Guy working at Subway with a bachelor's degree; is this the new norm?

[Rakoth]

I got a supervisory position at Blockbuster Video (when it was a real thing) during my university degree. I started entry level, and was promoted to a shift lead, my degree had nothing to do with it.

Had I not wanted to finish my degree, I would be a district manager by now. It was easy to be very good at my job, it's not rocket science.

I have a degree in Computer Science from one of the top university's in Canada (Not for Comp Sci, it's not even top 10 for Comp Sci, but no one seems to care). I have had no problem finding employment. I do believe the future lies in STEM degrees, especially Software and Engineering.

Automation will result in huge employment problems. Fast food jobs will go away, truck driving jobs will go away, taxi driving jobs will go away, secretarial jobs will go away, call center jobs will go away, and any of there supporting jobs (truck driving impact is huge, especially in the U.S.)

Eww, what the hell kind of school doesn't teach Programming in CS. Thats 90% of the job market these days. If you dont want to move, thats on you tho =P

Computer Science is NOT programming. Programming is just a very small subset of Comp Sci.

I specifically had to go out of my way to choose a few classes were I could learn a working language. Also, at my university, the teachers would specifically tell us that it was our responsibility to learn languages and their specifics. Now, with a computer science background, learning a language should be trivial, since you should already know the foundations of computer languages and how grammars are built and compilers function.

I mitigated that weakness in real world application by doing side-projects and personal projects. When I demoed my stuff in interviews, I could show something real. When it comes to the job itself, I am much more qualified to keep myself current, and understand hard programming concepts because I know the underlying principles, which my peers in techincal schools very much struggle with.

[Aeula]

Employers take more stock in actual evidence you can do things so they can judge it by their standards rather than a paper saying it was up to someone else's standards.

At least in my experience. Degrees don't mean much.

[Toxigen]

This is what happens to liberal arts students.

Underwater basketweaving 4tw

[The One Percent]

Worthless degree.

[purebalance]

See thread title.

I live in Portland, Oregon. I haven't been going to Subway often lately (once every few months) but I stopped into the one near my apartment recently and I noticed it's the same guy working there each time I stop in. He's friendly and we strike up a conversation; the subject of grad school comes up and he tells me that he is in the process of applying to MFA programs. Apparently he has a bachelor's degree in the social sciences from the University of Oregon.

I didn't think I was that out of touch but holy shit. Bachelor's degree and working at Subway? Is this the norm now, or is this guy really aiming low with his job search? Wondering as it's been a few years since I graduated from undergrad (although not THAT long ago).

Not trying to shit on the guy for working at Subway, but he seemed intelligent and claims to be educated (at a fairly decent-ish state university); if this is the job market that grads are walking into then this is extremely depressing.

Just wait until the people wanting college to be free in the US ever get their way and you'll pretty much need above a masters to be worthwhile. A bachelors is slowing becoming useless for the most part.

[WhiteFlagofWar]

To everyone saying that he has the job because of his social science degree, I had a friend who worked at Subway for almost three years after graduating with a business degree from a major university (Texas A&M, very well respected around here). While social sciences/liberal arts degrees may have their limitations, his degree is hardly the lone factor in play here.

The economy has seen better days, and the complete devaluation of an undergraduate degree, thanks to being made a requirement to "succeed", is probably what should be blamed here. Not that I agree with that statement, but it's hard to argue that college degrees have become near mandatory, and by doing so have lost much of their value.

[Toxigen]

Instead of going into a field with plentiful opportunity, students are taught to follow their dreams and study what they like.

Current generation coming out of college is basically tits-on-a-bull-useless.

[anon5123]

Did you not do any internships?

Ran into the same issue. Couldn't find anything. Even those that I did interview with, never contacted me back.

Unwilling to move?

Don't want to. Don't really have the money to, either.

Fail at interviews?

Nope. Been to a few different interviewing...skills? things throughout college, and all of them said that I interview fine.

[kamuimac]

See thread title.

I live in Portland, Oregon. I haven't been going to Subway often lately (once every few months) but I stopped into the one near my apartment recently and I noticed it's the same guy working there each time I stop in. He's friendly and we strike up a conversation; the subject of grad school comes up and he tells me that he is in the process of applying to MFA programs. Apparently he has a bachelor's degree in the social sciences from the University of Oregon.

I didn't think I was that out of touch but holy shit. Bachelor's degree and working at Subway? Is this the norm now, or is this guy really aiming low with his job search? Wondering as it's been a few years since I graduated from undergrad (although not THAT long ago).

Not trying to shit on the guy for working at Subway, but he seemed intelligent and claims to be educated (at a fairly decent-ish state university); if this is the job market that grads are walking into then this is extremely depressing.

all i can say is i recomand the book "Rise of the robots: technology and the threat of jobless future" written by Martin Ford

in 20-30 years without bachelor degree you wont be hired even for frying fries in mcdonals

you know why ? because its so easy to get one.

