The college degrees and skills employers most want in 2015

[dyna]

i see the bolded a lot with people younger than me. i'm 33 now and the kids in their early 20's simply have no drive and want everything handed to them. trident is a perfect example, go read his thread lol.

It is for similar reasons that most people are out of shape, over weight and apathetic. You have things around you that make your life easier and that part of you atrophies. Dependence on electronics has made critical thinking less of a requirement for survival.

Think about the simple use case of driving directions. I remember having to look at a map and add up all the miles trying to figure out how long or map out a trip. Nobody does that anymore.

 

[nageov3t]

I count myself both lucky and driven that I was able to translate my English Lit degree into an almost-6-figure IT job a decade later.

I know a frightening amount of CS majors that I was friends with in college who are still working tier 1 tech support jobs in their 30's because that's the first job they landed after graduation and they've got no drive to move forward with their careers.

 

[purbeast0]

I see smart people in interviews that aren't even willing to do the work to go through the interview process properly. This sort of thing happens too much:



The problem is that they get bored. They're done with the fun part of solving the basic problem and don't like getting into any level of detail. I can't imagine what this type of person would be like to work with.

it's a by product of everyone being glued to their phones. their attention spans are 0 now a days. they MUST be looking down at their phone or doing SOMETHING or else they are bored. and what they are doing MUST have instant gratification.

 

[Vdubchaos]

none of these statistics matter

simply decide what you want to do, work hard and know how to sell yourself to employers

-or-

start your own business in said field

---

all these statistics are just for people that want to chase jobs that were needed yesterday.

This

Deciding what you want to do is the had part....and article speaks NOTHING of it other than "tell people" what "might" be good to do (which I wouldn't really trust).

The key is to figure out what you desire/want to do in life......many people never reach that point.

I'm on my 3rd career dozen+ jobs and still don't know.

 

[purbeast0]

i'm glad after my NBA career plans from 2nd grade started to fall through, that SNES basically made me want to make video games when i get older, which lead me to my degree in CS.

and while i don't make video games now (well i have made a mobile game and working on another one now) professionally, i really enjoy software development in general. and there is more money to be made in my current field than game development anyways heh.

 

[videogames101]

I see smart people in interviews that aren't even willing to do the work to go through the interview process properly. This sort of thing happens too much:

Interviewee: So that's my solution
(I notice a problem with a part of their solution)
Me: I think there may be a problem with this part. Would you care to take another look at it?
Interviewee: Nope. I feel like I've demonstrated that I'm capable of solving this question. Let's move on to the next question.
Me: You sure? I'd rather see you fix this solution first.
Interviewee: Yup, let's do the next question

The problem is that they get bored. They're done with the fun part of solving the basic problem and don't like getting into any level of detail. I can't imagine what this type of person would be like to work with.

Yikes! How could that possibly be anyone's reaction? No wonder I've had such an easy time finding positions, there are some real morons out there...

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I know a frightening amount of CS majors that I was friends with in college who are still working tier 1 tech support jobs in their 30's because that's the first job they landed after graduation and they've got no drive to move forward with their careers.

Do they like their jobs though? There is nothing wrong with staying put if you're happy with your job. That's where I'm at right now -- don't care about "advancing" and just want to make it to retirement.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I see smart people in interviews that aren't even willing to do the work to go through the interview process properly. This sort of thing happens too much:



The problem is that they get bored. They're done with the fun part of solving the basic problem and don't like getting into any level of detail. I can't imagine what this type of person would be like to work with.

Lol, I remember one interview, a guy asked me a technical question. I answered and we moved on to the next question. I said "Excuse me, on my last answer, I realize that there is a problem with part of my solution. Would you mind if I outline the problem and give the proper solution?" I think he liked that quite a bit.

 

[Jeff7]

I've been involved in some interviews now.
Those who themselves had lousy GPAs during college also didn't care about GPA. Those who had good GPAs did look at GPA.
Of significant interest: Personality. The old thing of "Would I ever like to have a beer with this person?"
Technical skill....it was in there, but the personality thing was more of it. There were a few candidates whom I thought had excellent technical skills, but they lacked the charisma that the selected candidates had.
I'm sure that if I had gone through those channels, they would have labeled me as to bland and unmotivated. Good thing for them that I snagged an internship first, and have done quite well for the company. Yes, I'm a pain in the ass sometimes when I insist on doing things properly, or when I don't want to blindly push ahead with something before thinking about the ramifications for the future, or for other departments.

