Comments on: School Did Not Prepare You for Work http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/ For People Who Want to Be Awesomely Productive Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:26:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Clint Carlson http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/#comment-2846 Clint Carlson Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:05:08 +0000 http://workawesome.com/?p=574#comment-2846 "I took a job as an executive assistant. It was just supposed to be a way to pay the bills until I found a “really good” job, but I discovered a way to turn it into a “really good” job and spent the next six years publishing books and journals as an editor and artist for that same company." I love that. A lot of people are afraid to made radical suggestions and don't want to rock the boat at work. I have no idea why. I'd rather have an employee that suggests 9 unworkable ideas and 1 good one than none at all. I started as an admissions advisor here at Herzing University and after doing well playing around in social media (thus getting more enrollments) I was recently offered a Social Media Manager position. I pays to ask and experiment! Just keep trying/reading/implementing! Clint Carlson “I took a job as an executive assistant. It was just supposed to be a way to pay the bills until I found a “really good” job, but I discovered a way to turn it into a “really good” job and spent the next six years publishing books and journals as an editor and artist for that same company.”

I love that. A lot of people are afraid to made radical suggestions and don’t want to rock the boat at work. I have no idea why. I’d rather have an employee that suggests 9 unworkable ideas and 1 good one than none at all. I started as an admissions advisor here at Herzing University and after doing well playing around in social media (thus getting more enrollments) I was recently offered a Social Media Manager position. I pays to ask and experiment! Just keep trying/reading/implementing!

Clint Carlson

]]> By: Koyich – Alex, attempting to attract retention…er…attention – ideas design thoughts spirit – Edmonton Alberta Canada » School Did Not Prepare You for Work http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/#comment-1372 Koyich – Alex, attempting to attract retention…er…attention – ideas design thoughts spirit – Edmonton Alberta Canada » School Did Not Prepare You for Work Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:41:45 +0000 http://workawesome.com/?p=574#comment-1372 [...] The whole article is available here: http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/#more-574 [...] [...] The whole article is available here: http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/#more-574 [...]

]]> By: Isabelle C. de Andrade http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/#comment-1342 Isabelle C. de Andrade Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:02:54 +0000 http://workawesome.com/?p=574#comment-1342 Hello! This post is just awesome! It just reflects the situation of ex-students/new-employes from every country around the globe. Being this the case, I was just wondering: can I translate this article to Portuguese and post it in a blog or something (with the proper credits and links, of course)? Thank you very much for the read. Best regards, Isabelle. Hello!

This post is just awesome!

It just reflects the situation of ex-students/new-employes from every country around the globe.

Being this the case, I was just wondering: can I translate this article to Portuguese and post it in a blog or something (with the proper credits and links, of course)?

Thank you very much for the read.

Best regards,

Isabelle.

]]> By: Silvia http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/#comment-1251 Silvia Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:45:27 +0000 http://workawesome.com/?p=574#comment-1251 From what I read in this post, it seems as if you expected schools to prepare people for life, not just work. Schools may prepare you for work (or not), and you could also acquire some skills that you could use in your life, not just at work, but as big a part of life work may be, I think it shouldn't be expected that people will learn in school everything they need in life. What I find ironic about schools not preparing people for work (and I mean work specifically), is that some people consider going back to school as an option when they get fed up from their current work and want new career opportunities. Freedom in school, lack of choice at work? That depends on the point of view; others could say school is too structured and work is more open. I have friends who feel more at ease now they're working than when they were students. Regarding the titles you get, here's another point of view, just for the sake of reflection: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior? Your title doesn't really change during your school years, you're just a student. Your title in your professional life could change as you said, from Junior researcher to Assistant Developer, and even to some other type of profession; it could change as you make choices. On the other hand, I totally agree that when you're a student there's a sense of assurance that for at least some years you won't have to trouble yourself with decisions on where exactly you want to go next. Bottom line is, the subject is too complex to make loose statements. By the way, I loved Ann Teeter's reply :) From what I read in this post, it seems as if you expected schools to prepare people for life, not just work. Schools may prepare you for work (or not), and you could also acquire some skills that you could use in your life, not just at work, but as big a part of life work may be, I think it shouldn’t be expected that people will learn in school everything they need in life.

