Sometimes, the first time through isn't enough. For college students, the painful post-graduate reality is another trip to school because of unhappy career placement.
Matt Cruz graduated with a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts with a concentration in communication design last spring. He decided to return to UB and is now taking mechanical engineering courses.
"I decided to return to college because I wasn't satisfied with my degree," Cruz said. "I wasn't sure it was the right one for me, and I wasn't sure it would sustain me financially."
Cruz said he was unsuccessful in finding a job with his degree.
"I'm trying to get a job with the degree I already attained, but I'm taking classes for another degree right now," Cruz added.
Students like Cruz claim they are returning to UB for additional undergraduate education because their general arts degrees do not provide them with the tools necessary for employment earnings much different from those without a college education.
Instead, they are enrolling in courses that will yield what they consider to be a more practical degree, one that allows them to specialize in a particular field. Degree programs such as engineering, physical therapy, or the sciences are some of the most popular.
Dan Ryan, director of career services, said it doesn't have to be that way - students can find a job with any degree UB offers. The primary aim of a college education is to make students more attractive in the job market.
"There isn't a degree here at the university where students haven't found career success, but some of this comes down to how you define career success," he said. "If you have a career goal, there are majors here that will help you facilitate that. There are people who have found good jobs and are happy with what they're doing."
Ryan said the decision for a student to return for a second degree isn't about their general degree being useless - it is more likely that they had never given much thought to what they wanted to do after college and meandered through the undergraduate experience.
"To come back for a second bachelor's often correlates with the person not choosing the first one carefully," he said. "If you haven't given it thought, you may find it difficult to be successful out there."
Alex Frankish, a junior pre-med student, avoided drifting by taking a break from school, allowing him to focus on what he wanted for his future. He attended UB for two years after high school and then stopped.
"I didn't know what I wanted to do at first, so I took a break," Frankish said. "After traveling, I figured out what I wanted to do with my life, and I wanted to finish what I started."
Frankish now has a plan. After obtaining his bachelor's degree he will be applying to medical school to become a doctor.
For those students who will be earning general arts degrees, career services recommends taking additional steps to stretch one's job potential after graduation. A combination of factors goes into the hiring process, such as an impressive interview, resume and portfolio.
Additionally, networking with potential employers can also be a major factor in finding a job. Many majors at UB have an academic oriented Greek organization focused on helping students prepare for the career world.
Ryan also said internships can be a major factor in finding a job with a general arts degree, allowing students to develop specialized work skills.
Bryan Buchholz, a 27-year-old alumnus, obtained his BA in Media study and is considering returning to UB for his MBA. He said he found the perfect out of college job where he is making professional level pay in his field.
Buchholz made the most of his college years and scored an internship relevant to his media studies degree, which was essential in finding a great job.
"It's about giving the employer something more to look at than your degree on a resume," Buchholz said.
To avoid having to come back for a second degree, Ryan recommends students visit career services once a semester. It won't be a magical spell and immediately solve the problem, but they will be able to help students clarify their goals and make sure they are on the right track.
"Even if you've graduated it's important that you spend some time thinking about yourself, what your strengths and weaknesses are, what your interests are, and what you might like to do," Ryan said. "Spend some time learning about yourself."
