21–30 of 59 posts
(It's even worse in some third world countries on the way down. In Egypt, unemployment of college graduates is higher than for non-college graduates.)
This is why we've probably passed "peak school". For many new graduates, ROI for college is negative. About half of new college graduates end up working in a job that doesn't require a college education. (It's even worse in some third world countries on the way down. In Egypt, unemployment of college graduates is higher than for non-college graduates.)
If pay is also higher then college could still be +EV.
I'm not sure we should expect anything differently, if recent graduates are less intelligent (as a cohort) than ever. [Difficult degree] enrollment is relatively flat because aptitude is flat, and grad jobs will reflect this. I wrote a little about this framing it as a CS degree problem, but it seems true for a lot more than just CS. > Can we prove aptitude is flat? Kinda. In 1970s 1-in-2 college grads aced Wordsum t…
I don't know if it is intelligence alone - I would call it 'grit' as well. If you are willing to slog through a tough class and use good learning strategies, you don't have to be super intelligent to enter into a career in engineering. Are we setting a bar that is high, where college is expected to be a lot of hard work? If we do, we will see those in all careers that require a college degree brining in something new…
I'm not sure we should expect anything differently, if recent graduates are less intelligent (as a cohort) than ever. [Difficult degree] enrollment is relatively flat because aptitude is flat, and grad jobs will reflect this. I wrote a little about this framing it as a CS degree problem, but it seems true for a lot more than just CS. > Can we prove aptitude is flat? Kinda. In 1970s 1-in-2 college grads aced Wordsum t…
Anecdotally, I'm still baffled at those in my extended social circle who followed a path similar to:
- Graduate high school with sub-3.0 GPA
- Admittedly they didn't "like school"
- Attended community college or local state university
- Proceeded to graduate in 5-8 years (to their credit some may have worked part-time or full-time)
- Study general business, marketing, or a social science
- Graduate college with sub-3.0 GPA
- Graduate with no meaningful experience (internships, part-time work, etc.) in their desired career
- Immediately and even in later years, get upset about undesirable job opportunities and/or low salaries and/or high cost of livingIs it just me or does it seem like $40k has been the default for far too long. I believe (anecdotally) that it's been the average white-collar entry-level salary since the late 90s/early 2000's. Seems that the number isn't adjusted for inflation and should be closer to $45 or $50k in 2017+
http://www.epi.org/publication/charting-wage-stagnation/
Lots more to read here:
I feel like an apt title for a book about late-stage capitalism would be "A Society of Salespeople". With that said, I'm not exactly sure what type of career path somebody studying, say, political science could embark on -- it seems to me that there's a lot more demand for accreditation in certain fields than there is demand for actual practitioners.
Napoleon once referred to England as an "island of shopkeepers". Computers are getting better at sales. Amazon doesn't have salespeople. Retailers barely have salespeople any more. Outside of real estate, cars, and financial products, what B2C companies do?
AWS sure as hell does
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Every great salesperson I know is fearless in any social situation. They can strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere, anytime - effortlessly. You can't teach that. There are a host of other qualities, but this strikes me the most "inborn" one.
You can teach that, or at least learn it, with cognitive behavioural therapy for social anxiety and practice in progressively more difficult situations.
I think it's the same for sales or a lot of other professions. People with talent can go much further.
I feel like an apt title for a book about late-stage capitalism would be "A Society of Salespeople". With that said, I'm not exactly sure what type of career path somebody studying, say, political science could embark on -- it seems to me that there's a lot more demand for accreditation in certain fields than there is demand for actual practitioners.
Napoleon once referred to England as an "island of shopkeepers". Computers are getting better at sales. Amazon doesn't have salespeople. Retailers barely have salespeople any more. Outside of real estate, cars, and financial products, what B2C companies do?
Declining for sure, but high ticket B2C still has salespeople.
Home improvement, cosmetic surgery, cosmetic dentistry, vocational education, timeshares, boats, recreational vehicles, insurance, furniture, solar energy, hot tubs, pool tables, pianos, etc.
And a lot of stuff at the low end, home based seller angle...beauty, vacuum cleaners, organic, supplements , diets, and so forth.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Every great salesperson I know is fearless in any social situation. They can strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere, anytime - effortlessly. You can't teach that. There are a host of other qualities, but this strikes me the most "inborn" one.
You can teach that, or at least learn it, with cognitive behavioural therapy for social anxiety and practice in progressively more difficult situations.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't know if it is intelligence alone - I would call it 'grit' as well. If you are willing to slog through a tough class and use good learning strategies, you don't have to be super intelligent to enter into a career in engineering. Are we setting a bar that is high, where college is expected to be a lot of hard work? If we do, we will see those in all careers that require a college degree brining in something new…
Is it true that they've made raw aptitude less of a factor in SAT scores? If so then there's a systemic problem with our training and credentialing process.