For New Graduates Stability Matters More Than Following Their Passion
And parenting insights from the Pivot Podcast
Issue 12:
Top of Mind: Practicality Increasingly Trumps Passion
In his book, So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love Georgetown University professor Cal Newport famously argues against the career narrative of advising students to " follow their passion," saying it's misleading, often out of step with the market and sets them up for disappointment. In a talk that Newport delivered at Google, he argues that it’s not so much the type of work that contributes to occupational satisfaction but rather the lifestyle it offers — qualities like flexibility, autonomy, influence, and creativity. His message has found resonance with new job seekers who are shifting their priorities away from focusing on "finding their dream jobs" to prioritizing stability. There's a significant shift happening here, which parents and educators need to be aware of. Handshake surveyed about 1,400 recent college graduates and current seniors to ask about their top job search priority, and 73 percent said it was stability, and fewer than half, by comparison, said a focus was to work for a known brand.
As students focus less on "following their passions" or "holding out for their dream job," it's essential that the adults in their life are intentional with their words and are supportive of these more practical choices. "I kept encouraging my daughter to apply to art school and explore her talent." a parent friend explained. "I wanted her to know I believed in her and supported her dreams, but she wanted to go to nursing school. She wanted to know that she could always get a good job doing something good. When she told me, I realized I was undermining her choices and, frankly, very practical thinking."
The LongRange: "How To Raise The Next Scott Galloway"
Tech journalist Kara Swisher and NYU Professor Scott Galloway normally discuss tech, business, and political stories on their twice-weekly hit podcast Pivot. But their conversations also often reference their kids, their insights on parenting, and the issues shaping the future well-being of the next generation. They recently did a special parenting edition of the podcast. Some of the highlights:
The Power of Honest Parenting Conversations. Scott shared how he didn't want to be a father, then fell in love with kids, and how now they are his purpose and greatest joy. Hearing rich and powerful men use their platforms to share personal stories like this is something we do need more off.
Public vs. Private Schools: The discussion here is worth the listen because it captures the ups and downsides of each option and how, now, there is no moral clarity or right or wrong on this issue.
Boys Need Help. And this is not anti-girl.
For every 100 bachelor degrees awarded to women, 74 are awarded to men; among men with only a high-school education, one in three is out of the labor force; mortality from drug overdoses, suicides, and alcohol-related illnesses are almost three times higher among men than women. The list goes on. The podcast highlights that boys and men are falling behind and that recognizing this isn't anti-girl. And that this isn't a zero-sum game. But it is an urgent issue that we need to do something about.
For more on this, see: Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It, the important book by Richard Reeves of the Brookings Institution.
The full listen is here.
On Point & Interesting:
"Right now, we have a broken pathway to career readiness."
"Less than 2% of teenagers currently do high school internships. And yet, after high school, they are expected to commit (and with significant financial investment) to a specific skill or career path and then go deep into it." Full article: hereCourtesy of The New Yorker.