"Going back to school" - Boomer nonsense or legitimate career savior?

[Xarpho]

Tell me if you've heard this one before: you graduated college with a degree that didn't appear to be totally worthless (either too general or too specific), you couldn't find a stable, full-time job for some reason or another, and you're currently working a shitty dead-end job that pays peanuts (that doesn't even relate to your major).

You don't really know anyone in the biz, you don't really have friends, one of the few people you still talk to are your parents, who grew up and grew wealthy in a time and place alien to the world we live in now.

They suggest to you that to get out of the rut you're in is to return to school for a different sort of job.

My question is, does this actually work? Gut reaction says no, the problem is experience and connections, which unless you land an internship, it does jack shit for you and you waste time and money. Is it just a waste of time, or does it work, or only under the right circumstances?

 

[Some JERK]

There's no way to answer this. Everyone's situation is different. I've seen people return to school and come out 1000 times better for it in the long run, and I've seen people become 'professional students' who hide in academia and use "when I finish school" as an excuse for just about everything north of not wanting to take out the trash.

I'll say this though, I personally wouldn't go within 500 feet of a modern University. Trade schools are okay if that's what you want to do but in the end a large part of it does come down to connections, opportunity, and luck.

A lot of companies promote from within, so if say, you're an IT person and you want to work IT at a certain place it's not a bad idea to get an unrelated entry level job there. As soon as someone finds out you can actually fix the goddamned computer doors can open for you pretty fast.

 

[A Spanish Inquisitor]

Sunk cost fallacy, if you fucked up going through further education, stop there and find something different.
Apprenticeships, learning on the job, tradesmen. There's so much out there that you don't need another shitty History degree or something similar for.

 

[qu_rahn]

It depends. Another option is you could join the military and get a clearance instead. If you aren't a retard and land a good job you will get training in a field that is directly applicable to a well paying job on the outside. You don't have to be a hardass either - you can be a chubby weeb who only likes 2D girls and you will fit right in to the Air Force

 

[Mr. Skeltal]

It depends. Another option is you could join the military and get a clearance instead. If you aren't a retard and land a good job you will get training in a field that is directly applicable to a well paying job on the outside. You don't have to be a hardass either - you can be a chubby weeb who only likes 2D girls and you will fit right in to the Air Force

The military is always a good option if you've fucked up your life in a salvageable way (bad degree choice, etc.). A lot of career fields in the Air Force are in critical manning need right now so they come with fat enlistment bonuses.
Further, the Air Force has several ways for you to turn your military experience into private sector applicable experience. The first is the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF), which allows you to get an Associates degree commensurate with your career field. It's an accredited college so you can transfer the credits from your useless degree to the CCAF for a more useful AAS in whatever field you end up in.
The second is Career Oriented Occupational Licensing (AFCOOL). This program lets Air Force members apply for commercial licenses and certifications related to their career field and the Air Force will foot the bill for your first attempt at a given cert/license.


Not trying to shill for Uncle Sam's Flying Club but it is an option. Recruiters lie through their teeth, learn what ASVAB scores you need to get the career field you want and don't show up to BMT looking like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. Nothing worse than the fat trainee who went "Open General" for their contract.

 

[Wallace]

The answer to your question is fuck no. You don't get out of debt by taking on even more debt. The cost of a college education is ridiculously inflated. If you need education or training that is a hard requirement for a job you want, there are faster and cheaper ways to do it than going back to school.

All things considered, I think the above advice above regarding the Air Force is probably your best bet in these situations. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Bassomatic]

My question goes back a step, what or how did you get into a dead major? Why weren't you interning? Why did you pick something? Why didn't you network? etc.

I know it's a lot to ask someone at 18 but you're old enough to vote buy a gun etc, should understand college is to prep you for a line of work.

To be fair, until past few months and sheer luck of rona bullshit I've never worked in my "field" I say that holding advanced degrees. I'd love to go back to school if I could.

Also lot of education, is free hell you get paid, as mentioned before ROTC, unions etc. You bust your ass carrying boards of wood but you'll learn carpentry etc. Also a lot of things you can learn on the job. Family member of mine got in the trap you are talking about, and said fuck it, learned a TON got some certs etc (all paid for by company) in pretty lower end shit but degree + knowing how to work a fork lift, work on a generator etc etc boom doors opened because he was an well rounded and had a degree on paper. So don't think it's hopeless.

Sunk cost for sure don't get another degree unless you are dead set and aware of costs. Also to be fair money isn't everything if you are ok knowing you'll live off ramen but REALLY want to do social work etc.. then go for it..

Really comes down to how much you really want to be tied to something and costs of money/time you'll have to endure.

 

[Wallace]

My question goes back a step, what or how did you get into a dead major? Why weren't you interning? Why did you pick something? Why didn't you network? etc.

I know it's a lot to ask someone at 18 but you're old enough to vote buy a gun etc, should understand college is to prep you for a line of work.

You're greatly overestimating the intelligence of an average 18 year old. Too many of them see college as "high school after high school" or 4+ years of extended adolescence, and see their diploma as a magic ticket granting them a six-figure job. Most colleges, IME, stop caring about you once your tuition check clears.