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Is this common that the first job that people got is not related to what they have learned in their uni?
Just saw few my friends get a job which not related to our subject. #job #first-job
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14 answers
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Adam’s Answer
Wenge,
that is true. College education is meant to give you the basis for rational and logical thinking. Once in college try to focus on that and think beyond grades and pass the exams. And I think once you master that, you will never find any problem finding job and working on a different field than your major.
Thanks,
Thanks Adam! I'll try my best.
Wenge
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Chris’s Answer
Yes this is very common, its good to prepare yourself for the fact that your first role post graduation may not be what you hoped.
My advice is to explore the opportunities which are available to you at that time, take the experience from them which will help in future.
Post Graduation, I failed to land a role in IT so took a role in IT recruitment. My thinking was that at least I would be involved in the industry in some way. I picked up so many skills in those 2 years, which are still key to my day to day activities.
I still kept my long term objective of moving into a technical role, but I genuinely believe the confidence and business acumen gained in those 2 years helped me get over the line in the interviews.
My advice is to explore the opportunities which are available to you at that time, take the experience from them which will help in future.
Post Graduation, I failed to land a role in IT so took a role in IT recruitment. My thinking was that at least I would be involved in the industry in some way. I picked up so many skills in those 2 years, which are still key to my day to day activities.
I still kept my long term objective of moving into a technical role, but I genuinely believe the confidence and business acumen gained in those 2 years helped me get over the line in the interviews.
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THOMAS’s Answer
This is something I hear a lot and it's both true and un-true at the same time.
If you study architecture, medicine, dentistry, 3D game development, tv/music production, things like this, then the chances of you sticking with that field are naturally high. How many people study for 7 years to be an architect, stick with it the whole time, and then give up. They would likely give up before completing the 7 years and do something else.
At the other end of the scale, if you study latin, history, maths or similar then it is super common to go down a completely different path. Some of the smartest people I know in my industry (high-tech) studied something like this.
Then in the middle you have broader degrees like business and marketing. The reality is that these would be leveraged in almost any career - everything from working for a large enterprise to being a social media influencer.
If you are worried about being in the latter two groups and being concerned it won't lead you to a good role/career then I wouldn't worry. Good employers favour potential capability and attitude over what your degree says - unless you want to be a vet of course :).
If you study architecture, medicine, dentistry, 3D game development, tv/music production, things like this, then the chances of you sticking with that field are naturally high. How many people study for 7 years to be an architect, stick with it the whole time, and then give up. They would likely give up before completing the 7 years and do something else.
At the other end of the scale, if you study latin, history, maths or similar then it is super common to go down a completely different path. Some of the smartest people I know in my industry (high-tech) studied something like this.
Then in the middle you have broader degrees like business and marketing. The reality is that these would be leveraged in almost any career - everything from working for a large enterprise to being a social media influencer.
If you are worried about being in the latter two groups and being concerned it won't lead you to a good role/career then I wouldn't worry. Good employers favour potential capability and attitude over what your degree says - unless you want to be a vet of course :).
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Jackie’s Answer
Yes, it is more common that you might think!
There can be multiple reasons behind this:
The job market for your subject might be depressed at the time that you graduate
The subject you are qualified in may not have turned out to be right for you - That's ok, it is possible to change course, many skills learnt in a subject are transferrable.
As the previous answer suggested you might be looking for a foot in the door. This works surprisingly well, but don't be too up front with your recruiter, they are investing time in recruitment, they want it to be worthwhile.
There can be multiple reasons behind this:
The job market for your subject might be depressed at the time that you graduate
The subject you are qualified in may not have turned out to be right for you - That's ok, it is possible to change course, many skills learnt in a subject are transferrable.
As the previous answer suggested you might be looking for a foot in the door. This works surprisingly well, but don't be too up front with your recruiter, they are investing time in recruitment, they want it to be worthwhile.
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Connor’s Answer
Hey Wenge,
It is extremely common for your first job to not relate to what you studied at university. Your undergraduate degree is about learning - that learning can take place in the classroom, athletic pitch, or in the community. Most of your learning is usually on soft skills that form the base foundation layers of your value as an employee. You will need these skills for every job, no matter what industry.
The technical skills needed for your job are often learned at your job or through a secondary graduate degree. I have found that learning how to learn quickly is an invaluable skill and allows you to walk into jobs that you might not be totally prepared for and still get up to speed quicker than others.
It is extremely common for your first job to not relate to what you studied at university. Your undergraduate degree is about learning - that learning can take place in the classroom, athletic pitch, or in the community. Most of your learning is usually on soft skills that form the base foundation layers of your value as an employee. You will need these skills for every job, no matter what industry.
The technical skills needed for your job are often learned at your job or through a secondary graduate degree. I have found that learning how to learn quickly is an invaluable skill and allows you to walk into jobs that you might not be totally prepared for and still get up to speed quicker than others.