[Direpenguin]

Oh man, I really wonder why he's working at Subway?

Do people not look at the job outlooks of their careers when they pick a major? Are people that stupid or are US universities just that shit?
I hear all these stories of people with these worthless degrees working low-wage jobs because they never check to see the job outlook of their respective careers.

Is it really that hard? Especially in the US, there's the Bureau of Labor Statistics website with loads of invaluable information on just about every career in the US.

I just don't understand.


You make it sound like everyone being well educated is a bad thing.

You make it sound like a Bachelor's Degree is something that is hard to achieve (therefor deeming a person "well-educated"), and not just a time/money investment.

[dyzz]

I got a supervisory position at Blockbuster Video (when it was a real thing) during my university degree. I started entry level, and was promoted to a shift lead, my degree had nothing to do with it.

Had I not wanted to finish my degree, I would be a district manager by now. It was easy to be very good at my job, it's not rocket science.

I have a degree in Computer Science from one of the top university's in Canada (Not for Comp Sci, it's not even top 10 for Comp Sci, but no one seems to care). I have had no problem finding employment. I do believe the future lies in STEM degrees, especially Software and Engineering.

Automation will result in huge employment problems. Fast food jobs will go away, truck driving jobs will go away, taxi driving jobs will go away, secretarial jobs will go away, call center jobs will go away, and any of there supporting jobs (truck driving impact is huge, especially in the U.S.)



Computer Science is NOT programming. Programming is just a very small subset of Comp Sci.

I specifically had to go out of my way to choose a few classes were I could learn a working language. Also, at my university, the teachers would specifically tell us that it was our responsibility to learn languages and their specifics. Now, with a computer science background, learning a language should be trivial, since you should already know the foundations of computer languages and how grammars are built and compilers function.

I mitigated that weakness in real world application by doing side-projects and personal projects. When I demoed my stuff in interviews, I could show something real. When it comes to the job itself, I am much more qualified to keep myself current, and understand hard programming concepts because I know the underlying principles, which my peers in techincal schools very much struggle with.

Yeah, I built a working android app that helped homeless vets find shelter, food, necessities. It wasn't that difficult.

In regards to "programming", you shouldn't be "learning" it from the professor. Your classes, at least some of them unless you specifically oppted for theory classes, should be doing projects which require to know or learn a language.

In school I used: Python, Java, C, C++, Assembly (x86), Proloq, OCaml, C#, and VB. Beyond CMSC100, no languages were "taught" you were expected to know what a loop was and how to figure it out. My later classes in robotics taught me python in and out, and things like Operating Systems and Data Structures taught me C, Assembly, and Java on a much larger scale. Data Structures class was taught by the guy who wrote a 1000 page book on PM Quadtrees, so we had to recreate Mapquest without using any Java Libraries. Was about 13000 lines of code.

Im sure every person is different and you can choose your classes, but this also goes back to the arguements that college degrees should get you ready for the market, not push people to go to grad school. 90% of the people who get CS degrees will be programmers, yet its pretty heavily catered to people who want to do research and go to grad school.

[Rakoth]

Yeah, I built a working android app that helped homeless vets find shelter, food, necessities. It wasn't that difficult.

In regards to "programming", you shouldn't be "learning" it from the professor. Your classes, at least some of them unless you specifically oppted for theory classes, should be doing projects which require to know or learn a language.

In school I used: Python, Java, C, C++, Assembly (x86), Proloq, OCaml, C#, and VB. Beyond CMSC100, no languages were "taught" you were expected to know what a loop was and how to figure it out. My later classes in robotics taught me python in and out, and things like Operating Systems and Data Structures taught me C, Assembly, and Java on a much larger scale. Data Structures class was taught by the guy who wrote a 1000 page book on PM Quadtrees, so we had to recreate Mapquest without using any Java Libraries. Was about 13000 lines of code.

Im sure every person is different and you can choose your classes, but this also goes back to the arguements that college degrees should get you ready for the market, not push people to go to grad school. 90% of the people who get CS degrees will be programmers, yet its pretty heavily catered to people who want to do research and go to grad school.

I agree, school should teach you work skills, but universities don't tend to agree, they think you should just go to a technical school for that, or just take an internship (I did 3).

My school is a research university, they are pushing you to into Grad school. My path is similar. I had to know C for my OS and Data structures classes, Robotics used a very specific language, functional prog class used LISP, software lifecycles class used Java, compiler class forced me to learn MIPS. Not a single teacher taught us a language, but one of the first classes we learned was Intro to Computer Languages and Grammars (we were taught pseudo code for 2 periods). Usually, the T.A. was the one that set the language, for example, our A.I. TA was a Java guy, so the scaffolding app we needed to write our A.I. into was in Java, and our A.I. was in Java.

