Bldg. 9 is that there's a designated room for us to loiter in. :D



Also, holy fuck, we went/are going to the same university. o.O

And yes, although I hadn't been anywhere near Bldg. 5 this last quarter, it's easy to spot all of the people loitering outside there. The only difference between that and Bldg. 9 is that there's a designated room for us to loiter in. :D

We had some benches and the food court, but yeah, Bldg. 9 had a bunch of pro-engineering propaganda in the lobby that our building lacked completely. And a hot dog cart. We didn't have one of those. :D

Also, holy fuck, we went/are going to the same university. o.O

That's a first in four years visiting NSG for me too. It is a little weird. :)

As I have only had 3 jobs since graduating from college and I have applied to roughly 150 jobs since I graduated... you do the math. 50 of the jobs I applied for where in my field, I did not get a single one because I lacked experience, the other 97 I didn't get... I would like you to hazard a guess as to why I didn't get them.

Clearly, having a college degree is what prevented you from getting those other 97 jobs. You probably would have had a much better shot if you just had your high school diploma.

Seriously, are you listening to yourself? Unless you're trying to get minimum wage burger-flipping jobs, there isn't a situation where NOT having a college degree is preferable to having one.

I find that, as congested as the field is nowadays, anyone who majors in communications, is majoring into something useless, and I don't mean this in any disrespectful way.

Also, my first major (Art History), is rather useless. Here in Spain, if you don't have a connection inside the art world or government, you won't be able to work at any museum, historical site or gallery. It's rather sad.

I'm thinking that a major headache is not good, nor a major hassle, or a major pain in the arse.

Clearly, having a college degree is what prevented you from getting those other 97 jobs. You probably would have had a much better shot if you just had your high school diploma.

Seriously, are you listening to yourself? Unless you're trying to get minimum wage burger-flipping jobs, there isn't a situation where NOT having a college degree is preferable to having one.

You know, after going for 2 years without a job you go for whatever fucking job is available! Yes, my degree prevented me from getting jobs from places including fast food restaurants all the way up to management positions at fast food restaurants, tool shops, sales positions at cellular phone providers, and lots of other things. Shut up unless you know what the hell you are talking about.

Its my life, and I am pretty damn sure I am an expert about my own damn life.

These days an undergrad (although not a masters) are almost of all equal prospects job wise, unless you're doing a vocational degree like medicine or engineering, or doing something directly related to finance. This isn't to say that they are useless, though they are becoming increasingly more so, but a degree is still a foot in the door, and you do get good life experience from going to university.

I find that, as congested as the field is nowadays, anyone who majors in communications, is majoring into something useless, and I don't mean this in any disrespectful way.

Huh...I'd kind of say this degree is a lot like political science in that it really matters what you're doing with it (assuming you're on to the graduate level). I've talked to some comm grad students and their research sounds like a mix between linguistics and psychology; though I've talked to others it sounds like they're working on school projects for their high school English class.

All majors but political science and history are bullshit.

Thats right, I fucking said it. ;)

You know, after going for 2 years without a job you go for whatever fucking job is available! Yes, my degree prevented me from getting jobs from places including fast food restaurants all the way up to management positions at fast food restaurants, tool shops, sales positions at cellular phone providers, and lots of other things. Shut up unless you know what the hell you are talking about.

Its my life, and I am pretty damn sure I am an expert about my own damn life.

This is laughable. You're telling me that you had 97 different job applications rejected because you had too much education? I can understand one or two, but 97? That's completely unbelievable. I still think you're completely full of shit, and even if your absurd anecdote is reality, you're still the absolutely insignificantly small exception to the rule. Having a college degree, as a general rule, is going to open more doors than it will close.

This is laughable. You're telling me that you had 97 different job applications rejected because you had too much education? I can understand one or two, but 97? That's completely unbelievable. I still think you're completely full of shit, and even if your absurd anecdote is reality, you're still the absolutely insignificantly small exception to the rule. Having a college degree, as a general rule, is going to open more doors than it will close.

Umm of course you know I'm not university educated, but I recon after about 20 such refusals I just would have taken any mention of a degree from my CV!

*gasp* lie on a CV!?:D

Then I switched to anthroplogy, hated it

why so?

