Staff writer Karla Schuster contributed to this story. 'I went through a period where I was freaking out' Mark Alexander

Karla, I think we've all gone through a period when we freaked out Mark Alexander. Poor bastard.

Even though my field is hiring, I am staying in school for an MS.

/Microelectronic Engineering

jetzzfan: Even though my field is hiring, I am staying in school for an MS.

/Microelectronic Engineering

Goin for my MS too

/tech writer
//you can stop laughing now
///serially

RodneyToady: Staff writer Karla Schuster contributed to this story. 'I went through a period where I was freaking out' Mark Alexander

Karla, I think we've all gone through a period when we freaked out Mark Alexander. Poor bastard.

I will be happy to freak out Mark Alexander for awhile if you need a break.

"I took the last job, last year, sorry about that! Honestly, I thought there would be more."

--disarticulate

Damn humanity surplus...

jetzzfan: Even though my field is hiring, I am staying in school for an MS.

/Microelectronic Engineering

I am doing this as well. The school I go to offers a dual MSMIT/MBA. Only reason I am doing it though is because I cannot find a decent paying job right now and as long as I am in school full time my student loans do not have to be repaid.

Yeah, it sucks when you have to start out at an entry-level position at age 21 just to get your foot in the door. That diploma isn't a magical key to unlocking a grand job, you know. I should know, I have a couple of 'em, including a Masters. Hard work, kids. It comes in handy. It will pay off later. You just have to work for it. To move up a ladder, you often have to start on the first rung.

The world needs ditch diggers too!

But honestly, have you tried to get into ditch digging lately?
Without a degree and a long resume in digging, and have good contacts in the industry, you're just not going to be able to get into this field. They're not hiring.

So, other than healthcare, what are GOOD majors?

Seems like no liberal arts majors are of any use these days.

Do we all need to be doctors/engineers?

Snowydog: Hard work, kids. It comes in handy. It will pay off later. You just have to work for it. To move up a ladder, you often have to start on the first rung.

Hard work... unless there are no jobs. Then there's always hard luck.

The_Gallant_Gallstone: Hard work... unless there are no jobs. Then there's always hard luck.

Absolutely no jobs at all? OR just no jobs that these kids want? One of the examples was a girl who couldn't get a job in theater or anthropology. I mean come on.

I am in healthcare (medical technologist/clinical laboratory scientist) and will graduate May 2009. I signed with a major hospital a month ago. If you're going into college right now - go healthcare.

The_Gallant_Gallstone: Snowydog: Hard work, kids. It comes in handy. It will pay off later. You just have to work for it. To move up a ladder, you often have to start on the first rung.

Hard work... unless there are no jobs. Then there's always hard luck.

I've just skipped straight to the hard liquor.

Snowydog: Absolutely no jobs at all? OR just no jobs that these kids want? One of the examples was a girl who couldn't get a job in theater or anthropology. I mean come on.

I'm not sure what's happening on planet Snowydog, but here in late 2008 America, there is a crippling economic crisis making it difficult for many college students, regardless of major, to find work.

Class of '09, getting a kick, etc.

/has a good job lined up after graduation

Snowydog: Absolutely no jobs at all? OR just no jobs that these kids want? One of the examples was a girl who couldn't get a job in theater or anthropology. I mean come on.

I think the reason that they're freaking out isn't that they can't get jobs as much as they just spend at least four years and a hunk of money on college, and now they're going to have to dig ditches. They're not afraid of hard work, they're just annoyed that they spent money to do hard work with the promise of opening doors, and it turns out that because the Boomers are greedy bastards, all of their hard work in college was for naught.

I like the picture of the guy trying to break his own neck next to the "5 signs you may be Getting fired"

Darkraven:

Seems like no liberal arts majors are of any use these days.



I fail to see how that could possible be construed as a bad thing. "Made for government work" majors should be unmasked as the worthless drivel they are.


/Go out and actually produce something.
//The world does not need more people who have only been educated in how to shift money out of the pockets of producers.

The_Gallant_Gallstone: Snowydog: Absolutely no jobs at all? OR just no jobs that these kids want? One of the examples was a girl who couldn't get a job in theater or anthropology. I mean come on.

I'm not sure what's happening on planet Snowydog, but here in late 2008 America, there is a crippling economic crisis making it difficult for many college students, regardless of major, to find work.

Oh I know all about it. Its not just college grads though. Last I checked there are lots and lots of people out of work. I just wonder if these kids thought that theater+anthropology really was going to be the field they got a job in, right out of the gate, with the ink still wet on their diploma.

Location. Pay. Quality of work. You get to pick two. No exceptions.

