Why are half a million college graduates working minimum wage jobs in America?

Question

Is because they are lazy and rather work easy jobs amd take handouts from the government and use it to steal money from their hardworking employers.

Answer 1

Well, because that's what most of the jobs recently created in the U.S.A. these days are essentially paying. In Northern Europe a McDonald's employee makes about 22.00 an hour, which is oddly enough just shy of where the minimum wage would be right now had it kept up with inflation since it's inception. Most of the current college professors these days (35% w/Masters degrees) are called "adjunct professors" and are pretty much paid minimum wage.

We spend about 153 billion a year in the U.S. through taxes to support people who aren't being payed a livable wage while subsidizing their employers countless times over. And the way we use technology isn't helping either since about half of what used to be middle class jobs will soon be run by software pretty much alone & we've started printing both cars & houses.

Answer 2

Age discrimination works two ways. For a years now, all older generations have been told is how millennials are lazy and worthless. As a result, not many people are willing to hire them. Even less are willing to do on the job training for them. A LOT of older people were given a chance, on the job training, and they either floundered or flourished. I have almost 3 years of administrative experience that I received as a poor college student without a car in school...most companies are unwilling to count my experience while in school as legit experience because it was through work study at school (I was unable to get an off-campus job due to lack of transportation-my college town did not/does not have adequate public transportation). 2.5 years of experience that I'm not allowed to count even though I worked and received raises. So...when someone looks at my resume, all they see is 1 year of experience and at minimum, their jobs require 2-3. Most companies are unwilling to hire people without that experience (experience trumps education in this economy). PLUS, why hire a college grad when you can have a 30 year old with 5-8 years of experience for the same amount of money? There is a surplus of people looking for work which means employers have more choice (something that directly benefits them) unfortunately, because of a larger pool of applicants employers can choose those who have the most experience and still pay them as "entry level" workers.

A small portion is due to people choosing the wrong major. A larger portion is due simply to the sheer number of applicants for each job. I personally was able to make more than minimum, as are most people, but riding the retail/fast food chain isn't exactly what college students think of their lives being after graduation.

Answer 3

The reason why so many American workers are stuck making minimum wage is that we have lost all our well paying manufacturing jobs to China.



The Communist Chinese illegally funded Bill Clinton's 1996 re-election. To return the favor Clinton pushed through a trade deal with China.



Go in Walmart and try to find something that does not say Made in China.



Hillary sat on the Board at Walmart for years.

Answer 4

I can think of several reasons.



They can't find a job in their field because:

There are no jobs available in their field in their area and they have not looked elsewhere.

They chose a degree that is not really employable.

They have not applied for a job in their field yet.

The economy is not great and places aren't hiring.

College was not really for them, they should have chosen to gain a skill at a trade school or community college.

They do not have a good resume and do not interview well.

Answer 5

I guess you have been off-planet for several decades.



There ARE NO JOBS, except minimum wage jobs, on the whole, by and large.



Not only have we been loosing decent jobs for decades, in 2008 we had an economic crisis.



People who have been graduating since that time have taken a life-time, HUGE hit to their life-time earnings as a result.



Only an imbecilic sub-human would blame THEM for the destruction of the economy caused by the country having followed conservative policies since years before they were BORN.

Answer 6

I can't speak for most college graduates, but I can speak for myself. There are not many jobs in my area that will accommodate a disabled person. I am looking and willing to relocate to find a better job in my field. But you're griping about me taking a minimum wage job... Would you rather I go on disability?

Answer 7

Many went to college on a dream of what I want to do. You can educate a person in that field. But if they have no skill in it. They still fail to succeed in it. They think it will be a fun job not a work job. I Myself failed to become educated. But did far better because I had a skill to sell. And worked at it. You see them go to college then change majors and add up the student loans once they figure out they may be educated in that field. But can not use it do to lack of skill in it. So switch to a other field and spend 8 years in college for that min. wage job they still do not have a skill for. Then loose that job and go on welfare in 2 years at 30. To late to go back to school to improve the only skill they have.

