Job searching has its own mythology, a set of rules for success that most of us follow almost blindly. If you want to get the job of your dreams, the first thing you need to do is figure out which of career urban legends are true — and which are phonier than a sewer alligator.
Alison Green of the excellent blog Ask a Manager comes to the rescue once again, offering up six career myths that everyone believes … and shouldn’t.
1. A college degree will get you a job. “Degrees no longer open doors the way they used to,” Green writes. Employers often look for more experienced candidates, leaving recent grads to cobble together temp or part-time work.
2. Do what you’re passionate about and the money will follow. It all depends on what you’re passionate about. If you long to code or work in health care, you’re in luck. If you’re a creative type, you might want to think about work as a means to an end, and indulge your passions after hours.
3. If you can’t find a job, just start your own business. Starting your own company comes with its own set of challenges, and it’s not a recipe for happiness for all people. You need savings, experience, a willingness to put yourself out there, and a little bit of luck to make a go of it.
4. Your major in college will lead to your career. Again, it depends on your major. Science and math types might find their careers hewing very close to their majors, while someone who studied sociology could wind up as anything from a salesperson to teacher.
5. If you’re not sure what you want to do, go to grad school. If you need a degree to get the job you want, then go for it. If not, think long and hard before signing up for a boatload of loans and no clear-cut path to a job.
6. Grad school will always make you more marketable. Unless you need that degree, grad school can make you less marketable.
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