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I teach at two universities and require my students to do a Plan B paper. When I announce the assigment, I say to the class "Suppose, for example, you majored in public relations. There are no public relations jobs when you graduate or every PR agency went under. What are you going to do?". Well, you have developed skills ie writing, pitching (calling journalists and trying place your client in a particular story or article). Are those skills transferable. You bet. You could write for a blog, publication or write ad copy for an ad agency. With the pitching skills you started to develop in a college PR program or internship, you could sell almost anything for any company.
Until you get a job, you could have a few hundred announcement cards made up regarding your new public relations practice and try to get freelance work. OR You could work for a franchise and organize jewelry (or any product) parties.
Keeping your skills strong and making sure your name is always out there is critical. When the economy recovers (and it will), you want people to remember your name and what a hard working, creative individual you are. After all, you were always out there, plugging away.
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"Plan B" sounds like a great way to get college students to think about the future and come up with alternatives when your dream job seems to only be in your dreams!
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong in pursuing your dream job and don't let anyone step on your dream. Sometimes, you have to put your dream on hold due to personal or economic realities.
ReplyDeleteDeveloping alternative income sources can be temporary and can help in your overall game plan. Having a Plan B opens up new ideas and contacts.
I even think the plan B is useful for non college students (graduates). Everyone isn't fortunate to go to college therefore their Plan B might be tougher or easier depending on how you look at it. i think "Plan B" is so simplistic in its nature that it is a concept that could be taught at the elementary and highschool levels.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Plan B, should be administered in everyones lifes whether or not he or she is looking for a dream job or just trying to find something use to do. One should always keep motivated and wanting more for themselves whether its using the skills u have or learning from others with experience.
ReplyDeleteI believe its such a good idea, being young we are often most times naive, we enter college with the goal of working hard to achieve our dream job when we graduate and never think about the what ifs. I am not saying we should give up our dreams and settle but life sucks sometimes and never turn out the way we planned so having a Plan B is like having a safety net for future obstacles that may come our way. To be successful we have a safe guard against the worst
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ReplyDeleteI personally believe that Plan B is a good idea. Even if the economy is in good shape or bad shape, if jobs are available or not, college graduates or anyone that has ambition should reach for the stars and utilize any talents that he or she has to make that extra dollar. Nothing is wrong with making money on the side during a struggling economy, so I agree with professor Bruce 100%
ReplyDeleteDeveloping a back-up plan is a good way to approach career planning and life in general! It is essential to think of multiple approaches to your future. My career for example has thousands of applications that are received by health professional programs each year and most of these programs are highly competitive. If im not admitted to the program of my choice, it is in my best interest to have an equally exciting Plan B to fall back on.
ReplyDeleteI am glad see to the response. Plan B is about alternatives. A little extra thought goes a long way in your career (and life).
ReplyDeleteI also agree that plan B is good idea for everyone to have. It’s a good idea for young college student to believe in their dreams but also realize that sometimes your dream can't come true and have to have a backup plan. How the economy is today everyone should have a backup plan even if they had their job for thirty years. At the end of the day you have to look out for yourself and your family.
ReplyDeleteI believe it’s a good idea to have a plan B for anyone regardless of the field you are majoring in. Professor Bruce makes a good point even if there are no jobs out their after you graduate, you have learned many skills that you can use until you find the job you are looking for. Doing those side jobs like writing a blog or even writing ads for an ad agency’s can give you experience and help with networking with people that can land you your job.
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ReplyDeleteI believe plan B is a great idea becuase one never knows what the future may hold in regards to ur designated job field. One year it may be the hottest field and then the next it may be over competitive and crowded. This is just one of many reasons that I think Plan b is a great idea.
ReplyDeleteWithout a Plan B you are like the old saying goes."A Man Without A Plan, Plans To Fail" Maybe Professor Bruce is on to something I think his idea of a plan B separates the lazy people from those who actual are about something. As a college student i would rather work for less money and have and income learning a new task or what i refer to as resume building than collect unemployment. Being able to multi task is the name of the game. When i was a manager i would go to bat for my employee's that were able to do more than asked it made my job a lot easier and i would always refer them for upcoming positions. "That's not my job attitude" is not a Plan B but plan for failure..................
ReplyDeleteWriting a "PLAN B" is not only a great idea, but it is a smart idea. It is true what Professor Bruce wrote in this blog. What if the major you are studying for doesn't have any upcoming job openings? Or what if it is not a demanding field during a specific time of the economy? It is always good to have a Plan B. Every skill developed throughout one's life is important and essential for any job or career.
