I was thinking about the great students that I teach and wondering what they should be doing today to increase their odds of NOT being one of the future unemployed in our country’s unemployment statistics. But before I give that advice, let’s first look at the composition of the unemployed using the official unemployment statistics as reported by the Government's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the most recent September 2011 monthly unemployment report:
The current 9.1% national unemployment rate consists of the following:
4.2% unemployment for those with a college degree or advanced degree
8.4% unemployment for those with some college, but not a bachelor degree
9.7% unemployment for those with a high school degree, but no college
14.0% unemployment for those with less than a high school degree
It is easy to see from the above trend that one should get as much education as you can! The jobs in today’s advanced economies are clearly biased towards those with advanced skills, and education is the clearest path to get those 21st century skills!
Besides teaching Economics, I also teach Personal Finance. When learning about careers in Personal Finance, I suggest to my students that they should be concerned more about majoring in “LIFE”, rather than majoring in Marketing, History, Education, Economics, or Political Science. Moreover, they should even be just as concerned about "majoring in LIFE" as they are in whether they will be accepted to Virginia Tech, William & Mary, Duke, or Georgetown. By majoring in LIFE they are more apt to have the best college experience and career possible, and increase their likelihood of never being unemployed.
So, you might be asking, what exactly is this LIFE major?
I’m glad you asked!
LIFE is an acronym for what I, and many others, consider the 4 key skill sets to thrive in 21st Century future careers, which will include a rate of technological, social, and global change never seen before. Those four employment key skill sets for the future are:
Leadership
Interpersonal skills
Flexibility
Emerging technology mastery
Leadership
Are you thinking about how you will learn to become more optimistic (not pessimistic and sarcastic) and a confident initiative taker? Having been a member of management for many years, the companies I worked for were always quicker to lay off (made unemployed) those that lacked initiative (“it’s not my job!”). Very often, we would somehow find a new job for the employee whose job was going away if they were strong in leadership and initiative. Often, “initiative” hurts, as it causes one to work harder with more stress, which is why so many workers do not have it!
Interpersonal Skills
Tomorrow’s career “winners” will need to combine their leadership skills and be better at teaming with others more so than ever before. The rate of specialization is increasing at an increasing rate which necessitates the need to collaborate more effectively than ever to get any job done. Consider reading Thomas Friedman’s The World Is Flat to learn about how specialization and collaboration will continue to increase in any future career. Continue to work on your flexibility and your ability to team successfully with others in all that you do. Don’t be the person who has 5 reasons on why it won’t work, but rather, be the person that can explain to the team the 5 reasons why it will work!
Flexibility
Those that are not “lifetime learners” or those that do not embrace constant learning will soon be unemployed as the rate of constant change in our globalized world will leave them behind. Assess your own tolerance to setbacks and your personal reaction to the need to continuously change directions. If you get “bent out of shape” too easily when your plans go awry, or when you are faced with unforeseen obstacles, it is time to start now, while in high school to change your levels of patience, perserverence, and commitment to success. Flexibility and patience can be learned; it is not genetic and is not linked to toilet training.
Emerging Technology Mastery
Embrace, love, and continuously pursue and integrate the latest in technology into your daily life and education. Tomorrow’s employment and career winners will have “in their blood” the ability to be a technology step ahead from the average worker. Start immediately as it is delusional to avoid being an early adopter today and think you will become an early adopter in the future. Be sure to take a computer science course in your freshman year of college, consistently use your laptop in planning and course work, and be sure to be the one that other students go to for application and technology help.
Let me end this blog by letting you in on a “dirty little secret” known by managers and industry leaders across the globe: when it is time for a promotion or when it is time to reduce the work force due to a slowing business, managers get very creative and are biased towards promoting, or not laying off, those that have majored in LIFE…whether you went to Virginia Tech, Duke, William & Mary, or Georgetown makes little difference in career success in the long run, although it certainly opens more doors in the short run. So sure, aim for that bachelor's degree or higher in a specialized major that you are passionate about, but don't forget to double major in LIFE!
Discussion Questions:
1. Does the above breakdown of unemployment by educational category surprise you? What message, if any, do you take away from these statistics?
2. Is the LIFE acronoym pursuit valid, in your opinion, as an early focus to help avoid unemployment? Do you think the LIFE major is a necessary, intentional focus/practice along with your college major or do you think the development of these LIFE skills will just progress naturally?
3. Which area of the LIFE acronym are you strongest at? Weakest?
1. The above unemployment statistical data does not surprise me, as it almost seems obvious to me that those without a college degree or even a high school degree would be less employed than those with a full college education. From these statistics, I can draw that those with college degrees have a much better chance of being unemployed. However, it is not a guarantee as there are still some with college degrees that are unemployed.
ReplyDelete2. I believe that the LIFE acronym is a valid way to reduce your chances of being unemployed. I do not think that the LIFE skills will progress naturally (with the exception of interpersonal skills), and should certainly be practiced if one wishes to be employed.
3. I think I'm strongest in Flexibility, but weakest in Technological skills.
4. I think it would be fair to say about 10-12% of layoffs in this economy are just "bad luck". This still would make the majority of layoffs preventable through the practice of the LIFE Acronym. The "dirty little secret" did make a lot of sense because through practicing LIFE you become a much more valuable employee and there will be less chance of being unemployed as a result.
1. No, because people with college degrees are more rare then those who just graduated high school. In addition having a college degree typically makes you a 'skilled worker',aka someone who is more valuable to a company and can be replaced less easy then a 'unskilled worker' which can be just about anybody you can pick off the street. Therefore the unskilled workers tend to be the first ones to be layed off during a recession.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, the LIFE pursuit is a good way to give yourself the best chance to find, and keep a job after you graduate college. I think the LIFE skills are necessary If you want to give you want the best for yourself. Leadership Interpersonal skills, Flexibility, and Emerging Technology Mastery are all skills that you cannot teach they are things that you have to develop on your own and have to be willing to learn. People with these types of skills are hard to find becasue they cannot be taught only you can discover them for yourself. that is why LIFE makes you indispensable to an employer.
3.I feel I am strongest in Interpersonal skills and weakest in technology.
4.I think bad luck plays a part in being part of that 4%. But many people have business degrees and communication degrees. These degrees are the most offered among colleges and during a recession jobs will be cut and what is to separate one person from the next. That is where having a masters in LIFE could be the difference between having a job and not.
1.The breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me one bit. As I was reading it, I knew where the breakdown was leading too and it was that a better education gives people a better advantage to getting a higher paying career. The message that I get from reading these statistics is to get the best possible education you can give yourself. That does not mean everyone must get a doctorate degree, but they should push themselves to their fullest potential rather than cut themselves short of success.
