You Majored In What?

If you’re the parent of a college student or recent graduate, you may be  worried about their opportunities after graduation.  And if they chose a major which doesn’t lead directly to a career path, it’s understandable that you you might even be more worried.

But before you panic, think back to when you were 21. Are you in the same career field or job you thought you would be in when you were 21?  If you are, you’re in the minority.  Quite frankly, most parents who answer “yes” to that question are either engineers, accountants, lawyers, or in their family business.  Those careers lend themselves to a more traditional and linear path.

But as the rest of you may have discovered, your career has changed many times– sometimes by your own choice and sometimes due to what life has handed you.

In normal economic times, college graduates fare better in the job market than high school graduates. And usually within six months of graduation most colleges and universities report an unemployment rate that is lower than the national average.  While it remains to be seen what will happen in this economy over the next few months, remember that much of what happens right now is a short-term problem for your son or daughter.

If your son or daughter is graduating this year, you might be interested in a recent post from my Psychology Today blog called The Pitter-Patter of Big Feet which deals with Boomerang Kids, the students who return home after graduation.  The blog contains suggestions which your children can still do before school ends.

I wrote You Majored in What? with you as well as your son or daughter in mind. It is designed to make them more intelligent job seekers while at the same time make them less stressed and anxious about the process.  You might also find that reading it cuts down on your stress.  Oh, and if you’re in the midst of your own job-hunt, it just might help you too!