What I find ironic about schools not preparing people for work (and I mean work specifically), is that some people consider going back to school as an option when they get fed up from their current work and want new career opportunities.

Freedom in school, lack of choice at work? That depends on the point of view; others could say school is too structured and work is more open. I have friends who feel more at ease now they’re working than when they were students.

Regarding the titles you get, here’s another point of view, just for the sake of reflection:
Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior? Your title doesn’t really change during your school years, you’re just a student. Your title in your professional life could change as you said, from Junior researcher to Assistant Developer, and even to some other type of profession; it could change as you make choices.

On the other hand, I totally agree that when you’re a student there’s a sense of assurance that for at least some years you won’t have to trouble yourself with decisions on where exactly you want to go next.

Bottom line is, the subject is too complex to make loose statements.
By the way, I loved Ann Teeter’s reply :)

]]> By: Joseph Lewis http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/#comment-932 Joseph Lewis Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:12:57 +0000 http://workawesome.com/?p=574#comment-932 @ Aaron, Actually, my point is just the opposite. School gradually builds you up with greater freedoms and control over your life, until you are designing your own education in college. But then in the real world, you really don't have that much freedom. You can only take the jobs you are offered, which are usually quite few (especially in this economy). When young, your job is usually tightly constrained, you have no freedoms, you are expected to follow instructions and not rock the boat. @ Aaron,

Actually, my point is just the opposite. School gradually builds you up with greater freedoms and control over your life, until you are designing your own education in college.

But then in the real world, you really don’t have that much freedom. You can only take the jobs you are offered, which are usually quite few (especially in this economy). When young, your job is usually tightly constrained, you have no freedoms, you are expected to follow instructions and not rock the boat.

]]> By: Azizuan Aziz http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/#comment-907 Azizuan Aziz Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:10:08 +0000 http://workawesome.com/?p=574#comment-907 Couldn't agree more! But sometimes I can't be myself because of my boss are so bossy. "Do this","do that","do this first" . All those can ruin my mood and rhythm and work tempo and everything. I even lost my concentration on some task because I have to do something else. Patient is the most important at this moment because you might get emotional anytime which I almost get pissed off some of the times. Besides, school also didn't prepare us to the babbling stuff. I can handle the work load but babbling is such a burden to my mind. It makes me lost my motivation to work. It's good to have a boss that love to babbling but at the same time know how to appreciate their subordinates. But when things doesn't be like that, you'll feel like you just want to quit after throwing the PC monitor. Couldn’t agree more! But sometimes I can’t be myself because of my boss are so bossy. “Do this”,”do that”,”do this first” . All those can ruin my mood and rhythm and work tempo and everything. I even lost my concentration on some task because I have to do something else. Patient is the most important at this moment because you might get emotional anytime which I almost get pissed off some of the times. Besides, school also didn’t prepare us to the babbling stuff. I can handle the work load but babbling is such a burden to my mind. It makes me lost my motivation to work. It’s good to have a boss that love to babbling but at the same time know how to appreciate their subordinates. But when things doesn’t be like that, you’ll feel like you just want to quit after throwing the PC monitor.

]]> By: monica from hola!design http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/#comment-857 monica from hola!design Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:58:11 +0000 http://workawesome.com/?p=574#comment-857 great post! I agree, school doesn't prepare you for the real life and it can be scary. I specially like the part when you mention be yourself and don't compare your career with your friend's . thank you! great post! I agree, school doesn’t prepare you for the real life and it can be scary. I specially like the part when you mention be yourself and don’t compare your career with your friend’s .
thank you!

]]> By: Jen http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/#comment-827 Jen Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:26:11 +0000 http://workawesome.com/?p=574#comment-827 Great post. And we wonder why so many of us are having mid-life or, god forbid, quarter-life crises. You just get to this point a few years (or months) into your "working life" when you look around and go, what's the point? How did I get here? It's easy to forget just how much control we all have over what our work life entails. Great post. And we wonder why so many of us are having mid-life or, god forbid, quarter-life crises. You just get to this point a few years (or months) into your “working life” when you look around and go, what’s the point? How did I get here? It’s easy to forget just how much control we all have over what our work life entails.