ReplyDelete2.I believe that the LIFE acronym is valid in a way to help avoid unemployment. One should focus on their life and where the path might take them, rather than the options on the road. A college major or what college one attends is not the biggest decision one will make. It is the LIFE major that you should excel in to accomplish your life to the fullest.
3.I am strong at leadership skills, but I am not strong at the technology skills.
4.I’d sad that, based on 100%, people are becoming unemployed just because of bad luck ranging around the 5% area. I feel like more people are laid off or unemployed because they are competing against other employees who can do the same job as them, only better. It is not “bad luck,” but rather it is lack of skills compared to their neighbors. Continuing in the LIFE major will help me to complete what I want to complete in life by pushing me to my limits and excelling. Yes, the “dirty little secret” made sense to me and it common sense that majoring in LIFE will help a person the most.
1. The data of unemployment does not shock me because it is true that the higher the education you have, the less likely you are to be unemployed. The message from this data is to get the highest education you possibly can.
ReplyDelete2.I think that LIFE is valid for seeking employment because people need these to be successful in their careers. You cannot name one high ranked coach, player, or business man that does not contain Leadership, interpersonal relationships, flexibility, and emerging technology mastery,
3. I would im strongest at leadership and weakest at emerging technology mastery.
4. I think that 5-10% of layoffs are "bad luck" because most of the time the employee has some fault to it. The "dirty little secret" is true about because managers do not have justifications to their promoting or firing. They can do whatever they want, therefore if LIFE is helpful in staying employeed then yes LIFe is beneficial to the work force.
1) No, it did not surprise me. I assumed that the unemployment would be greater for people with less education because of their current status. They start themselves from a lower place and earn lower incomes or no incomes at all from their lack of education. I take from these messages that all people should try to take advantage of free public schools, school loans, and scholarships to attend high school and public school to the best of their ability. Education has a major, life changing role in our lives and we should try to get the most out of it to do better in life.
ReplyDelete2) Definitely, the LIFE acronym is a great thing to focus on to help avoid unemployment. I think the Life major is necessary and should be practiced along with our college major. We cannot just assume that all these skills will come to us easily. Leadership will definitely take some time for people to learn because it is an important factor. People guiding other people will not come naturally but with practice throughout high school and college. Interpersonal skills will only come if one puts effort into meeting new people and creating positive relationships. Flexibility can be practiced when one goes to a community where one has to learn to give up their own ideas for others. In college, many students have to be flexible with each other and this ability is practiced to better the interpersonal relationships as well as some parts of leadership. Emerging technology mastery will definitely involve focus and practice along with our college major because technology changes every year so we have to keep up with it throughout our whole life.
3) I would say I am strongest at interpersonal relationships and but weakest at emerging technology mastery.
4) I believe that 8-9% of the people that are unemployed right now are “bad luck”, not because of their lack of education and skill but because of their dearth in the LIFE major. The LIFE major is a vital part of working, and surviving in society. Not only does one have to gain academic skills but social skills as well. Many of these people should excel in the LIFE major, as well as their college major, to do well in their future jobs. The “dirty little secret” did make sense because the LIFE major is a necessity to survive in our careers and in life and people with both a college and LIFE major will be chosen over a person with just a college major and no LIFE major.
1.) The breakdown of unemployment by educational category definitely surprised me in a way. I was shocked to see 4.2% unemployment of those with a college degree or advanced degree. This shows that just because you receive a college education does not mean you are guaranteed to be employed.
ReplyDelete2.) I truly believe that the LIFE acronym is valid as an early focus to avoid unemployment. I believe all successful people have certain personality traits and do certain things that tie directly into the LIFE acronym. I think you have to intentionally hone and practice your LIFE skills just like you have to practice and get better at the major you are studying in college.
3.) I feel I am strongest at the leadership aspect of LIFE. I think that I need to improve most on the flexibility part LIFE.
4.) My personal opinion is that 35% of unemployment is bad luck. 65 % is a person not being able to practice LIFE effectively. This dirty secret really hit home and made sense to me.
1. The above breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not suprise me at all. If you are educated, you are more likely to be hired and therefore less likely to be unemployed.
ReplyDelete2. The LIFE acronoym pursuit is definitely valid as an early focus to help avoid unemployment. If you think about these four things, it will definitely help you choose what fits you best. If something fits you best, you are probably going to be good at it, which will mean you will most likely get a job doing it. While I think that it is helpful, I do not think that the LIFE major is a necessary focus/practice. You can definitely choose the right path for a career without using this method.
3. I think I am strongest at Interpersonal Skills and I need to work on my Flexibility.
4. I think that about 40% of becoming unemployed is just "bad luck" or deteriorating business conditions. First of all, some businesses that are laying off workers just don't have the money to pay them, so they let them go. Also, improvements in technology means less of a need for human labor. The "dirty little secret" definitely makes sense. If I was a manager at a company, (after you were hired) I wouldn't care if you had a degree from Harvard. If you are not good at LIFE, then it would not make sense for me to keep you as an employee.
1. The above breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me at all. It seems as if it is common knowledge that those without high school and college degrees are typically unemployed. The message revealed through these statistics stresses the importance of education. Those who have attained a college degree have a much greater change of becoming employed. Therefore, it is clear that an individual should strive to receive as much education as possible.
ReplyDelete2. In my opinion, practicing the LIFE acronym pursuit increases an individual’s chance of becoming employed in the future. Although the LIFE acronym cannot guarantee employment, it involves important skills that an individual should focus on improving throughout life. Although we develop a variety of skills throughout our lives, I do not believe that the LIFE skills will progress naturally. The LIFE skills require practice for them to be successful. Developing these LIFE skills should be the main focus of an individual who wishes to become employed.
3. I would say that I am strongest in the leadership area of the LIFE acronym, but weakest in the area that involves embracing technology mastery.
4. Based on 100%, I strongly believe that only 5-10% of becoming unemployed is simply “bad luck.” Although, becoming unemployed is not actually bad luck, but a lack of LIFE skills. Most people become unemployed or get laid off because they are not as efficient as other employees. Therefore, other employees are performing the same job, only better. If a person focused more on perfecting their LIFE skills, I believe that their chance of becoming employed would greatly increase. Your “dirty little secret” reference makes perfect sense to me. I agree that employers are more focused on an individual capabilities, rather than what college they attended.
