For a college student, finding summer employment is usually difficult. For a college student seeking an internship during the Great Recession it’s nigh impossible. Throw in a few liberal arts degrees, even from a top U.S. institution, and things just get even harder. Any one of us experiences the daily job search, scrolling through the regular litany of lvn jobs, temporary positions, and, of course, those only wanting to hire individuals with “experience.”
Are you a middle-aged individual depressed at your current prospects? Try being a student who’s sunk $50,000 a year into a four-year program. Try to enjoy your youth and the supposed “best years” of your life when you don’t know what you’re going to do yourself once you toss your cap in the air.
I mentioned “liberal arts” a moment ago and it deserves more explanation here. Whereas one group of positions, such as lvn jobs, requires a specific skill set with a very clearly defined educational pathway, one is left to wonder precisely what a liberal arts degree prepares you for. One feels for those English and History majors who pursued studies that were interesting and important to them, only to discover that employers are only interested in “practical” skills. About the only thing going for these poor liberal arts students is their ability to write, to think, and to adapt. Ultimately, whether they choose to become bankers, politicians, or lawyers, some specialization will be required-and that means more school, more debt, and less time working a “real” job.
Those who pursue lvn jobs might make a whole lot less than those aforementioned liberal arts majors, but at least the process is simple and well-lit. An English major needs to sink ever more time into school and must find his or her own way to that dream job or amazing opportunity. For many of us unsure of where we’ll be in ten years it is a journey fraught with peril.
