🍎 CORP 101: College Survival Guide
Congratulations! You’ve been accepted into AYWW University. Although we normally deal with corporate matters, we know that success in the classroom leads to success in the boardroom. So every back-to-school season, we’re back to answer your top five questions about college.
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
🎓 Lesson 1: Do I need a 4-year degree?
Not really… Lol… Well… Okay, it depends. Education is different from a degree. Those four years cost real money that you have to work a real job in order to pay for. If it’s a fairly straight line from Underwater Basket Weaving 101 to Marketing Manager at Basket Weaving, Inc… go for it. If you can’t quite connect those dots, there is another way — learning on the job with a salary is our favorite!
🧪 Lesson 2: How do I pick a major?
Balance passions with your desired lifestyle. Don’t go pre-med for the money if your eyes cross at chemistry, and don’t pursue music if you want a stable 9 to 5 routine. People get really tripped up over this decision, because it requires major self-reflection, honesty, and a reality check on the future lifestyle that might await you. The answer may change over time and that is a-okay. Understand what your investment is leading towards.
👩💼 Lesson 3: How do I get 3-5 years of experience before I graduate college?
The answer is right under your nose: college is 3-5 years of experience! Tailor your studies and part-time jobs towards the industry of interest. Sure, you’ll probably start out doing grunt work, but you’re learning. No matter how it shakes out, prioritize a lucrative internship over the summer that’s likely to turn into a job offer. The pool doesn’t need more lifeguards.
💼 Lesson 4: How do I find my first job after graduating?
Condense Lesson 3’s timeline. Mine whatever experience you have for a quality impact. Clubs, sports teams, part-time jobs — especially anything client-facing or handling money — quantify it! Apply to roles you’re overqualified for in smaller markets to land substantial roles.
👩🎓 Lesson 5: Do I need a second degree?
Not really… It depends. Question your assumptions. You’ll need it if your profession requires a license like law or medicine. Go if your company pays for it. In some industries, they need to see that MBA to give you more responsibility with that meatier paycheck. Go if your career switch requires more training. It’s all about closing the gap between your current know-how and a desired profession.
🎓 Got a sister gradating from college? A niece starting her senior year? Forward this newsletter!
Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife: College Edition, where Vanessa & Holland go back to school to answer top questions from college students who are headed into Corporate America.
Got a question? Ask Your Work Wife!
Email your question to help@askyourworkwife.com. Include your name, your city if you want, and whatever context might be helpful for us to know. And don’t forget to start with “Hey, Work Wives!”
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