1. It does not surprise me; growing up my parents always pushed me to do well in school in order to have more opportunities. When I saw the statistics that more of the unemployed did not have a high degree, it made sense to me. If you do not have a high degree, or even a college degree, then you are not well informed and well educated. Companies will pick the most informed and educated person in order to ensure their job gets done well and efficiently.
ReplyDelete2. I believe the LIFE acronym is valid as an early focus to help avoid unemployment. I believe the LIFE acronym is a necessary, intentional focus/practice along with your college major. If you had the same qualifications of someone else and are applying for the same job, the person who has all the qualifications of LIFE, will get the job. This means that not only should you get the highest degree of education possible, but you also have to work on leadership, interpersonal skills, flexibility, and emerging technology mastery. I believe that the LIFE acronym does not come naturally. Many people are “book smart” and not “street smart”. The LIFE acronym allows a person to be both “book smart” and “street smart”
3. My strongest area of the LIFE acronym is Flexibility, whereas my weakest area is Leadership.
4. I think 15-20% of becoming unemployed is just “bad luck”. Sometimes a business or company goes bankrupt and even if you have the LIFE major, you will still become unemployed. However, that leaves 75-80% of becoming unemployed because they did not focus on the LIFE major. Yes, your “dirty little secret” made sense to me; I agree with you. When a promotion or lay off comes up, managers and bosses do not check what college you graduate you from, but if you have these skills: leadership, interpersonal skills, flexibility, and emerging technology mastery
1. No, the breakdown of unemployment by educational category did not surprise me. The statistics show that the less education you obtain the more likely you are to become unemployed.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, the LIFE or Leadership, Interpersonal skills, Flexibility, and Emerging technology mastery is a way to avoid unemployment. I believe the LIFE major can be applied to any major you choose and help you succeed in that field. However I do not believe it is necessary to have those traits to avoid unemployment. I believe the LIFE major is necessary if you want to excel in your field of unemployment.
3. Leadership is my strong suit and emerging technology mastery is my weakest area.
4. I feel about 7% of layoffs are just bad luck. This means you are not very likely to be laid off and the practice of LIFE makes unemployment even more preventable. The “Dirty Little Secret” makes perfect sense. Majoring in LIFE gives you an extra edge on the rest of the competition, without it you seem more replaceable.
1. The statistics about the breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me. The higher the level of education a person receives, the less likely they would unemployed. The percentage of unemployment for those with less than a high school degree shocked me because I thought it was about 15%-20%. I learned that through education there would be higher rate of finding and keeping a job.
ReplyDelete2. I think the LIFE acronym is a valid one. It helps you discover what your strengths and weaknesses are. Also, this acronym can help lead to success in life. LIFE is a necessary tool to make a further advancement in this society.
3. My strongest area in the acronym is flexibility, and my weakness is technological skills.
4. I think 45% of being unemployed is bad luck. Many people are unemployed through no fault of their own. They have the credentials and work ethic to be employed. The rest of the unemployed are probably in this state due to laziness and lack of motivation. The “dirty little secret” did help because it determines what needs to be worked on in order to go further in your career.
1. It does not surprise me. Higher educated people tend to receive more credibility from their bosses than those with no education. The message I get from this reading is that we are to try as hard as possible to get more education instead of giving up in the middle. Now I finally know why my parents are so eager to put me into a good university.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, I definitely think that LIFE acronym is valid. Even though if a person has a Doctor's degree in some kind of major, if he does not apply and practice LIFE in his life, he would probably not be successful in his work. Knowledge is important, but that does not necessary make you into a good leader, or even just an employee. Also, I think it is a rare case if someone can develope thiese LIFE skills naturally. I think it is necessary to practice to apply these skills in our daily life.
3. I am probably the strongest in flexibility and the weakest in leadership and technology skills (Like I have to try at least three times when I try to uppload my comment on this blog post every time. I have no idea why).
4. I personally think that 50% of people who are unemployed had bad luck. About a half of these people were probably just lazy to try to get higher education and now are in a state of being unemployed. But I think the other half are unemployed probably because their family could not afford to let them get higher education. The little dirty secret helped because now I know what I really need other than just education for my future career.
1. The above breakdown does not surprise me at all. I believe that businesses and employers are looking for people that have all of the mentioned characteristics. People that have these characteristics, usually, succeed. Therefore it is easy to see why the person with a college education would be more employed than the person without a high school education.
ReplyDelete2. The LIFE acronym and major are both great ways to go about each and every day. They are a solid base to live your life by. But like Mr. Latter always says, "you have to practice!" You cannot just sit around and wait for them to develop. You have to go after what you want. If you are proactive about your goals, you will accomplish them.
3. I believe that I am strongest in Leadership and weakest in Interpersonal Skills. I know how to get a group together and get them to get a job done or goal accomplished, but I struggle when it comes to combining ideas and finding the ultimate solution to a problem; I am stubborn.
4. I think that 25% is bad luck. The only reason I say that it is this high is because I know many people that are unemployed or have been unemployed and are extremely hard workers. The thing that separates the hard workers from the lazy people is that the hard workers fight until the obtain a job. The lazy people do not go out and get one.
1) The Breakdown above does not particularly surprise me that much. Education is so key in surviving in an ever changing world, so therefore the importance of higher education is increasing. Naturally, companies will look for the employee that has the most education, and is the most adaptable, for they want someone who can fit the job, and not someone who has less education and is not ready to handle the changes of the world around them. The message that I take away is that education is extremely important, and that I should get as much education as I can, so that I may be able to get the job I want when I get out of college.
ReplyDelete2) I absolutely think that the LIFE acronym is valid. As a previous student of Personal Finance, I learned the absolute importance of the LIFE acronym. It is extremely accurate, and aligns very well with the unemployment numbers that are presented at the top of this page. The LIFE acronym should be consulted when facing important decisions, specifically the ones that are approaching in the coming years in College and onward. In order for these LIFE skills to truly make an impact on your life, you need to implement them as soon as possible, and begin to prepare yourself according to the guidelines of the LIFE acronym.
3) I would say that my weakest area by far is Flexibility. I am absolutely terrible with patience, and I desperately need to work on it. I believe I am the strongest at Leadership. I do not mind taking the initiative, and I am a very diligent worker.
4) I would say that 20 percent of becoming unemployed is bad luck. If you properly follow the LIFE acronym, I don’t think that you will have very much to worry in staying financially sound. The only mistake that could be made in that situation would be explained by bad luck, such as a bad investment, or poor saving plans. If you attain the most education you can, stay flexibility, and show initiative and a willingness to work, I believe that success will come to you if you put yourself in the right situation. Yes, the secret makes sense to me. Of course attending those colleges is very prestigious and will look good on job recommendations, it is not all that important. The most important thing is to get the highest education and put yourself in the best situation to get a job after graduation, therefore following the LIFE principle.