[Felnoire]

Simple fact is there isn't a ton of jobs out there, so people have to get what they can till there are spots in the jobs they spent their time studying to get into and then of course pray some fresh outta university student doesn't get the job instead.

[Moralgy]

Statistics is a major part of Sociology.

^^^ Can confirm

I had to go through two different statistics classes for a BA in sociology and used it regularly through research in most my classes. It isn't like we just take gender studies classes all day every day in sociology, lol.

Though for most social sciences, you need to go for a masters to really get any work in the field is what I've been told over and over and over by professors since I started.

[Deleted]

Because he wasted time on social science

[Logwyn]

Are there ANY bachelor's degrees nowadays that guarantee you a position...besides maybe some engineering degrees, and accounting? I've read the threads on here about STEM fields, and people I know working in STEM are saying the grass isn't too green there either.

No. A degree does not equal a job. We need to dispel this myth. Doesn't matter what degree is in. Some are easier to get a job than others.

What are you going to go do if you get a degree in BS in International Women's studies? The only thing that pops straight into my mind is teaching. I'd have to research something else.

One of the popular degrees at the University I'm at is anything IT. Half of the students are in this degree program. I have an CS degree so I have first hand experience of the after school area. A couple of troubles is most entry level jobs want you to have 3-5 years experience and/or some certificates. If you've never worked how do you 3-5 years in the field?

Plus the number of jobs is limited its hard to land a job if everyone else is trying to get one..

What is his degree in anyway?

[Underverse]

^^^ Can confirm

I had to go through two different statistics classes for a BA in sociology and used it regularly through research in most my classes. It isn't like we just take gender studies classes all day every day in sociology, lol.

Though for most social sciences, you need to go for a masters to really get any work in the field is what I've been told over and over and over by professors since I started.

You need a masters for just about any degree, except maybe some engineering fields. For social sciences though, I would have thought that you would need a PhD

[Darkrulerxxx]

Lol what's up with you people from CPP? You all must be the laziest grads out of any Cal State school. I have so many acquaintances and friends who went to CPP for engineering or Comp Sci and haven't found a job yet, but all my friends at CSUN already have jobs lined up before even graduating. I'm in Comp Sci at CSUN, have 1 more year to go, and I'm pretty confident I'll have a job lined up because I've been participating in clubs and getting to know the people that come to the job fairs every year.

You can't just cruise through college passing your classes and doing nothing else. There are a million other grads exactly like you. Put yourself in the shoes of the person looking to hire: What accomplishments do you have that set you apart from your competition? Any collegiate competitions? Any scholarships? Any club activity (more than just attending. They're looking for board members)? Do attend any conventions (Defcon, Derbycon, Bsides)? Was your senior project something revolutionary? How much of a hand did you have in making your senior project? Can you explain, in detail, every single part of your senior project? A lot of people in the senior project don't pay ANY attention to the parts of the project that they're not responsible for, and that's just a bad idea.

Lastly, California is a shithole for jobs. You will make the same amount of money in Fargo, ND or Bangor, ME doing an entry level job as you would in Los Angeles, but the cost of living is almost half. With an entry level engineering job in, say, Kansas City, you could buy yourself a small house in a decent neighborhood. With an entry level engineering job in LA, you'd be lucky if you could afford an apartment in an area where you don't have to worry about getting mugged. Expand your search outside of CA. CA is great if you're an industry expert, and that's about it.

you do understand that's a huge generalization you are saying, because i doubt everyone from CSUN has jobs "lined up" and there are people at CPP who have got their jobs.

mind you i have 3.9 GPA, attended and participated in many competitions (and won them), been a part of many collaborations involving multiple disciplines (engineering and non) and have done multiple projects.

first off, the success of someone hiring you isn't determined upon if you're senior project was "Revolutionary" (mine was a automated robotic bartender).

it's mainly about having experience beforehand (volunteer, internship which is hard to land in california because there are literally none) and mostly luck and connections.

so yes, i got lucky because i had no experience because I TRIED doing the best i can, and for these employers, it's not enough.

And yes, California sucks for these jobs, once i get my experience, and my wife gets her Doctorate of Pharmacy, we are out of this state.

[Fayenoor]

^^^ Can confirm

I had to go through two different statistics classes for a BA in sociology and used it regularly through research in most my classes. It isn't like we just take gender studies classes all day every day in sociology, lol.

Though for most social sciences, you need to go for a masters to really get any work in the field is what I've been told over and over and over by professors since I started.

Statistics is a core part of any form of research. It is one of the most important research tools. You need know how to collect, analyze and interpret data. Stats teach you that.

It has nothing to do with Sociology, Psychology, Biology or even any STEM subject.

[Dragoncurry]

All sciences/social sciences etc are worthless for the market.

You need 2 things to get a good job.

1. Be a critical fucking thinker, be organized, and do not procrastinate.
2. Apply the above to a technology or to Excel that allows the company to make smart operational/financial decisions.

Done.