Posts

#CareerAdvice : #CollegeStudent – Essential Advice For Building Your Dream Career In The Digital Economy. Got Kids? Great One Min Read!

Lauren Maffeo has her finger on the pulse of tech, education, and especially, how to educate people successfully in order to succeed in a tech oriented job market. But she certainly didn’t start out that way.

In fact, in college, computer science was her least favorite course. Yet, today, Lauren is an award-winning technology expert, covering the impact of emerging tech like AI and blockchain on small and mid-sized business owners. I caught up with Lauren on our From the Dorm Room to the Board Room podcast to discuss her interesting career journey and advice she has for young people interested in the digital economy. The following excerpt from this interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Andy Molinsky: Is there anything in particular you’d suggest about preparing yourself in college for a future career in tech?

Lauren Maffeo: If you’re still in a position to be picking classes, pick as diverse a range of classes as you possibly can. I don’t regret being a Media Studies major, but I do wish that I had taken more business courses, especially marketing and product management.

Molinsky: How about just majoring in Computer Science?

Maffeo: And if you’re a Computer Science major, I think it’s really essential to be taking courses on Ethics, and Philosophy, and Rhetoric to understand the bigger picture of what you’re building, and understanding the impact of your products on end users, which is something that tends to really get lost on technical teams if they’re too far away from their customers.

Like this Article ?  Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/115673713231115398101/posts?hl=en

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of article:

Molinsky: You majored in Media Studies. Was there anything particularly useful in retrospect about that major?

Maffeo: For sure. I couldn’t foresee at the time how valuable my Media Studies education would be, both in my career and also in this weird cultural moment we’re in. I could not have imagined how media literacy, at large, would evolve the way it has into what it is today where we have this real explosion of literal fake news where even someone who is highly literate can’t necessarily tell the factual accuracy of what they’re reading. We’re in this very unique moment where the value of being able to dissect arguments and rhetoric for what they are and critique things at face value is a more essential skill than ever.

Molinsky: If you had the power to dictate how college was run, is there anything you’d change?

Maffeo: I would require interdisciplinary education, which a lot of universities already do. If engineers are building products for end users not thinking about the myriad of ways they could be used for both good and bad, that’s very problematic. So Computer Science students, for example, need to take coding courses alongside Philosophy. The other thing is that I would emphasize the benefits of project-based work, especially if someone is taking more technical subjects. You’re always going to get more exposure and more knowledge from doing something hands-on versus just memorizing information.

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.

Forbes.com | June 26, 2019 | Andy Molinsky 

Your #Career : These Are The College Degrees That Earn The Highest Salaries…Most STEM Degrees Pay Graduates the Highest Wages, But there Are other College Majors that Offer Good Return on the Education Investment.

College Graduate

The average 2015 college graduate completed their education with $35,051 in student loan debt, according to a study by Edvisor, and a survey by Salary.com found that 35% of 15,000 respondents believe a degree isn’t worth the price tag, with another 43% claiming it isn’t necessary to succeed in life.

While not all degrees are created equal, and you can always find a career in a field you didn’t major in, certain degrees are a better bet for students looking for the highest return on their education investment. In fact, a 2015 report by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce estimated that the difference in lifetime wages between the highest- and lowest-paying college majors is about $3.4 million.

According to a new study by Glassdoor, an online employer review and careers resource, the top 10 college majors that help graduates earn the most during the first five years of employment are:

  1. Computer Science

    Median base salary: $70,000
    Popular entry-level jobs: Software engineer, Systems engineer, Web developer

  2. Electrical Engineering

    Median base salary: $68,438
    Popular entry-level jobs: Electrical engineer, Systems engineer, Software developer

  3. Mechanical Engineering

    Median base salary: $68,000
    Popular entry-level jobs: Mechanical engineer, Design engineer, Project engineer

     

    Like this Article ?  Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

    FSC LinkedIn Network: (Over 15K+ Members & Growing !)   www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

    Facebook: (over 12K)   http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

    educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

    Continue of article:

  4. Chemical Engineering

    Median base salary: $65,000
    Popular entry-level jobs: Chemical engineer, Process engineer, Project engineer

  5. Industrial Engineering

    Median base salary: $64,381
    Popular entry-level jobs: Industrial engineer, Quality engineer, Production planner

