To the next Generation...

[Prozerran]

This is more or less addressed to those of you or those you know who are graduating from college with bachelor's or master's degrees. I'd like to point out an attitude I've encountered among many of these people. If you aren't someone who fits this particular mold, then please don't think this is directed at you.

At my interview for a job with my current employer, my boss commented that my interview was "different" than most college undergrad and grad students. He expected me to come in with an attitude that I knew more than he did, that I was above anyone and everyone that I would probably work with, or that I might have thought of myself as lowering my standards to interview with him. Now, of course, he didn't have this experience. I was cordial, polite, interested, and eager to begin working with him, and now I do.

But getting back to my point... do you believe it is important for an employer to instantly grant you respect because you graduated with a degree from college? If so, what have you done to earn that respect? Why do you think you have earned that respect in the eyes of the employer?

Please, discuss.

[Toucan]

You've definitely earned a bit of respect for graduating from college, you have proven that you are outstanding at academic studies.

But you haven't proven that your any good at the profession you have chosen to do yet. There are plenty of people that spend years studying to do something just to end up doing some thing else completely unrelated. (What a waste of time, not to mention a waste of a position in a public university/college if thats where they studied.)

I have worked in laboratories for a long time and I have seen many chemists come and go. The good ones understand what is going on, have obviously studied all the site procedures and are instantly on top of things. The bad ones come straight out of university and just about blow the lab up. I'm not joking. They haven't read the site procedures and feel they can just wing it on there education.

Being good at school and being good at your job are two different things. Your definitely entitled to a bit of respect for graduating university/college but being good at studies and being good at your chosen profession are two different things.

[FrankZ]

For me, degrees are much like WarBoards' reputation/karma system. It only gives a cleaner and more impressive look on your resumé, and also informs the interviewer of what education you have attained. Nevertheless, it does give a good first impression on your boss (having graduated with high degrees and all, thus telling him that you are knowledgeable or something like that), and so gives a higher chance of you being accepted into the job.

[Ling666]

No, people should not gain respect just because of getting a degree. They could have cheated for all anyone knows, although not likely, and if they don't show their competence there is no way to know. They should gain respect only from proving their abilities and skills and personality, not because of their knowledge. I wouldn't respect someone who has a horrible attitude, but is also a little bit smarter than average. To me they will gain respect only through time spent seeing what they are like.

[Gunmonk]

heh I was an intern last summer... so my job consisted of doing my bosses bitchwork... I got ten bucks an hour for it... but I got more respect going out of my job than I did coming in. My job consisted of me reworking battery packs, making circuit boards, etching circuit boards... every now and then I'd get to play in the mech lab... but that was usually only with my dad. I did what I was told, and sometimes even after I was like "sir would you like a BJ with that?" jk. but you get the point... me and all the other interns and temps (including this guy who was in MS13 {that was fucking scary}) ended up getting laid off. However... My boss took me out out lunch my last day, and he told me I was a very industrious worker and next summer if I wanted to I could come back for like twice the pay... So in retrospect... its always good to suck up a while before you start demanding respect

[FrankZ]

No, people should not gain respect just because of getting a degree. They could have cheated for all anyone knows, although not likely, and if they don't show their competence there is no way to know. They should gain respect only from proving their abilities and skills and personality, not because of their knowledge. I wouldn't respect someone who has a horrible attitude, but is also a little bit smarter than average. To me they will gain respect only through time spent seeing what they are like.

That is true. But your boss would not necessarily put you under observation and check if you are 'kind to animals', or 'good to granny'. No. All it takes is just a little interview in which you should try all your effort to make yourself look like a good kid.