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Communication Studies Paper
In today’s society, educated women are faced with a decision which could seriously
affect their futures: either enter the workforce and climb the ladder or stay at home to raise their
children. Contrary to what many believe, The Huffington Post states that the rate at which
women are entering the workforce has drastically slowed down since 1980 (Baig). In fact,
according to Forbes, many women are seeking the New American Dream at home, raising their
children while a partner supports the family financially (Casserly). Leslie Morgan-Steiner states
“over the past three to five years we’ve seen highly educated women—who we’d imagine would
be the most ambitious—who are going through med school, getting PhDs with the end-goal in
mind of being at home with their kids by age 30” (Casserly). I too share a similar goal with these
women; although I am pursuing a Communications degree and hope to acquire a stable career,
once married I hope to be a homemaker for my husband and children, yet maintain a stable
income. Overall, I value time above all other things and believe that someone’s personal time is
so valuable that it should be spent doing only what one loves or at least enjoys. With this in
mind, either pursuing a career and continuing to move upward or staying at home to raise
children and be a homemaker are viable options for me. Since I consider my strengths to be
connecting with people and maintaining a professional composure, I have the capability to
succeed at whichever path I choose.
When looking at my strengths as a communicator, I consider myself to have a few skills
that not many keep. One skill that I possess is that of connecting with people on a personal level
in a short amount of time. In general, I am capable of finding common interests or interesting
topics of conversation with almost anyone. This skill has assisted me in the workplace within the
service industry throughout the years. In looking at both my personal and professional behaviors,

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I am proactive. I hold an internal locus of control and quickly learn the most effective and
efficient way to proceed with any given situation. Having the ability to quickly connect with
people and being a quick learner due to my proactive attitude allows me to efficiently assist
others, whether in a sales setting, or in event planning. My education has also assisted me in
becoming a strong communicator. Taking courses such as organizational communication and
interpersonal communication, which strengthen my communicating skills within an organization
and among my peers, has allowed me to grow as an individual and as a professional.
With each strength an individual possesses, one also has an equal number of
opportunities to develop. At this early point in my career, I may even possess more opportunities
for growth than I do solidified skills. When researching careers for which I would like to apply,
my opportunities become more apparent. One path to follow would be to pursue a Master’s
Degree upon graduating with my Bachelor’s. This would allow me to specialize more deeply
within the field of Communication and provide me with more experience in the academic sphere.
The Washington Post argues that college graduates are not entering the workforce with the
particular skills to succeed in the business place. The Washington Post states “many employers,
still finds today’s college graduates severely lacking in some basic skills, particularly problem
solving, decision making, and the ability to prioritize tasks” (Sellngo). Considering this, it may
explain the increase in those pursuing a Master’s Degree upon graduating in order to further
develop such skills as problem solving, decision making, and prioritizing tasks. Another
direction to pursue would be to enter the workforce to gain professional experience and further
develop these skills in order to continue to advance further up the career chain. Since many
positions require past experience in a specific career field, it is vital to acquire this experience as
soon as applicable if this is the path that one chooses to follow. Last, perhaps my greatest

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opportunity for growth, both professionally and personally, would be to focus on my internal
wants and needs considering my future. When I think of who I am, I see two conflicting sides
which share the same values but have not yet agreed on a path towards those values; I cannot yet
decide how to spend my time. This particular conflict calls for a need to focus on what path I
want to follow. Some self-discovery may be just what is needed in order to succeed in the future
and be able to pursue happiness.
In reviewing the options of my next steps, a few key commitments must be specified in
order to successfully choose a path to follow. Since I am neither married, nor have any children,
my most logical next step would be to enter the workforce in order to gain professional
experience, sharpen my problem solving, decision making, and prioritizing skills and pursue the
career of my choosing. This will require some commitments on my part: time management,
research on some careers of interest, and finding a suitable work-life balance. Time management
will be essential when finding my work-life balance. 8 Ways To Achieve Better Work-Life
Balance states that although it can feel impossible to achieve, prioritizing will be an important
part in finding this balance (Smith). Time management will also be important when needing to
take time to research different careers that one can have after acquiring a Communications
Degree, and finding the right career will greatly influence my work-life balance. Overall, a
balance between work and a personal life is one of the most important commitments for me to
focus on in order to know where to find fulfillment in my life.
In conclusion, although being an educated woman in society today, will soon force me to
make some very imperative decisions, my strengths as a communicator, my opportunities for
growth, and my commitments to my next steps will guide me to the path for which I am to take.
Being proactive and having the ability to connect with people on a personal level will assist me

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in my focus on career options in order to effectively decide on my next steps. Committing to
finding an appropriate work-life balance will make me a more effective person overall in order to
achieve the goals in which I assign myself.

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Works Cited
Baig, Mehroz. Women in the Workforce: What Changes Have We Made? The Huffington Post,
19 December 2013. Web. October 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mehroz-
baig/women-in-the-workforce-wh_b_4462455.html>.
Casserly, Meghan. Is 'Opting Out' The New American Dream For Working Women? Forbes, 12
September 2012. Web. October 2016.
<http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2012/09/12/is-opting-out-the-new-
american-dream-for-working-women/#559141d93095>.
Sellngo, Jeffrey J. Why are so many college students failing to gain job skills before graduating?
The Washington Post, 26 January 2015. Web. October 2016.
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2015/01/26/why-are-so-many-
college-students-failing-to-gain-job-skills-before-graduation/>.
Smith, Jacquelyn. 8 Simple Steps To Work-Life Balance. Forbes, 18 April 2013. Web. October
2016. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/04/18/8-ways-to-achieve-
better-work-life-balance/#7c397e0a3a25>.