  6. Information Technology

    Median base salary: $64,008
    Popular entry-level jobs: Programmer analyst, Technical support, Systems engineer

  7. Civil Engineering

    Median base salary: $61,500
    Popular entry-level jobs: Civil engineer, Structural engineer, Field engineer

  8. Statistics

    Median base salary: $60,000
    Popular entry-level jobs: Data analyst, Statistician, Data scientist

  9. Nursing

    Median base salary: $58,928
    Popular entry-level jobs: Registered nurse, Licensed vocational nurse, Case manager

  10. Management Information Systems

    Median base salary: $58,000
    Popular entry-level jobs: Network administrator, Help desk analyst, Business analyst

While some of the highest-paying tech employers have expressed an interestin hiring non-STEM graduates, science, technology, engineering, and math degrees still dominate the top 10 and much of the remaining top 50.

But earning a STEM degree, which accounts for 20% of all college degrees,doesn’t necessarily guarantee a high salary. According to a report by the Economic Policy Institute, petroleum engineers earn as much as $243,000 by mid-career, while environmental engineers earn just over $100,000, and those in mechanical-related technologies and architecture don’t crack six figures. “The top 25% of education majors earn more than the bottom 25% of engineering majors,” suggests the report, titled “The Economic Value of College Majors.”

Furthermore, chasing a degree for the sake of its future earning potential might have an adverse affect on one’s career, according to Vince Broady, the CEO of content marketing platform Thismoment and religion studies major at Brown University. “If you don’t personally care about what you are doing, you are not going to be competitive at it,” he told Fast Company. “You have to have some faith that your education will not be wasted on you. This is about you and your specific situation; you need to make sure that what you learn serves you.”

At the bottom of the list of 50 were these degree tracks that led to the lowest-paying jobs:

  • Health Care Administration

    Median base salary: $42,000
    Popular entry-level jobs: Medical assistant, File clerk, Office manager

  • Social Work

    Median base salary: $41,656
    Popular entry-level jobs: Social worker, Mental health counselor, Camp counselor

  • Biology

    Median base salary: $41,250
    Popular entry-level jobs: Lab assistant, Paramedic, Tutor

For those who want to improve the likelihood of getting those student loans paid off sooner, however, Glassdoor’s data would suggest that STEM is the safest bet.

 

 

Your #Career : The 5 Best Ways to Network While You’re Still in College… When to Start Looking for a Career/Job? Today, IF you start your Junior Year, your Late!

Thinking about the real world can be intimidating as a college student (I’ve been there!)… So it’s no surprise that our team gets questions from hundreds of students each month about how to network effectively in preparation for a career.

College Graduate

The connections I made in college have been instrumental in my post-grad life, including in starting my own company, WayUp. Below are five ways I suggest networking as a college student. Anyone can and should use them to build an effective set of relationships that will support you throughout your career.

Armed with these strategies, you should walk away feeling excited about the network, and future, that you’re building.

1. Use part-time jobs and internships to your advantage

Warren Buffett started as a paperboy, Madonna as a Dunkin Donuts worker, and Oprah worked at a grocery store. Working during school is the perfect way to gain experience, figure out what you love / don’t love, and make money. But regardless of what you choose to do, you’ll likely meet people who will go on to do bigger and better things, and you never know how they’ll be able to help you.

Today’s barista is tomorrow high-powered ad executive, so don’t discount anybody along the way. Use your time at work to get to know people and ask questions. Stay in touch after you leave a job or internship, even if it’s just a quick email update every couple of months.

 

Like this Article ?  Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: (Over 15K+ Members & Growing !)   www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

Facebook: (over 12K)   http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

Continue of article:

2. Cold email people you admire

I love cold emailing people (“cold emailing” means reaching out to someone you don’t know). Every college student should take advantage of how easy it can be!

Students are often intimidated to message someone to whom they have no connection, but in my experience, most people in the world really want to help others, and it’s even more special when a person gets to help a college student. So be sure to cold email people you admire, or even people at your own school who you just haven’t been able to meet.

Cold-emailing helped me plenty in college. I got one internship through it (back then, we didn’t have WayUp!), and I even relied on a cold email to a role model so I could get their advice on which career path to take after graduation. Here’s a video (at 49-seconds) of me telling that story:

A couple big tips here: always be respectful and genuine when cold emailing, definitely make sure that you show that you respect their time, and most of all, be sure to use the “I’m a college student” opening while you still can!

