All fingers point to……

After doing this blog I have decided post graduation I want to pursue a career in human resources.  There are different fields in this career and right now I like labor relations management because the skills I’ve learned from being a speech communications major will apply perfectly and the pay is great!  I hope it works out.

I chose to use this image because it is the emblem for  the National Labor Relations Board.  The NLRB would be a company I would try to get hired on by.

 

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work prepared by an officer or employee of the United States Government as part of that person’s official duties under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code. See Copyright.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:National_Labor_Relations_Board_logo_-_color.jpg)

BLOGROLL

My 5 favorite blogs are:

http://www.wwtdd.com/

http://thedirty.com/

http://strattonisbored.com/

http://www.sbnation.com/

http://mashable.com/

Cheers!

I chose to use this image because I thought it was a funny cartoon done by Dave Coverly.  This image relates to my blogs as it displays it is going to take a while to pay off  my student loans.

I wanna go to grad school!

A funny cartoon skit that’s anti grad school “that is informative and also true” created by thewanderer2011

Grad School?

My parents have always wanted me to become a lawyer and trust me I would love to make their salary but I don’t think I could afford to have any more student loans hanging over my head.  According to Georgetown University law school is VERY expensive.  They said, “Law school education costs vary, but total costs, including tuition, books, food, housing, and transportation, can easily exceed $150,000.”  (http://careerweb.georgetown.edu/7269.html)

I am already in debt over my head so Graduate school is not for me.  I found this video College Humor made and thought it sums up my situation pretty well! 

A “Real” Grad School Ad

College Humor skit

Deputy Sheriff??

(Arizona’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio giving a speech on the new controversial immigration policies.  ((Image taken by Roy Dabner of LA Times)) I chose to use this image because it relates to my blog perfectly.  If I were to pursue becoming a sheriff in Arizona, this would be my boss!

If I pursue the job I have wanted before college it will be a challenge physically and mentally.  I am from Arizona so I would be trying to become a deputy sheriff.  To become a deputy sheriff it requires first getting accepted into the academy and then 720 hours of training over a 20-week period.  The training will consist of, “laws of arrest, criminal law, constitutional law, cultural diversity training, defensive tACTICs, physical fitness training, driver training, report writing, first aid and firearms.” http://www.mcso.org/About/Career/DeputySheriff.aspx

I will have to pass 51 exams with a C average as well as passing physical exams.

A Deputy Sheriffs salary starts off at $44,000 with all types of benefits.  This would be a great career but very dangerous so I feel like being a labor relation’s manager would be a better fit!

<Image taken from http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/09/nation/la-na-arpaio9-2010jan09>

Labor Relations Manager

If I were to pursue human resources I would want to be a labor relations manager.  A labor relation’s manager works as an outlet between employees and management to make sure both groups are satisfied.  The labor relation’s manager needs to be good at conflict resolution.  As WiseGeek.com says, “Before a relatively minor issue elevates into a full-blown workplace complaint, a labor relations manager typically intercedes to mediate the situation. This intervention often prevents work disruption, lawsuits or strikes. It frequently requires the manager to communicate with a variety of players, including government agencies, unions, employees and management.” http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-a-labor-relations-manager-do.htm

Since I am a Speech Communications major emphasizing in organization this job would be perfect for the skills I have acquired from my college education.  Also the pay is pretty good. Salary.com reports the average yearly salary for this profession is $104,414.  http://www1.salary.com/Labor-Relations-Manager-Salary.html

Not to shabby! 

College was a smart move!

             I have only one year left in college and then it is onto the real world.  Since I am so close to graduation I need to think of what professional career I would like to pursue. 

            As you read in my last blog post, my degree gives me a variety of careers to choose from.  This is a good thing because it gives me the opportunity to pursue something that I really want to.  The only problem is that I have no idea what I want to do!

            Okay “no idea” might be an exaggeration but the pressure of deciding my future freaks me out.  I have interest in many careers but when I think about salary, work hours, travel, ect. I honestly don’t know what exactly I am looking for.  This is because all I do know is after college I will move back in with my parents to save money. 

           It turns out many college graduates are moving back in with there parents as student loans hang over many heads, just like mine.  Cathleen Rampell of NY Times said, “As of last month, just 74 percent of Americans ages 25 to 34 were working. It is perhaps no wonder then that 14.2 percent of young adults are living with their parents, up from 11.8 percent in 2007. Among young men, 19 percent are living with their parents.” http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/business/economy/as-graduates-move-back-home-economy-feels-the-pain.html

         The fact that 26 percent of Americans ages 25 to 34 are unemployed is a very scary thought.  This thought lead me to research college graduates unemployment rate.  Michelle Lewis said, “According to an MSNBC report, the unemployment rate for college graduates fell in May from 4 percent to 3.9 percent, while the unemployment rate for people with just a high school degree increased from 7.9 percent to 8.1 percent. That means American college graduates are now more than twice as likely to find a job as Americans who only graduated from high school’’ http://www.hercampus.com/news-blog/unemployment-rate-down-college-graduates

            So after that research I can breathe easier knowing that I will have great odds in getting a job, but now I need to attempt to narrow down my future career.

When I was a child I always wanted to be a Sheriff and I still have interest in becoming one.  Next I have Interest in working in human resource management.  And lastly I have interest in becoming a lawyer but that would require more schooling! 

 Decisions, decisions…..  

Why I chose SPEECH COMM

Why Speech COMM?

 I chose to major in Speech Communications because when I needed to declare my major I was still unsure of what job I wanted to pursue after graduating class.  Speech Communications was what I decided on because it prepares you for basically any job.   Many other Speech COMM majors agree with me.  For example Dan Desmarteau from Salem, Oregon said, “I chose speech communications because I knew that it wasn’t going to limit the possibilities of what kind of job that I could potentially get. I also enjoy the real world application of the curriculum.” http://www.wou.edu/las/humanities/commstudies/spquotes.php

Dan is right on the fact that Speech COMM won’t limit his options.  I found on many college websites descriptions of what speech communication will provide for students.  Most of them looked like this: “The ability to communicate with skill, clarity and persuasion provides excellent preparation for careers in education, sales, advertising and business as well as work within health, social and government organizations.” (http://www.ycp.edu/academics/academic-departments/music-art-and-communication/division-of-communication/speech-communication/)

Once I graduate I will be well qualified in technical communication skills and I will also be an effective communicator in my professional and personal life.  By possessing great communication skills I will be able to speak confidently, clearly and passionately.  This will allow me to pursue many careers.

The variety in careers I can pursue is very diverse.  On most college websites they list out possible careers.  On http://www.tnstate.edu/Communications/speech.aspx their list consists of:

• Advertising
• Education
• Radio and TV Broadcasting
• Public Relations
• Theater and Performing Arts
• Business
• Government and Politics
• High Technology Industries
• Medicine and Healthcare
• International Relations
• Law
• Social and Human Services & more.

This shows literally any professional field is possible to proceed for a future career. I know that list sounds a lot better than it actually is because for most of the possible careers listed will require more schooling or I will need to get more work experience to get hired.  

If I could rewind and declare a different major I wouldn’t.  This is because I am as lost as I was three years ago but at least with my degree I will have gained communication and organizational skills that I will be able to apply in any professional field.