Francis Rodriguez
ReplyDelete1. No it does not surprise me at all. It makes sense because those who learn less know less and so don’t have much to offer in a business. Unless they are very driven and passionate about learning and are able to teach themselves then perhaps they may succeed without higher education.
2. Yes the LIFE acronym is a good way to avoid unemployment and should be practiced now in collage and after collage along with having a good personality and being sociable, which help in making connections which will also get you far in life.
3. I feel I’m weak in leadership and technology, but may be a little alright in flexibility and interpersonal skills.
4. I feel its 50% your own fault and 50% bad luck. An example of bad luck would be going to work for Enron right before its big scandal or maybe going to work for GM right before it went bankrupt and if the government step in that person would have lost their job. With both of those examples you could have gone to college and got a good job in the company but because the company was mismanaged by someone else you would have lost your job no fault of your own. On the other hand if you have nothing to offer because you didn’t go to college then it’s your own fault.
1. The breakdown of unemployment in relation to education does not surprise me. In today's society the higher education you attain, the greater the output of goods and services. Therefore a higher education makes you more valuable. From this I know that I should study hard and get the highest degree in my field so that I am less likely to be unemployed.
ReplyDelete2. The LIFE acronym will help someone avoid unemployment. The LIFE acronym will grow as your life goes on, because you cannot receive better interpersonal skills by going to school, but by living life. Some skills you can master through college such as being better acquainted with technology or becoming a more flexible student.
3. I think I am strongest at Flexibility and weakest at Interpersonal skills.
4. I think about 5% of unemployment is bad luck. If you practice the LIFE acronym and have a quality education, I think you will be fine. The dirty little secret makes sense because if you a smart person but do not follow the LIFE acronym, I am less likely to employ you if I am the boss.
1. No, the above unemployment breakdown by education does not surprise me. The better the education and degree you receive the better job you get and the less likely you are to loose it. From these statistics I have learned to aim for a better education and keeping a job will be easier
ReplyDelete2. I think the LIFE acronym is a valid one and it can help avoid unemployment. i think the LIFE major is a necessary focus along with your college major. It helps us to realizes what we are a good at and from there we can choose a major that we are good at.
3. I am strongest at Leadership and my weakness is technological skills.
4. I think 10-15% unemployment is bad luck. To prevent unemployment you need a good education and experience. The 'dirty little secret" above did make sense to me. A boss is more likely to keep an employee who works hard and cares versus someone who is just doing it to earn a salary.
1. The breakdown of the unemployment statistics actually was not a surprise to me. It makes complete sense that the higher level of education you have, the more knowledge you have about a specific field which will allow you to increases your chances of keeping your job over people who are not as skilled. The statistics clearly prove that you have better chances of staying employed the higher levels of education you acquire. These statistics basically show me how important it is to go to college and work hard to get a higher degree if I want to keep a job and support myself in the future.
ReplyDelete2. I think the LIFE acronym is a very valid pursuit to help avoid unemployment. The four characteristics are essential to being successful in any hopes to get a job and retain it. If you practice majoring in LIFE, along with your major, you will develop important skills that businesses are looking for in the people they want to hire. Although some of the skills may develop over time naturally, I still think it is important to put in the effort and try to develop them faster and earlier because it will be more beneficial to you when you look for a job. Those are good qualities to show to employers and may help you get the job over the other person because you have those characteristics along with your knowledge in the specific field.
3. My strongest quality would be leadership. I work hard, efficiently, and I take the initiative in almost everything I do. My weakest quality would be flexibility. I am not always good with patience and I don’t like when things change and I don’t expect it. I like to keep to a schedule and if that gets changed then I get stressed out.
4. I would say between bad luck and deteriorating businesses that about 20% of unemployment would be based on those two factors. The other 80% would be based off of one’s ability or desire to get higher levels of education and at the same time practicing the LIFE acronym in order to stay employed. The “dirty little secret” did make common sense to me because by acquiring more education and practicing LIFE you have a larger number of qualities that make you a key employee to a business or company and will result in you keeping your job.
1) No, the Breakdown above does not particularly surprise me at all. The statistics above convey a strong prescience that education is considered the leading edge in industry. Education qualifies you for the higher opportunities in life and provides you with the tools to conquer your greatest potential in life.
ReplyDelete2)I believe that the LIFE acronym is a valid way to reduce your chances of being unemployed. It gives you a very good example of how to live your life. I believe that the only way to achieve theses LIFE skills are through much practice, and are skills that cannot be acquired naturally. Like sports, the LIFE skills are more easily acquired through practice.
3)I think I'm strongest in leadership, but weakest in flexibility.
4)I think it would be fair to say about 120% of layoffs in this economy are just "bad luck." Our national population is growing to be so large that their are only a certain amount of spots available for such a large amount of people fighting for so few spots. That still leaves about 80% of people who properly used the LIFE skills and were able to get the job. Your "dirty little secret" definitely makes sense to me and I agree that employers are more focused on an individual capabilities, rather than what college they attended, at least to a certain extent.
1. The breakdown of unemployment does not really surprise me. It makes sense that people with less education are more likely to be unemployed. It just goes to show that there is a reduction in the need for more "blue collar" jobs, and that education is one of the keys to success.
ReplyDelete2. I believe LIFE is necessary to help avoid unemployment. Those are probably some of the characteristics most sought after by employers.
I think life both progresses naturally but also needs to be practiced. I think as people mature experience life, they learn LIFE. However, practice is definitely necessary to get good at it.
3. I am probably strongest with the leadership part of LIFE. I am definitely weakest a the technology part.
4. I would say that bad luck is probably 10% of unemployment. The remaining 90% is lack of skill at LIFE. I think people who are not good at LIFE are more likely to get laid off, even if they have a pretty good education. The "dirty little secret" makes a lot of sense to me, because workers who are good at LIFE can do a lot of good for their companies.
1. No, they do not surprise me. The largest percentage of people unemployed is the people that have received the least amount of education. The percentages decrease in order of the different levels of education. These statistics show that education is very important and will benefit you later in life. It is very important to receive an education and go to college. It is beneficial to receive the highest level of learning possible.
