Considering the amount of literature soothingly directed to the anxious college graduate, it’s apparently neither uncommon nor worrisome that I have a mini-breakdown every time I think about my job prospects for next year — not to mention that I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m also aware there are plenty of on-campus resources that will show me how to interview, find entry-level jobs online, etc., etc. times infinity. The world is full and exciting and at our fingertips, all we need to do is harness the necessary resources and use them to our advantage.
Well, great. So far, the dozens (I need all the help I can get, OK?) of books I have read on this subject matter can be summed up in a few key points. One: you are awesome for picking up my book because I will teach you everything about the job world. Two: Personal branding! Yay! Three: Networking; you can do it too. Four: Blow employers out of the water with your impressive action verbs and firm handshake! And five: Life is good and jobs are awesome, so go live your dream. OK, maybe that’s a little hyperbolic, but the point I’m trying to make is most post-college job search resources are very can-do, easy-as-1-2-3, positively oriented. Obviously, nobody is going to sell any books saying you’re screwed and will never get a job, because that’s neither helpful nor true. The problem, though, is not so much the process of landing a dream job as it is knowing what that job is. And that’s the problem I have with the entire mindset behind the help you find a job movement. No matter what I read, the central idea is that after I decide what I want, some young, smiley Columbia alum is going to tell me and some thousands (millions?) of other readers how to get it.
This unequivocally positive attitude, combined with the assumption that we know where we’re going and are certain to get there, can have negative consequences. A recent survey from York College in York, Pa. found new college graduates are perceived by employers as poorly prepared for the job world. This comes as no surprise, considering the often-false assumption perpetuated by the blissful tone of post-grad job expectations that college grads are ready for anything. And college students may believe that a little too much. Take that senior in my American Government class, for example: “I don’t understand why I have to take a poli sci for a journalism major.” He’s clearly ready for a job in media. We are so caught up in getting to where we’re supposed to be that we fail to consider not only whether it’s what we want, but also if we are even prepared or qualified.
I know what I’m saying doesn’t apply to everyone, but I also know I’m not the only one who missed the memo with my calling written on it, despite the requisite jobs, internships and experimental classes. There is nothing wrong with trying something without being sure if it’s right for you. But simply assuming you want something without considering how suited you are for it can lead to apathy and negligence on the job. Our reasons for wanting something are personal, but we owe it to ourselves and to others to be honest about them. I don’t care if my doctor chose her profession to make money or to cure cancer, but I want her to be sure of what she is doing. This kind of self-knowledge requires careful consideration, not arbitrary dabbling. At the very least, we should take a moment to reconsider our certainty.
Hannah Shtein ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in philosophy.