Career for Dummies by Rebecca

Career for Dummies by Rebecca - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

My peers and I have a lot in common. Even though we all like to think that we know everything there is to know about the world, the truth is: we don’t. There are lots of things my graduating high school peers need to know, yet somehow these topics never get discussed in the classroom. Topics such as job interviews and resume building seem straight-forward to our elders who have been through the process before. Yet whether it be due to lack of communication on the school’s part or lack of interest on the students’ part, this vital knowledge doesn’t get shared the way it should. This is why every high school student should read Career for Dummies.

Yes, you heard me right. Students should be required to read a book that could be considered low in literary composition not for the sake of bettering their literary analysis skills, but for the sake of their future. If required to read this book, students would learn crucial information such as how to correctly participate in an interview and how to correctly format a resume. Knowing these things may seem like a no-brainer to most people, but there are few who slide through high school without learning. Knowing how to properly conduct oneself in a professional manner correlates positively with being able to obtain and impress potential employers. While some schools, mine included, have leadership classes that teach some of these principles, there are situations in which extra exposure is needed. All high school students should read Career for Dummies to prepare themselves for the events that will come in a short while.

We students focus so much of our attention studying synecdoche, polysyndeton and other convoluted literary techniques that, unless we become literature majors, frankly won’t be remembered years from now. While I agree that it is important to be knowledgeable enough to write in an educated manner, our attention should be focused on learning life techniques, too.

While Career for Dummies may not be the most profound novel to require future high school grads to read, it shares with them valuable lessons that will be put into use after graduation. After all, it is important to be prepared for college— not just in academics, but also in real life.