ReplyDelete2. I think that the LIFE pursuit is valid. The qualities included in LIFE will help make a better, more able person that is able to deal with their own problems. It is important to practice leadership and interpersonal skills to be able to work with other people. Even if you are a genius, you will never be able to find a job if you cannot communicate and cooperate with others. All these skills must be practiced and learned. I do not think they will be acquired naturally. I think that these skills are things that you would not notice about yourself unless you put your focus on it. Therefore, in order to be successful and gain these skills you must try to use them right now, instead of later.
3. I think I am strongest in the interpersonal skills. I think I am able to see others strong points and can help create jobs that will benefit everyone. I can communicate with others well. I think I am able to help others with their weaknesses and I accept help when I need it. The LIFE area I am weakest in is flexibility. When things do not go my way I get upset, and stressed out. It is hard for me to stay positive. This is a skill I must focus on and improve upon.
4. I think bad luck is about 10 % of unemployment. Of course there are many things that could go wrong that are out of your control in the business world, but most of the time unemployment is your own fault. With hard work and the abilities described in the LIFE acronym you will be able to maintain a job and be successful. Yes, it did make sense. I understand that employers will be looking for employees that work hard and well, not employees that went to good colleges.
1. The above breakdowns do not surprise me at all. The higher of an education you have the more of an asset you will be to a company. From those numbers I take away that it is necessary to attain the highest form of education possible in my major so I can be better prepared for the work world and the rest of my life.
ReplyDelete2. In my opinion the LIFE acronym is completely valid to help individuals avoid unemployment. These qualities will help anyone succeed in life and do better by themselves. I do not however think that these qualities will not progress naturally. You need to experience these things in real life and practice to later in your career have all the LIFE values.
3. I would have to say that in the LIFE acronym I am strongest at leadership and weakest in embracing technology.
4. I believe that out of 100% about 10 percent of the people are unemployed because of "bad luck". Most employees get fired or laid off because they are not as efficient as they should be or because someone else is doing the job better than they are. Those individuals need to focus on the LIFE values more so they can be more successful. Your dirty little secret made perfect sense to me. When it comes down to it it's how well you can do the job not what college you went to.
1.
ReplyDeleteNo, the unemployment by educational category does not surprise me at all. The message that I take away from these statistics are that if you want to do well and succeed in life, you should study hard and follow through as far as you can in college.
2.
I believe that the LIFE acronym is a great guide into pursuing and accomplishing not only a remarkable learning in college but also a great career out of college. I feel that if you follow the LIFE acronym, you will also benefit from great relationships with your peers and also create new relationships.
3.
I feel that I am strongest at leadership, but weakest at flexibility.
4.
I believe that around 5% of unemployment is because of "bad luck". I also believe that if one tries there best to succeed in their own studies, they can determine roughly where they will end up after college. Yes, your "dirty little secret" made common sense to me in the way that if you follow the LIFE skills and pursue on doing the best you possibly can on what that is you are working on, fantastic rewards will be beneficial from your work ethic.
1. The above data does not suprise me at all. It makes sense that those who have a higher education get the better, more secure, and higher paying jobs. The fact that the unemployment rate for those who do have a college degree is at a little over 4 percent is startling, but I know in some fields jobs are just hard to come by like trying to find a job as a lawyer coming out of college.
ReplyDelete2. I believe the LIFE acronym is more than valid to lead us in a correct path away from unemployment. However, I firmly believe that those who truly will succeed need to develop these skills before college. In order to even be accepted to a top level college, a student must be able to already show many of the skills mentioned. The bottom line is, you can not be successful in life or your education without taking some time to major in LIFE first.
3. I would say my strongest part of LIFE is my leadership. I think peolpe listen to what I have to say, and I will not settle for anything less than the best. However, I am weakest at flexibility. When things do not go my way, I simply become impatient. I need to become more patient and easy going about some things.
4. Although not a Latter number, I would say 20% of unemployment is "bad luck". My family has a lot of good friends who graduated from top colleges like UVA and Georgetown and can not find jobs. I attribute the other half of the 20% to people who have been working with a company for a long period of time and either their salary is higher than most or their company mergers with another and they get thrown by the way side. Finally, your "dirty little secret" message made perfect sense to me. It does not matter where you go to college, it matter how well you can make strong ideas and present them.
1. I am not the least bit surprised by unemployment statistics above. It logically makes sense that businesses want to higher those who are highly educated over those who have little to know education. This is because the ones with the higher education are more likely to be innovative and create new things that will promote the company’s growth.
ReplyDelete2. I believe that is a great technique in avoiding unemployment in the work force. LIFE embodies leadership, interpersonal abilities, flexibility, and emerging technology, which are all pivotal in being a productive employee. I think that LIFE is something that needs to be practiced and worked at. Some may be stronger in some areas of LIFE than others; this is why it is important to practice all aspects on daily basis.
3. I would say that I am strongest in the Interpersonal skills and weakest in emerging technology.
4. I think LIFE is a major factor, I would have to say that 50-60% depends on the life method. I think that LIFE is a major factor in a person’s employment. Certainly other economic factors play into it, but you can put yourself in the best position possible to maintain your employment by practicing LIFE.
1. The unemployment statistical data above does not surprise me. It makes logical sense that those with less education (or no education), would make up the most of the unemployment. From these statistics, I can take away that getting as much education as possible does lessen my chances of becoming unemployed; however, in reality there are no guarantees.
ReplyDelete2. The LIFE acronym does, in my opinion, seem to be a valid pursuit at avoiding unemployment. The LIFE principles are the basic traits and characteristic that I would look for at a job interview if I was hiring new college graduates. The LIFE principles are all characteristics that one has to develop over time through practice, and will not just naturally occur.
3. I think I am the strongest at Flexibility, but weakest at Technology skills and mastery.
4. I think that about 10-15% of unemployment is caused by “bad luck.” Practicing the LIFE major can play a huge role in ensuring that you will get a job and maintain it throughout your life. The “dirty little secret” analogy did make sense because it the LIFE major describes the necessities to becoming and remaining employed throughout life and getting the jobs that you want.
1. The above information doesn't surprise me at all. The more education that you have makes you more valuable in the work force. Such that you wouldn't trust a person with only a high school degree to be able to run a multimillion dollar business, over a college educated person. Education is the key to success in the growing world economy.
ReplyDelete2. I think that you need to develop the LIFE skills to better ensure having a future career. These skills help to create a more driven and successful nation because of the need for every single one of the skills just to progress now a days. I don't think some of the skills are attained naturally for some people but for others they are already ready to take on these skill requirements.
3. My strongest skill would probably be flexibility I have always enjoyed learning new things and have striven for perfection. I really need to work on my interpersonal skill set. Because when working with others I can be the negative person in the group when everything is going awry. But will persevere until the issue is resolved.
