Honestly it seems like the entry-level job market is particularly terrible right now with what would normally be an entry-level job seemingly wanting a degree of experience that counters the idea of it being "entry-level".
I totally agree with this. When I graduated in 2005 from a reputable liberal arts school (in Greek and Latin), I decided to take a couple of years off before going back to grad school. My hope was to establish myself in some sort of career, so that I had a backup plan when I got out of grad school. (if you think the job market in IT is tough, it has nothing on being a professor in the humanities)
I'm not going to pretend I did everything perfectly the first time around, but my resume and interviewing skills really aren't that bad. From academics alone, I think it was clear that I'm intelligent, dedicated and hard-working. All I hoped for was a toehold, at any the many jobs I applied for-- just a chance to get in there and prove myself... and nothing.
I finally gave up and got a job as an administrative assistant for a year, and that was pretty soul-crushing. But over the summer I taught a camp for middle school kids, and remembered that kids are more fun than answering phones. Now I'm substitute teaching, and, provided I get accepted somewhere, I'll be starting grad school next fall.
Furthermore, I've managed to put together a portfolio of tech projects, and have a much better idea how to conduct a job search. In the event that I get out of grad school and can't find an academic position, I think I'll have a much better chance of getting a decent job.
I'd advise any slashdottieri who are considering going to a liberal arts school/majoring in the humanities is that you should think hard about that decision. My liberal arts/humanities friends are for the most part poor and miserable, whereas my friends who majored in CS/engineering/whatever are rich and reasonably happy.
It's important to be tough-minded and pragmatic at every stage of the game, and it's never a bad idea to have a second option.
Professors and liberal arts/humanities boosters will tell you that being liberally educated trains you to do whatever you want to, and that the skills you gain (thinking critically, communicating) will be an advantage in any job. They may have a point, and I suspect that it's at the entry-level that the liberally educated have the hardest time. But that transition is a bitch.
Slashdot Mirror
I totally agree with this. When I graduated in 2005 from a reputable liberal arts school (in Greek and Latin), I decided to take a couple of years off before going back to grad school. My hope was to establish myself in some sort of career, so that I had a backup plan when I got out of grad school. (if you think the job market in IT is tough, it has nothing on being a professor in the humanities)
I'm not going to pretend I did everything perfectly the first time around, but my resume and interviewing skills really aren't that bad. From academics alone, I think it was clear that I'm intelligent, dedicated and hard-working. All I hoped for was a toehold, at any the many jobs I applied for-- just a chance to get in there and prove myself... and nothing.
I finally gave up and got a job as an administrative assistant for a year, and that was pretty soul-crushing. But over the summer I taught a camp for middle school kids, and remembered that kids are more fun than answering phones. Now I'm substitute teaching, and, provided I get accepted somewhere, I'll be starting grad school next fall.
Furthermore, I've managed to put together a portfolio of tech projects, and have a much better idea how to conduct a job search. In the event that I get out of grad school and can't find an academic position, I think I'll have a much better chance of getting a decent job.
I'd advise any slashdottieri who are considering going to a liberal arts school/majoring in the humanities is that you should think hard about that decision. My liberal arts/humanities friends are for the most part poor and miserable, whereas my friends who majored in CS/engineering/whatever are rich and reasonably happy.
It's important to be tough-minded and pragmatic at every stage of the game, and it's never a bad idea to have a second option.
Professors and liberal arts/humanities boosters will tell you that being liberally educated trains you to do whatever you want to, and that the skills you gain (thinking critically, communicating) will be an advantage in any job. They may have a point, and I suspect that it's at the entry-level that the liberally educated have the hardest time. But that transition is a bitch.
So think hard about double majoring.