Useless College Majors

[satexasguy]

My experience is that most people I know and have met end up working in an entirely different field than the degree they earned.

For clarification on my previous post above - don't get me wrong. I am not saying that a nursing degree is not in demand. It may be but I have met so many nurses that are working for far less than what the news media writes a nurse should be making. Maybe it's just San Antonio .. SA does seem to want to pay less than other big cities.

I used to be a Director at a local large company in the IT department and was appalled at what my IT staff was getting paid. My boss (VP) seemed to think that IT staff was a commodity and that we could get them cheap. He never could figure out why many of the IT people would stay on for a year or so then move up north to Austin and get paid much more. This was true for other big companies I worked for in SA. SA is still a good-old-boy network for the most part.

[Precious_b]

Yeah. We are WAY BEHIND in the pay curve here. Always been.
I don't know if it is related to the fact that you find people here that want to pay the cheapest rate possible.
In my career field, the client level I deal with in the field will always wave a lower price in front of me for service/job. Unfortunately, there seems to be a certain amount of unscrulous people here in SA doing the same job.
Seeing i'm not a money grubber but won't undercut a lower than normal overhead in my field, I'll just tell them to choose who they are most comfortable with doing the job.

In the end, you always get what you pay for.
And those that always shoot low on price end up having problems.

[Chelsea's*Love]

Originally Posted by satexasguy

My experience is that most people I know and have met end up working in an entirely different field than the degree they earned.

For clarification on my previous post above - don't get me wrong. I am not saying that a nursing degree is not in demand. It may be but I have met so many nurses that are working for far less than what the news media writes a nurse should be making. Maybe it's just San Antonio .. SA does seem to want to pay less than other big cities.

.

I'm new to San Antonio but I think I can say nursing salaries are up to par here. There is a nursing shortage all over the USA and a nurse never has to look very hard for a job. Many times when you quit a job you start geting calls from prospective employers the same day. Word spreads that you're looking. There are actually nurse "head hunters" who are out there looking for us. It's hard work but it's always there for a good nurse.

[desertrat62]

Can't argue against any comment so far. I got my BS & MS in Computer Science and have had a good +25 year career in IT. However, the importance of the degrees has decreased significantly in the last ten years. Certifications (MCSE, CCNP, PMP, etc.) are far more important today in my IT world. I could have held any of my last four positions without any degree but with certs. Considering the speed and low cost of certification, I would say it is outpacing the importance of a degree (not necessarily replacing it, though). No regrets.

I tell youngsters that will listen to get certified first, get a good entry level IT job, then get your degree on their dime. Haven't found any yet that will listen.

[Rakhir]

Looking back on it all perhaps I shouldn't have invested all that time earning the Masters in Underwater Basket Weaving. LOL

[Khal Drogo]

If I were to do it all over again.. I would have just gone for something that was pure enjoyment for intellectual and cultural development.. since it does seem that a degree.. really doesn't do much unless it's a technical degree... I think key positions are usually filled with those that demonstrate problem solving, critical thinking and strong leadership.. those things are rarely associated with a particular degree....