Answer 8

Mainly because they chose a field of study that does not directly transfer into employment. How many unemployed engineers do you hear about? Try close to zero. The same is true in many fields of study that prepare you to work when you get out of school. Having a major like psychology, sociology, or anthropology is a horrible idea for most students the number of jobs in the field are vastly outnumbered by the number of degreed applicants.

Answer 9

I did some research to compare our First 3 years of Recovery to the First 3 years of Recovery from the Great Depression. They had a tremendously better unemployment improvement than we have. They had a much more improved GDP (Economic Growth) than we have. And they only had deficits of about 2/3's of what we have accrued (converted to 2011 $$'s) The difference between the 2 Recoveries comes down to one word as far as I'm concerned: Confidence. We lack confidence. Why is that? Well, I'll tell ya. FDR was a leader. He told Americans that we had to work together to Recover. That we ALL had to put out more Effort, make more Sacrifices and take more Risks in order to pull ourselves out of it. He brought us all together with a common cause. And we prevailed. Now compare that Leadership Style to our current President. The President that feels he has to point a finger of blame, unjustly I might add, at a single Sector of Society for the Recession, rather than admit that we did it together. He thinks that only 1% of our Society should put out more Effort, make Sacrifices and take Risks to bring us out of our Recession. That the other 99% need do nothing. Rather than bring us together, he intentionally tries to divide us to achieve his personal goal of power and control and a legacy. We need Confidence. Like FDR or Churchill Confidence. Not viciousness, hatred, vitriol, diatribe and rhetoric.

Answer 10

Why? Because not only are our jobs going overseas but robots are taking over most jobs that are still here! The job market will never be what it used to be but only us average people can make that change but it will be a bit mischievious for a while but good. And education has become a business more than anything else. Like a whore. You pay to get f*cked these days.

Answer 11

They must be morons then.



I haven't worked for minimum wages since high school and didnt go to college.

Answer 12

Obvious they are not lazy and should be praised for working. It will help them get a better job against anyone spending years on his butt and out of government money. His or her boss will most likely give them praise for trying to better themselves as they apply for something better.

Employers are paying according to the skill level they require for the job. Yes I know that McDonald's workers want $15/hr or 30 grand a year for moping the floor but you cannot seriously say they deserve it without laughing at yourself. They may deserve to make much more but not at that job.

Answer 13

It's this awesome economy Obama has brought zooming back to America. The trouble is, with 97 million people out of the job, no one seems to be able to find it. Hmm.

Answer 14

Several reasons although I don't see a link: Obama's recovery is a lie combined with colleges allowing the most worthless degrees ever created.

Answer 15

It's all the result of Obamanomics.



OBAMA

"From 2009 to 2012, the top 1 percent received 95 percent of income gains,"



BUSH

"during the presidency of George W. Bush, the top 1 percent garnered just 65 percent of income growth,"



http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/11/24/obamas_policies_have_helped_wall_st_fat_cats_120768.html#ixzz3YAynqUOr

Answer 16

They studied topics that are worthless.

Anthropology is a popular course. How many anthropologists do we need? Study something that will provide you with a job when you graduate.

Answer 17

Why are you posting online vs. actually working?



Curious minds want to know...

Answer 18

Because min. wage is so high it is no longer an entry level wage.



There are lots of over-qualified people working for min. wage, some because of obamacare laws require business with 30 or more full time employees, so employers are laying off, and reducing hours, but also because the employer can hire a person with work experience for the same price as a first time job seeker with no work expierance.



Youth unemployment is going up because of minimum wage laws, that are supported by democrats.



This is very easy to see when you follow the states and countries with the highest Min. wages.



Australia has the highest min. wage and the highest youth unemployment.

http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/youth-unemployment-rises-to-9year-high-20100813-1221e.html



The state of Washington has the highest min wage and youth unemployment is so high they are considering a "training wage" law.

http://www.klewtv.com/news/local/WA-legislative-bill-targets-youth-unemployment-with-a-training-wage-189285381.html



Minimun wage laws hurt the people that need a job the most. When you cannot get your first job than you are more likely to live a life of poverty.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/05/america-youth-unemployment_n_3219671.html

Answer 19

Maybe they end up with degrees that are useless in the job market