ReplyDelete- Esther Oh
Plan B is a great concept to sharpen the skills you already have. It cant hurt to put yourself out there by writing blogs and such. You never know, this may be a great way to network and could present new opportunites you normally wouldnt be exposed to.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Bruce,
ReplyDeleteYou're definately right! Thanks for the advice.
That's a good point. Even if you cannot find work right away it's a good idea to do something in a relatable field in order to make sure you don't lose your skills. You want you skills to be sharp for when you do find some work. Networking is also absolutely a great way to get your name out there. With so much competition out there its not what you know, but who you know sometimes.
ReplyDeleteHaving a Plan B is a great idea because without one, you could be up the creek without a paddle. It is hard enough to find a job right out of college, especially in this economy.Keeping your skills sharp will help when you find a new job. Making sure you keep your name out there is very important because you never know who might hear of you and want you as a part of their team when the economy gets better
ReplyDeleteDaniel Naples
I believe everyone should have a Plan-B because nothing in life is guaranteed, and there is nothing wrong with have a safety net job in mind. As said in the main post it is always smart to stay within your degree if you have that as an option. If that is not an option then you should as least find a job that utilizes your newly acquired skills in which you could also expand and grow so when your dream job does become available you will be even more qualified for the job.
ReplyDeleteThe plan-b idea is something that everyone should have no matter how old. Things in life dont always go the way that you plan. By having a back up plan, you will not me stuck when the time comes. Dreams are great to have and follow. But if dreams fail, people need another plan in life. Dreams are great to have, to have the perfect job, but sometimes this so called perfect life does not happen. Having a plan b is a smart move.
ReplyDeleteHaving a plan B is a great idea. I think that people should have a plan B for anything they persue. Not only is it a good back up plan but its also a good way to develope a diverse set of skills.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Bruce, is correct in what he stated about always having a plan B. This is a great idea just for the fact that he stated in case you don't get the job you want right away you always have something to fall back on. You always want your skills to be sharp, so when the job pops up you want your ready to go.
ReplyDeletePlan B is exactly what it is; a Plan B. It isn't a great idea, it isn't some tool you might want to use, but rather it is an essential. Years ago when the economy was flourishing and businesses were growing, people lost the vision of good planning. It was almost as if people knew what ever they got into was going to work. We filled our selves with the imaginary belief that nothing will ever fail, and things will always work. Well as we all found out and contrary to our beliefs nothing in life is guaranteed. You’re not guaranteed a job when you graduate, you’re not guaranteed to keep the job if you get it, and you’re not guaranteed a smooth sailing life for ever. You will meet obstacles, and you will have to overcome challenges. In order for you to do this successfully you need a plan B! A plan B is essential in preparing you in case your primary plan doesn’t work. A plan B allows you to continue on a chosen path without having to slow your momentum, and it also shows all others that nothing stopped you from “plugging away”. A plan A is great, but a plan B is crucial. A man with out Plan B in my eyes is a man with out a plan period.
ReplyDeleteIt's always good to have other skills in something else because you don't know how the job market will be. You are competing with many other students and it is tough out there. Getting another degree is not always a bad idea because you have something to fall back on. You also could build on new skills for a job. Having a second job will help in the future.
ReplyDeletePLAN B, it is a great idea!!! I am a junior at psy major an a lot of people keep telling me that is not a lot of work when i graduate, that why i choose that major .... sometimes i get intimidated but to be honest thats what i like and my mom always told me choose whatever you like because that is what you will be doing the rest of your life. But know i read this and i think waittt... i have differents alternative i just have to look for, and that will be my plan b!
ReplyDeleteI also think Plan B is a great idea. I definitely think everyone should consider Plan B. You always have to be prepared for the worse. Life is never perfect, and nowadays economy doesn't look that good, eventually it will get better but you can't just sit and wait until the job market will improve. Also having an extra experience or a job will definitely not hurt you in the future. You have to take action, and just like Prof. Bruce mentioned "When the economy recovers (and it will), you want people to remember your name and what a hard working, creative individual you are".
ReplyDeleteif we want to be successful we must have a plan-B. we don't know what is the future look like, the economy always up and down and it's hard for us to find the dream job after graduation.i really don't mind to work in a restaurant or in a construction company to gain some experience.even if i find a job in my career i will have another job or a small business as a back-up. i agree 100% that plan-B is a good idea because we can't predict the economic future.
