Folium: If You Want A Good Job, You Need More Than One Talent via Lifehacker
Folium: If You Want A Good Job, You Need More Than One Talent via Lifehacker
Folium: If You Want A Good Job, You Need More Than One Talent via Lifehacker
My parents would often tell me stories about growing up in Corning, New York. As recently as a generation ago men would graduate high school, go to work for Corning Glass Works, earn a pension, and hope to retire after 30 or 40 years of dedicated service. This plan wasn’t just the ideal, it was the reality for millions of blue-collar workers across America.
Today, getting a job, let alone entry into any career track, has become the new long-term goal. College graduates are no longer guaranteed anything in the working world, and many students are now encouraged to reconsider their academic goals in order to meet the demands of a violently changing economy.
Students need to know that a college degree isn’t enough. Raw talent and skills should be refined to create special areas of knowledge that could be valuable to future employers.
“If you want a challenge in 2013, try getting a good job. With high unemployment rates and lower entry-level salaries, many people take what they can get. While no magic trick will get you the job of your dreams, you can greatly improve your chances if you have multiple talents that intersect.” – Lifehacker.com
Languages are a skill!
Since LEAF is all about languages, travel, and culture, of course our position is that the more international and cross-cultural experience a student can have, the better! Languages and travel (especially study abroad experiences) are what can secure your future in the career of your choice!
Think about it, my students often attend small community and state colleges. Their space “bubble”, so-to-speak, may barely expand past the city limits, let alone across the state, or region in the United States. They think of employment in terms of what is nearby, when instead they should be prepared to compete at the global level. With the term “global economy” as the new buzzword of the 21st century, students should be prepared to apply for positions anywhere in the world. We, as Americans, can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines. Learn a language, add it to your existing skills, and be ready for an adventure!
- Why do think languages should be on the list of talents that young students should develop?
- What companies do you think would be most interested in multilingual applicants?
…
