College degrees are meaningless

In the 20th century, getting a college degree was a big deal. Few people did it, and those who did were rewarded with high paying jobs as well as job security. Sadly, that is not the case anymore.

In our current 21st century economy, practically everyone has or is getting a college degree, whether they need it or not. High schools used to have different tracks to cater to various students' needs and ambitions. Nowadays, there is only one track: the college preparatory track. All students are pushed to go to college because that is just how things are done, even if you cannot afford it. We even made it easier to earn college degrees without ever setting steps on a college campus. Just take all of your courses online. The reality is that college degrees are meaningless in today's economy. Sure, you are expected to have one the way people used to expect you to have a high school diploma, but it won't guarantee you a job like it used to.

Fortunately, there are a things you can do to help you get a job in today's competitive economy and set yourself apart from everyone else.

1. The first thing you can do is have a website and/or blog related to your intended field. Not only do these artifacts show that you have skills with technology, they also indicate initiative while allowing you to showcase your work. They also show that you are staying active and current in your field as opposed to resting on your degree.
2. Get as many internships as you can before you graduate. Again, this shows that you have initiative and also means that you have experience in the field when you graduate. If you are a programmer, you need to establish a GitHub account immediately. Start working on some open source projects that strike your interest to build up your credibility as a programmer.
3. Create a LinkedIn profile and start networking with all the different professional groups on it.

Having a college degree and a good GPA is a given by employers, and the truth is neither are very hard to do. Doing the above things is what will make your resume shine. Doing some or all of the above will propel your chances of getting a job exponentially. That is, until everyone else figures it out, too.