First of all, why do we even ask this question? It’s because we have been probably told all our lives that if we study hard, we’ll get a good job and make lots of money. So therefore, you, being the ambitious, studious young woman, want to know if you’re making the right decision with what you’re studying right now. Or, maybe you’ve already graduated, but you are having some trouble finding a job and you want to know if your degree or major is hurting your chances of finding work. These are definitely reasonable concerns!
Let’s take a step back and here and think about how school has groomed us to operate. For as long as you’ve been in school, you have probably followed this formula for success:
Homework + Exam Grades = Class Grade.
So naturally, maybe you’ve swapped out these variables and replaced them with what you think it takes to get a job, hence why you’re asking “Does my degree or major really matter?” But the job market does NOT work that way!
How Dating is Kinda Like Job Hunting
I once went on a date with this guy who said that he can’t find a girlfriend because he’s not tall enough, and all women are just shallow and want a tall guy. Meanwhile, I was thinking, “Annnnnnd… you haven’t stopped talking about yourself, you were rude to the waiter, and you generally lack self-awareness. Your height is not the only reason why nobody calls you back."
My point is, yes, some women would place height pretty high on their list of things they look for in a guy, some don’t care so much, and some don’t care at all. But most importantly, I don’t know a single woman who will date a guy SOLELY because he’s tall. The guy needs to bring other qualities to the table, such as a sense of humor, intelligence, and family values. Employers are kind of the same way with majors or degrees. Some employers place a premium on your education, but not all. Most employers want to see the complete picture of what you have to offer, like your technical skills, enthusiasm for the job, work ethic, and prior experience.
Your Major Is Only One Part of Your Entire Package
If you look at your average job description, companies typically list requirements for certain major or degrees IN ADDITION to other skills and strengths, because they aren’t just interested in your academic achievements. They want to get to know the complete package of what you have to offer. Ultimately, they’re not looking for a student, they are looking for a team player to help their company succeed.
If this was a recipe for being the best possible candidate for a job, your major or degree will be one of several ingredients. But if you think that your major or degree or lack thereof might be a disadvantage, just like how you can swap out ingredients in a recipe, you can make up for academics in other ways, like by mastering the required skills, having relevant internship experience, or getting to know the hiring manager personally.
By the way, if you ever look at a job description and decide to not apply because you think you’re not qualified, OMG APPLY ANYWAYS! Ultimately, a job description is just a sheet of paper. A human being will decide whether or not you get the job, so don’t take the initiative to disqualify yourself.
To succeed in your career, you won’t be able to rely on a formula to guarantee your success. It kinda sucks, but I personally think it’s a really beautiful thing! So long, GPAs and SATs. You are now free to follow whatever value system you choose to believe in! 😎
So in conclusion, never let the excuse “I can’t find a job because I majored in _____[insert liberal arts degree]____” stop you from finding a job!