Higher Education: On Life, Landing a Job, and Everything Else They Didn't Teach You in College

Book by Jedding Kenneth

Chapter 1

YOU MAJORED IN THE RIGHT THING

Map out your future, but do it in pencil.

--Jon Bon Jovi

"I think I majored in the wrong thing!"

"There aren't any jobs open for people with my major."

"I majored in one subject, but now I want to do something else."

Does this sound like you?

Here's the thing: It sounds like a lot of people just out of college. But your major doesn't matter nearly as much as you probably think it does. It certainly doesn't matter as much to your prospective employers as it does to you. Of course, if you want to be a doctor but weren't premed, or if you want to be an engineer but never took an advanced math course, you'll have to go back and learn the fundamentals. But for most people, their college major is only the beginning of the story.

The very beginning. The "Once upon a time" part of your life.

Or at least it will be, soon enough. Trust me. What you majored in certainly says something about who you are and what interests you, but it isn't going to make or break your career. You're not stuck there.

The keys to your job prospects are your character, work ethic, and potential--in other words, your ability to give a prospective employer a reason to hire you. That's what employers are looking for, and that's what I'm going to talk about here.

I know what you may be thinking: Yeah, right.

Don't worry. We'll get there. We'll cover all the bases. For now, the important thing to digest is just this:

You majored in the right thing.

Really.

You did.

Still need convincing?

Let's say you majored in French, but you don't want to be a language instructor, translator, professor, or interpreter at the United Nations. You've thought about it quite a bit, and what you really think you would enjoy is being an advertising copywriter. Not only that, but you've just come across an online job posting for an assistant copywriting position at an ad agency. But you researched it and found out they don't do ads in French. So now you're thinking, Why would they hire someone who studied French?

And while you're giving yourself a hard time for having wasted 4 years, the window of opportunity closes because the ad agency hires someone with a degree in . . . Spanish.

Why?

Because the Spanish studies grad showed up and made a successful case for herself.

And how did she do that?

Well, she said that even though she doesn't have any actual copywriting experience, she's eager to learn and willing to work hard.

So far, so good.

But what about the "Moment of Truth"?

What happened when the interviewer said, "But you majored in Spanish. This job is in copywriting. Our work's primarily in English."

What did she say?

"I majored in Spanish because I love Marquez and Allende, because I wanted to learn a new language, and because my favorite freshman seminar was 20th- Century South American Fiction and Political Change."

Wow!

Wait . . . what?

"Basically," she added, "I love words, I love language, and I love how people use language to persuade mass audiences."

And this, if you think about it, is exactly what an ad exec looking for an assistant copywriter wants to hear.

But hold on! you may be thinking now. I don't speak a foreign language. I don't know anything about 20th-century South American fiction. Who is Marquez? Who is Allende? I didn't have a favorite freshman seminar. As a matter of fact, as a freshman I was just focused on having a good time, getting to class in one piece, and not embarrassing myself.

It doesn't matter. The point is this: No matter how unrelated your major may seem to you, you should be proud of what you chose to study for 4 years, and you should find ways to make it relevant to your story.

Yes, even your major.

Keep reading.

Part of the reason your major was "right" is that your choice of a major is an honest part of who you are, and that's exactly what a prospective employer wants to learn more about: you.

Virtually every person I've ever met in charge of entry-level hiring (and I have known many such people, across many different industries) insists that- -assuming your resume does not contain any blatant typos--the real deciding factors lie beyond the mere piece of paper.

They lie within you.

Think of it this way: A job interview is like a first date. Both you and your interviewer should be trying to figure out whether you want to spend a lot more time--probably all day, 5 days a week--in each other's company.

If you feel bad about your major, or you can't think of a single reason why it can be seen as relevant to the job--or if you've already decided that French is bound to be nothing more than a hobby down the road--you lose an opportunity to give the interviewer what he or she wants: some insight into how confident you are, what inspires you, and how you make decisions.

Here's the thing: People on first dates are interested in confident people.

People on first dates are interested in interesting people.

Your major tells a story about you--if you choose to tell it.

So find a way to tell it!

Having majored in a discipline that reflects a passion, whatever that passion may be--film history or geography or playing the violin--is interesting, and that's a plus. Who wants to spend 40-plus hours a week with someone boring? You wouldn't.

Now maybe you're thinking, But my major wasn't my passion. I'm not even sure I have a passion!

That's okay, too. You just need to be a little more creative in telling your story. In the next chapter, I'll talk about how to take the first step- -even if you don't know what you want to do. And later in the book, I'll have a lot to say about finding your passion. For now, just keep in mind that many hugely successful and thoroughly fulfilled people graduated with absolutely no idea of what they wanted to do or where to start. So don't worry.

Yes, even you, who majored in Gaelic translations of Renaissance literature.

Let's consider a few more scenarios.

You majored in psychology, but you've since become really intrigued by the prospect of working for a film agency because you love movies. So you explore online and identify a few agencies. You send your resume and a cover letter to, say, 10 of them.

Two weeks later, one of them invites you in for an interview. Congratulations!

Cut to:

Interviewer: So why do you want to work for a film agency?

You: Well, I love movies.

Interviewer: It says here you were a psychology major.

You: Yes, I chose psychology because I'm also really interested in what motivates people to make certain decisions and deal with crises--which, of course, is the arc for the plots of great movies. And psychology also taught me how to be convincing, which I think is a good foundation for being a successful negotiator.

Hired!

