How to Build Social Capital with a Professor
Going to college is correlated with higher incomes, better health, longer marriages, increased housing and food stability, and generally a stronger sense of well-being. Thousands of Americans enrolled in college currently know this to be true and are approaching their education as more or less an extended job training. A recent survey found that an estimated 43% of undergraduates emerge from this training and find themselves underemployed. Imagine spending upwards of $40,000 on learning a trade and not being able to find a job. This is happening to thousands of graduates every year. Perhaps one way to stem the tide of 20-sometihngs returning home to reclaim their childhood bedroom is to increase the social capital our college graduates possess upon graduation. Estimates vary, but it is clear that today when folks get hired it is far more a result of who they know and not what they know. Getting to know your professors and building mentor relationships with them can produce opportunities for job and other recommendations. These types of benefits are shown to increase potential for finding work among recent graduates. Below, we lay out three ways you can build social capital by working with a professor that are relevant for anyone taking classes in vocational or academic fields.
(IN CLASS) Ask questions when available: As a former professor myself, I can honestly…