This is laughable. You're telling me that you had 97 different job applications rejected because you had too much education? I can understand one or two, but 97? That's completely unbelievable. I still think you're completely full of shit, and even if your absurd anecdote is reality, you're still the absolutely insignificantly small exception to the rule. Having a college degree, as a general rule, is going to open more doors than it will close.

Heh, High School grads are able to get more job than me, and I'm college educated.

What's "useless" is the idea that the purpose of a baccalaureate degree is to get a job.

If you want to learn skills to get a job, go to trade school. People like you, who view a college education as merely a means to an end, and are just interested in getting a job and not in learning for its own sake, are what are killing higher education. Go back where you belong, and leave those of us who truly deserve an education alone.

Huh...I'd kind of say this degree is a lot like political science in that it really matters what you're doing with it (assuming you're on to the graduate level). I've talked to some comm grad students and their research sounds like a mix between linguistics and psychology; though I've talked to others it sounds like they're working on school projects for their high school English class.

All I know is that here in Spain, at least, not everyone who graduates from telecommunications or a related field, will work on the media (tv or newspapers or magazines).

What's "useless" is the idea that the purpose of a baccalaureate degree is to get a job.

If you want to learn skills to get a job, go to trade school. People like you, who view a college education as merely a means to an end, and are just interested in getting a job and not in learning for its own sake, are what are killing higher education. Go back where you belong, and leave those of us who truly deserve an education alone.

Hey, don't look at us. From 1st grade up till I flunked out of Grad School, I was told that I needed to get a college education, that I needed to go to college to get a good job, otherwise I'll be flipping burgers.

Heh, High School grads are able to get more job than me, and I'm college educated.

But that might be nothing to do with you having a degree.

Hasn't helped me much.

What exactly do you learn to get a business degree? Economics? Psychology? Marketing? "Business" is a very nebulous subject.

What exactly do you learn to get a business degree? Economics? Psychology? Marketing? "Business" is a very nebulous subject.

A little bit of all three, also learn business ethics, business law, tort law and a whole bunch of crap.

A little bit of all three, also learn business ethics, business law, tort law and a whole bunch of crap.

You could always start your own business.

A Prairie Home Companion has a running gag that involves English Majors, where they try to come up with all sorts of situations where a degree in English is actually useful.

There's one thing some of you are missing, i don't want to work, i'll put it off for as long as possible until a good job comes my way, and if there isn't so what? screw working, i tried working and it was horrible.

why do we need to work? is it really important as a human to work? why can't we get better at enjoying not working?
That way unemployment figures would be a good thing.

There's one thing some of you are missing, i don't want to work, i'll put it off for as long as possible until a good job comes my way, and if there isn't so what? screw working, i tried working and it was horrible.

why do we need to work? is it really important as a human to work? why can't we get better at enjoying not working?
That way unemployment figures would be a good thing.

Well in order to get the things that we do enjoy, we need money, and last time I checked, no one was giving away free money.

Well in order to get the things that we do enjoy, we need money, and last time I checked, no one was giving away free money.

Ah but do we really REALLY need money to get things we enjoy?

well money is never free, whether you work for it or not, it's always a receipt for things you have to buy, or things you have to see or just part of a larger circle to work even more, for more money.

I started off in Electrical Engineering. I didn't really like it so I switched Computer Science. Found out that you can't thro a rock without hitting 5 or 6. Not to mention then you have get Microsoft, Cisco or some other company certified. It really does never end. I am working now but you really have to have a lot of patience.

Search for recession proof companies. Cable compaies are excellent. You have to start out small. If all else fails and you don't really like life alot you can always join the "Help Desk". Which really means you get to play games online and piss people off.

@Truly Blessed: Would you please make single longer posts? I don't mind reading long posts, but I get irritated at having to page through half a dozen three line posts in a row, all by the same author.

Well in order to get the things that we do enjoy, we need money, and last time I checked, no one was giving away free money.

To do the things that you enjoy, maybe. For me, the things I enjoy take time, but are often free or very cheap. Walking and thinking. Hanging out with friends. Writing.

The idea that you must have money to have fun is one of the most abhorrent in the world today.

[/hijack]

Heh, High School grads are able to get more job than me, and I'm college educated.