Rethorn: They're not afraid of hard work, they're just annoyed that they spent money to do hard work with the promise of opening doors, and it turns out that because the Boomers are greedy bastards, all of their hard work in college was for naught.

I get that. But a college education (liberal arts, specifically) doesn't (or at least shouldn't) just prepare you for a job in that one specific field - it crafts life skills in communication, writing, reasoning, logic, etc. If they majored in one field, and they can't find a job in that field, they may have better luck in a more in-demand industry at this time. The article mentioned a few of them.

The children who though pushing buttons for a living are as bad off as the children who thought a liberal arts degree would pay the bills.

THAT'S how bad things are right now.

/yes, I WOULD like fries with that

My heartless multinational corporation lifted their hiring freeze for one year during 2007. I was the first person hired in my current group out of college in half a decade. 6 months later, layoffs started and the hiring freeze went back into place. I have a feeling the same happened to a lot of companies, actually. And it doesn't look like things are getting better any time soon...Suck it, youngsters?

I'm attending university for one of those lame and useless bachelor of arts degrees. I can't wait to become manager of a fast food or retail chain. If there are any left when I finally get that stupid piece of paper...

Any time I feel disappointed I decided to put my efforts behind being a full-time student (i.e. MA with sights set on a PhD) stories like this remind me to be thankful for job security as a TA at this point and will be leaving school without debt

Darkraven: So, other than healthcare, what are GOOD majors?

Seems like no liberal arts majors are of any use these days.

Do we all need to be doctors/engineers?

I have a liberal arts degree from a nerd/tech school. I got a great paying job the day after I graduated, so I'm not complaining.

Snowydog: I get that. But a college education (liberal arts, specifically) doesn't (or at least shouldn't) just prepare you for a job in that one specific field - it crafts life skills in communication, writing, reasoning, logic, etc. If they majored in one field, and they can't find a job in that field, they may have better luck in a more in-demand industry at this time. The article mentioned a few of them.

I agree entirely. And, in the long run, the field that they majored in will open up sooner or later, unless it's something stupid like basket weaving. Hey, you never know, maybe that will open up too. With the way the economy is going we may run out of oil and have to revert to weaving baskets by hand.

They're still kids, by and large, so of course they're going to panic and freak out when it starts to seem like their degree is useless. Teenagers and young adults aren't generally known for their foresight.

I wish I was a garbage man. Nothing wrong with that. Try to picture society with no garbage men... Two weeks, tops. Try to picture society with no "microelectronic engineers". Life goes on. We have decades of technological inertia to go on and we've only had electronics for about 110 years.

Anyways, you stay in shape for free, and there is this one hot Asian chick that picks up my trash, no lie.

WTF?!?!? OMG?!?!?!!!!!!11!! Ya means the earf ain't gonna bend to my will? b,b,b,but I has a degree! I shouln't have to be all wakin' early and shiat and what not

thereadlines: Location. Pay. Quality of work. You get to pick two. No exceptions.

I guess I'm damn lucky then - I got all three. My triple-major might have had something to do with it, but I don't think it's unreasonable to find those things if you actually set clear goals for what you're looking for.

/I know, I know
//gym, 26 minutes

Rethorn: They're still kids, by and large, so of course they're going to panic and freak out when it starts to seem like their degree is useless. Teenagers and young adults aren't generally known for their foresight.

Yeah you're right. I feel my age kicking in when I look at a young whippersnapper and want him to just get off my lawn.

/seriously, I do hope the economy picks up. I know it sucks. Good luck to ANYONE job hunting right now. I'm certain that, like all historical highs and lows, this one is temporary and cyclical...I just hope it is a quick temporary dip.
//at least gas is cheap, right?

I have an undergrad degree in anthropology, and I have always been lucky enough to have a decent job (not in fast food, LOL).

If you think your job title needs to exactly match your major, then you have misunderstood the point of an education. College is not the same as trade school.

Shaggy_C: My heartless multinational corporation lifted their hiring freeze for one year during 2007. I was the first person hired in my current group out of college in half a decade. 6 months later, layoffs started and the hiring freeze went back into place. I have a feeling the same happened to a lot of companies, actually. And it doesn't look like things are getting better any time soon...Suck it, youngsters?

:(

I've got 4 more years until I have to worry about employment, though.

Rethorn: Snowydog: I get that. But a college education (liberal arts, specifically) doesn't (or at least shouldn't) just prepare you for a job in that one specific field - it crafts life skills in communication, writing, reasoning, logic, etc. If they majored in one field, and they can't find a job in that field, they may have better luck in a more in-demand industry at this time. The article mentioned a few of them.

