Michael Testa

Professor Kellner

ENGL 0099 004 Journal 4

7 October 2019

"How to Graduate College with a Job..." discusses how the path to a successful career has

changed over the years. The speaker talks about how the traditional paths that older generations

have used to create a happy and successful life no longer apply to the younger generations. He

says that in the past there were 4 easy steps to a commutable life. Don't get into trouble, get good

grades, go to a good school, and get a good job. This no longer applies to young students. So

many young people have followed this path just to end up in life crushing debt, working in a

career they have no interest in, and feeling like they have no place in society, that we have been

given the nickname "The Lost Generation". With only one quarter of college graduates employed

at the time of graduation it is quickly becoming apparent that a degree just isn't enough anymore.

I agree with the speaker that going to school and doing what you're told is not enough to get you

where you want to be in life. For me personally I feel like a lot of newer jobs are requiring

college degrees only as a means to narrow the candidate field. So, having a college degree has

almost become a pre-requisite to even be considered for a position. So, if your degree just gets

your resume on a desk then it's going to take a lot more to stand out. That is where things like

"Personal Capital" and "Intellectual Capital" play a huge part. The thing that is going to make
you stand apart from the other applicants is knowing what skills and knowledge you personally

can add to the workplace.

I've seen things like this matter in my own personal life and work experience. Working in the

culinary field I would work side by side with people who had just graduated from culinary

school with a 2 year degree and they were working under me who hadn't gone to school but has

had 2 years of on the job training while the other person was in school. This showed me that an

education can be useful but only if applied properly along with personal skills and knowledge.