And having the degree is what prevented you from getting the jobs? Not, perhaps, something else, something more relevant? You think the interviewer looked at your resume, saw a BA, and said, "Oh no, this guy would be no good, he's got a college education"?

And having the degree is what prevented you from getting the jobs? Not, perhaps, something else, something more relevant? You think the interviewer looked at your resume, saw a BA, and said, "Oh no, this guy would be no good, he's got a college education"?

There is such thing as being over qualified for a job.

The classic example in the UK would be 'media studies', which doesn't seem to exist in quite the same way in the US. Lawrence Lessig's Free Culture incidentally makes quite a good argument for media studies having some value.

From personal anecdotal experience, most of my friends have not had problems getting grunt work during/after university. Like half of my history class worked in call centres at some point. But then, most history graduates don't end up doing anything very related to their degree: they immediately do law conversion, or go into the City (this currently being a less optimal option). So in that sense, I suppose, it's mildly useless.

And having the degree is what prevented you from getting the jobs? Not, perhaps, something else, something more relevant? You think the interviewer looked at your resume, saw a BA, and said, "Oh no, this guy would be no good, he's got a college education"?

a lot of corporate jobs with entry level work do that. say McDonald's. you actually get paid more if you have a college degree as per company policy.
However paying too much to employees hurts the Managers performance rating. so in order to have a small budget they only hire what they can pay cheaply.

That being said though you can sell a liberal arts type degree as useful for a management position if you can prove you know the job. The degree shows you know how to write reports and other "managerial type things"

You could always start your own business.

I have one, I am a freelance contractor. I do mostly word of mouth jobs on websites, CD Covers for Local Bands, and the occasional flash animation/application. I make less than $3,000 a year doing it though.

And having the degree is what prevented you from getting the jobs? Not, perhaps, something else, something more relevant? You think the interviewer looked at your resume, saw a BA, and said, "Oh no, this guy would be no good, he's got a college education"?

Its far more common than you think. I get told I'm overqualified all the time.

Its far more common than you think. I get told I'm overqualified all the time.

That happened to me twice this year, and it irritated me. I wanted to yell, "Dude, if I could get upmarket jobs I would, but I can't so I'm applying for yours, so I'm exactly as qualified for this job as needed." And I'm freelance, these are like month long jobs at best, so it's not there's this danger of me leaving the job, it's only a month long. I don't even set the *%&^# rates.

It wasn't the education, though, it's just that I've been doing an entry level job for a really long time.

That happened to me twice this year, and it irritated me. I wanted to yell, "Dude, if I could get upmarket jobs I would, but I can't so I'm applying for yours, so I'm exactly as qualified for this job as needed." And I'm freelance, these are like month long jobs at best, so it's not there's this danger of me leaving the job, it's only a month long. I don't even set the *%&^# rates.

It wasn't the education, though, it's just that I've been doing an entry level job for a really long time.

Oh yeah... try to work as a designer somewhere, I'm not experienced. Try to work as a salesperson for a print company, I'm over qualified because I have the qualifications of an artist.

economics, business, physical ed, other then physical therapy, all nonsense in the context of the kind of world we're all going to need to be living in. art is fun, but for the most part needs to be looked at as not someplace to expect to make a cash cow out of. but if you have already some sort of prospects where all you need is a degree, any degree, and it doesn't matter what its in, then i think art is a pretty ok way to go.

now for the real meat, the things that degrees in would be, are, actually useful, not only in today's world, but even more espcially tomarrow's, those would have to be every kind of (real) science and engineering. those are what higher education is all about, and pretty much the only real point of it.

of course people need to keep in mind, to have a background that helps them to understand, that the universal top spec, which is the same as morality, is to avoid causing suffering.

but once that's in place, many things need an honest scientific and engineering approach that today suffer from being guided primarily by emotions and familiar emotional attatchments.

and this is something that needs to be better and more widely understood if the human species is to survive and create a world with opportunities for gratification for everyone.

and this is something that needs to be better and more widely understood if the human species is to survive and create a world with opportunities for gratification for everyone.

