As a recent college graduate, who put myself through college, most students went to school with dreams of working in a dynamic fast paced environment that would put what they learned to good use.

The reality is that most employers now view college degrees as common place and now prefer potential hires to have years of specialized work experience and or graduate levels of education. This leaves many recent undergraduates between a rock and a hard place, because employers simply over look them unless they fit into some “quota” category, have connections (via daddy), or have decided to continue their studies beyond the undergraduate level.

Employers today have unrealistic goals for college students. Because those from the baby boomer generation are starting to retire in mass or leave for other industries employers need “bodies” to compensate for the attrition rates. But they only want “bodies” who have the same experience and knowledge as those who recently retired. This is a catch 22, because many employers want energetic and young 20somethings that have either PHDs or years of managerial experience under their belts. As unrealistic as this sounds, this is the reality most young graduates often face.

Now why do so many recent college graduates seem unmotivated?

It is not because we are unmotivated but it is because we are disillusioned. While young people today are more realistic and informed than ever before, most of use understand that we will have to work our way up, and or initially take jobs we do not like, but the attitudes of employers and their list of “qualifications” have also made us feel as if the job market has a bias against young people. On one hand we are told that employers, especially state and federal ones, are having a hard time attracting young blood. But the reality is that we are often turned away from such jobs due to unrealistic vacancy announcements (X amount of experience, X education, and between ages X and Y), or being turned down for interviews as not having “enough experience.”
Such actions are not only discouraging but also perplexing, for how can one gain experience is no one is willing to hire?

Believe me the dream of most college graduates is to get as far away from their parent’s house, income, and influence as they can. And often tensions between recent graduates and parents arise when parents come their children with whole line of “could of, should have, and would haves.” This is further compounded by constant nagging and attempts to force us into fields and jobs that we have A.) already tired and do not like. B.) Have no desire or interest in or C.) (which most often occurs) are pushed into a job/field because it is what our parent’s want.