Monday, June 28, 2010

College Majors: They're Not So Major Afterall..


Although I wish this post was going to be about Victoria Beckham and her use of the word "mayjah" I will remain professional.  As you all know I graduated college with a degree in Communications.  I loved my college media courses, interned for CBS Radio, and was convinced I'd spend my life working in media. Senior year, I had a change of heart, I knew I wanted to pursue my lifelong passion of being an educator. I loved little children and although I really liked media, it just wasn't right for me at the time. 

So I met with my favorite communication professor and he encouraged me to go to grad school and get my teaching certificates. Which I did. On my first interview the director of the school asked why I had a change of heart and I told her that I was young and had the support from my family and loved ones to do what it is I enjoyed, rather than what was expected based on my undergrad education.  She said I was lucky to have "figured it out" so early in my life. From that day on no one has questioned why my bachelor's degree is in Communication and my additional education is in teaching.

Most of my posts on this blog mention doing what you love for a living, rather than what you feel is expected of you.  WG2 for instance went to college and graduated with a degree in English and moved to the east coast to pursue a career in writing.  She is currently doing event planning (and much more business-like activities) in the city of Chicago. Does she love it? No. Does she hate it? No. But it is what is right for her right now. Even this blog post proves that it doesn't matter what you major in, a job is a job, and if you are qualified and work hard at whatever it is, you deserve it.  I do hope, however, that WG 2 finds a job doing exactly what she loves (like writing a really famous book and giving me money so I can retire young) and I hope that for all of you as well.

Let's face it.  Being a teacher in NJ really sucks right now, but the climate out there in any job market isn't exactly desirable. So why not give your current job all you've got, regardless of your major and whatever a diploma or degree has to say about. 

Moral of the story? It's all about doing what you love. If what you're doing right now isn't your dream job (I'm sure many of you are nodding your heads right now) that doesn't mean it has to be your career forever.  My 60-year-old father who has been working in the media industry since he was 21 still says he wishes he had become a high school football coach like he always wanted. We are lucky to live in a society where it is acceptable to change career fields. Hey, I might want to pursue my childhood dream of being a dolphin trainer afterall. And that's OK, even if my major in college wasn't Marine Biology..

37 comments:

erin - heart in ireland said...

ugggh, i agree about the teaching climate in nj. i found out with 2 weeks left this school year that i no longer had a job.

Heart of Texas said...

AMEN to this post.

nmaha said...

So true. I am a Chartered Accountant by qualification, worked in investment banking for about 5 years, now the husband and I run our own chain of diagnostic centers! I also hope to be a published author someday. You never know what life is going to hand you. So just go with the flow.

Dree said...

This is such a good post. I'm, pursuing a career in the area that I've always wanted to work in, but I constantly worry that finding a job exactly as I want it will be hard. I will take what life brings me, and be happy with that!

Just Jay said...

Great post. This is something that I am going to emphasize to my kids (when I have them).

Annah said...

Amen to this post for real! I just quit my job so I know all about college majors not being all they're cut out to be. Wooosah

Anonymous said...

OMG, you are so right!!! I got my degree in interpersonal communications. It's so vague, but you can do a lot ... unfortunately, the climate of NJ is the climate in MI too!

Kelsey said...

I agree. And a lot of jobs don't require a specific major! I'm working in PR and a lot of the women were English majors, business majors.. and so on!

MonsteRawr said...

I majored in dance, and now am the Head Electrician for a theatre. My best friend in college started out majoring in Musical Theatre, switched to Opera, and finally to Social Services. She's now getting her masters in something along the lines of Family Therapy. Neither of us are doing what we originally planned, but we're both extremely happy.

Teaching Working Girl said...

Thanks for the support on this issue ladies, its good to know I'm not the only one out there going against what is expected. And props to you head electrician and nmaha for 'going with the flow'!

ThoughtsON said...

I have a degree in Communication as well. I think it's a blessing and curse to have such a broad major. Currently I'm an Insurance Specialist at a hospital. Dream job? No. But I like it and I have discovered I really like healthcare and can see a lot of potential for the future.
And if you figure out how to be a dolphin trainer with a comm degree, please let me know because I totally want to join you! As a kid that is Always what I wanted to be! lol

J said...

It's like I could have write this post myself. What I kind of did on my blog today, so it's really surprising because I waited until tonight to read your post in my Google Reader eheh. Your post just really sparked my interest because I feel so concerned by the subject

Unlike your post, mine is more about continuing your studies despite everyone telling you that you could work and have a decent salary with your degree ... but the moral is the same... It's important to figure it out, in order to be happy in your life but unfortunately, a lot of people just don't get it ...

Unknown said...

Thank you for posting this. Any job is a job at this point, and a means to an end not necessarily forever.

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