Wow bro, when you go up to bat you swing for the fence every time don't you?

but once that's in place, many things need an honest scientific and engineering approach that today suffer from being guided primarily by emotions and familiar emotional attatchments.

lolque

Folks, 70% of the US GDP is consumer spending. Degrees of the future would seem to include service-industry-oriented stuff. Also medicine and the allied health fields. With R & D following IT, back office, and even reception overseas, Retail, Service and Medicine are all the US has left to produce in great numbers. I'm sure we'll manage to hang on to some physicists and astronomers and at least one layer of the headier disciplines, but it just doesn't look good for journalists, economists, poli sci, psychologists or many of the mid-range fields we were coaxed into a decade or more ago.

There is such thing as being over qualified for a job.

No, there really isn't. That's horseshit an employer uses to shoo away people who might draw slightly more pay than Joe Schmoe off the turnip truck.

Well, to be fair, that PLUS the fact that an employer generally wants the most work done for the least amount of outlay. If your qualifications are far greater than what's required, the hiring manager will assume that you won't stay. Any training they invest in you will therefore be wasted once you find the place you really "belong" and move on.

With that in mind, they shouldn't call that "overqualified", because it sounds like a backhanded compliment. They should just come out and say "I'm sorry, but we don't want someone to use us as a stepping stone -- we're looking at someone who wants to make a career here at Hooters...."

And a retail job pays how much, again?

And a retail job pays how much, again?

Next to nothing.

to me, the most useless thing is measuring the usefulness of anything in terms of its capacity to contribute to amassing symbolic value, instead of in terms of actual gratification, or contributing in any sense to a world that improves the likelihood of all of us finding gratification.

to me, the most useless thing is measuring the usefulness of anything in terms of its capacity to contribute to amassing symbolic value, instead of in terms of actual gratification, or contributing in any sense to a world that improves the likelihood of all of us finding gratification.

I never said my degree was useless, indeed I find uses for my skills almost every day. I vaguely remember making a vague statement about how it hasn't contributed to improving my career and financial standings which was the intention of it; it has done just the opposite though :(.

And a retail job pays how much, again?

According to the book This Land is Their Land, by Barbara Ehrenreich, as of mid-2008, it was the highest of the growth industry jobs that do not require a degree: $22,800/year.

to me, the most useless thing is measuring the usefulness of anything in terms of its capacity to contribute to amassing symbolic value, instead of in terms of actual gratification, or contributing in any sense to a world that improves the likelihood of all of us finding gratification.

This is why I teach music. Had I wanted to amass wealth, I'd not be doing this for a career, but a diversion.

According to the book This Land is Their Land, by Barbara Ehrenreich, as of mid-2008, it was the highest of the growth industry jobs that do not require a degree: $22,800/year.

Wow. Really raking in the dough. :wink:

For having to (probably) deal with idiots all day, I would consider this sad...

Wow. Really raking in the dough. :wink:

For having to (probably) deal with idiots all day, I would consider this sad...

Well, if it paid lucratively, how could consumers TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE LOW, LOW PRICES?!?!?!

The current situation in US, and from what I know of of elsewhere, has ovevwhelmed the University with all sorts of crap that absolutely has no place there. The single most disgusting major I ever encountered was "Fasion Design". While studing fasion design may well lead to a lucrative career, it has uutterly no place in the university.


business.

no, seriously, hear me out.

sure, it really does help with the job prospects, but that's due to a lack of imagination among the professional managerial class rather than business majors having any particular skills that the degree got them. the world would be a better place if business majors were forced to get real degrees.

Better yet, a trade school or even better a modernised form of apprenticeship.

philosophy is perhaps the epitome of non-job training higher education. it is rigorous and explicit training in the ultimate portable skill set; creativity, critical thinking, problem spotting and problem solving, written and oral communication skills, etc. the problem you get with philosophers is one of temperament - they could do pretty much anything, but you'll have to convince them the particular pursuit is worthwhile.

Indeed.

Is that based on experience with managers?

In my case yes.


What's "useless" is the idea that the purpose of a baccalaureate degree is to get a job.

If you want to learn skills to get a job, go to trade school. People like you, who view a college education as merely a means to an end, and are just interested in getting a job and not in learning for its own sake, are what are killing higher education. Go back where you belong, and leave those of us who truly deserve an education alone.

ABSOLUTELY!!!!

Hey, don't look at us. From 1st grade up till I flunked out of Grad School, I was told that I needed to get a college education, that I needed to go to college to get a good job, otherwise I'll be flipping burgers.