]]> By: Ann Teeter http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/#comment-818 Ann Teeter Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:22:20 +0000 http://workawesome.com/?p=574#comment-818 I don't think school is designed to prepare you for a job in 'real life' - never has been. It could/should prepare you to think critically and teach you how to verify facts for your self. It should also teach you what past generations have discovered or written. What does reading or watching A Midsummer's Night Dream really teach you for 'a job' unless you are a Shakespearian actor? Aside from all the phrases and characters you will encounter (Lord what fools these mortals be!) in plays, books, the web, etc not too much. The study of history does teach you quite a lot of things past generations have tried and failed or succeded. Like dont' start a war in Russia and try to retreat in the winter. All empires fall eventually. Washing your hands before delivering a baby increases the mortality of mother and child. Real estate will never go down in value. You might not do these things but when you see others doing this, you can say - hey this has been done before and I remember from history it did/did not work out too well. Above all you need schooling just to get the jokes. I don’t think school is designed to prepare you for a job in ‘real life’ – never has been. It could/should prepare you to think critically and teach you how to verify facts for your self. It should also teach you what past generations have discovered or written. What does reading or watching A Midsummer’s Night Dream really teach you for ‘a job’ unless you are a Shakespearian actor? Aside from all the phrases and characters you will encounter (Lord what fools these mortals be!) in plays, books, the web, etc not too much. The study of history does teach you quite a lot of things past generations have tried and failed or succeded. Like dont’ start a war in Russia and try to retreat in the winter. All empires fall eventually. Washing your hands before delivering a baby increases the mortality of mother and child. Real estate will never go down in value. You might not do these things but when you see others doing this, you can say – hey this has been done before and I remember from history it did/did not work out too well.
Above all you need schooling just to get the jokes.

]]> By: C.44 http://workawesome.com/career/school-did-not-prepare-you-for-work/#comment-810 C.44 Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:06:02 +0000 http://workawesome.com/?p=574#comment-810 Even though i'm on the other side of the pond, i'm experiencing the exact same probem. Got out of school, turned an internship into a fulltime job and went from there. All said and done that lasted about a year and a half. After that i looked around wondering what to do next for about half a year. Then bills started to pile up and it was time for a decent solution. I started working for my fathers company and that lasted a good 5 years. That company eventually went bellyup because the two owners basically couldn't disagree more on just about everything. I still wanted to help my father out and we each started our own little business. I'd hire him for some jobs and vice versa. But both our companies are having a very hard time to find new customers. When i first started out in 2007 i had as much clients in a month as i have now... in a year. Obviously this isn't paying the bills and i really am starting to dislike certain parts of the itself aswell. Problem is, i really don't know what else to do. All the degrees and certificates i once got and earned are just about worthless nowadays. Plus i don't even know if i really actually still like any of those things. The only thing i know is that i NEED something new. I already thought of going back to school and learn something new, but i also need a fulltime job to pay for the stuff on my plate at the end of the day. And rent wouldn't be a bad idea either. I've also been thinking about moving 300km to a, for me, completely different world. Much bigger city, much richer economy (judging from all of the lambo's and porsches driving about) and overall a much more relaxed feeling/mood. Somehow this idea has been following me around for a couple of weeks now... Even though i’m on the other side of the pond, i’m experiencing the exact same probem. Got out of school, turned an internship into a fulltime job and went from there.

All said and done that lasted about a year and a half. After that i looked around wondering what to do next for about half a year. Then bills started to pile up and it was time for a decent solution. I started working for my fathers company and that lasted a good 5 years. That company eventually went bellyup because the two owners basically couldn’t disagree more on just about everything.

I still wanted to help my father out and we each started our own little business. I’d hire him for some jobs and vice versa. But both our companies are having a very hard time to find new customers. When i first started out in 2007 i had as much clients in a month as i have now… in a year.

Obviously this isn’t paying the bills and i really am starting to dislike certain parts of the itself aswell. Problem is, i really don’t know what else to do. All the degrees and certificates i once got and earned are just about worthless nowadays. Plus i don’t even know if i really actually still like any of those things.

The only thing i know is that i NEED something new. I already thought of going back to school and learn something new, but i also need a fulltime job to pay for the stuff on my plate at the end of the day. And rent wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

I’ve also been thinking about moving 300km to a, for me, completely different world. Much bigger city, much richer economy (judging from all of the lambo’s and porsches driving about) and overall a much more relaxed feeling/mood. Somehow this idea has been following me around for a couple of weeks now…

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