All-Star Revolution Cheer Event

[UCFKnights07]

Do you like working in a restaurant? Many times throughout high school and now college I have always debated whether I want to go to school and get a degree in something or just go to culinary school. But the degrees I'm currently going for do have job prospects… so I dunno.

its has its perks, but be prepared to start at the bottom of the totem pole when you get out of culinary school. only a handful of people i knew in culinary school got great jobs right out of school, maybe like 2. its a rough career, takes a lot of hard work, pure luck, and skills to get places. but it has its drawbacks, long hours, low pay when first starting out, and gotta have some thick skin....
anyways did CEA bring all their teams to that competition last weekend, and dont they have another one this weekend?

 

[xtremeteal4life]

To me a communications degree is a degree you get when someone tells you to go to college, so you go to college. If I could do it again I would have stuck to a STEM program, an Education program (only because I was going to end up a librarian anyway) or even not have gone to college at all (if getting a degree in communications was the only alternative)

All of my friends that had the same major as me went on and got graduate degrees. I have one friend that studied broadcast journalism and is now an anchor in a major market...and he legitimately has that "news" look(We did not attend the same college). I know of other people that currently report for NBC and they majored in like History. My friend that works for PR Alvin Ailey.... sociology degree

Most success stories I know are very special cases.

So no. I don't recommend (based on what I know) that people step foot into the College of Information Science. I don't even recommend that people get a MLIS (college of info science). I only have a librarian job because of pure luck, most new graduates in my field don't have a shot in he-l

If you're going to pick this major I recommend not putting all of your eggs in one basket and be willing to accept that you may never work in the field and explore graduate opportunities


And this is something I wish someone had told me before I skipped my merry butt off to college back in 2003.

I HIGHLY second not graduating with a communications degree if you want to work right after college. It is a very basic degree that employers are not to impressed by anymore. I do not mean to offend anyone, but it is the truth. There are statistics that prove that this major does not have nearly the highest employment rate.

You will thank us when you are a senior in college.

Interestingly enough, when my dad started in radio (first DJ'ing, then Program Director, Now Operations Manager for 7+ stations including their HD counterparts (and still the program director for his "baby/firstborn" when we moved here) you didn't need a degree. Now he won't hire anyone without a Bachelor's Degree in some type of Communications, Broadcast Communications being ideal if you want to be on-air (a DJ for a radio station), Broadcast Journalism for the morning "news person" on the bigger/more popular radio stations, and of course for the couple of "talk radio" stations/programs. Other than those specific ones, a degree in some type of Communications can get your foot in the door in that world. Won't guarantee it, but it will outshine a few other degrees considered depending on other variables. Even back then those jobs were hard to come by, not impossible- but def hard. As in, my dad would have found a way to pay THEM just to get his foot in the door back then. Fortunately he settled on way less than minimum wage circa 1975-77ish. *insert sarcasm* It is true though!

It is humorous though, that his parents absolutely did NOT want him to study radio in college! They were livid!!! My grandmother holds a Master's Degree in teaching and my late grandfather had one in business/finance and was a "banker" (kinda meant something different back then than it does now, lol). My father didn't need a degree at the time for his "dream job". He appeased his parents by going to college for a while, but that only lasted a couple of years. Don't get me wrong, he is an incredibly educated man- can give my grandma a run for her money, constantly reads, just as he did growing up. He was just one of those rare people who knew what he wanted to be ever since he was 8 years old. If a degree would have been required at the time, by George he would have gotten one!! But it wasn't and he had the opportunity to learn literally everything about radio- not just what we typically think of when hearing his job title, but the history behind it, the science and engineering aspects, the ability to fix/handle engineering problems, despite the fact that it has actually nothing to do with his titled job; Thanks for nothing mr. engineer guy during a snowstorm around Xmas circa 1992ish!!! Guess who literally went fix something on the antenna (25 miles away) his station was broadcast on (those big towers like cellphone towers), but was causing the station "dead air", because just like everyone else for those few days- most people couldn't get out or do squat. Not my dad :help:

Anyway, sorry for the semi derailment from my story. Carry on!

P.S. Sorry for any grammatical errors in my post today. I'm wiped. Did four papers today for a couple of my finals (I'm an adult back in college-oh the irony) and I make no claims of impeccable grammar due to my lack of proof reading and sheer lack of energy.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

and gotta have some thick skin....

Truer words were never spoken... (or typed)


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[crazeecheermom]

Do as many internships as possible. Network network network. Informational interviews are really helpful--email or call the PR firms you are interested in working for and ask if you could do an informational interview with someone. Tell them that you're studying PR and are interested in hearing about the field from their perspective as well as gaining insight into the best way to prepare for the job hunt. I got both of my jobs through informational interviews because when a position comes open, you're one of the first people they think of (if you made a good impression.)

Shimmy this a million time. Its truly the best way to get almost any position.

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[SarahS]

Shimmy this a million time. Its truly the best way to get almost any position.