4. I say that about 5-10% is just bad luck to the reasoning for why people are not getting jobs. And that about 10-15% are deteriorating business conditions because with 9% unemployment no one is really spending to help stimulate the economy. And the dirty little secret made sense since business are not just looking for people to just know how something works but to be able to make it as efficient and economical as possible.
1) The statistics about unemployment and education do not surprise me at all. In the world today, competition is rising at a very fast pace. In order for a company to stay in business, they need to feel as if they are hiring the most qualified person that will do the best job. A person that has a diploma from PVI versus a person with a degree from Georgetown is almost a no-brainer when it comes to hiring. The fact is that in college, you learn the skills needed to succeed in the workforce you are about to enter. High School prepares you for college, but not necessarily for the working world.
ReplyDelete2) I agree completely with the LIFE major because a person can be an absolute genius, but without leadership, personal skills, flexibility and knowledge in technology, he will go nowhere in the workforce. One needs to be able to interact with others in order to sell their company to the world. It is very important to practice the LIFE major everyday because they are not only needed for the working world, but for the high school world today.
3) I would say that I am strongest in the Leadership aspect of LIFE and weakest in the flexibility aspect. I have a vision of how things should go, and if they are not done perfectly, I become impatient.
4) I would say 15% of unemployment is simply bad luck. The other 85% is a lack in educational skills or LIFE skills. If a person graduates from a top college and cannot find a job, that is bad luck. If a person who has been working with a company for years gets laid off because of economical issues, that, too, is bad luck. Lastly, the "dirty little secret" made complete sense to me because LIFE skills are needed in every aspect of the work force. If you graduate with a so-so degree, but have perfect LIFE skills, I believe you will be more successful than one who graduates from a top college with no LIFE skills.
1. The above breakdown of unemployment by educational category doesn’t really surprise me. I expected that people with no high school degrees would have the highest unemployment percentages and the number decreases as you go up in education experience. I hate to say it but that is the world we live in. The more educated you are the more chance someone wants to hire you. The message I take away from these statistics is that I should get as educated as I possibly can because the workforce is getting very competitive and to compete well I need to be very educated to stay employed.
ReplyDelete2. I think the LIFE acronym is a very valid way to pursuit a road free of unemployment. I think LIFE is a major, intentional focus/practice that’s more important than your major. You can be a genius in any subject but it won’t matter if you don’t work well with others, don’t embrace the age’s technology, or not a good leader. I personally don’t think it matters what college you go to because things will even out in the long run. Your ability to succeed in life is the most important.
3. I think I am strongest in the leadership aspect of the acronym. I take initiative and solve problems. I don’t get stressed out when the workload gets heavy and I get optimistic about everything. I think I could be weakest in the interpersonal skills because sometimes I demand a lot out of the people I work with. I work well with others but sometimes I expect perfection. I explain reasons why things will work, but I think sometimes I just think my reasons may be more practical and successful over someone else’s which can be solved with a great collaborative effort.
4. Out of 100% I would say at least 10 percent of the people are unemployed because of bad luck. I think there are tons of people out there with great resumes and LIFE majors that simply can’t find a job in their field because not a lot of hiring is occuring. Your LIFE major and dirty little secret made common sense to me, and I am thankful that you posted it because it made a lasting impression on me. People aren’t just going to want to hire people because of their education, but they want to hire people who take initiative, work well with others, and embrace technology.
The breakdown is to be expected. Those with higher education often acquire greater skill which employers see as more attractive than one with less skill. Therefore, the educated would be accepted more easily into higher skill jobs.
ReplyDelete2.I agree with the LIFE major. The life skills you develop,whether on your own or through a class can make the difference between a person and a leader. Communication and relations with people mean everything in the world today. Life does not take place in a textbook. The LIFE major would help many people to reach their full potential.
3. I would say my strong point is flexibility, while my weakness is embracing technology.
4. I would say around 10-15% of people could blame their unemployment on bad luck, while the rest, most likely, did not acquire proper education or LIFE skills. LIFE skills really do go the extra mile in saving your job sometimes.The"dirty little secret" is very reasonable. If there are two men, one educated yet lacking in people skills, and one equally as educated but with the ability to practice LIFE, then the choice is a no brainer.
1. No, the overall breakdown of unemployment by education is unsurprising. However, the percentage of unemployed with college degrees was disturbing. These statistics speak loud and clear saying, “Get as much education as possible.”
ReplyDelete2. Certainly the LIFE acronym is valid as a general guide to helping focus on being successful. But, its categories are so broad and vague that actual application seems impractical. For those striving for excellence, the LIFE skills will develop along with one’s intellectual and social maturity.
3. I would say that I am strongest at interpersonal skills and weakest with flexibility. I am excellent at manipulating and using people but do not deviate from my focus easily.
4. Probably close to five percent of unemployment can simply be called dumb luck. Mostly, unemployment is a choice made because you are either unqualified for any available jobs or you simply will not take jobs you believe yourself to be overqualified for. By focusing on the life major, you will become qualified and prepared to excel in any profession. Yes, of course the “dirty little secret” made sense. If you have successfully made it through college and been hired, it doesn’t matter if your peer went to Harvard and you to a junior college as long as you are better at LIFE.
1. The above breakdown of unemployment by educational category doesn’t really surprise me. I expected that people with no high school degrees would have the highest unemployment percentages and the number decreases as you go up in education experience. I hate to say it but that is the world we live in. The more educated you are the more chance someone wants to hire you. The message I take away from these statistics is that I should get as educated as I possibly can because the workforce is getting very competitive and to compete well I need to be very educated to stay employed.
ReplyDelete2. I think the LIFE acronym is a very valid way to pursuit a road free of unemployment. I think LIFE is a major, intentional focus/practice that’s more important than your major. You can be a genius in any subject but it won’t matter if you don’t work well with others, don’t embrace the age’s technology, or not a good leader. I personally don’t think it matters what college you go to because things will even out in the long run. Your ability to succeed in life is the most important.
3. I think I am strongest in the leadership aspect of the acronym. I take initiative and solve problems. I don’t get stressed out when the workload gets heavy and I get optimistic about everything. I think I could be weakest in the interpersonal skills because sometimes I demand a lot out of the people I work with. I work well with others but sometimes I expect perfection. I explain reasons why things will work, but I think sometimes I just think my reasons may be more practical and successful over someone else’s which can be solved with a great collaborative effort.