Buying that line of BS you've been fed doesn't make it any less BS. The US has bought into an idea that a college degree is some sort of magic symbol when it isn't in the least.

Pretty much any thing associated with business, the production of all art forms, and technical studies needs to be devolved into tech schools, internship/apprenticships, OJT, and other non-academic training/education. Also, at least in the US, "college/university" level sport is serving as a minor leagues, which it absolutely shouldn't be at all.

Art Majors, lol *nod*

In four years there, I could never figure out what in hell IGE was. :$

I look at this and think, "Oh, IgE! Immunoglobulin E, type 1 hypersensitivity, Fc receptors, allergic rhinitis and Job-Buckley syndrome."

Also, I don't think that any degree is "worthless," but of course some are more marketable than others. As long as you understand the limitations of your degree then it never hurts to learn.

It just depends, my degree is an Associates in Electronics ( currently working on a 4 year ), so finding a job was very very very easy, because it's in very high demand.

Some other majors probably would be very hard to get a job with, but I would never call one useless. Some are surprising, like hospitality, I've seen some McDonald GM's make up to 60k a year, not bad.

And a retail job pays how much, again?

In UK for someone over 21 £5.25, minimum wage. generally not fun

or even better a modernised form of apprenticeship.

considering that's what most people wind up doing effectively anyway, that strikes me as a very good idea

Also, at least in the US, "college/university" level sport is serving as a minor leagues, which it absolutely shouldn't be at all.

the one major benefit i see from this is that it brings in a pile of money to the universities. granted, that money mainly stays in the sports, but there is at least some possibility for getting academic benefits too.

No. Any degree is valuable for the sake of having a college degree on your resume.

"So, you have a BA in music..."

That opinion is what is wrong with higher education. The popular belief is everyone needs to go to college. Which is patently false. People need to learn to do something. College does not deliver that for every field. Nor even a majority of them.

With that in mind, they shouldn't call that "overqualified", because it sounds like a backhanded compliment. They should just come out and say "I'm sorry, but we don't want someone to use us as a stepping stone -- we're looking at someone who wants to make a career here at Hooters...."

Absolutely true. And it fucking sucks to hear that "overqualified" bullshit when you're hard up for a job. I know someone who nearly starved because none of the places he applied to would hire him--they knew he'd leave if he had a better offer, knew he'd be bored, knew the job was one he could do in his sleep. He ended up getting a job scrubbing pots and pans to make rent.

business.

no, seriously, hear me out.

sure, it really does help with the job prospects, but that's due to a lack of imagination among the professional managerial class rather than business majors having any particular skills that the degree got them. the world would be a better place if business majors were forced to get real degrees.
Every person with a degree in engineering I have talked to who has a degree (usually higher) in business says the work for a business degree is a joke compared to the engineering degree.

I look at this and think, "Oh, IgE! Immunoglobulin E, type 1 hypersensitivity, Fc receptors, allergic rhinitis and Job-Buckley syndrome."

Also, I don't think that any degree is "worthless," but of course some are more marketable than others. As long as you understand the limitations of your degree then it never hurts to learn.

A doctorate in neuroscience (or whatever the funkay name for it is) kind of markets itself, eh? :tongue:

And yes, I would say that the work/responsibilities for an engineering degree far exceed that for a business degree.

A doctorate in neuroscience (or whatever the funkay name for it is) kind of markets itself, eh? :tongue:
I dunno. The toilet graffiti at a pub I frequent includes 'Neuroscience isn't a proper degree'.

Major being one of the following:
Low to no job prospects
Low to no practical application
Just utterly, utterly pointless

Or if you don't like that question - know any bullshit majors?

Even if you get a degree in a totally bullshit area(like a BA in, well, anything[/science student]) it will at the very least show an employer that you can get off your ass and work. So no degree is useless.

Search for recession proof companies. Cable compaies are excellent. You have to start out small. If all else fails and you don't really like life alot you can always join the "Help Desk". Which really means you get to play games online and piss people off.

Undertakers are recession proof. No matter how shit the economy gets people will always die and insist in their will that their family pay for a funeral.

"So, you have a BA in music..."

That opinion is what is wrong with higher education. The popular belief is everyone needs to go to college. Which is patently false. People need to learn to do something. College does not deliver that for every field. Nor even a majority of them.

