Did you know 52% of four-year college grads end up in jobs that don’t require a degree just one year after finishing school? And 45% are still in the same boat a decade later?
It usually comes down to one of a few things:
- Needing any job to survive (hello, loan payments)
- Wanting to pivot careers
- Realizing your degree doesn’t lead to many jobs
- Losing interest in your original field
- Dealing with a tough job market
- Trying to work in your field of study, no matter what
A lot of those factors are outside your control, but there’s one that isn’t. I’ve noticed a pattern where some graduates are so convinced their first job has to match their major, they’d rather stay unemployed or work low paying service jobs than take a perfectly good opportunity in another field.
And look, I get it. You put in years of effort, money, and energy. Wanting a job that’s relevant to your degree isn’t unreasonable, but you also can’t ignore reality.
It’s really hard to land the perfect role right out of school. I’ve seen people three, four, even five years out still waiting.
The problem is, the longer you wait to use your degree, the harder it’ll be to use it to find any job that requires one. Plus, what even counts as “right”?
Even Baby Boomers, known for staying at jobs forever, averaged 12.4 job changes and 3 to 7 career pivots (BLS). Gen Z will probably double that.
Point being, finding a degree-required job outside your major isn’t settling. It’s actually smart.
You build real experience. You figure out what you like and what you don’t. You pick up transferrable skills you’ll use later, even if you switch paths. It buys you time.
And if it’s not the right fit? You can always pivot. Most people do.
What doesn’t make sense is staying unemployed or underemployed while holding out for something perfectly aligned with what you studied.
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