Get a leg up on the job hunt by majoring in a field that employers are looking to hire from - and steering clear of majors that are falling in popularity.
When it comes to picking a college major, not all disciplines are
equal in the eyes of hiring managers. And according to Kimberly
Patterson, career consultant at New Jersey-based UnConventional HR,
there's no time like the present to be practical about what you study.
"There's a saying that you'll hear at some point in your life, 'do
what you love and the money will follow," says Patterson. "There really
should be a footnote that says, 'except in cases of job slumps,
recessions, and extreme technology growth.'"
And while there's no magic answer for getting a job post-graduation,
there are some majors that have higher unemployment rates for recent
graduates than other majors. We looked to a report from the Georgetown
University Center for Education and the Workforce, titled "Hard Times,"
to see what some of the majors with the highest - and lowest -
unemployment rates for recent grads are.
Read on for the inside scoop on degrees employers love, and others that just might not be as practical.
Hated Degree #1: Architecture
Unemployment Rate for Recent Grads*: 12.8%**
All things considered, architecture isn't that bad of a major. We'll
always need buildings and structures. But the real estate market isn't
exactly booming like it was back in the early 2000s, and as a result,
job opportunities aren't booming either. So, you might want to
reconsider this field.
Why the Hate: Patterson thinks architecture jobs do
exist - but that they may require more research to locate as they're
more specialized and fewer now that the building boom has burst. They
oftentimes require more schooling and experience to pursue as well.
Loved Degree #1: Health Care Administration
Unemployment Rate for Recent Grads: 4.6%
Interested in health care, but know you don't have the stomach for
med school? You could still pursue an in-demand career if you were to
major in the behind-the-scenes field of health care administration,
where organization and knowledge of the health care system are the keys
to success.
Why the Love: Patterson sees both the recent changes
to the health care system, as well as the aging baby boomer
population's need for care, as two big pros of majoring in this field.
"Health care administration will continue to grow - specifically as
the provisions of the ACA (Affordable Care Act) continue to roll out
over the next several years," says Patterson. "There will be more
professionals who will need to have a specialized skill set of health
care as well as be informed and knowledgeable of ongoing legislation."
Essentially, she believes that health services managers and the like
become invaluable to insurance carriers, hospitals and health care
facilities, and pharmaceutical companies.
Common Courses: You could find yourself taking
courses in anatomy and physiology, accounting, and health care policy,
according to the College Board, a non-profit organization committed to
excellence and equity in education.
Potential Careers***:
- Medical and health services manager
Hated Degree #2: Anthropology
Unemployment Rate for Recent Grads: 12.6%
Ancient civilizations, cultural differences, human interaction. Sure,
you might be curious about all of the above, but can you make a living
analyzing what people have done and said throughout the years? Nothing
is for certain in the field of anthropology, given its high unemployment
rate for recent grads.
Why the Hate: For Patterson, the problem with
majoring in anthropology - like other liberal arts disciplines - is that
most opportunities in this field exist in teaching, which often
requires an advanced degree and a lot of schooling. This begs an even
bigger question, she says, about whether or not you even want to teach.
If you're not interested in teaching, she says anthropology is probably
not practical for you.
Loved Degree #2: Education
Unemployment Rate for Recent Grads: 5%
Think you'd like to relive your glory days - that is, the ones you
spent in elementary, middle, and high school? You might consider
majoring in education as a first step towards someday having your own
classroom full of eager students to teach.
Why the Love: For Elliot Lasson, the executive
director of Joblink of Maryland, Inc., there will always be a need for
teachers. "Given the fact that 'learning' is now a lifelong enterprise
(people constantly need to keep up and retool - in every profession),
those who are proficient in knowledge management technologies will be at
an advantage," says Lasson.
Next step: Click to Find the Right K-12 Program.
Common Courses: According to the College Board,
education coursework could include classes on educational psychology,
instructional technology, and teaching methods.
