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[Generic Brad]

7. No degree is wasted

I work in a business that has nothing to do with what I earned my BA and MA in. I am extremely good at what and have just catapulted to senior management at a Fortune 500 company in my industry. I suppose you could say I'm not qualified on paper if you look at me strictly in terms education. It appears I studied the wrong thing.

When I left school I struggled for a few years trying to find work in my field with no luck. Eventually I swallowed my pride and went to a temp agency where I stumbled into my current line of work.

Over the years I learned my new craft from the ground up. I have technical skills that could only have been gained from coming up through the ranks in my industry plus my education has turned out to be a plus in the long run. I still use the skills I learned in college and graduate school daily (although they are seemingly unrelated to my discipline) and have found that my unique background is what sets me apart from my peers and has allowed me to excel.

No education is wasted, Tobin. I urge you to find something within your 50 mile radius that interests you (even if it seems unrelated to your degree) and do your best. You learned how to learn in college. Just think of a job as college where they pay you and build off the skills you already have.