4. Out of 100% I would say at least 10 percent of the people are unemployed because of bad luck. I think there are tons of people out there with great resumes and LIFE majors that simply can’t find a job in their field because not a lot of hiring is occuring. Your LIFE major and dirty little secret made common sense to me, and I am thankful that you posted it because it made a lasting impression on me. People aren’t just going to want to hire people because of their education, but they want to hire people who take initiative, work well with others, and embrace technology.
The statistics on the unemployment rates among differently educated groups of people do not surprise me at all. It would make sense that one with a higher and more advanced form of education has a higher chance of not being unemployed because they have more knowledge and experience through learning and getting degrees. By looking at these statistics I now can actually see how important getting a college degree is, rather than just having my parents repeat to me how important getting a college degree is. Looking at these statistics not only shows me that getting a higher form of education decreases the chance of being unemployed, but it shows me how lucky I am to be able attend college and attain a college education and degree.
ReplyDeleteI believe that striving for degree in LIFE is very important in order to avoid being another unemployment statistic. I also think that actually attaining a degree in LIFE or reaching the highest level of all the skills listed is impossible because through out ones life one can only grow more in LIFE. I think, at least for me, that naturally I grow in LIFE just through experience alone.
I am strongest in Interpersonal Skills and weakest in Flexibility.
I don’t believe in “bad luck”, but I think that maybe 1% of layoffs are inevitable for some people only because of the weak economy and businesses having to make cuts in the budget. But if one strives to grow in LIFE and attain that degree than no one would want to fire you because of the hard work ethic in you. The dirty little secret made complete sense to me because as long as someone is willing to work their hardest and strive for that degree in LIFE than no employer would want to fire that person.
1.I was not surprised by the breakdown of unemployment. In this competitive modern society, people with more education have better chance in obtaining better job. Objectively the education that person received is clear criteria that employer can concern. Also the development of automatic industry excluded many jobs that were usually given to people. These statistics of relationship of unemployment and education stimulate me to work hard to get hight degree.
ReplyDelete2. The LIFE acronym is valid as an early focus to help avoid unemployment. I think that LIFE major is necessary along with our college major. Looking back my life, LIFE skills does not progress naturally. Consistent effort and hard working result in development of LIFE skills. For example, nowadays, we need to combine the leadership skills and be better at teaming with other more so than ever before. We need to be active and stand out to develop such skills. Repetitive efforts in team collaboration will definitely improve LIFE skills.
3. My strongest LIFE skill is emerging technology mastery because I update myself with brandnew information everyday, but my weakest aspect is leader since I am somewhat introvert.
4. I believe that about 5% of the people who are unemployed have bad luck. Most of unemployment is happening because of their insufficient education and laziness. Rigorous research and efforts will give them the best job for them. I think that focusing on the LIFE skills will also help them in many ways.
1. No, the above breakdown of the unemployment statistics does not surprise me because I know that well educated people are often times better off. From those statistics, I learned that the greatest way to avoid unemployment is to obtain the greatest amount of education possible.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, I believe that the "LIFE" acronym is valid as a focus to avoid unemployment. The qualities that are expressed through the "LIFE" acronym are all important to working well with others, which is essential in the workplace. I think that the development of the "LIFE" skills will occur naturally. People will learn from their own experiences how they need to adjust to succeed and maintain a position in the workplace.
3. My strongest "LIFE" skill is technology. My generation is growing up with a variety of new technologies. The new curriculum in schools that involves technology and the introduction of social networking has made me keep up to date with the current technology. My weakest "LIFE" skill is flexibility, as I can get bent out of shape easily.
4. I think that about 8-10% of unemployment is due to "bad luck" rather than because of not following the "LIFE" skills. Sometimes people need to be laid off due to pay cuts and they are almost randomly selected, although I do believe that by practicing the "LIFE" skills, they would have a better chance of being laid off. Yes, I did understand your "dirty little secret."
1. The breakdown of these unemployment rates does not surprise me at all. In today’s world, it is becoming more and more competitive to get a job. Many of the jobs out there in the work force require much education and training. Therefore, education is a major necessity when we are applying for jobs. It can give us the edge over another applicant. The more education that we have will allow us to compete with others in trying to find a job.
ReplyDelete2. I think that the LIFE acronym is definitely a valid pursuit when it comes to finding a job and avoiding unemployment. It is not only valid, but very necessary. Being intelligent is very helpful in today’s world. It opens the doors to many opportunities. However, not being able to apply this knowledge will not get us anywhere in life. It is necessary that we can put what we learn to use. I think that it is necessary to start practicing this LIFE principle as soon as possible. We may be able to acquire some qualities of the pursuit on our own throughout our lives; however, it would be more effective to start practicing earlier. This way, we are able to start applying these qualities right when we begin our jobs.
3. I think that my strongest LIFE quality is leadership. I am always willing to step up and take on the difficult tasks when doing things. In contrast, my weakest quality would be flexibility. I am very impatient and easily discouraged when it comes to my work.
4. I think that 5-10% percent of the unemployed are laid off due to bad luck. Although unemployment show’s a low rate for people with a higher education, there are still some companies that must lay off workers, and these workers could potentially have a higher education than others. It also depends on what kind of occupation that a person has. I think that the tip helped greatly. It is good to know that managers look at other things besides our work ethic and education.
1. No. Breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me. Education has been an important factor in our life that decides future carrier because people with higher level of education have more knowledge and skills that are needed at work. From these statistics, I took a message that education is very significant in our live and everyone should try to attend college, which will strengthen a possibility of getting employed.
ReplyDelete2. In my opinion, LIFE acronym is valid to help avoid unemployment because it qualifies one to success in one's job and life. It is also necessary to focus along with college major. I think LIFE acronym, which includes leadership, interpersonal skills, flexibility, and emerging technology mastery can be earned through attempts and trials. Through college major, one should try to develop LIFE acronym as she/he goes through new experiences in a bigger society, so that he/she is prepared for a future career.
3. The LIFE acronym that I am strongest at is interpersonal skills. I enjoy collaborating with people because it produces more innovative ideas. The weakest one is technology skills. I'm not very good at dealing with computer and other electronics.
4. I think 8-9% people are unemployed because of their bad luck. Even people who have graduated high level of college are not able to find job these days due to scarcity and high competition. I think Mr. Latter's “dirty little secret” makes perfect sense because it is one's ability that decides whether he/she is going to be employed, rather than what college he/she actually graduated.
John Murphy
ReplyDelete1. The breakdown of unemployment does not surprise me. I would expect that the students with higher academic achievements would be more likely to find a job. This is most likely because those who graduated with an advanced degree are much more specialized than those who did not. They most likely have acquired a special skill that is hopefully in demand, which someone off the street cannot fulfill.
