There was a time when going to university was a way to secure a better and brighter future by getting a well-paid job.
But is that still the case today? Or does it depend on the profession you want to get into?
Because let’s admit it, most of us who went to university don’t work within the field in which we studied.
Story Time
I have always been fascinated with the human psyche and as such I studied psychology at university. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I regret that I didn’t specialise in my field of choice, which would have been forensic psychology.
To be honest, I took a module in Forensics which put me off a little bit after learning about serial killers like Jeffery Dahmer and looking at some of their crime scene photos.
I thought to myself CSI Miami (I had to specify because it was my favourite) made things look pretty compared to how they looked in real life, like a scene out of a horror film.
I wondered if I could handle it because if you weren’t careful you could end up in an asylum trying to figure these killers out. I digress back to the main topic.
Finding Work after University
When I graduated in 2011, I found finding work incredibly difficult and almost impossible. I went from job interview to job interview without success. I was on unemployment benefits, which meant I was under pressure to find a job every week, or at least prove that I was actively looking for work.
It was a very dehumanizing experience for me, because as the weeks and months went by, so did my confidence and self-esteem. I had signed up with almost every recruitment agency you could think of.
In some cases, my degree without experience wasn’t enough, in other cases, it had a negative effect because I was overqualified. Either way, I wasn’t successful.
A Ray of Hope
After about a year of searching, the employment office wanted to put me on a program to further help me in my job search. However, just before joining the program, I had applied for a job in the Civil Service, which I didn’t even think I’d get at the time.
I was invited to an interview but had no money for a train, so I took the bus and was late. To make it worse I was unfamiliar with the area so I had to ensure I was going in the right direction because the wrong one would have surely cost me. I entered the interview room, flustered and out of breath, apologizing profusely after running from the bus stop to the building.
I’m sure it was an unpleasant sight, and I dread to think about what the interviewers thought. But to my surprise, they were quite relaxed and understanding, so I could continue with the interview with peace of mind.
Although I had only worked in the voluntary sector until then, I was happy to finally hear the good news that I had got the job! And so began my career in public service.
Back To The Question
So, is university out of date? To some extent yes, because in most cases, with the right experience or connections, you can get into a well-paid position without a degree.
This would mean you don’t have the debt that comes with a degree, so you have extra money that you’d otherwise have to use to pay off student loans. However, for certain traditional career paths, a university degree is still an advantage.
In all my years of learning from educational institutions, I’ve found that the learning I’ve done outside whether it be through my own research or on the job far outweighs what I’ve been taught.
A Little Encouragement
For those of you who are having a hard time finding a job after university or in general, keep applying even when you don’t feel like it, even for the jobs you might feel underqualified for because every ignored CV and rejected application gets you closer to your yes.
That ‘yes’ is perfectly timed and when it comes, you’ll be glad you persisted.
And with that, I’ll leave you with this:
Not giving up and not giving in are the recipes for success.