It isn't always so straightforward, of course--but you'd be surprised by how often it is. Keep in mind that when an interviewer asks you about what you studied in college, she's not really trying to brush up on whatever it is that you studied in college. She's trying to learn about you--what you've accomplished, how you feel about it, and what makes you tick.

But maybe she's still not convinced. What if she frowns in confusion at your resume and throws you a fastball:

"So what makes you think you'd be a good [copywriter/film agent]?" she asks, point-blank.

Moment of Truth Number Two.

If your major really doesn't seem to correspond with the field you're trying to break into--if you're a biochem major sitting in that ad agency office, for example--well, naturally you'll need to work a little bit harder to convince the senior copywriter to hire you.

Put yourself in her position: Why should she take you over someone with a double major in communications and creative writing? What would convince you to give you a chance?

Don't worry. This question isn't as hard to answer as you may think it is.

In this instance, why not go to the interview armed with some examples of what you can do? Roll up your sleeves and take a stab at writing some ad copy for a product you know well, and then have a friend (preferably someone honest, or already in the field) look it over and give you feedback. Read up a little about how to write effective ad copy, or, if you have the time and money, take a 1-day course (see Chapter 3). The point is, if you can write good ad copy, or even copy that needs some polishing but shows promise, there's no reason why you shouldn't stand as good a chance as--if not better than--the woman who double-majored in communications and creative writing but showed up to her interview empty-handed.

Let's look at another example.

Say you majored in physical therapy. You always thought you'd become a therapist eventually, but now you're not quite ready to continue with the necessary training. Meanwhile, you've noticed that the YMCA where you've been taking dance classes has an entry-level job opening--in the Fund- Raising and Development Office.

And suddenly you think, Hey. That might be interesting.

So you send in your resume, and, miracle of miracles, you're granted an interview. It's the night before, and you're trying to come up with a reason why the head of the Fund-Raising and Development Office should hire you, of all people.

Rehearse in advance, in your room, with an imaginary interviewer.

Picture your interviewer. She looks at your resume and cuts right to the chase:

"What makes you qualified for this job?"

You say: "Well, I love to dance, which is why I started taking classes here- -and I've been very impressed. The classes are fantastic. I think the Y is a great resource that too few people know about, and I really want to help it thrive. And because I majored in physical therapy--which I initially chose because I'm athletic and enjoy helping people--I've learned a lot of strategies for dealing with people's physical and psychological needs, and also about the importance of staying healthy. So I think all of these things would help me present the Y in a very favorable light to potential donors."

Great!

But will the director be convinced?

Maybe we need to take it a step further. How does physical therapy relate specifically to fund-raising and development?

Ask yourself, Have I ever done anything remotely like fund-raising?

Okay. Let's brainstorm.

Remember that time you participated in a_____that led to_____?

There's a template. Can you fill in the blanks?

"Yes," you say, "I remember the time I participated in a tailgate party that led to my arrest."

No!

(This is why we rehearse.)

Let's try again.

Was there a charity drive you led in college that helped to raise money?

Yes? Excellent!

Mention it at the interview. Now, that's impressive!

Ah . . . but the drive wasn't successful?

Then how about this:

Remember that charity drive you led in college that didn't raise much money, but you learned so much doing it?

That's it. That's just what the Fund-Raising and Development director wants to hear!

What? There was no charity drive, you say?

Well, then, here's a situation where your golden ticket might require a little advance legwork. Get on Google, or go to the library or a bookstore, and read up on how to be a successful fund-raiser. Maybe even make a list of all the companies you can think of that might be willing to donate to the Y.

Your Y.

The one you've come to love and want to help raise money for, so it can afford new facilities, state-of-the-art equipment, top-notch instructors, a smoothie bar, and a sauna.

Soon you'll be ready to nail the interview and get the job.

But it doesn't matter whether I think I majored in the right thing or the wrong thing, some of you are thinking now, because I can't even get an interview!

Well, you're not alone. The good news is that there are many ways to expand your network and get your foot in the door. It will probably even be through someone you already know (More on this in Chapter 3.)

But for now, telling yourself, "I majored in the wrong thing" is self- destructive. In every situation, we can choose either to tear ourselves down or to build ourselves up. The goal always, but especially now, at this really challenging time of your life, is to build yourself up.

SOME FAMOUS PEOPLE AND THEIR COLLEGE MAJORS

Bruce Bodaken, chairman, president, and CEO of Blue Shield of California: Philosophy

Kevin Costner, actor: Business marketing and finance

Katie Couric, broadcast journalist: American studies

Mario Cuomo, former governor of New York: English

Carly Fiorina, president, CEO, and chairman of the board of Hewlett- Packard: Medieval history and philosophy

Art Garfunkel, musician: Mathematics

Mia Hamm, soccer player: Political science

Mick Jagger, rock star: Economics

John F. Kennedy, president: History

Bruce Lee, martial artist/actor: Philosophy

Janet Reno, US attorney general: Chemistry

Sally Ride, astronaut: English

Willard Scott, broadcast weatherman: Religious studies

David Souter, Supreme Court justice: Philosophy

Steven Spielberg, director: English

Juanita Kidd Stout, federal judge: Music

So remember: You majored in something. And that something is a story about who you are and what you've learned and what you've gained. People want to hear that story. So when you do get your interview--and you will--dress appropriately, tuck in your shirt, comb your hair, and walk into that room confident that the person across the desk won't be thinking about your major so much as focusing on who you are and what you can bring to the table.

Bring it all.