Comparison of Experience and Higher Education in America’s Workplace

Comparison of Experience and Higher Education in America’s Workplace

Looking at job openings can seem like a daunting and discouraging task for new graduates. The majority of job ads generated by companies want experience to bring in as human capital that will enhance their position in the market. For many new college graduates, the experience that is needed to succeed is not yet present. Mounting debt and no work experience can discourage students from achieving their educational goals but the debt can be well worth the price paid in the long run. The key to enhancing future success is to attempt to gain experience and a degree. Many students take a gap year to explore different opportunities, such as becoming an intern at a large business or doing volunteer work in a specific field. A gap year can lead to experience that can put a recent college graduate over other potential job candidates and become a more valued.

Companies’ value experienced workers. Gaining that experience as a new graduate can be a difficult task. A company can almost see hiring a new graduate as a leap of faith when there is nothing else to back up the education. Many times the company has to spend a lot of time training a new hire in order to bring them up to speed in company operations. Someone that is “move in ready” can be much more attractive. In times of economic hardships this problem can be even worse. Companies that cut back will cut back inexperienced personnel before the experienced workers. The problem for the new graduate is that experience can only be gained by doing a specific job. Often times an employer wants much more than just knowing or studying the subject. Joining the military may be a suitable option for a new graduate to gain experience in many different areas. The military offers many jobs as well as skills that most civilians do not have and will also pay a certain amount for school (Burns, n.d.).

Rising debt for a student can deter a...