3. Take advantage of professional networking groups and clubs on campus

Many colleges have groups, clubs, and associations that you can join to expand your opportunities and meet amazing people, both on and off-campus. There’s never going to be another time quite like college where you’re surrounded by thousands of amazingly smart and interesting people, so get to know the people you think will change the world someday.

At college, you’re exposed to some of the most brilliant academic minds in the world, so why wouldn’t you take advantage of that? If there’s a subject area you’re interested in, don’t be afraid to go to professors in that field; they love talking about their work and meeting young people who are just as interested.

You never know which professor will end up being the professor who changes your life trajectory. For example, the professor who taught my “Entrepreneurship” class helped me work on a business plan that ended up being the inspiration for WayUp!

5. Reach out to everyone you know in your personal network

The best way to figure out what you might be interested in is to talk to absolutely everyone about your interests. You’d be surprised at how many people your friends and family know.

Pro-tip: don’t forget to take advantage of winter and spring break. It’s the perfect opportunity to reach out to folks at home about connections they may have that are relevant to your interests!

No matter where you attend school or what you choose to study, building a network now will make life so much easier after graduation. Good luck!

Your #Career : 18 Awesome Career Choices Most College Kids Would Never Think Of…For many Students, a College Degree Puts you On the Direct Path to a Certain Career, Such as a Doctor, Teacher, or Journalist. But for Many Others, the Future Isn’t as Clear-Cut.

 

Maybe you want to go to med school, but don’t necessarily want to be a doctor. Maybe you love maps, but aren’t sure how to incorporate that passion into a career. Or perhaps you just haven’t found anything that sounds appealing yet.

Mining engineer

Luckily, there are tons of great career options out there that many college kids have no idea even exist. In this helpful thread, Reddit users shared some of these under-the-radar occupations that most students probably haven’t heard of. And they pay fairly well, too.

Here are 18 of our favorites, including salary data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, for those who need some inspiration finding their dream job.

Air traffic controller

Average annual salary: $118,780

“After school and training it pays an average of 100k a year, but there is an age limit to get accepted.” — Kate1320

“My father is an ATC at Pearson. 200k a year with brilliant benefits. He provided a great quality of life for my family.” — 1stOnRT1

 

Like this Article ?  Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: (Over 15K+ Members & Growing !)   www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

Facebook: (over 12K)   http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

Continue of article:

Court stenographer

Court stenographer

Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

Average annual salary: $55,000

“It’s a three-year program (on average — took me four to finish), but if you’re proficient in grammar, have strong language skills, have solid finger dexterity from playing an instrument or video games, and are able to work independently, it’s an incredible career.

“You work from home most of the time, lawyers very rarely schedule depositions before 10:00 am, you can make your own schedule, and the pay is great. Your pay reflects how hard you want to work and the jobs you’re getting, but I made 65k my first year and nearly 80k my second.” — Bad_Karma21

 

Dental hygienist

Dental hygienist

Boston Globe/Contributor/Getty Images

Average annual salary: $71,970

“I’m starting dental hygiene school in the fall and I would have never looked into it while in college. It’s only after I graduated and realized that I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do that I started seriously doing some research. Most dental hygiene programs only require a certain amount of prerequisite courses and a standardized test score for admission. Most are also bachelors degree programs as well, so mom and dad are pleased and you’re spending the minimal amount of time you would earning a traditional university/college degree. Plus, salary starts at 50-60k a year with ridiculous benefits, at least in my area. Dentists treat their hygienists well!” — WinnifredBurkle

 

Industrial design

Average annual salary: $67,030

“As a career, industrial design is a great fusion of art and engineering. The problems are challenging, the work is varied and creative, and design consultancies have some of the best work environments and cultures you could ask for. And at the core of it all, you’re tasked with answering the question, ‘What sort of future do we want to live in?’ Design is so much more than making things shiny.” — Grizzleyt

 

Anesthesiology assistant

Average annual salary for similar position*: $97,280

“You have to do a premed track in undergrad, but then go to a two-year masters program which has 100% job placement and the average starting salary is about 120k. I never knew about it as an undergrad and wasted a few years getting another masters in an unrelated field.” — parallax1

*Some median salaries were not available via the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so data for similar positions was used.