That's not what I am saying. "So, you have a BA in music" with no other qualifications will get you more than "So, I see you never attended college" with no other qualifications. There isn't an instance where having that degree will HURT your chances of getting a job, unless, apparently, they feel you're too qualified for the job.

I dunno. The toilet graffiti at a pub I frequent includes 'Neuroscience isn't a proper degree'.

If you ever have to go under the knife, this isn't one of the better things to say... :)

Sdaeriji: So degrees don't hurt you when looking for a job. Well, unless they do. Because a person with a BA in Music wants to work that desk job.

Glad you cleared that up.

If you ever have to go under the knife, this isn't one of the better things to say... :)

Sdaeriji: So degrees don't hurt you when looking for a job. Well, unless they do. Because a person with a BA in Music wants to work that desk job.

Glad you cleared that up.

The more he says the less I am sure I (or he for that matter) knows what he is talking about.

Meh, I'm getting training in physics and mathematics. Ultimately, I want to be a theoretical/mathematical physicist and do basic research, either at a research university or at a government facility here or abroad like CERN and Fermilab. Yeah, with a professional degree in physics, I could get a much more well-paying job, but why would I want that?

With a job and academia, and my complete lack of sexual interest, I'll make enough money to have the things I want. Money is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Why would I wish to acquire more money by kissing corporate ass when my time could be more well spent studying this amazing and complex universe, especially when you consider my little "problem" with unnecessary authority.

considering that's what most people wind up doing effectively anyway, that strikes me as a very good idea

:)

the one major benefit i see from this is that it brings in a pile of money to the universities. granted, that money mainly stays in the sports, but there is at least some possibility for getting academic benefits too.

Perhapse some sort of pro-sports team owned by the university. OTOH, a lot of that mony comes from alumni.

"So, you have a BA in music..."

That opinion is what is wrong with higher education. The popular belief is everyone needs to go to college. Which is patently false. People need to learn to do something. College does not deliver that for every field. Nor even a majority of them.

Exactly so.

The more he says the less I am sure I (or he for that matter) knows what he is talking about.

That's nice. I never doubted for a moment you had no idea what you were talking about.

Sdaeriji: So degrees don't hurt you when looking for a job. Well, unless they do. Because a person with a BA in Music wants to work that desk job.

Glad you cleared that up.

I suppose you missed the incredulousness in my last post. Apparently there's this entire world where having a degree is harming people's employment chances, but I was of the belief that a degree is never a detriment to getting a job. It may not help you any, but it's not going to harm your chances. Whether it helps you get the job you WANT is an entirely different matter as well.

I suppose you missed the incredulousness in my last post. Apparently there's this entire world where having a degree is harming people's employment chances, but I was of the belief that a degree is never a detriment to getting a job. It may not help you any, but it's not going to harm your chances. Whether it helps you get the job you WANT is an entirely different matter as well.

And I have been trying to show you through example that there is. If its not my degree that's keeping literally dozens of potential employers from hiring me than I don't know what is. Since they keep pegging the status "Overqualified" on me.

And I have been trying to show you through example that there is. If its not my degree that's keeping literally dozens of potential employers from hiring me than I don't know what is. Since they keep pegging the status "Overqualified" on me.

And my anecdote is that I tell candidates they're "overqualified" when I feel they could do the job but would not fit well in the company for whatever reason.

And my anecdote is that I tell candidates they're "overqualified" when I feel they could do the job but would not fit well in the company for whatever reason.

Using the gray matter that God gave me should hardly decide whether I would fit in.

Using the gray matter that God gave me should hardly decide whether I would fit in.

You're not listening. "Overqualified" is something I tell rejected applicants instead of the truth, which is often less kind.

For what it's worth I've told an applicant that they were overqualified.

The person in question had a degree in English from Warwick University and was looking for a job that involved answering phones and running errands. I had no interest in someone who was going to leave before they'd even got used to getting round the building.

Using the gray matter that God gave me should hardly decide whether I would fit in.

Agreed.

Agreed.

it has nothing to do with "fitting in" it has to do with cost/benefit analysis. Simply put, any employee is only benefiting to a position when the benefit he gives to the company is at least worth what the company pays him. In any initial period of employment there's always a loss to the company, when you're getting trained. Essentially, until you can do your job well, you're not worth it to the company.

