A somewhat depressing take on the job market for recent college graduates from Chris Isidore of CNN Money: About 60% of recent graduates have not been able to find a full-time job in their chosen profession, according to job placement firm Adecco.....Last year, the unemployment rate for college graduates age 24 and younger rose to 9.4%, the highest since the Labor Department began keeping records in 1985.....Adecco also found that 18% of recent grads have been forced to turn to full-time jobs outside their field of study, often jobs for which a college degree is not required. The term … [Read more...] about The Great Recession’s “Lost Generation”
Survey on Where and Why We Buy Books (and E-Books)
Tim Challies published his annual survey for 2011. Not surprisingly, e-books are growing. I was most intrigued by this question: It seems that those who start using e-readers, for the most part, want to use them more, not less, in the future. Check out the entire survey. … [Read more...] about Survey on Where and Why We Buy Books (and E-Books)
Surviving vs. Thriving (at College)
I wrote a guest post for the Tyndale House Publishers blog today. Here's how it starts: You’ve heard the statistics: 80% of Christians fall away from their faith during college. Watch out for the party scene. Don’t run with the wrong crowd. Don’t experiment with drugs. Don’t cut class. Don’t flunk out. Don’t get pregnant. Don’t get someone pregnant. I don’t know about you, but when I went to college, it seemed so many of the messages were well-intended warnings of what terrible dangers awaited me away from home. The goal, it seemed, was survival. Read the rest of it. … [Read more...] about Surviving vs. Thriving (at College)
Who is responsible for academic plagiarism?
My friend Nick Kennicott was kind enough to post a penetrating question in response to my last post about the industry built around plagiarism. Nick pointed out that "Ed Dante" argued (towards the end of his article) that the academic system tolerates if not encourages plagiarism. Can a case be made that universities are to blame? This strikes me as a complex subject, and one of those times where blogging helps me formulate and develop my thoughts. Here's where I'm at for now, and I welcome any new insights: 1. The reward system for faculty at some schools is all about research, not … [Read more...] about Who is responsible for academic plagiarism?
Why is Thriving at College so long?
A few people have raised the question to me in some form or another: "Why is Thriving at College so long? I'd like to give it to my high school graduates, but I'm not sure they'd read it." Though I've replied to a few e-mails and blog posts, I thought this might be a good place to summarize my thoughts. Thriving at College is intended to be comprehensive in its scope. Other books have given in-depth treatment to the intellectual challenges Christians face from atheism and relativism, particularly in secular university environments. I wanted to address these matters, but I also wanted to … [Read more...] about Why is Thriving at College so long?
John Piper on the marks of a spiritual leader
In case you've never seen this 1995 document, check it out. It's outstanding. Much of it can be applied to the Christian leader in a variety of environments, including the business world. Here's the list of character qualities he unpacks: 1. Restless 2. Optimistic 3. Intense 4. Self-controlled 5. Thick-skinned 6. Energetic 7. A Hard Thinker 8. Articulate 9. Able to Teach 10. A Good Judge of Character 11. Tactful 12. Theologically Oriented 13. A Dreamer 14. Organized and Efficient 15. Decisive 16. Perseverant 17. A Lover 18. Restful … [Read more...] about John Piper on the marks of a spiritual leader