Geomatic engineering/Land surveying

Average annual salary$60,310

“Most surveyors are old. For instance, the average age of a surveyor in the state of California is in the mid to late fifties, which means you will definitely get a job out of college and you can quickly work your way up to a decent six figure income once you get your professional license.” — TheGeomatician

“Yes. Definitely yes. My dad actually worked for a surveyor for a while and has done surveying off and on as a technician. Made a livable income for someone who dropped out of college after a semester and funded a very heavy smoking habit. I’ve considered getting a side job with a surveyor in a year or two since part of my current degree involves Geographic Information Systems.” — da_asparagus

 

Packaging engineering

Average annual salary: $85,110

“There are only a few schools who offer this degree but the level of difficulty is not high and the unemployment rate after graduation is incredibly low. Also you are likely to be hired to Fortune 500 companies, (P&G, Johnson & Johnson, Bemis, etc.)” — Klarkson1273

Hearing-aid practitioner/Audiologist

Average annual salary: $76,790

“Jobs jobs everywhere. Same goes for speech pathologists. Requires a grad degree and a lot of clinic hours, state certification, but the pay is great and jobs are plentiful. Work is rewarding too, helping people communicate who otherwise couldn’t is pretty rad.” — PaleoVision

Physician assistant

Average annual salary: $97,280

“The short of it is a two to two and half year long post-grad program, and then you’re able to work in the industry with a comparatively high level of independence and earning six figures doing something that results in one feeling as though they’re making some sort of difference.

“It’s not an easy way out, of course, but it’s so much less commitment than medical school, and with the way med school costs are going, it’s very possible that throughout the entirety of your career you can out-earn many doctors who don’t specialize in a particularly expensive specialty. And this also comes with the ability to change specialties without going back to school.” — You_Dont_Party

Hospital technology repair

Average annual salary: $48,540

“My brother in law works for a medical repair company. He made 55k starting, 15 an hour during the internship, and owned his own house at 23. They fly him around for free whenever someone out of state calls.” — CurioustoaFault

“As a former biomed technician, I can confirm that it’s a very solid industry to get in on. Medical equipment (even on the smaller scale, infusion pumps, defibrillators, and portable suction machines) are ridiculously overpriced, and with this comes huge maintenance prices too. I remember one week in particular, our team of four technicians working on a particular job billed $35,000+ for our company simply doing routine checks on certain equipment in one of the nearby hospitals.” — Bananaman_lives

 

Internal auditing

Average annual salary: $76,670

“Large companies have management training rotations in audit because of the risk/controls knowledge you get and the broad understanding of processes, so it’s definitely a good track to leadership. I also find it financially rewarding. Six years out of undergrad, over $100k a year.” — Xomegaalpha

Mining engineer

Mining engineer

REUTERS/Pav Jordan

Average annual salary: $100,970

“It can be cyclical (bit of a miner lull right now in my specific resource/location right now) but on a good year it is white hot. I signed on to a $100k salary (plus bonus and benefits) straight out of my bachelors degree at 23 for a job that had me moving across the planet (Canada to Australia). The year I graduated we finished school in May and 80% of my graduating class had jobs lined up already and the remainder found jobs by the end of July.

“I was on the higher end for salaries (most making about $80k) There’s worldwide options especially if you get educated in a Western University. Mining Engineers in the US make a little less (~$65k) but for the amount of people working for $30k on masters degrees in other industries, you can’t really complain. You do have to be willing to live in remote areas.” — truffleshufflegoonie

Tower technician

Average annual salary: $49,880

“I’ve been doing this for a few years and I’ll pull in roughly 60 to 70k this year. It’s great if you like working outdoors, like heights, and enjoy traveling. It’s hard to get bored when you’re in a new town every week working with guys who have your back. The cool thing is you don’t need a college degree, or any kind of education (Personally, I have my Bachelors in an unrelated field).” — IClimbStuff

Blacksmith

Blacksmith

REUTERS/Ilya Naymushin

Average annual salary for similar position*: $56,560

“Very few people know this, but blacksmithing is something still practiced in today’s society. Very few colleges have courses in it and I believe that mine is the only one that you can get a degree in it (Southern Illinois University of Carbondale). I am a student in this program. It is immensely fun. I have made knives, art, pedestals, hammers. I love talking about what I do but very few people understand it. And there is quite a job market for it too.” — FarlandMetals

*Some median salaries were not available via the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so data for similar positions was used.

