Going to college has long been touted as the pathway to success and a bright future for many young people. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that attending a four-year university is not the right choice for everyone. In fact, there are many ways to make a living; some of which may be more fulfilling and more lucrative than ways that require that piece of paper.
Alternative Options:
While college can be a great option for many, it’s important to remember that it is not the only path to success. In fact, there are many alternatives to consider. For example, trade schools and vocational training programs offer hands-on training in a specific skill or trade that can lead to a well-paying job in a shorter amount of time than a traditional four-year degree program.
Apprenticeships are another option to consider, as they offer paid, on-the-job training in a variety of fields, including construction, manufacturing, and healthcare. In addition, many companies offer internships and paid training programs that provide valuable experience and can lead to job offers after completion.
Entrepreneurship is another viable option for those who have an innovative idea or are passionate about starting their own business. Starting a business can be risky, but with hard work and dedication, it can also be incredibly rewarding.
Drawbacks of Four-Year Universities:
While college can be a great option for some, it’s important to consider the potential drawbacks as well. For one, college can be incredibly expensive, with many students accruing significant amounts of debt that can take years to pay off. Additionally, four-year universities may not provide the necessary hands-on training and real-world experience that many employers are looking for.
In addition, college degrees are not always a guarantee of employment or success. Many graduates struggle to find jobs in their field after graduation, and some end up in low-paying, entry-level positions that don’t require a degree.
Welders Make Great Money!
Going to a four-year university is not the right choice for everyone, and it’s important to consider alternative options that may better suit your interests and career goals. Trade schools, apprenticeships, and entrepreneurship are just a few examples of the many paths to success that don’t require a traditional four-year degree. Ultimately, it’s up to each individual to weigh the pros and cons and choose the path that is right for them.
There’s no denying the many benefits of working from home for employees. From less accident risk, to fuel savings, to less, stress, the list goes on and on. But what are the benefits of a remote workplace for employers?
The benefits for companies may not be immediately apparent; however, they are many. Here are some:
Utilities: Imagine, if you will, a company in Phoenix, Arizona in early July cranking the AC for a large office. An average 1,900 square foot house can cost $600 to cool, but an office can be massive, as can their electric bills.
Lawsuits: Workman’s Compensation claims. Their will always be accidents and injuries at the workplace, no matter where that workplace is. Repetitive stress injuries are real, and they can happen at the home office. But there are many more injuries that can be avoided if employees aren’t sitting in a crowded office all day.
Time Off: A sick worker often feels obligated to come in to work so he or she can make everyone else sick. This results in a huge loss of productivity. Instead of taking out a huge chunk of the workforce, these employees can work from home instead, thus saving others from exposure, and keeping productivity high.
Employee Retention: Who wouldn’t be happy to work from home? While there are some people that are really terrible at managing their time, others thrive in a more autonomous setting. In fact, for the most part, at-home employees are often very grateful and they tend to work a little longer. Their appreciation makes them want to work for a given employer, so the turnover rate is much lower.
There are many more benefits to remote companies, but we won’t get into that right now. What I want to emphasize is the fact that people, in general, are resistant to change. Big groups of people (i.e., workplaces) are even more resistant. If there is one good thing that has come from the current pandemic, it is a shift to remote employment. It has been the jump start that many employers needed to get on the remote work train.
Many CEOs of small to medium companies follow the examples set by larger companies. Behemoths like Microsoft, Facebook and Twitter are already leading the charge and setting the example by allowing workers to work from home, either temporarily or permanently.
Of course, not all jobs can be done from a home office; that is obvious. Nobody is going to bring sides of beef home to do meat packing in their garage (at least we hope not). But for the millions of workers that dread hours of traffic, only to arrive at work so they can stare at the clock all day, their is a very bright light at the end of the tunnel.
Do NOT let inconsiderate employers take advantage of you or waste your time.
The economy is humming along right now. Things are great. You should be able to find a job easily making a decent amount commensurate with your experience. That said, you need to avoid potential employers that want to take advantage of you!
I am a software developer. Currently, I do not need a job, however, I was looking for something during the week so that I could pay off a few bills. I haven’t looked for a job for a while, and a few things have surprised me lately. I have been an employer and a hiring manager, so I understand both sides. There are a lot of flaky and entitled employees, but right now I’m going to focus on the flaky employers.
1) SCAM JOBS There are a lot of employers advertising for JUNIOR positions with low pay, but asking for senior level experience. I have no idea why this is happening in such a strong economy. The only thing I can say is that there must be people with senior experience that are willing to whore themselves out for a low salary. This is not only counterproductive for the job seeker, but it hurts the industry as a whole and brings wages down.
Let me give you an example. I have been on the other side. I was a hiring manager about 8 years ago. I was seeking JUNIOR web developers with 1-2 years experience and paying a starting salary of 60-70k per year. This was the norm at the time. Senior people were getting anywhere from 95k-140k, depending on the job location and the company.
Today, I have seen MANY job postings for JUNIOR web developers, some for 50k or less. But get this, they are asking for at least 5 years experience. That is not JUNIOR level!
The only way that employers can justify paying for ads for these scam positions is if people are actually applying for them. If you are one of those people whoring themselves out, STOP. JUST STOP! You are doing everyone a disservice.
2) ARMY OF ONE JOBS This is a big pet peeve for me. Some companies are so clueless and so cheap that they think they can get an all-in-one employee for a single salary. This happens across many industries. However, in software development, it is commonly known that, with very, very few exceptions, graphic designers do not make coders and coders cannot make a good design if their lives depended on it. In fact, in the past two decades, after interviewing hundreds of candidates for both web design and web development, I have never encountered a single person that is good at both. That doesn’t stop the cheapskate companies from trying to get the most bang for their buck.
This week I came across a Web Designer/Developer Job.
These guys want a three (or four) for one employee that does it all. I imagine that qualified applicants for this position might ride in on a rainbow unicorn.
They ONLY want a person who is proficient at: – Web Design – Web Development – Marketing and Analytics – and Social Media
Perhaps I should apply and ask for 250k to start. However, as clueless as they are, I’m guessing that they might try to pay someone $60k a year for this position. No thank you.
Guys and girls, if you see a 4 person job like this, run away as fast as you can. Whoever gets hired for this position is being set up to fail.
3) NO RESPECT GIVEN Employers should respect your time. I recently applied for a position. I have a lot of experience, so I get a lot of call-backs. However, I don’t want to waste my valuable time interviewing for these scam positions that want to pay a junior level salary for senior level experience. One thing I need to mention is to know your worth and to avoid being bullied. Time is money, so spend your time wisely. It is perfectly okay to ask what the salary range is before you give up your personal time to go in for an interview.
About a week ago, I applied for a position and got a call back within 24 hours. They had time slots that you could select to come in for an interview. Everything was clearly defind; skills required, job responsibilities, etc. Everything, that is, except for salary. I emailed the job and selected a time. In my email I asked about the salary range. My question was ignored. I had a family emergency and had to cancel and select a new time, which was no problem. This time I told the company that, in order to confirm that I would be there, I would need to know the salary range. My request was ignored once again.
The employer has no consideration for my time. That can only mean that this is not a good employer to work for. Of course, the company needs come first, I get that, but if the company has no respect or consideration for an applicant’s time, that is not going to improve once the applicant is hired.
There are lots of great employers out there. If an employer is inconsiderate before you are even hired, you should run! Respect the company’s time, but have some respect for yourself and you fellow job seekers. Don’t be bullied and don’t accept a scam job, or a senior level job for junior level pay!
