After college, how should you ensure that you're not wasting your degree?

Hi Genesis,

I'm afraid that is a bit of a loaded question. No matter what you end up doing after college, the life experience you get by earning a degree will stay with you. College is a major undertaking and requires you to develop and hone major life skills quickly. I think that is something many people tend to downplay about the process of educating yourself. So, if you don't get your dream job immediately, remember that you've done a great deal of hard work to simply earn your diploma.

In so far as utilizing your degree to it's fullest potential, I'd say just try to get the best job you can in your field. Personally, I had trouble finding a job in the field I originally wanted to stick to. I have Sport Management and Administration degrees, but now I work as a Success Coach and Advisor at a school that doesn't have a single athletic team. Right after college, I had an internship in Athletic Advising, but for some reason, I couldn't get a job in that position. I adjusted my goals, and am still doing what I love, so although I'm not doing a job in line with my degrees, I'm still utilizing the experience from earning my degree in my job.

Don't focus on your degree as the end-all be-all of your career path. I always advocate for finding a job that you can love, whether it is what you originally wanted to do or not, as long as you're happy in what you do, that should be enough.

This is a great question and completely rational thought to be having about your chosen degree and how it will impact your career path. Despite if the job is related to your specific degree or not, never think that a degree is a waste. The experiences that you gain in college will help you in all professions and the work force in general. It is the dedication and commitment that comes with going to school that shows an employer that you are the type of person that finishes something that you started. This is a valuable asset to any company to know that you are able to deliver and execute. Regarding the specific title of your degree and it not going to waste, find something that you love to do and educate yourself in that area. The job titles that are out there may not outline your degree exactly, but the skills that you obtained while getting that degree may help you in areas that you have not even thought of yet. Be willing to think outside the box and don't think about your degree as a whole, but the individual skills that you have learned and practiced while getting that degree. This will open your doors wide open to the potential career paths that are out there and will ensure that your degree does not go to "waste". Again, educating yourself is never a waste and you will utilize the skills that you have learned every day no matter what career path you choose after school.