Potential Careers:
- Elementary school teacher
- Middle school teacher
Hated Degree #3: Arts (Film, Video, and Photography Arts, and Fine Arts)
Unemployment Rate for Recent Grads: 11.4%
Thinking of earning a degree in the fine arts? Sure, painting
pictures and snapping photos might sound awesome now, but if you decide
to switch career fields, it could be a challenge to market your very
niche and technical skills to employers outside of the arts industry.
Why the Hate: According to Lasson, one problem with
majoring in the fine arts, studio art, photography, or otherwise, is
that, "There are very few jobs which would be a direct fit for those
majors," he says. "And if there are, they'd be less than full-time."
Loved Degree #3: Business
Unemployment Rate for Recent Grads: 7.6%
Always been told you have a way with money and a nose for business?
Why deny that natural aptitude and instead, embrace it and actually
major in business?
Why the Love: "Business will always be a solid major
attractive to employers because - well, it's business," says Patterson.
"The biggest complaint that I hear from managers about their employees
is that they want them to understand how their business works. It's the
foundation of every organization, and it's important."
Lasson agrees, saying that business is perceived as a practical major
with skills directly learned in the classroom and applied on the job.
Next step: Click to Find the Right Business Program.
Common Courses: Getting your bachelor's in business
could include completing courses like accounting, economics, and
management, says the College Board.
Potential Careers:
- Personal financial advisor
- Human resources specialist
- Commercial loan officer
Hated Degree #4: Philosophy
Unemployment Rate for Recent Grads: 9.5%
You're known in your group of friends as a thinker, and that's why
you've gravitated towards philosophy, perhaps the headiest of all
subjects. But when was the last time you met a modern-day philosopher?
The only philosophers you ever hear about are Socrates and Plato, which
could indicate that perhaps philosophy as a viable profession peaked,
well, centuries and centuries ago.
Why the Hate: You may be one smart cookie to be
capable of studying philosophy, but Lasson says philosophy is one major
that suffers a disconnect between academic training and the skills
employers need. "Companies are not hiring based on potential or general
intelligence as an upside," he says. "They are hiring for the here and
now."
Loved Degree #4: Communications
Unemployment Rate for Recent Grads: 8.2%
If you're a people-person that can chat just about anyone up about
anything, then majoring in communications might be right up your alley.
Companies will always need to communicate with their employees, clients,
and the public, making this major relevant now and in the future.
Why the Love: For Lasson, "Communications is
changing because of the Internet," making the nature of the work that
communications majors and professionals do both increasingly
sought-after and in-demand.
"The way that messages are sent out today is very different than in
the past," says Lasson. "The world today is so 'open,' thus subjecting
any corporate entity to immense scrutiny. So, branding the organization
effectively and exhibiting damage control techniques becomes all the
more important to maintain a positive corporate reputation."
Common Courses: According to the College Board, you
could be taking courses such as the dynamics of group communication,
persuasion, and research methods.
Potential Careers:
- Public relations specialist
Hated Degree #5: Religious Studies
Unemployment Rate for Recent Grads: 9.5%
Studying the different religions of the world could definitely help
give students a different perspective on life. But again, as a degree
program, the future of religious studies student can be a bit dim upon
graduation.
Why the hate: Similar to hated degrees listed,
Lasson says the general negative stigma stems from the philosophical
nature of degree, as well as the impression that it's not at all aligned
with the needs of business today.
Loved Degree #5: Computer Science
Unemployment Rate for Recent Grads: 8.7%
You're a tech junkie that's always plugged in, multitasking on your
smart phone, tablet and laptop, sometimes all at once. Well, you'd be
doing yourself a favor if you thought about making computer science your
major.
Why the love: According to Patterson, computer
science is a smart choice that hiring managers are actively seeking.
"Computer science will always be a desirable degree," she elaborates.
"These folks hold the key to the secret door to any computer system
you've ever used."
Common Courses: The College Board says you could
spend part of your time in courses such as introduction to program
design, mathematics for computer science, and software engineering.
Potential Careers:
- Software developer
- Computer programmer