If you're going to leave soon, or likely to leave soon, you pose a risk that you won't pay off your costs to the company.

If you're going to leave soon, or likely to leave soon, you pose a risk that you won't pay off your costs to the company.

Or, if you leave the impression that you don't really want the job, and you're only applying because you need the work, then the company has no assurances that you're going to give any more than the bare minimal effort towards their position. No one is going to hire you if they feel like you don't care.

business.

no, seriously, hear me out.

sure, it really does help with the job prospects, but that's due to a lack of imagination among the professional managerial class rather than business majors having any particular skills that the degree got them. the world would be a better place if business majors were forced to get real degrees.
I agree.

If you want someone to do economics properly, get a mathematician or a physicist, they're not afraid of differential equations.
If you want someone to do something useful... well, get someone who has a degree in something useful.

If you want someone who can kiss ass and look good in a suit, get someone with a business degree and they will run your company into the ground (if they're good) while finding themselves a nice golden parachute.

Undertakers are recession proof. No matter how shit the economy gets people will always die and insist in their will that their family pay for a funeral.
My grandfather specified that he didn't want a funeral to save my grandmother money.

So we didn't have one.

Oh, as for recession-proof jobs: plumbers, electricians, locksmiths... probably a bunch of trades.

No matter how broke somebody is, if their toilet is gushing water, they're going to need someone to fix it. Same goes with power, same goes with being stuck out of your house. If there's an emergency associated with it, somebody will pay for it.

Any major is useful if you used it as an excuse to do nothing but screw around for 4-5 years. :)

Buying that line of BS you've been fed doesn't make it any less BS. The US has bought into an idea that a college degree is some sort of magic symbol when it isn't in the least.

You get from it roughly the equivalent advantage of the effort you put into it, like anything else in life.

Absolutely true. And it fucking sucks to hear that "overqualified" bullshit when you're hard up for a job. I know someone who nearly starved because none of the places he applied to would hire him--they knew he'd leave if he had a better offer, knew he'd be bored, knew the job was one he could do in his sleep. He ended up getting a job scrubbing pots and pans to make rent.

I worked for the County Auditor for three years between teaching high school and my master's work. The job was easy enough, but the hierarchy and overwhelming pettiness of some levels of authority were incredibly appalling. I saved up enough for my master's tuition and got out. I needed counseling for 18 of those 36 months in purgatory. I was in the licensing division. Vehicle licenses, marriage and business licensing. Between the petty regulations and the pettier enforcers of said regualtions and the occasional member of the public who made me wonder how they managed the doorknob to get out of their house, it was soul-draining.

it has nothing to do with "fitting in" it has to do with cost/benefit analysis. Simply put, any employee is only benefiting to a position when the benefit he gives to the company is at least worth what the company pays him. In any initial period of employment there's always a loss to the company, when you're getting trained. Essentially, until you can do your job well, you're not worth it to the company.

If you're going to leave soon, or likely to leave soon, you pose a risk that you won't pay off your costs to the company.

I said this earlier, but not nearly as succinctly. Damn you and your lawyerly lexical legerdemain!

My recession-proof job would be reposession. I mean, if your job is to take things from people that can't pay for them in a time when people can't afford to pay for a lot of things, and you get paid for it, I'd call that solidly recession-proof.

Of course, when times are good, it may not be as active a job, but there's always going to be people that try to get more things than they can ever pay for.

Or, if you leave the impression that you don't really want the job, and you're only applying because you need the work, then the company has no assurances that you're going to give any more than the bare minimal effort towards their position. No one is going to hire you if they feel like you don't care.

It's hard not to care if you need a job.

I'm a civil engineering major, like I've stated before in this thread. I'm applying to a great deal of different companies and, although I really do just want to get another engineering internship, I need money, and I won't be able to complete my degree without that. I may have to end up working at an auto parts store or another fast food restaurant or some kind of retailer, but if I do land a job at any of these places, you can be assured that I'll still try to get another internship this next summer.

If anything, it's that they don't care for whom they work, not how hard they work, because they'll still attempt to get a degree-related job, no matter where they work. It's this that makes it harder.