New Yorker cover hits the nail on the head for new graduates

[noneko]

“My first job after graduation was as a waiter in a Times Square steak house. It lasted eight years,” R. Kikuo Johnson said, of his cover for this week’s issue, “Commencement.” “Around this time of year, I’d see lots of caps and gowns coming into the restaurant with their proud parents. Those were definitely moments of reflection.” Johnson graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, in 2003. He now supports himself as an artist and lives in Brooklyn. After an initial move to Williamsburg, he’s on his second combination studio/living space in Bed-Stuy: “My rent is good right now and I’m not worried—the landlord likes me,” he said with a smile. He also commutes to Providence, Rhode Island, to teach at his alma mater: “It’s not just me—I’d say most of the other teachers at RISD are also alumni. That’s what made me think of this image.”

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/cover-story-2016-05-30

It's interesting to see all the different covers over the last 100 years. Shows how a degree is worthless now.

[madokie]

1. Most all the good paying jobs have been traded away

Thanks to a certain ex-president.

[LiberalArkie]

2. This one is the saddest one to me for some reason.

[L. Coyote]

18. I know, six bucks for a magazine, just scandalous. And, it has gotten worse since then.

[elfin]

3. A faithful subscriber for over 40 years --

Just love it. When prices got out of sight, I planned for an hour to get thru the phone labyrinth to speak to a "real" person and then explain the treasure of being a long-term subscriber to obtain at least $20 off the best deal publicized.

My second fave is Vanity Fair, but that is really inexpensive, due to heavy ad buys.

Love the Borowtz Report as well on the FaceBook newsfeed.

[Triana]

4. The image...

[Lordquinton]

7. Grounds keepers on a college campus?

Not a bad job really.

I understand what they are trying to say, but I think this misses the mark.

[Recursion]

14. I have a friend with a BA in Forestry who does that

Absolutely loves his job, decent pay (for Mississippi, at least), and great benefits.

[Lordquinton]

16. Union there?

I'm in a landscaping program and many people go from there to the groundskeepers on campus, it's a great place to get experience and still be somewhat 'safe' in your job before heading out for your own business.

This cartoon failed to make it's point. (And anyone who thinks it did needs to look at their perspective, we see grounds keeping as a "bad" profession right now because guess who mostly fills that job?)

[Brickbat]

19. Misses the mark, and classist to boot.

[Lordquinton]

21. Exactily

Borderline racist, as a majority of landscaping jobs are filled by Hispanic, often immigrants.

[GummyBearz]

24. I think it makes a point but it is in bad taste as you rightfully point out

-former landscaper of 4 years

[SickOfTheOnePct]

5. Much of it depends on the major

My oldest daughter just graduated from college a couple of weeks ago, and she had a job lined up before she started her senior year last fall.

[pnwmom]

6. Artists have never had great job prospects, unfortunately. People with college degrees

still have better options than those with only high school.

[LisaM]

8. As an English major, I didn't expect that degree = job.

I do value my degree, though. It's been an asset, even though the benefits aren't really financial. I sometimes think people are pursuing college for the wrong reasons. Obviously this isn't the same if you are going to medical or law school, but the professions are in a different bucket.

[FairWinds]

9. What Lisa said . .

Education and learning are never "worthless." Quite the contrary.

And it is really sad that so many DUer's apparently agree with that sentiment.

[enough]

10. Actually, this artist has done pretty well for himself with his degree from RISD.

He's able to "support himself as an artist," which not many artists can do, has a job teaching at his old school, and has a cover on the New Yorker, which is a pretty good gig for any graphic artist. He should feel good, and it sounds like he does.

[TexasBushwhacker]

26. I thought the same thing

Even the best young artists go through a period of having day jobs (or night jobs) to pay the rent.

[Odin2005]

11. This is why we Millennials are being demonized as "lazy" and "entitled".

We are fed up and the PTB are scared because we refuse to accept our lot.

[Brickbat]

12. New grads might have to take entry-level jobs that aren't in their specialty?

Huh.

[noneko]

15. Unless said entry-lvl jobs require 2-5 yrs of prior exp of course.

Then they can't get a job at all in any specialty.

[Brickbat]

22. There are jobs out there aimed at college grads with little to no experience.

[Act_of_Reparation]

17. When is the last time you searched for an entry level job?

Good luck finding one that doesn't require 3-5 years of professional experience.

[Brickbat]

20. A quick google found plenty.

ETA: I mean 15 minutes ago.

[noneko]

23. Trust me, many apply to these

and you're less than 1% likely to get it.

Especially if you have a Latino or African American name because of unconscious bias.

[Recursion]

13. In 1992 they ran a cartoon with a graduate holding a sign "Will Toil For Sustenance"

This isn't a new worry

[Eleanors38]

25. I got a job as a part-time instructor upon finishing my M.Ed. I was lucky.

That lasted for 3 years with no end in sight. Eventually, I self-apprenticed as an auto mechanic, a move which brought me more income before or since. I don't regret spending 6 years at two major universities; income isn't everything. But if one wants to settle into a career track requiring a degree(s), odds are aganst you, now. With costs for school so high, I cannot recommend carte blanche getting a four-year degree if incme and a secure career are your goals. In those terms, my most "productive" education was a typing course and an array of high school industrial arts courses.