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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2019
Opinion
OPINION EDITOR ALYSSA DI SABATINO opinion@thecord.ca
Graduating with the degree that you want JADE HOSICK INCOMING OPINION EDITOR
Many students at one point or another have been told that their field of study is not going to get them jobs after graduation, almost making their undergraduate education worthless, but is this really the case? Having friends in programs ranging from science to drama, I have heard from all ends of the spectrum that the phrase “this won’t get you a job” is pushed onto students a lot, causing them to feel discouraged. And if I’m being completely honest, I don’t think that is fair. When trying to figure out exactly why this is said to incoming or current post-secondary students, I asked my dad why he thinks that this is the case. He responded with something that I have heard from him my entire life. Every person needs to have a plan A and a plan B and so on, a wide range of skills will lead to
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more success and, if you spend four years doing something, you should get rewarded for your efforts with a well-paying job. He also stated that most parents want their kids to experience some sort of success and to be happy, they just need a stable income. While that is a valid case, I think many kids get discouraged when hearing this be said to them. When I was younger, I was always told I could do whatever I want, but the older I got the less probable that seemed to be.
A good friend of mine is currently a drama major and said that being told this by her parents was really discouraging to her. She felt judged for something that she wanted to be doing but was firm in her decision to pursue something that she loved. Now she is thriving because she is doing something that she really wants to be doing. I believe that if you are passionate about something, you can and will achieve anything. You won’t succeed if you are do-
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Is ghosting employers warranted?
ALYSSA DI SABATINO OUTGOING OPINION EDITOR
You’ve probably heard of people ghosting their crappy tinder dates or ghosting on friends they had plans with. Typically, this is looked down upon; no one wants to come off as flaky or unreliable. In recent years, it’s become more common for people to ghost their employers as well. Those who are looking for jobs or who are currently employed are always told to be as courteous
and considerate as possible when it comes to letting your employer know if you can’t make a job interview, are calling in for a day off, or giving two weeks notice before resignation. But often, this consideration isn’t returned. Anyone who has applied to or held a job knows what I’m talking about. Especially now that summer jobs are starting shortly, people are applying to numerous jobs with the hopes of hearing back from at least one. Employees have learned to accept that they won’t always hear back from potential employers after applying to or even interviewing for jobs. Some jobs do respond to applications, but not for months after
the fact. I recently got an email for a job I applied to last spring saying that my application has been declined. Thanks for letting me know, I guess. Even jobs that have “probation” periods are allowed to fire their staff on a whim, without much of an explanation. Everyone’s heard the quote “treat others the way you would like to be treated,” but this notion isn’t always extended by employers to those looking who are for employment. Some people believe that those who ghost jobs are showing that they lack the ability to be civil and professional. I’m not endorsing ghosting your employer. But if you ask me, it’s
ing something you are not invested and passionate about, as proven through my first year at Laurier as a psychology major. In some cases, happiness is more important to people than money is, and it is hard for students to comprehend why some people feel the need to comment on their life decisions that ultimately do not affect them. On another note, many students use their undergraduate degrees to go on to do other post-graduate work. Before applying to Laurier, I was talking to a lot of law school representatives who all said, “spend your undergraduate doing something that you love that will help you get good grades.” This could be anything from music to communications to physics, the schools just wanted your grades and your LSAT scores. This is also true for bachelor of science students who are trying to get into post graduate programs: a strong GPA is important when applying. If this is the case, then students should stop getting judged on what they are using to get to their next phase of life. The job market for all sorts of
fields is huge and while someone might see a certain industry as one thing, there are multiple different jobs that are contributing to that industry. The entertainment industry is not just actors and actresses, but lighting, sound, costume designers and more. With a bachelor of science biology degree, you could go into working as a doctor, at a pharmaceutical company, as a teacher or professor and so many other things. People might look at a degree and think that it’s a one trick pony of sorts, which is not true. In fact, a degree of any kind can get you a multitude of different jobs, as technology advances and different career paths are being created. Being an influencer was not a job 20 years ago, but now with social media, anyone can essentially be apart of that industry. Don’t let people stop you from achieving what you want. Ultimately the choices are yours and yours alone. People giving their opinion is helpful when you’re covering all your bases, but you are the leader of your own life, don’t let people take that away from you.
more of an ironic turn of events that employees are beginning to dish back what they’ve been served. The job market is strong right now and there are opportunities everywhere, so if you’re not happy with where you’ve landed, who’s to say that you can’t just take off again? Last summer I was fastidiously looking for a job, and it took me weeks of searching and dead-end interviews to finally land something. I found employment after an extensive interview process for a minimum wage retail job. An hour in on my second day on the job, I was sent home. I guess I wasn’t performing to their standards — which, might I add, were pretty high standards for my literal second day at a low-end retail store. They told me they’d call me, but after an entire weekend of me waiting for them to contact me, and then subsequently trying to contact them myself, I got the hint. They were purposefully ignoring me with the hopes that I’d come in for my next shift with a renewed perspective, and put in even more work than before. I didn’t want to give in to their twisted business practice, so I skipped my shift on Monday. They had sent me home without specifying whether I should come back or not, so I didn’t. I know I’m not a bad employee and that them sending me home was completely unwarranted. Shortly after, I started working for a renowned Canadian charity, who were much better employers.
In my case those employers kind of ghosted me first, but I think it proves my point regardless. If employers are stringing you along or devaluing your work, do they really deserve your courtesy?
If employers are stringing you along or devaluing your work, do they really deserve your courtesy?
When an employer ghosts you, there’s really no take-away from that experience, except the feeling that you’re not worth their time. I’m not even going to disagree with those who say ghosting employers is unprofessional, because yeah, it can be. But they’ll get over it. There are countless people looking for employment, and even more jobs waiting for people to apply to them. While I do think it’s poor practice to forgo calling in sick or jilting your employer altogether, I think ghosting can be justified in certain situations. It’s always in your best interest to evaluate the situation and weigh whether it’s worth it to ghost your employer. While it’s a pretty solid way to burn bridges at your old workplace, the grass may be greener on the other side, or at the next job.