 

Funeral director

Average annual salary: $52,130

“My friends whole family are morticians and funeral directors. Not one of them makes less than $50k. One of them finished mortician science school at 20 and started making $60k as an apprentice and in a couple years he’ll be a full blown embalmer making twice that.” — Austronano

Geospatial/geographic information systems

Average annual salary for similar position*: $64,570

“It’s basically the 21st century version of cartography and it’s a field that ranges everything from making maps (think Google Maps or Garmin), pollution tracking, civil planning, interpretation of satellite imagery, and countless other uses. It primarily centers around the use of GIS programs like ArcMap or GrassGIS to graphically represent quantitative data.

“Employers LOVE it and demand for it is high. It’s one of the few jobs you can do well in with a bachelor’s degree too, masters are rather specialized and go more into satellite work or high level statistics generally. Starting wages are generally 40 to 60k a year from what I’ve seen but there’s a lot of room to move around and move up the ladder.” — Shorvok

*Some median salaries were not available via the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so data for similar positions was used.

 

Technical writing

Average annual salary: $71,950

“It’s an interesting an exciting field for people with diverse backgrounds (everything from a liberal arts degree to engineering).” — Anonymous

“If you say get onto the back end of a high technology firm writing manuals for the operation of there equipment, you will be exposed to some of the latest and greatest that technology has to offer.” — WilliamOfOrange

Healthcare administrator

Average annual salary: $103,680

“I wish I knew about healthcare administration when I was soul-searching for a major. Good pay, good job availability, and it isn’t half-bad.” — Anonymous

“Most fields you can think of in business have a healthcare component that is ten times more complicated because it is in healthcare. Also, a lot of people in healthcare administration have started out in clinical backgrounds, lab techs, LPNs, physical therapists, etc. A lot of MDs are even getting their MBAs in healthcare administration.” — deliciouslyinked

 Businessinsider.com | July 21, 2015 | Emmie Martin, Jacquelyn Smith and Rachel Gillett

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your #Career : 6 Reasons Why Your College Major Doesn’t Matter…Your Experience, Be it On the Job or Off the Job, is What People Notice also Your #Network Matters Way More Than your College Major.

Use your Undergraduate Years to Learn about Yourself— “It Has Yet to be Proven that Intelligence has any Survival Value.” – Arthur Clarke

College Graduate

 

“So, what’s it going to be?”  My advisor looked at me expectantly, as if I was simply at a McDonald’s needing to make the simple choice between a BigMac or a Quarter Pounder.

“Let’s run through the options,” she continued. “Government is a solid choice if you’re thinking about law school. English would be a smart decision if you’re interested in publishing or teaching. Communications is useful in most fields…”

“Women’s studies?” I ventured, hoping she would run off a list of career doors that would open to me if I chose this particular field of study.  Instead, she cocked her head to the side, chewed her pen cap and looked at me as if I was a unicorn.  Next , her eyes lit up: “You can always find a job as a nanny!”

That meeting took my stress levels to unprecedented heights. In hindsight, I realize that she had all of the best intentions with her “let’s choose a major that increases your employability” approach. It seemed reasonable enough at the time, but after helping thousands of job-seekers land multiple offers through my online coaching program, I’ve come to realize that your declared major has nothing to do with your success.

Unfortunately, that realization hasn’t caught on in the mainstream yet.

According to a recent study, 82% of 2015 graduates researched their field of choice before determining what major to pursue in college. When you look at this statistic through the lens of student loans and the 2008 recession, it comes as no surprise that students want to pursue careers that will enable them to pay off their hefty debt.

Like this Article ?…Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 300K+ Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

  • Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

 

continue of article:

If your degree alone guaranteed a job, this kind of strategic long-term planning would make sense. And yes, there are certain jobs that require the skills affiliated with specified degrees, such as engineering, architecture, and computer science. But by and large, your college major is unlikely to have any bearing on your career success. I’ve coached math majors who later chose to pursue careers in comedy, and I’ve seen plenty of Elle Woodses come through my door, so I know firsthand that a fashion merchandising degree doesn’t affect your ability to get accepted to law school.

