Graduating College

[wvuwhat]

Ok, so I'm done with school. Drove back from Morgantown, WV (WVU) to Northern Virginia (home) yesterday. The whole way home I'm just kicking myself, because of the fact that I had this great idea in my mind that I would be coming back "home" to a job.

Well, needless to say that didn't happen. I had some interviews, which for all intensive purposes were just a formality, because I would be told at the end the company wasn't hiring in the economy. It's very disheartening.

The funny thing is, out of my friends that are graduating (on time mind you...) I only know 1 person with a job lined up. It just seems to be a poor time to graduate. I'm looking daily, and my goal is to apply for 3 jobs a day. I have some networks I can take advantage of, but wasn't able to do at school, so I have to get on that now that I'm at home.

Has anyone been in this situation? Any suggestions? The only thing I seem to have going for me is I'm in the Northern V.A./D.C. area thats seems to be weathering this storm a little better than the rest of the country as a whole.

 

[Ntombi]

No job advice beyond your current plans, but congratulations on graduating.

 

[chstr]

I would suggest going to graduate school if you can. The job market is bleak. I just got a job only making 70k and I have 2 masters degrees.

The bachelors degree is the new high school diploma. Caongrats on graduating high school!

I kid, but seriously, consider more education

 

[wvuwhat]

I would suggest going to graduate school if you can. The job market is bleak. I just got a job only making 70k and I have 2 masters degrees.

The bachelors degree is the new high school diploma. Caongrats on graduating high school!

I kid, but seriously, consider more education

Funny thing is, that seems to be the new "in" thing. While I have nothing against it, I just would feel weird. I really was growing tired of school and not starting a career. I gave up a manager job in the golf industry (online and brick and mortar) making more money than the jobs I'm looking at now. And that was in high school... I went to college under the presumption I'd be better off. 80K for school and this economy later, I'm second guessing my decision. Worst case scenario, I got a decent score on the GRE as a fallback plan, may have to do it.

 

[spencers]

Funny thing is, that seems to be the new "in" thing.

No. You just need to get with the times! Gone are the days where a high school diploma will get you a job. Gone (more recently) are the days where a college bachelors degree will get you a good job. Gotta get more education. Too many people nowadays are getting bachelors. Now you have to make yourself more desirable by taking the next step!

 

[Surely]

For all intents and purposes, spencers is right.

When the economy is in the crapper, it's the best time to upgrade your education, so that when things get better, you have more qualifications than anyone else for whatever it is that you want to do. It's all about your marketability.


Congrats on graduating.

 

[Fake Hipster]

For all intents and purposes, spencers is right.

When the economy is in the crapper, it's the best time to upgrade your education, so that when things get better, you have more qualifications than anyone else for whatever it is that you want to do. It's all about your marketability.


Congrats on graduating.

Disagree about grad school unless you really know what you want to do. Why put yourself further in debt just to kill time? Find a job, confront real life. I graduated last year and its been hard, but good.

 

[Surely]

Disagree about grad school unless you really know what you want to do. Why put yourself further in debt just to kill time? Find a job, confront real life. I graduated last year and its been hard, but good.

I don't think I said to just spin a wheel and go wherever it lands. Obviously you need to know what you want to do first.

It's not about killing time- it's about increasing your fair market value.

 

[barr08]

I don't think I said to just spin a wheel and go wherever it lands. Obviously you need to know what you want to do first.

It's not about killing time- it's about increasing your fair market value.

No...killing time is exactly the problem we're trying to help with in this thread. I really don't think people are suggesting to go to grad school because it will make it easier for him to find a job, but rather because it will eliminate the need for him to find a job.

 

[rhsgolfer33]

No...killing time is exactly the problem we're trying to help with in this thread. I really don't think people are suggesting to go to grad school because it will make it easier for him to find a job, but rather because it will eliminate the need for him to find a job.

No, people are suggesting grad school because in many fields and advanced degree is very desirable. Sure, it will help him to kill time, but in a productive way that will likely result in increased earnings and ease of access to desirable jobs in the future. Most of the surveys that are highlighted (such as the census) to get students to earn a bachelors degree, because of increase earnings, also point to about a $10,000 difference in earnings between a bachelors degree and a masters degree, so yeah, its pretty likely that his fair market value will increase a good bit just by spending 1-2 years more in school. He'll avoid a difficult job market, get an advance degree, and more than likely will make more in the long run. Plus, if the job market is still down when he is done, he may be able to pick up some type of teaching job at a small local university or a community college, since the minimum degree requirement to teach at that level is usually a masters degree.

It might help to know what field the OPs degree is in.

 

[Surely]

No...killing time is exactly the problem we're trying to help with in this thread. I really don't think people are suggesting to go to grad school because it will make it easier for him to find a job, but rather because it will eliminate the need for him to find a job.

I don't think that's the point people were trying to make in this thread at all.

People suggested further education in order to increase his qualifications, not so he can d*ck around for a couple more years until the economy is better. The probability that it will take a couple of years until job markets improve just makes a decision of going back to school make sense-- if you can't find a job (because there aren't many or any openings), improve yourself so that when there are jobs again you will be more qualified than other people (or as qualified).