ReplyDeleteThis story Professor Bruce i think you wrote for me. I have applied to 62 jobs within the past week and have not recieved any notification about any of them. Due to my other skill as a track runner i have been able to get a job as an assistant coach for Kean though. It may not have been my first choice out of college but it puts money in my pocket until i find something for me. Plus i am able to work with the sport i love.
ReplyDeleteReggie makes an excellent point. He may not get his first choice of jobs right out of college. He found something else that he likes to do (maybe not quite as much). It does not mean his first choice is gone forever. He may just have to put it on hold for a while.
ReplyDeleteI believe that having a worthwhile goal in life is more important than anything else. That is because you only have one life to live and if you will not know what to do with your life other people will take control over your life. And is there anything worse than not being in control of you own life? But if you do have a goal, it is not a matter of “if” but “when” and “how” you will get there. Of course, it is naïve to expect that everything will be the way you plan it to be. In fact the chances are that it will not. For this reason you must create a backup plans (not only one but few). However, when making those backup plans you should keep your goal in mind and only alter the way you plan to get to your goal not the goal itself.
ReplyDeletePlan B should be the oppertunity to learn unique skills to combine with traditional school-learn skills you already have. I am a management major, but through my life i learn how to do things in agricultural field. The broader diverse person knows how to get out of a tough economic situation. Back-up plan can become best situation for a person if person learns to love there new business.
ReplyDeleteThe plan B paper is indeed a good idea because so many times people have tunnel vision when it comes to what they want in life. Some of these very people, despite their efforts never get to that job or opportunity that they so desperately dreamed of having and because there was no plan B they often get stuck at dead end jobs or no job at all. There is nothing wrong with striving for what you want but you should always have a plan B or even a plan C to rely on, should things end up not going as planned
ReplyDeletePlan B is a necessity for everyone whether you are a student about to graduate to a person who was just laid off. The bills aren’t going to stop coming because you stopped working, so having a back up is very important to everyone.
ReplyDeleteHaving that back up plan is key. These times are rough and you have to have some sort of backup plan if your first option doesnt work. Dont ever limit yourself you what you can do, and you want people to know you can do many different things.
ReplyDeleteprofessor bruse brings up a very interesting point. just because you went to school for one thing does not mean you are stuck in that feild or it doesnt even mean you will get a job in that feild. my mothere was an economic major and all of her jobs really had nothing to do with her major.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn’t matter what you major in as much. Most of people do not work in their field. Most of skills that we learn in college are transferable, so after graduation we can do all kinds of different jobs besides looking for one in our major. It is it is usually only about getting a diploma.
ReplyDeleteI agree that a Plan B is essential in any aspect in life, especially with your career. With the global recession affecting every industry, there is a great chance that you may not be able to succeed in your chosen profession. But honing your skills while waiting for an opening is important.
ReplyDeletePlan B is extremely important when determining an alternate path in one's career when their initial career path(Plan A) falls through or is unattainable. It is crucial to have a fall back plan in order to stay ahead of the curve and remain fit in a society that is constantly changing technologically. Everyone should have a Plan B because certain circumstances or problems can eliminate an individual's Plan A. Plan B greatly helps one determine their future plans.
ReplyDeletePlan B is something every student needs to think about. Things never turn out as planned and so many things can happen to your planned career. It is necessary to at least have thought about a plan B.
ReplyDeleteI agree that in these current economic times that it's important to continue putting your name out there so that when things do recover that people will remember your persistence, image, hardwork etc.
ReplyDeleteCareers very seldomly turn out the way that we envision when we first enter the workforce, having the ability to apply skills from one job and industry to another is extremely important.
Peter is right. Things do not always turn out as planned. Thinking about an alernative gets you prepared
ReplyDeleteWhile counter to what most professors and parents prep you for, this is an important aspect to look at. Rarely, if ever, do things go completely according to plan. Whether a little or a lot, most people have to resort to Plan B, C, or even D.
ReplyDeleteHaving a "Plan B" in today's economy is very important, especially for students coming out of college who may not necessarily get a job in their first career choice. However, working with your "Plan B" may help you develop skills that can be added to your resume when you try for your first career choice again.
ReplyDeleteThe important lesson to be learned from the most recent recession is to not limit yourself to one skill set. By obtaining another skill set (i.e. through a graduate degree or continued learning program), you are diversifying the risk of a downturn in your profession.
ReplyDelete