Plus, look at me: I’m a political science graduate and counterterrorism professional turned career coach.

Here are a few points to consider about why our attachment to the idea that majors matter should be put to rest.

  1. Your degree is a prerequisite for the competitive workforce; the topic is irrelevant. It used to be important and special for someone to have a degree, and now it just stands as a prerequisite in the workforce. While your job will most likely require a Bachelor’s degree, it probably won’t matter what field it is in. According to recent research, 62% of recent college graduates are working in jobs that require a degree, yet only 27% of college graduates are working in a job that even relates to their major.
  2. Certain fields yield higher incomes, but your major does not need to align with the industry. The individuals who dedicate their undergrad years to their field of choice (business, medicine, law) don’t necessarily end up achieving greater success in the field than those who arrived there with a completely unrelated major. For example, history majors who pursued careers in business ended up earning as much as business majors, according to one study. You don’t have to study English to be a writer, you don’t have to study business to be a consultant, and you don’t have to study political science to go into government. The real world doesn’t care about your degree as much as your work ethic and attitude.
  3. Your experience, be it on the job or off the job, is what people notice. Take advantage of the opportunities you have as an undergraduate to pursue interesting internships, get involved in student organizations, and volunteer for causes you are passionate about. These lines on your resume are so much more powerful than your major because they tell employers that you are motivated, passionate, and involved. Best of all, they allow you to “create” your experience that employers request of you.
  4. Think soft skills, not major topics. Employers want to know that you will be able to learn quickly, fit into the workplace environment, and be responsive to the task at hand. For these reasons, 93% of employers believe that critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills are more important than a job candidate’s undergraduate field of study. Furthermore, 95% of employers are looking for candidates whose skills translate into out-of-the-box thinking and innovation, as many of the jobs being filled today come with challenges that are more complex than in the past.Perhaps this explains why Silicon Valley is starting to favor employees who studied liberal arts, versus those who took the more “typical” tech path as software engineers. Soft skills are the skills of the future.
  5. You’re a better performer when you’re aligned with your purpose. As a career coach, I hear from countless clients who feel energetically zapped by their jobs. When I help them get more clear on their purpose, it’s as though a new, powerful energy takes them over… Why? Because purpose gives you unprecedented energy. If you major in a field you’re truly interested in, you will give it the effort, attention and enthusiasm that translates into success. Stellar performance – in any field – is what translates into career success. Studies show that a happy brain is engaged, motivated, and productive. In other words, our happiness drives our success, so think twice before committing to that math major: Many roads lead to business school, so you might as well take the one that will make you the happiest.
  6. Your network matters way more than your college major. You can choose a major that correlates with a high-paying job in the real world…you can hunker down and score A’s in your classes and graduate with a perfect GPA…but without a solid network of contacts, you’re missing a huge piece of the puzzle. If no one knows who you are, no one will care how smart you are. This is why it is so important that people who truly want to be successful put just as much effort, if not more, into networking as they do into their studies. You can start doing this right now, simply by building relationships with your professors, participating in internships and volunteer activities, and even by reaching out to strangers who fascinate you. I’ve seen it with my own clients, many of whom have received multiple job offers: authentic flattery goes a long way.
  7. Your major is not going to pave a yellow brick road for career success. Scoring straight A’s in your prelaw coursework is not always the golden ticket to a million-dollar payday…If you don’t believe me, ask a lawyer.

Whatever you choose to study, make your own personal development the true goal of your undergraduate career. Use your undergraduate years to learn about yourself—your unique brilliance and your passions— not to learn everything there is to know about the branches and functions of foreign governments that don’t interest you in the belief that doing so will land you a job in politics.

We’ve all worked with the genius intern with the perfect resume who couldn’t make it to the office on time (ever); the one who spoke six languages but teamwork wasn’t one of them. Likewise, we’ve all known the colleague from the never-heard-of-it college who hustled harder than anyone else on the team and flew up the ladder with blink and you’ll miss her speed.

As Arthur Clarke said, “It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.”

What has been proven is that the most successful leaders are motivated by a purpose.

For my FREE TRAINING on how to get multiple job offers and a big salary hike, visit www.LandMoreJobOffers.com.

 

Forbes.com | August 12, 2015 | Ashley Stahl