The college degrees and skills employers most want in 2015

[JMapleton]

Not a job? Better tell the IRS that. The IRS views the majority of professional athletes as employees - which means they have a job working for the parent organization. And I think everyone here can agree that a $20-30 million dollar SALARY *cough* job *cough* that several players make counts as financially successful

You're talking about only a dozen or two players of all sports combined making more than $20m. There are probably more 9 figure lottery winners in the world than athletes making $20m+ a year. It's pointless to use them as an example. Still, athletes like Lebron or Kobe make the majority of their income from endorsements. Golfers even moreso.

If only it were possible to join a business that someone else started and become financially successful. Hmmm....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Nelson_(businessman)

He was 35 at the time the company he didn't start but he ended up making financially successful was acquired for a fair bit of money

So it is within the reach of a 30-40 year old white unathletic males. Maybe not all of us but that wasn't a condition of your statement.

This is all, of course, ignoring this tiny little problem with starting your own business:
80% of business startups fail

My statement was a general statement, not an absolute one.

Yes there are Goldman Sachs 37 year olds making nine figures. But my point was, if you want to maximize your odds of being successful, start a business.

You cite the 80 percent fail rate? Well, at worst, you have a 1 in 5 chance of succeeding! That actually sounds great.

Don't you realize that if you don't try, you've already failed? What's the alternative? A lifetime of low wage middle management at some big company? Would you really be happy with a mundane $150k a year job sitting in pointless meetings all day being the pinnacle of your career?

I currently work a pointless, relatively low wage job at a heartless big company. I hope for my sake I don't finish my life like this.

Furthermore, anyone who is motivated and intelligent should be able to increase their odds beyond 1 in 5.

Does that figure include all the bored housewives starting women's boutiques, cupcake shops, and pilate studios that are sure to fail? Take those out, it's maybe 1 in 4. What about kids from wealthy backgrounds being pushed to start a business by their parents but fail because they lack motivation? Well now it's 1 in 3. What about the numerous sketchy "salesmen" businesses like insurance agents and financial advisors where 9 out of 10 fail? Now we're at 1 in 2.

So yeah, 50% chance at getting rich for someone whos intelligent and motivated. I'll take those odds.

 

[Ns1]

Don't you realize that if you don't try, you've already failed? What's the alternative? A lifetime of low wage middle management at some big company? Would you really be happy with $150k a year job sitting in pointless meetings all day being the pinnacle of your career?

Well, it most certainly sounds more attractive than trying and failing and ending up with 0 cents to your name and 500k in business debt.

some people just don't have the stomach for risk.

 

[JMapleton]

Well, it most certainly sounds more attractive than trying and failing and ending up with 0 cents to your name and 500k in business debt.

some people just don't have the stomach for risk.

There's always bankruptcy. It's wiped from your credit after 10 years. You only live once.

 

[pmoa]

Soft skills are just as important as technical skills. I recruit and interview for a large company that hired engineers. I am a software engineering manager.

I can assure you that having a high GPA is a foot in the door but if you don't present yourself confidently and lack the ability to think logically, I don't care if you have. 4.0 from MIT.

Computer engineers are high in demand I my line of work.