A college degree is not the same thing as a career plan

When I graduated college in the early 1990s, I was ready to start my career. The only hitch was that I had no idea how.

Armed with a degree, boundless optimism, and zero practical knowledge of how to get a job, my grand entrance into the workforce led me straight to a mall software store, where I became a proud purveyor of floppy disks and CD-ROMs for just above minimum wage.

That was not exactly the triumphant start I had envisioned after years of all-nighters, working my way through college and accumulating student debt. Eventually, I found my way to a fulfilling career — but it took a few more wrong turns, sheer luck, and, eventually, going back to school.

Decades later, the job market has changed. Software isn’t sold in boxes, and malls are an endangered species. But the struggle of new graduates remains remarkably similar. More than 40 percent of college graduates start their careers in jobs that don’t require a degree, and that shaky start has lasting consequences. Research shows that a worker’s first job isn’t just a stepping stone — it’s a launchpad that shapes their entire career trajectory.

For those who start off underemployed, the odds of escaping that trajectory are alarmingly slim. Three-quarters of graduates who begin their careers in underemployment remain stuck there a decade later.

This disconnect is being felt on the employer side, too. One recent survey found that three-quarters of HR professionals believe that colleges are not preparing students for their jobs. More than half of students in the same survey said they agreed. This is not a problem of ambition or ability. It’s a gap between what colleges provide and what today’s job market demands. While higher education excels at equipping students with academic knowledge, many graduates leave campus without the professional skills, networks and confidence to successfully launch their careers. 

But higher education can change this. A growing body of evidence shows that when students receive personalized guidance focused on career development, they can graduate with stronger professional skills, clearer goals and a better understanding of how to navigate the job market. 

Colleges have, of course, long offered traditional career services, yet these resources often remain optional and underutilized. One recent survey found that nearly one-third of college students have never interacted with their college or university career center. Among students in the survey who had used their college career services, fewer than 30 percent received help developing a career plan. Even fewer benefited from other important services, with only 19 percent receiving networking support and just 12 percent participating in interview prep or mock interviews.

Helping students connect classroom learning to real-world opportunities requires a more intentional, personalized and integrated approach. To bridge this gap, a growing number of institutions are implementing success coaching programs. These programs offer individualized, flexible guidance to help students navigate the transition from education to their professional careers — often starting on Day One of their college experience. 

For example, Indiana’s Ivy Tech Community College offers a career coaching program that helps students develop personalized career plans, explore academic pathways aligned with their interests and connect with potential employers.

As soon as students register for classes, they gain online access to the college’s Career Link office, through which they can connect with career coaches who provide ongoing support throughout their time at Ivy Tech, helping them develop a clear plan for achieving their professional goals. The impact of such coaching can be significant. At Ivy Tech, more than 90 percent of students who engaged with career coaching said the coaching helped them determine a clear next step for pursuing their career. 

Northwestern University’s School of Professional Studies, meanwhile, offers a four-month career coaching program designed specifically for working adult learners. Students can easily opt in and receive tailored support in career exploration, planning and professional development, ensuring they graduate with the tools they need to succeed and advance in the workplace. Since launching in 2018, the program has gained steady traction, with about 200 students now participating each year.

Colleges’ responsibility to their students does not end at graduation. A degree without a career plan is like a ticket to nowhere — or, in my case, the Software Etc. at Portland’s Washington Square Mall. Few students enroll in college hoping to launch their career behind a mall cash register.

By offering personalized career coaching that helps students identify their strengths, explore career pathways and build professional networks, institutions can guide students toward those crucial first jobs that serve as true launchpads to career success. They can help graduates avoid years of trial and error — and ensure that higher education delivers on its promise as a foundation for lifelong success. 

Ruth Bauer is president of the nonprofit InsideTrack.