On my Facebook newsfeed, I see pictures of happy families standing next to their beaming college graduate. I also get many notes from old clients of The Learning Consultants updating me about past high school students from various Connecticut schools who have now graduated college.
College graduation is a significant accomplishment. The number of students not finishing college has skyrocketed as have the number of students who take longer than four years to graduate. Lack of career focus is the main reason.
As for those who graduate college, the percentage who have full time career building jobs has gone the other direction. In the last couple of years, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of parents “gifting” career counseling, career coaching, and resume writing sessions with Career Counseling Connecticut for their college graduate children.
The reason is simple: colleges, for the most part, do a lousy job of preparing students for the world of work. The disconnect between what most students study and what they do for their career, while always large, has grown even larger due to the radical changes in the work world.
My normal loathing about appearing self-serving is removed in this area. The unemployed or underemployed college graduate who takes time off quickly learns that unlike the structure of school where one can sign up for classes, career planning, and job searching have no structures. Help is often needed. We can help.