College Grad Explains That She's Stuck Working As A Server After Not Hearing Back From The Corporate Jobs She's Been Applying To
Her frustrations beg the question: does a college degree still hold value?
@fitnesswithalison / TikTok For many college graduates, the transition from being a student to finding a place in the corporate world can be difficult and disheartening. Such was the case for one recent college grad named Alison Johnson, who explained in a TikTok video that getting her degree isn't all it's cracked up to be.
She admitted that she's stuck at her serving job after not hearing back from any corporate jobs she applied for.
"I have a bone to pick with America," Johnson stated in her video. "I'm headed to my serving job, I hate it."
Johnson explained that while she makes decent money as a server, she spent four years working hard to earn her degree in business marketing which ended up putting her in over $80,000 of student loan debt that she now has to pay off.
On top of that, Johnson has been applying to corporate jobs in the field where she got her degree but hasn't had much luck in getting hired.
"I've been applying for marketing jobs for weeks now and the pay cut is insane,' she continued. "The jobs that are $150,000 to $200,000 a year, I'm not getting those. I'm almost 25 years old going against corporate America [and] people with so much experience."
Johnson pointed out that all she has to show for experience is her degree, which should be enough to get her a job in her desired field. But alas, it isn't.
"People say, 'Get your degree!' but then they don't talk about how you need experience. The degree was the experience."
Fewer students are choosing to enroll in college amid a soaring amount of student debt in this country.
According to the National Student Clearinghouse, it was found that of the 2020 high school graduates who chose not to enroll in college after graduation, only 2% ended up enrolling in the fall of 2021.
"The easiest assumption is that they're out there working," Doug Shapiro, lead researcher at the National Student Clearinghouse told NPR. "Unemployment is down. The labor market is good. Wages are rising for workers in low-skilled jobs. So if you have a high school diploma, this seems like a pretty good time to be out there making some money."
For many high school graduates, the cost of college is a huge factor in why they are choosing not to attend at all, especially with the rise of student loan debt in America.
In the 2020-2021 academic year, the College Board found that 51% of students who graduated from public four-year institutions were left with federal debt averaging more than $21,000 per person. For students attending private institutions, 53% graduated with federal debt averaging more than $22,000.
There was a time when attending college and getting a degree was a coveted experience that was guaranteed to give people jobs. Nowadays, with the rise of social media and how many young people are able to get jobs just by posting photos and videos, college is becoming less and less of a requirement.
Even parents are agreeing. According to a recent Wall Street Journal poll, it was revealed that 50% of American parents would prefer if their kids did not enroll in a 4-year college.
Johnson's frustration highlights the very real challenge that many recent graduates face today: mounting student loan debt, a competitive job market, and the need for both a degree and practical experience. It's why it's so important that students in college are equipped not only with their degrees but also the practical skills and experience needed to thrive in the corporate world.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.