Management tends to have a personality type that includes being driven and outgoing. They look for that in everyone they hire. What I've seen of engineering and technical sorts is a tendency toward....nerds, you know? Each is beneficial in their own way. The nerds can sit in their quiet spot and solve sophisticated problems, and the ultra-extrovert management types can stay they heck out of their way and do whatever else it is that they do.

Do they like their jobs though? There is nothing wrong with staying put if you're happy with your job. That's where I'm at right now -- don't care about "advancing" and just want to make it to retirement.

I don't like the push toward management, like if you dare say "I don't really want to be in management," you might as well just seppuku yourself right there. It just seems like the hiring sorts (...managers) view management as the apex of human existence, and anyone who doesn't strive for it as their ultimate career goal is unworthy of their time.

 

[nageov3t]

Do they like their jobs though? There is nothing wrong with staying put if you're happy with your job. That's where I'm at right now -- don't care about "advancing" and just want to make it to retirement.

I think it's part contentment in having an easy job, and part laziness.

I couldn't imagine it, though... the poster child is my ex-roommate. he was a CS major and really enjoyed programming. after college, he got a job doing Windows tech support for a hosting company, where he still is today 12 years later (as far as I know, he's not even a "senior" tech, shift lead, etc). we worked for the same company before I left, and I know their general pay scale and how stingy they are with raises, so I can't imagine he's clearing more than 50k or so.

meanwhile, he's crammed into a small 2-bedroom apartment with a wife who doesn't work, toddler son, 2 cats, and a dog... if that were me, I'd be busting my ass to give my wife and kid a better life.

 

[videogames101]

I think it's part contentment in having an easy job, and part laziness.

I couldn't imagine it, though... the poster child is my ex-roommate. he was a CS major and really enjoyed programming. after college, he got a job doing Windows tech support for a hosting company, where he still is today 12 years later (as far as I know, he's not even a "senior" tech, shift lead, etc). we worked for the same company before I left, and I know their general pay scale and how stingy they are with raises, so I can't imagine he's clearing more than 50k or so.

meanwhile, he's crammed into a small 2-bedroom apartment with a wife who doesn't work, toddler son, 2 cats, and a dog... if that were me, I'd be busting my ass to give my wife and kid a better life.

different priorities, hard to judge a man imo

 

[Vdubchaos]

Nothing I mentioned above is anything companies can help with. The classes at your university don't matter. The major you're in doesn't matter that much. To your point, the degree and university you attend are your "ins" to getting a great job, but the actual things you study there don't matter that much.

This is what people pay 100k for ehh?

 

[Vdubchaos]

I think it's part contentment in having an easy job, and part laziness.

I couldn't imagine it, though... the poster child is my ex-roommate. he was a CS major and really enjoyed programming. after college, he got a job doing Windows tech support for a hosting company, where he still is today 12 years later (as far as I know, he's not even a "senior" tech, shift lead, etc). we worked for the same company before I left, and I know their general pay scale and how stingy they are with raises, so I can't imagine he's clearing more than 50k or so.

It's not about what you make though....what you spend matter more!

meanwhile, he's crammed into a small 2-bedroom apartment with a wife who doesn't work, toddler son, 2 cats, and a dog... if that were me, I'd be busting my ass to give my wife and kid a better life.

What's wrong with small? And apartment?

Better life? What is a better life? Sounds to me like YOUR definition of better life is bigger house and "more things".

Which tell me that you don't have a clue sir.

Your friend is doing just fine. He is able to provide for his family and enable his wife to raise the kids (you know? The way it should be done.....and why people have kids? to raise them).

I'm SURE bigger house or "materialistic crap" will only make their life more miserable.

 

[nageov3t]

It's not about what you make though....what you spend matter more!



What's wrong with small? And apartment?

Better life? What is a better life? Sounds to me like YOUR definition of better life is bigger house and "more things".

