15 Reasons Professionals (Ages 18-25) MUST Invest in Their Careers NOW

By CAREEREALISM Founder, J.T. O’Donnell

I saw this video on CNNMoney.com of college seniors being interviewed about their future plans after graduation this spring: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/12/04/n_cmr_class_2010-jobs.cnnmoney/.

YIKES!

Students are on their own when it comes to finding a job – and it’s not pretty. I think the worst part is to see most of them believe the answer is to just stay in school and spend even more money on an advanced degree. I wish they could talk with all the unemployed MBAs out there right now who are knee-deep in loan debt.

Reality-check for College Students & Recent Grads

How you look for work, as well as how you find work you love has changed deeply in the last 20 years. And yet, college teaches you everything EXCEPT how to get the job. That being said, there are two ways you can attempt to learn what you need to in order to take control of your future.

1)   You can try figuring it out for yourself. Unfortunately, most students opt for this, get too busy at school, and end up putting it off until they graduate. They return home, unemployed and hundreds of miles from their campus career center.

2)   You can invest in a program that can help you get organized and focus on the right things to do to identify a career path and land a job.

Let’s face it, the latter option is going to help you more and is much faster.

And still, if that doesn’t convince you…

Here are 15 reasons why you should invest in your career early:

• 23%. How much a college education has gone up in the last 10 years.
• 11%. How much the starting salaries of college grads have gone down in the last 10 years. (FYI – In 1985, the average starting salary for a college grad was $40,300. In 2008, the average starting salary was only $39,000 and it continues to drop in this recession.)
• Less than 50%. The number of students who ever see the financial return on their investment in an advanced degree (i.e. Masters, MBA).
• 70M+. The number of Baby Boomers (people in their 50s-60’s) in America who are ‘retirement-ready, but under-funded’ and thus will stay in the job market, holding back the entry of new grads to the workplace.
• 90%+. The number of young people today who plan to go to college because they feel they have to in order to get a job. Most DON’T know why they should go or what they should study!
• $100K+. The minimum you can plan to spend on a college education from top private or state university.
• Less than 30%. The number of students who actually work in a professional setting while they are in high school or college in order to gain professional skills they can use when they graduate.
• 25 years old. The average age before a college grad can finally afford to move out of their parent’s house and live on their own. (They are called Boomerang Kids and K.I.P.P.E.R.S – Kids In Parents Pockets Eating Retirement Savings.)
• 80%+. The percentage of jobs people get by networking. Most people don’t know A) how to create and leverage a network effectively, and B) feel uncomfortable doing it.
• Less than 20%. That’s how many 2009 college grads had jobs when they graduated last year.
• 6:1 ratio. There are 6 job seekers for every job out there right now.
• 18 months. The average time a young person spends in a job in America . The reality is EVERY job is temporary for young professionals.
• 9 careers with an average of 3 jobs in each one. That’s what today’s college grad can expect over the lifetime of their career. Can you imagine looking for a job 27 times!?
• 5 years. The amount of time it’s going to take for us to recoup the jobs we’ve lost from this recession. This does NOT include the additional number of jobs we need for all the college grads in that time.
• 10 years. That’s how long it’s going to take for us to fully recover from this recession: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/12/07/n_cmr_slow_recovery.cnnmoney/.

Don’t Shoot the Messenger – Instead, Get in the Game!

You’ve spent all this time and money on an education in hopes of making a great future for yourself. Don’t throw away that investment by not going the extra 10% it will take to make you stand out and get hired. The fact is, plenty of people will read this post and opt not to do anything. That’s okay, because it leaves those who do take action the chance to get ahead of their peers.

FYI – Corporate America is Watching YOU

When the economy finally recovers, young professionals who used their time wisely during the recession will be offered better jobs with higher pay. How do I know? I graduated in the last recession (watch this video to hear what happened to me) and know those who work a career plan now will reap the rewards later. In fact, that’s why I created a first-of-its-kind program to help you create your plan.

However, CAREEREALISM Club is not just a program, it’s a movement. It’s for people who don’t want to complain about the situation, they want to solve it. Joining our program says a lot about you to employers. You’ll be able to add it to your resume and use it as a discussion point in cover letters and interviews. Think about it. Nothing says, “I’m resourceful, smart and proactive,” more than you investing in finding out how to manage your career. Actions speak louder than words.

If you are interested in joining our program, CLICK HERE. It includes a 30-day money back guarantee.

PS – This is More Than a Career Tool…It’s a Chance to Help Change the Future for Your Generation

Better still, if you want to become part of our efforts to change the future of 1,000’s of students, e-mail us at club@careerealism.com to learn more about our Spring 2010 Internship Program.

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