Why are we learning old knowledge in old ways when we’re going to apply for jobs requiring innovative thinking and new methods?  I’m not bashing my professors.  They were all very knowledgeable, and I learned much from them.  They all had experience in the private sector, but none had worked in industry for years.

My college experience was different from that of many of my peers.  I worked two jobs full time and attended college full time during the evenings, too.  I never went to a party or lived in a dorm.  I graduated at the top of my class, and when I hit the workplace, it was like a bucket of ice water.  I can’t imagine how those that didn’t already have work experience actually handle the leap into the workforce.

But I digress.  The tools and technology utilized in the HR field were never even covered in my college classes.  My first look at a HRIS (human resource information system) was on the first day of my first HR job.  I’m good with technology, but I know that many people don’t have those skills, either.

Steve Boese, a friend and graduate HR professor, teaches his students about the intricacies of the HR technology world.  Mr. Boese often says, “It’s hard to decide what information to include in the class syllabus, because there is so much information available.”  The simple fact that he squeezes as much into a semester as possible, and he still isn’t able to get it all in, shows that at least some of that should be taught to HR students.

Colleges and professors should be preparing HR students by getting them involved in projects that reflect the valuable job skills necessary for a successful career.  Students shouldn’t settle for learning the same stuff other students were taught five years previously.  The world outside college is changing rapidly.  Students will be pushed or pulled into the fast-paced corporate world, whether they like it or not.  However, proper preparation could greatly reduce the difficulty of that transition.

For the students out there, do you think you were adequately prepared?