Which tell me that you don't have a clue sir.

idk... better life = some grass to run around in, a place that's big enough to invite friends over and have sleep-overs, etc.

we're not talking a McMansion in the hills here, but even a small $200-$250k house would be a huge upgrade from being crammed into a shoebox apartment with a downstairs neighbor that complains any time the kid dares to run around... I know that they're trying to save up for a down payment, but obviously it would be a much quicker path if the guy wasn't content to be stuck in a tier-1 McJob that could be outsourced to India with the flick of a switch.

 

[videogames101]

It's not about what you make though....what you spend matter more!



What's wrong with small? And apartment?

Better life? What is a better life? Sounds to me like YOUR definition of better life is bigger house and "more things".

Which tell me that you don't have a clue sir.

Your friend is doing just fine. He is able to provide for his family and enable his wife to raise the kids (you know? The way it should be done.....and why people have kids? to raise them).

I'm SURE bigger house or "materialistic crap" will only make their life more miserable.

You have this same sentiment in every thread. I have to wonder if you are just really jealous of people with money or something. Although I agree you don't need a bigger house, it does make some people happy. Just like a BMW makes some people happy. I don't think it's fair to judge what makes other people happy.

 

[xeemzor]

For high end consulting ($65k+ starting salary in the Midwest) there is no best major and it’s really hard to recruit for. We really struggle because you need to have a working knowledge of accounting, enterprise IT, analytics, project management along with strong social skills. A business major lacks the appropriate tech skills and a tech major (MIS, CS) lacks the appropriate business skills. I look for candidates with a strong focus in 1 area but interest in the other.

Out of 20 interviews I do on campus maybe 1 comes close to what we are looking for. The best way to differentiate yourself is to do something outside school that shows your drive and intellect. It doesn’t even have to be remotely related to the field. In my case, I got my first accounting job for running a $1M State Rep. campaign. Employers want to see that they can trust you and that you can learn on your own.

I tell college freshman to figure out what job they want before they pick a major. A major is just a signal of interest to potential employers, nothing more. It is just as important to figure out what knowledge they need in order to be successful in their field. For better or worse college has transitions from a focus on higher education into a vehicle for getting hired. Sadly, some 80% of students still don’t factor in economics regardless of what you tell them.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I think it's part contentment in having an easy job, and part laziness.

I couldn't imagine it, though... the poster child is my ex-roommate. he was a CS major and really enjoyed programming. after college, he got a job doing Windows tech support for a hosting company, where he still is today 12 years later (as far as I know, he's not even a "senior" tech, shift lead, etc). we worked for the same company before I left, and I know their general pay scale and how stingy they are with raises, so I can't imagine he's clearing more than 50k or so.

meanwhile, he's crammed into a small 2-bedroom apartment with a wife who doesn't work, toddler son, 2 cats, and a dog... if that were me, I'd be busting my ass to give my wife and kid a better life.

Yeah, that's rough with a family and if I had a family, I would probably feel like you feel. It is different for me, however -- I don't have kids (we don't plan on having any), I already make a six-figure salary in the Indianapolis area (very cheap living), my wife makes in the $60K range and is due for a big raise, and we already have a large home that will be paid off in just a few more years unless we accelerate payments.

I have no desire to go higher and in fact, could live on significantly less money. I've often dreamed of the day when I could move into a less stressful job that I really loved even if it didn't pay as much. With our lifestyle, that is definitely a possibility but we have a few more goals to meet first. It reminds me of something Zebo said here in the forums a few times -- give me a fishing pole, a doublewide, and $20K a year and I'll be happy! For me, I just need my house, my computer/video games, enough money to take a good vacation every year, and my wife and I would be content.

 

[Vdubchaos]

idk... better life = some grass to run around in, a place that's big enough to invite friends over and have sleep-overs, etc.

So your definition of better life = grass and for friends/people

:biggrin:

we're not talking a McMansion in the hills here, but even a small $200-$250k house would be a huge upgrade from being crammed into a shoebox apartment with a downstairs neighbor that complains any time the kid dares to run around... I know that they're trying to save up for a down payment, but obviously it would be a much quicker path if the guy wasn't content to be stuck in a tier-1 McJob that could be outsourced to India with the flick of a switch.

2 bedroom apt = shoebox?

You realize many people actually like small houses/areas right? It brings people closer vs separate them further.

