The Wall Street Journal claims that psychology majors have the lowest career satisfaction rate among a smattering of popular majors. The Journal speculates that this low satisfaction rate might have to do with the need for a graduate degree for most psychology-related jobs.
I don't know the exact survey methodology but I'm skeptical of any poll that claims to measure "satisfaction" with anything.
That said, here's a bit of folklore I'm inclined to believe at least as much as this survey: people choose psychology for their major because they are trying to figure out why they are unhappy. I wouldn't expect these people to wind up miraculously happier about their circumstances, good or bad, after graduation.
But that's my bias. I don't know why psych majors are less satisfied, if they even are. I don't care, either. Why should I? Why should you?
What good does this survey do? None.
What difference does it make? None.
Does it help anybody? No.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the key to surviving this information-soaked age is to be savvy about what you absorb. Ignore this stupid poll and this stupid article. I wish I had.
We poll ourselves too much. Instead of this pointless (and almost certainly misleading) navel-gazing, why don't we do something useful?
Let's tell the pollsters and their clients where to stick their polls. Next time somebody calls to subject you to a poll, just hang up.
When the career satisfaction of pollsters takes a sharp dive, we'll have accomplished something.
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