The Openness and Awareness Index
Objective: To provide insight into your openness to opportunities and knowledge of basic economic facts. Both are critical traits for recent college graduates to practice as they claim responsibility for transitioning from college to work.
Directions: Part I—Economic Issues: For each of the following questions, write down true or false after each one. For each correct question, assign yourself five points.
1. Approximately 40 percent of college graduates from 2013 and 2014 had a first job that paid them less than $25,000 a year.
2. Approximately 60 percent of American workers have a job that pays less than $20 an hour, which is equivalent to earning less than $41,600 a year.
3. Generally speaking, a recent college graduate will have 10 to 14 jobs by the time they are 38 years of age.
4. The number of people with a master’s degree who received food stamps almost tripled from 101,682 to 293,029, and the number of PhDs on public assistance substantially increased from 9,776 to 33,655 during 2007 to 2010.
5. For young college graduates, the unemployment rate is currently 8.5 percent (compared with 5.5% in 2007), and the underemployment rate is 16.8 percent (compared with 9.6% in 2007).
Economics Issues Score: ____________
To grade your responses, please find the answers below the explanations.
Directions: Part II—Personal Issues: For each of the following statements, use the scale below to assign yourself one to five points for how much you agree with each item.
Do Not Agree (1); Rarely Agree (2); Sometimes Agree (3); Often Agree (4); Agree (5)
1. No one person will understand why they should hire me until I communicate my value in a clear and concise manner.
2. Networking is fundamental to my career success, so I actively network in person and online via LinkedIn and other platforms.
3. Long-term income potential is related to grit and ambition more than any specific major, minor, or academic certification.
4. In today’s ever-changing global marketplace, it is likely that I will pursue several dream jobs throughout my career.
5. Today’s economy is hypercompetitive, so I am willing to start at the bottom of an organization and work my way up over time.
Personal Issues Score: ____________
Open and Aware: You have an open mind regarding potential career opportunities and possess an awareness of the current economic situation. An open mind will help you identify or create opportunities as you launch your career. Maintaining an open mind can help you develop the personal skills and traits required to successfully launch and then maintain a career over decades. An awareness of the current economic situation can provide much needed perspective as you consider various job opportunities and career paths. Staying current on issues such as salaries, benefits, and other career-related topics can shed some important light on new opportunities. Ultimately, transitioning from college to work is your responsibility, not your employer’s. Your open mind and knowledge about the economy can help as you move forward.
Open and Unaware: You have an open mind regarding potential career opportunities but lack an awareness of the current economic situation. An open mind will help you identify or create opportunities as you launch your career. Maintaining an open mind can help you develop the personal skills and traits required to successfully launch and then maintain a career over decades. An awareness of the current economic situation can provide much needed perspective as you consider various job opportunities and career paths. Staying current on issues such as salaries, benefits, and other career-related topics can shed some important light on new opportunities. Ultimately, transitioning from college to work is your responsibility, not your employer’s. Work on learning more about the economy while maintaining your open mind. Doing so could help your transition to work go more smoothly.
Closed and Unaware: You have a closed mind regarding potential career opportunities and lack an awareness of the current economic situation. An open mind will help you identify or create opportunities as you launch your career. Maintaining an open mind can help you develop the personal skills and traits required to successfully launch and then maintain a career over decades. An awareness of the current economic situation can provide much needed perspective as you consider various job opportunities and career paths. Staying current on issues such as salaries, benefits, and other career-related topics can shed some important light on new opportunities. Ultimately, transitioning from college to work is your responsibility, not your employer’s. Work on learning more about the economy and opening your mind to new opportunities that others provide. You should also consider learning how to create your own opportunities. Doing so could help your transition to work go more smoothly.
Closed and Aware: You have a closed mind regarding potential career opportunities but have an awareness of the current economic situation. An open mind will help you identify or create opportunities as you launch your career. Maintaining an open mind can help you develop the personal skills and traits required to successfully launch and then maintain a career over decades. An awareness of the current economic situation can provide much needed perspective as you consider various job opportunities and career paths. Staying current on issues such as salaries, benefits, and other career-related topics can shed some important light on new opportunities. Ultimately, transitioning from college to work is your responsibility, not your employer’s. Work on opening your mind to new opportunities that others provide. You should also consider learning how to create your own opportunities. Doing so could help your transition to work go more smoothly.
Answers to the True and False questions are all true.