I agree entirely. And, in the long run, the field that they majored in will open up sooner or later, unless it's something stupid like basket weaving. Hey, you never know, maybe that will open up too. With the way the economy is going we may run out of oil and have to revert to weaving baskets by hand.

They're still kids, by and large, so of course they're going to panic and freak out when it starts to seem like their degree is useless. Teenagers and young adults aren't generally known for their foresight.

All B.A.s are inherently worthless. You have to find a use for all that "book larnin'." Science or arts, a liberal arts degree is only a key to open the lock.

/i had a b.a. in biology, became a doctor

The moral: only idiots major in practical(Economics) stuff when they love persionally rewarding stuff (History).

Or: Major in what you love; not what some boss who doesn't exist yet has not told you to major in. It is totally illogical to spend tens of thousands of dollars and 3 years on a complete gamble.

taurusowner: Darkraven:

Seems like no liberal arts majors are of any use these days.



I fail to see how that could possible be construed as a bad thing. "Made for government work" majors should be unmasked as the worthless drivel they are.


/Go out and actually produce something.
//The world does not need more people who have only been educated in how to shift money out of the pockets of producers.

Well aren't you just a little ray of sunshine?

hyperspacemonkey: persionally

Obviously my major is not English.

I'm an English major, because that's what I'm good at, damn it. I started out pre-med, and that fell through very quickly when I realized I wasn't happy.

/No seriously
//I has an medal, given to me at Carnegie
///going for PhD

Parasitic_Spin: If you think your job title needs to exactly match your major, then you have misunderstood the point of an education. College is not the same as trade school.

Bingo!

/BA in Poli Sci; MBA in management; writes code for a living. Strange world.

I went to high school with a guy who I also worked with at a pizza shop. He went off to college and got a 4 year degree, while I was lazy and kept driving pizzas. I then joined the Army, figured out what I really wanted to do with my life, got some discipline, and then finally went to school and am now a police officer. The guy that went straight to college? He got a History Degree and is back at the pizza shop.

Am I the only one concerned about people being in college just to avoid paying off student loans....? That seems problematic for two reasons:

1. If you don't want to be in school for its own sake, how much heart are you really putting into the experience - and what does that do to your fellow students, especially at the graduate level..?

2. More debt = more debt...

Plan B: Join the military

Parasitic_Spin: I have an undergrad degree in anthropology, and I have always been lucky enough to have a decent job (not in fast food, LOL).

If you think your job title needs to exactly match your major, then you have misunderstood the point of an education. College is not the same as trade school.

I think it's that college doesn't teach you how to do your job, but prepares you for learning how to do your job once you're employed.

College allows you to learn how to learn for a career, or some such.

i have a Masters & i run the sister site known as ShartsmoothieFarts.com

As Ali once mused - Impossible is Nothing™

Quantum Apostrophe: I wish I was a garbage man. Nothing wrong with that. Try to picture society with no garbage men... Two weeks, tops. Try to picture society with no "microelectronic engineers". Life goes on. We have decades of technological inertia to go on and we've only had electronics for about 110 years.

Anyways, you stay in shape for free, and there is this one hot Asian chick that picks up my trash, no lie.

I think all of the micro-electronics jobs have been outsource to India or China. You can outsource garbage to other countries, but it still takes garbage men to collect it and send it there.

For all of you guys with letters promising you jobs in June, search the archives of FARK for all of the stories from last June about new grads crying about firms that are no longer in business.

I know someone who became an M.D. because it was more practical than what he wanted to do (law enforecement). He doesn't like being a doctor. That's scary to me...

wild9: jetzzfan: Even though my field is hiring, I am staying in school for an MS.

/Microelectronic Engineering

I am doing this as well. The school I go to offers a dual MSMIT/MBA. Only reason I am doing it though is because I cannot find a decent paying job right now and as long as I am in school full time my student loans do not have to be repaid.

I'm doing my MS because I'm interested in the research (easily produced Si solar cell development) and because my department fully funds all grad students tuition + $1,000/month plus housing, but since I live at home I get the $600/month housing allowance as cash.

Also, I didn't have to take a GRE or any other tests.

/Am being pushed to pursue a Ph.D when I'm done with my MS
//Not sure about that yet

From Wiki Answers. How much money does a garbageman make?

Answer
Ask someone at the reference desk of your local public library for the Occupational Outlook Handbook. It lists all kinds of information you would need to know,(including the salary) of just about any occupation you can think of.
Answer
$80,000 in New York City. 35,000 in Pensacola Florida.
Answer
Garbage men make in between 12-18 per hour but that depends on who your working for or where or how well you do it.
Answer
Chicagoland garbage man can earn 65,000 to 80,000