Currently, 8.2% of the labor force in American is unemployed; as it stands right now, we are neck-deep in recovering from one of the worst economic recessions this country has ever experienced (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012). While things have improved since the deepest part of the recession in 2008, the futures of many people of my generation are uncertain; many of us are without jobs, without the means to sustain ourselves, and quickly losing time to gain work experience and connections needed to survive out in the real world. Hope is starting to erode for many of my friends, and I see around me the damage to livelihoods and dreams that economic insolvency can wreak on people I hold very dear to my heart.
Despite these obstacles, I wish to make it my mission to succeed in the world of business. My desire to enter an undergraduate business program is deeply tied to my own need to challenge myself, to make something out of what little I have, and to secure my financial and emotional future. Over the past four years, I have seen older classmates of mine (even fellow National Honor Society members) crash and burn, or struggle to find work in fields that do not suit them or bring any kind of fulfillment. Some are still focusing on academic fulfillment, and not getting the practical education they need in order to gain employment in fields, like business, that will allow them to sustain themselves. These dear friends of mine still wonder if they will get out of debt, or if they will be able to save up enough to buy a new car when their old one eventually breaks down; this kind of economic uncertainty concerns me greatly, and I have resolved myself to be as well-armed for the job market as possible.
I have no idea what the economy will be like four years from now; if it will continue on its current upward trajectory, which is slow but steady, or if it will plummet once again for various reasons. However, I want to be ready for that world once I graduate. If admitted, I plan to use every available opportunity to work, study and learn the ins and outs of business, preparing myself for any eventuality that may occur. Once I graduate, I would then be armed with the experience, education and determination to attack whatever job market awaits me with intense vigor. I firmly believe that the world of business will welcome fresh young minds who dedicate themselves to their craft; it is my utmost desire to count myself among those ranks.
References
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2012). Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population, 1941 to date. BLS.gov.
