Monday’s Big Idea
Today's Big Idea: Summer School for the Real World
In your 20's, and feeling like you're lost at sea? You're not alone. Approximately half of all recent graduates are unemployed or underemployed. But the answer to your woes isn't more floundering. Contrary to popular belief, the 20's are not just a time to find yourself. They're a time during which you lay the foundation for the rest of your life.
That's why Dr. Meg Jay, a clinical psychologist who specializes in the development of twenty-somethings, argues that not all types of underemployment is unequal. Most people don't spend their 20's doing their dream job, especially in a recession. The important thing is to find work that's in a field you're interested in, even if it's at the very fringes of the field, and to work on building "identity capital." Take a job that's interesting and unique and helps you build your identity, even if it pays less than a job that bores you, advises Jay.
Excitement and enthusiasm are the qualities that every employer dreams of finding in an employee -- but they're the hardest thing to fake. Tom Glocer explains what he looks for in new hires and in the people he mentors. The lesson: even in this tough climate, there are specific actions that recent grads can take to set themselves up for future successes.