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Zineb’s Answer
Hello,
It's quite normal. I'm going to talk about my experience. I have an degree in Automation and Industrial engineering with a masters degree in Renewable energies. what do i do now for a living? I'm a Data Analyst and i love my job because it allows me to embrace my geeky side while supporting Sales people which is pretty great for developing project management skills and grow as a young professional. I also work for a company that loves to give back to the community which is always a++ for me. My advice is to never stay in your comfort zone, explore your horizons.
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Ahmad’s Answer
Yes, it’s quite common for people to find their first job in a field that isn’t directly related to their university studies. Many factors can influence this, such as job availability, personal interests, or the desire to gain a different type of experience. Sometimes, the skills learned in university can be applied in various ways across different industries, so your education is still valuable. It’s all part of exploring various career paths and finding what suits you best.
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Simeon’s Answer
Yes, this is pretty common. Many college students don't end up getting their first job in the major they received from university. You can find several news articles on the topic online. Here's one of them: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/05/20/only-27-percent-of-college-grads-have-a-job-related-to-their-major/ .
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Scott’s Answer
Yes, this is very common. As a hiring manager I want to see a consistent working history. I would rather see someone work at a fast food restaurant then have zero working history because they were holding out for the "right" job. There are lessons that can only be learned in the workplace (customer service, money management, working with people and groups, working on difficult tasks, failing and learning, etc.) Generally you want to work in related fields of your study however that is not always possible and I would say in the majority of cases, the entry level job that people get is not related to ultimately what people do in their career. For example if you want to work as an investor at a big financial institution, your first job may be as a bank teller, or as an office manager, etc. Get your foot in the door, start at the ground level and learn the company. Leadership respects someone who puts in the hours and effort to start low and work your way up.
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Jackie’s Answer
Of course! This is actually the most common way to get into the job field by applying to the most secure job for them at that time. For example if you're studying Business / Finance but the job you find yourself working at is a cashier at a ice cream store then don't think you'll be stuck there forever because you have to get your experience from somewhere. You could end up becoming the manager of this ice cream store or maybe even the owner you never know.
Starting small is a great way to get your foot in the door, plus you may find other things that you enjoy that you didn't know before. If you're someone who is studying education, it is hard to find teaching positions so quickly and usually have to wait until your 3rd year of college, however, don't let that stop you from working at a bookstore, restaurant, hotel, nursing home, or wherever you would like to work.
Starting small is a great way to get your foot in the door, plus you may find other things that you enjoy that you didn't know before. If you're someone who is studying education, it is hard to find teaching positions so quickly and usually have to wait until your 3rd year of college, however, don't let that stop you from working at a bookstore, restaurant, hotel, nursing home, or wherever you would like to work.
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Carol’s Answer
Hey there!
It is common, but a lot of times, the job you get out of college could lead you to the skills you learned in college. For example, I studied bus mgmt in college. I worked in a hotel as a desk clerk/ reservationist during and directly after college. I was able to move up in the hotel business in jobs such as front office mgr, rooms division mgr because I had both the college and front line experience.
My advice is be open minded. Sometimes you don't realize the opportunity that is there.
It is common, but a lot of times, the job you get out of college could lead you to the skills you learned in college. For example, I studied bus mgmt in college. I worked in a hotel as a desk clerk/ reservationist during and directly after college. I was able to move up in the hotel business in jobs such as front office mgr, rooms division mgr because I had both the college and front line experience.
My advice is be open minded. Sometimes you don't realize the opportunity that is there.
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Jacobo’s Answer
In my opinion is an Attitude vs. Aptitude discussion. Attitude is a positive or negative or indifferent feeling towards a person, object, event or idea. Aptitude is a competency (ability) to do certain kind of work. Attitude is associated with character or virtues.
You will work in a lot of things do you in your work life where you don't necessarily have the aptitude but you do have the motivation and the right Attitude to learn the job. The competencies can be learned and thought but motivation and passion can not be thought. You either have it or not.
Good luck!
Jacobo
You will work in a lot of things do you in your work life where you don't necessarily have the aptitude but you do have the motivation and the right Attitude to learn the job. The competencies can be learned and thought but motivation and passion can not be thought. You either have it or not.
Good luck!
Jacobo
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Pamela’s Answer
This is very normal and it could be for a variety of different reasons - if what you'd studied is what you are really passionate about then make sure you work yourself to be in that environment...otherwise it could be that your passion/interest lies in something else completely, which is more satisfying for you and has nothing to do with you studied for...and that is perfectly ok too!
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Charlotte’s Answer
This is very common, the skills you acquire at college or university are as much about developing lifeskill (managing a budget, living independently, moving away from home, meeting new people) as they are about the actual course you are studying.
The important thing is to make sure you get work experience in parallel. If you want to be in a sales role after graduating think about selling tickets to nightclubs whilst at uni, if you fancy a career in hospitality look at getting a job in a local bar, perhaps you want to be a vet- how about a Saturday job in the survey? All of these things will help shape your career once you graduate.
The important thing is to make sure you get work experience in parallel. If you want to be in a sales role after graduating think about selling tickets to nightclubs whilst at uni, if you fancy a career in hospitality look at getting a job in a local bar, perhaps you want to be a vet- how about a Saturday job in the survey? All of these things will help shape your career once you graduate.