 

[reallyscrued]

It's not about what you make though....what you spend matter more!



What's wrong with small? And apartment?

Better life? What is a better life? Sounds to me like YOUR definition of better life is bigger house and "more things".

Which tell me that you don't have a clue sir.

Your friend is doing just fine. He is able to provide for his family and enable his wife to raise the kids (you know? The way it should be done.....and why people have kids? to raise them).

I'm SURE bigger house or "materialistic crap" will only make their life more miserable.

Yeah....

Throw away your computer please.

Materialistic, right? You don't need it. Please teach us true happiness and leave us alone.

 

[xeemzor]

Yeah, that's rough with a family and if I had a family, I would probably feel like you feel. It is different for me, however -- I don't have kids (we don't plan on having any), I already make a six-figure salary in the Indianapolis area (very cheap living), my wife makes in the $60K range and is due for a big raise, and we already have a large home that will be paid off in just a few more years unless we accelerate payments.

I have no desire to go higher and in fact, could live on significantly less money. I've often dreamed of the day when I could move into a less stressful job that I really loved even if it didn't pay as much. With our lifestyle, that is definitely a possibility but we have a few more goals to meet first. It reminds me of something Zebo said here in the forums a few times -- give me a fishing pole, a doublewide, and $20K a year and I'll be happy! For me, I just need my house, my computer/video games, enough money to take a good vacation every year, and my wife and I would be content.

It's also not just about what you earn but what you save. Thankfully I started young and have a decent nest egg saved up. My goal is to have $150k in retirement accounts by 30 and I don't feel like I sacrificed much at all. Corporate expense accounts and alternate travel are awesome when you don't have a family.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

It's also not just about what you earn but what you save. Thankfully I started young and have a decent nest egg saved up. My goal is to have $150k in retirement accounts by 30 and I don't feel like I sacrificed much at all. Corporate expense accounts and alternate travel are awesome when you don't have a family.

Yeah, I got to go around Europe, Asia, and South America a couple of jobs ago and really loved it. That travel on the company dime was well worth it.

 

[JM Aggie08]

It's not about what you make though....what you spend matter more!



What's wrong with small? And apartment?

Better life? What is a better life? Sounds to me like YOUR definition of better life is bigger house and "more things".

Which tell me that you don't have a clue sir.

Your friend is doing just fine. He is able to provide for his family and enable his wife to raise the kids (you know? The way it should be done.....and why people have kids? to raise them).

I'm SURE bigger house or "materialistic crap" will only make their life more miserable.

I have one life to live -- I am going to make it as fucking grand as possible.

 

[Rakehellion]

lol stupid ppl need a collage dagree

 

[IndyColtsFan]

It's not about what you make though....what you spend matter more!

Actually, it does depend on what you make to a large extent. People who make $20K pretty much have to spend all their income to survive - they have little choice.

What's wrong with small? And apartment?

Better life? What is a better life? Sounds to me like YOUR definition of better life is bigger house and "more things".

Which tell me that you don't have a clue sir.

Your friend is doing just fine. He is able to provide for his family and enable his wife to raise the kids (you know? The way it should be done.....and why people have kids? to raise them).

I'm SURE bigger house or "materialistic crap" will only make their life more miserable.

I don't begrudge anyone who settles if they're happy with their job, nor do I begrudge anyone who wants a bigger house with a yard. I hear you on the materialistic stuff -- it is an issue today, but I just roll my eyes and move on. I make six figures and have a nice house, but I drive an old 2001 Grand Prix around, wear a t-shirt and jeans almost everywhere, and only splurge on vacations. I'm sure people who see me driving up in my old junker think I'm poor, but it doesn't matter to me what people think.

Hell, every time I switch jobs, I say "This is it and I'm settling" but inevitably I find out that there is still this burning desire in me to want to do more. I think this time, though, my desire to settle down is real.

 

[xeemzor]

Hell, every time I switch jobs, I say "This is it and I'm settling" but inevitably I find out that there is still this burning desire in me to want to do more. I think this time, though, my desire to settle down is real.

I guess that's when you know you are getting old Hopefully I have a few more years before that happens to me.

My plan is quit my job every 2-3 years until I make it to C*O with significant equity.