2. I certainly believe that the LIFE skills listed above are all valid as a focus to avoid unemployment. I think that all four of them are required skills to have in order to find a job, with or without a degree. I think that these skills progress somewhat naturally and that some people tend to be born with these LIFE traits, but they can be developed upon if practiced.
3. I think that I am strongest in the Interpersonal Skills. I enjoy working as a team and working with others to get things done. I don't think that being a good team member is the same as being a bad leader. My weakest area would most likely be the emerging technology mastery.
4. I would say that about 20%, just as a guess, of unemployed people are unemployed purely due to 'bad luck'. I think that the real reason for a large percentage of unemployment is due to unwillingness to be flexible. Some people seem to sit and wait for a job to be thrown at them that allows to do them exactly what they studied or enjoyed in school, but they should follow the LIFE skills and be flexible and hopefully find a job that is close to what they wanted to do. Others may think that lower-end jobs are below them. I can guarantee my employed destiny by following the LIFE major because there will always be a service that needs to be done. People just need to know where to look and be open-minded.
1. The above breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me, because people who have a college degree or higher will be more specialized than a person without a high school degree. Earlier in the year we learned that an economy that is more specialized is a more effective economy in the world of trade and we see, based on these statistics, that being more educated and specialized will increase our competitiveness in the job market.
ReplyDelete2. I think that the LIFE acronym is valid because people with leadership, interpersonal skills, flexibility, and are capable of mastering emerging technology will have an easier time retaining their job than a person who lacks leadership, social skills, is inflexible, and cannot keep up with technology.
3. I believe that the area of the LIFE acronym I am strongest at is being able to master emerging technology quickly, because I have been able to take the knowledge I have acquired from using existing technology and applying that knowledge to the new technology that comes out. I am also able to help others master new technologies. I like technology and enjoy helping others to develop their technological skills.
4. I think that, at the moment, probably 75% of those unemployed are probably unemployed through a combination of the current economy and because of bad luck. I think in general the LIFE major will allow you to succeed in any field of work, but if you have a job and your boss switches to someone that truly dislikes you, then you will have little chance of retaining your job even if you follow the guidelines set by the LIFE major. Your “dirty little secret” referenced in the blog above made sense because a person could go to a top 10 school but if they are pessimistic, lack initiative, and are unable to keep up with technology their degree will only take them as far as their attitude.
1) Yes the above breakdown of unemployment by the educational category surprises me. It amazed me that many people who do not have college degrees are unemployed.
ReplyDelete2) Yes, it is valid in my opinion as an early focus to help avoid unemployment because, it is important to develop people skills. In order to talk to others and build a social network because that helps people land jobs and helps them to be prosperous in their business. I think that LIFE you will grow to learn if you are in the right enviorment however if someone is having difficulty with LIFE I think it would be a could Idea as a major that coinsides with college. This is because it will help you in the real world.
3) I don’t have too much of a problem with the LIFE acronym. I feel like I’m very comfortable in who I am and what I do and I believe I have developed the skills needed.
4) I think the reason there is unemployment is that there is a problem in that certain people and business close because they are outdated or aren’t working to their potential.
1. The above data is not too suprising to me. Considering the quality at which our economy works at businesses are not going to hire uneducated workers when the could hire educated ones for the same cost. In todays world a college degree is a common neccessity to get hired. A high school degree seems to be below average and will result in a smaller chance of getting a job.
ReplyDelete2. I would say the LIFE acronym is valid because we need those skills to function in today's world. These qualities are a advancement just like technology is advancing so we must adapt to the change.
3. I think I am strongest in leadership compared to the other catagories but I do not feel as if I am weak in any of the other areas. I believe I am a well rounded person.
4. I would say of the around 9% unemployment in the US 3 or 4% has to do with bad luck. The rest has to do with the education factor which is the largest contributer to the employment. It is very unfortunate that businesses are laying off and that is the bad luck factor.
No this doesn’t surprise me because it makes sense that there is more employment based on an educational basis rather than any other census. From these stats I take that it pays off in the long run to have a better education in order to get a better job and keep a better job for a longer period of time.
ReplyDeleteThe LIFE diagram is very helpful in order to avoid unemployment. This is because it helps one to have better personal skills and the abilities to work with companies and individuals. Also this is important because keeping up with the technologies in the businesses you work with will help you land a job, as well as keep a job longer.
For the LIFE diagram I feel like I am pretty strong in the IFE parts of the LIFe diagrams and weaker on the Leadership part of the diagram.
A percentage of bad luck for unemployment is probably around 10% of the process, because at any given time you can be let off for various amounts of reasons and this in return is just the luck factor. On the other side 90% of the unemployment can be accessed through your work skills and your basis on the LIFE diagram. The dirty little secret you let us on in the post makes complete common sense to me. This is because it’s something that is only by name not by experience, and its your hard work that pays off in the long run, not your name or school.
1. The above breakdown of unemployment by educational category doesn’t really surprise me. I expected that people with no high school degrees would have the highest unemployment percentages and the number decreases as you go up in education experience. I hate to say it but that is the world we live in. The more educated you are the more chance someone wants to hire you. The message I take away from these statistics is that I should get as educated as I possibly can because the workforce is getting very competitive and to compete well I need to be very educated to stay employed.
ReplyDelete2. I think the LIFE acronym is a very valid way to pursuit a road free of unemployment. I think LIFE is a major, intentional focus/practice that’s more important than your major. You can be a genius in any subject but it won’t matter if you don’t work well with others, don’t embrace the age’s technology, or not a good leader. I personally don’t think it matters what college you go to because things will even out in the long run. Your ability to succeed in life is the most important.
3. I think I am strongest in the leadership aspect of the acronym. I take initiative and solve problems. I don’t get stressed out when the workload gets heavy and I get optimistic about everything. I think I could be weakest in the interpersonal skills because sometimes I demand a lot out of the people I work with. I work well with others but sometimes I expect perfection. I explain reasons why things will work, but I think sometimes I just think my reasons may be more practical and successful over someone else’s which can be solved with a great collaborative effort.
4. Out of 100% I would say at least 10 percent of the people are unemployed because of bad luck. I think there are tons of people out there with great resumes and LIFE majors that simply can’t find a job in their field because not a lot of hiring is occuring. Your LIFE major and dirty little secret made common sense to me, and I am thankful that you posted it because it made a lasting impression on me. People aren’t just going to want to hire people because of their education, but they want to hire people who take initiative, work well with others, and embrace technology.