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You can also get an "in" by applying to a company that you want to work at, but in a position that might be "lower" than you perceive your ability level to be. I found a cool aviation consulting company that was hiring a front desk/administrative assistant position. Despite my degree and years of experience as a military officer, I applied to this position that I was overqualified for. I was hired and worked at the front desk for a total of three months before the company needed a new analyst and, hey, whaddaya know, there's someone with analysis experience and aviation experience right here at the front desk. I moved seamlessly into that analyst position and now get to do math all day, yay! I didn't even know that a job like this existed prior to me working here (I appraise aircraft, woot) but I took a chance doing a job that some considered "beneath" me (ETA - I didn't consider it beneath me. I think admin assistants are hard working and amazingly talented, useful employees for companies) in order to work my way up to doing something interesting.

 

[Ashley]

You can also get an "in" by applying to a company that you want to work at, but in a position that might be "lower" than you perceive your ability level to be. I found a cool aviation consulting company that was hiring a front desk/administrative assistant position. Despite my degree and years of experience as a military officer, I applied to this position that I was overqualified for. I was hired and worked at the front desk for a total of three months before the company needed a new analyst and, hey, whaddaya know, there's someone with analysis experience and aviation experience right here at the front desk. I moved seamlessly into that analyst position and now get to do math all day, yay! I didn't even know that a job like this existed prior to me working here (I appraise aircraft, woot) but I took a chance doing a job that some considered "beneath" me (ETA - I didn't consider it beneath me. I think admin assistants are hard working and amazingly talented, useful employees for companies) in order to work my way up to doing something interesting.

At my company, whoever gets hired as the receptionist will usually move into an administrative assistant position when a spot opens up. A lot of admins have gone on to become associates in their department because they end up with so much exposure to the business in their position.

 

[uhhlyssa01]

this thread is so hijacked it's almost unrecognizable as to what people were talking about in the first place lol

 

[Cheer Dad]

this thread is so hijacked it's almost unrecognizable as to what people were talking about in the first place lol

At least the revolution has brought people together and learn a bit about career planning.

 

[garretttt]

At least the revolution has brought people together and learn a bit about career planning.

and i am forever thankful for this lol.

 

[laughAlittle]

You get what you put into it. With any degree. Your networking/relevant work experience will speak louder than your degree in most cases. That's what I'm finding in my job interviews. They want to know less about my education and more hard facts and examples of work I've done for clients.

this is true more than anything as well.

there's a saying that goes, it's not about the grades you make it's about the hands you shake.

 

[xtremeteal4life]

But what came first? The professor or the degree? I'm still trying to find out what a Political Science degree is truly good for. (Not mine, hubby's.) Best I can figure is just helping keep Sallie Mae in business.


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Lobbyist, Campaign Manager, Local or Federal Politician, Research, local or federal legislative committee (my late aunt worked for the house of representatives doing this until after 1996), Press secretary for local and federal representatives (same aunt did this as well for a congresswoman prior to her job in the house), research analyst for government or private organizations, etc. Those are all assuming he's done w/school and isn't going into law.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Lobbyist, Campaign Manager, Local or Federal Politician, Research, local or federal legislative committee (my late aunt worked for the house of representatives doing this until after 1996), Press secretary for local and federal representatives (same aunt did this as well for a congresswoman prior to her job in the house), research analyst for government or private organizations, etc. Those are all assuming he's done w/school and isn't going into law.

Law is a common next step. My boyfriend was a PoliSci major and went straight to law school. That being said, he always talks about how he wishes he majored in philosophy or English before law school.

 

[MissCongeniality]

Lobbyist, Campaign Manager, Local or Federal Politician, Research, local or federal legislative committee (my late aunt worked for the house of representatives doing this until after 1996), Press secretary for local and federal representatives (same aunt did this as well for a congresswoman prior to her job in the house), research analyst for government or private organizations, etc. Those are all assuming he's done w/school and isn't going into law.

My brother majored in poly sci then went to B school and is now fairly high up in sales/marketing for a very large international company.

I majored in Econ and actually landed in a field many communications majors aim for! How? I was working part time in AR at a prestigious health club that many people in "the business" frequented...I asked for their advice and jumped when they kicked open a door or offered an opportunity even if it was a glorified coffee delivery position! I finally ended up with the job I wanted!

I took a long break to be a Stay-at-Home Mom and then went into a field that was more Econ related----but I was hired based on my communications and investigative experience.

So my point for those of you making the decisions now...It's not so much what the degree is, but what you can and do with your time. If you want to get into PR...try getting a part time job in an advertising agency or tv studio while you are still in school. You may be working for free, but you will be gaining experience and "shaking hands" with those who could put your resume at the top of the pile some day.

 

[12stepCheermom]

Random thoughts by 12stepcheermom:

Remember that one time the Revolution was so irrelevant that a whole thread dedicated to that competition migrated to college majors and a discussion of economics and the modern job market....

....and no one cared that the thread derailed.


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[Cheer Dad]

@12stepCheermom, Seems like a logical progression since this was a huge lesson in PR and the impact of social media.