What’s More Valuable-a Degree or Job Experience?

I remember taking my last collegiate final at the University of Hartford. I literally walked out of my Entrepreneurial Studies classroom with a smile that was far from scholarly, giving an overtly jubilant high-five to the nearest bystander.

Yet as I would soon discover, there was a lot more than that kid I didn’t know (and still don’t!)

“Go to college,” your high school teachers would say,“get a degree,” they continued, “get a job,” they promised…

More than 65% of high-schoolers who graduated will go to college that following fall semester. One thing I still don't understand is the societal norms that emphasize and push high school students into college. Realistically speaking, a piece of paper isn’t going to pick-a-lock that’s going to open the door that is opportunity. So, what separates you from everyone else in America who is graduating in 2018 and about to enter the workforce?

If I can offer any advice: your future is not in the hands of your Alma Mater. It’s the hands-on reality of gaining real-life experience that will make you more marketable to potential employers. Take unpaid internships, network, shadow professionals, then put those skills on your resume and into the hands of hiring managers.

After college, I spent the next three months looking for a job. I was hungry for opportunity, and also anything that wasn’t ramen noodles! More specifically/importantly, I was hungry for an opportunity that I would LOVE. I understand that people have bills, families to tend to, and a lifestyle to live by – and for those reasons someone may rush into a job to simply get by …  But NEVER SETTLE. Set goals based on your passion. Any decision or action made with that in mind will always naturally revolve around your end-goal(s).

If I had to pick one major takeaway from my college education, it is this: personal responsibility is the truest investment you can make to yourself. Take responsibility in what you want, so you can then take responsibility in the actions you’re going to take to get there.