You can kill time for a couple of years by doing nothing or working part-time at Starbucks- why suggest going back to school and spending more money just to kill time?

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I have debated about going back to school and quickly appoaching the point were I will.

Mind you my bachlor degree carries a lot more weight than your basic college degree. Reason being is it in a degree in engineering and from the college of engineering. Still market sucks right now and even worse for new grads because they are facing people with 1-2 years of experince that have the same degree looking for a job. That 1-2 years of experience person salary is about the same a new grad but they will make the company a hell of a lot more money and a profitable in weeks instead of months. A new colllege grad the going rate is they are unprofible to a company for the first 3-6 months.

 

[joshbing]

My wife and I are in the same boat. We both graduated with our bachelors last week and are doing the job hunt thing. She got a degree in education and is looking to be an elementary teacher. I got a degree in theology and am looking to be a pastor. Its tough looking for a job right now. The Dallas school district fired 500 teachers last year so the market is flooded. Becoming a pastor is always a bit difficult even in a normal market.
I feel your pain man. Just keep putting your resume out there and perhaps be willing to move to different cities.

 

[Jschultz]

Grad school looks attractive to me too.

I just graduated with a degree in English + teaching certificate. Unfortunately, most school districts are bleeding cash, and are laying off teachers in the Chicago area. I'm not dying to teach high school/middle school English anyhow; my student teaching experience was meh at best.

Do you have any state schools around you? Depending on what your degree is in, you may be able to go to grad school on a stipend. Yeah, you teach or do administrative stuff for 20 hrs a week- but you go to school for free and get a little bit of cash for living expenses. It's what I may end up doing.

Good luck!

 

[sikkinixx]

I'm done in December (just a BA with Honours) and I'm 90% leaning to grad school. It's such BS that you need a masters or more nowadays to look "educated"... My boss, a millionaire, didn't even graduate grade 9 for god's sake, and my mom is pulling in nearly 100k a year with one year of college... nowadays she wouldn't even be able to get a freakin TEMP job in her department without minimum a college diploma *grumble*

 

[chstr]

My wife and I are in the same boat. We both graduated with our bachelors last week and are doing the job hunt thing. She got a degree in education and is looking to be an elementary teacher. I got a degree in theology and am looking to be a pastor. Its tough looking for a job right now. The Dallas school district fired 500 teachers last year so the market is flooded. Becoming a pastor is always a bit difficult even in a normal market.
I feel your pain man. Just keep putting your resume out there and perhaps be willing to move to different cities.

yeah, to put it into perspective... NYC Dept of Education will not be hiring ANY new teachers this year. All open positions will be filled by people already in the system. Last year NYC DOE hired 2100 new teachers

 

[war eagle]

Goto the military. Guaranteed job, guaranteed cash and they will help pay your student loan debt and will even pay for you to goto grad school.

 

[timerollson]

Goto the military. Guaranteed job, guaranteed cash and they will help pay your student loan debt and will even pay for you to goto grad school.

No. That's a big commitment that 21/22 year olds out of college most likely aren't trying to make.

I'm graduating this year too, but I'm working a few temp jobs in the industry I like. It's better than nothing. Plus, I have a summer sublet so rent is 1/3rd of what I'd usually be paying. No credit card debt (thankfully!), so I'm not too pessimistic about my situation. It could be worse.

I'm not interested in attending graduate school at this point either. I'm mentally drained and just a need a fresh start before I dive into a 2-3 year post-graduate program. Plus, I want to go full-time when I do attend.

Good luck OP. We'll find our way.

 

[puma1552]

Goto the military. Guaranteed job, guaranteed cash and they will help pay your student loan debt and will even pay for you to goto grad school.

And the possibility of death, and even if not that, the guarantee of having to deal with redneck military dolts, bless them all anyway.

The military has problems attracting people with brains, and for good reason.

 

[chstr]

Obama administration passed a bill for Income Contingent student loan repayment plan. Make sure you get on it. You will pay a maximum of 20% of your discretionary income every month and after 25 years all of your remaining student loan debt will be forgiven. Only 10 years if you work in public service like teaching etc. This does NOT apply to private loan debt

 

[mousouchop]

I'm done in December (just a BA with Honours) and I'm 90% leaning to grad school. It's such BS that you need a masters or more nowadays to look "educated"... My boss, a millionaire, didn't even graduate grade 9 for god's sake, and my mom is pulling in nearly 100k a year with one year of college... nowadays she wouldn't even be able to get a freakin TEMP job in her department without minimum a college diploma *grumble*

Yeah, but those kinds of people (aside from your boss who is already top of the food chain), will find it hard to be promoted with their lack of formal education. Almost every staff member at my college is taking classes during their work ours to finish their masters so that they can get an in house promotion-- just crazy.

And god forbid, if you mom ever got fired, she may have a hard time finding a job that is will to pay her that much again. My mom only has 1 year of college under her belt and she bounces are between jobs averaging about 35k a year.

 

[mousouchop]

Obama administration passed a bill for Income Contingent student loan repayment plan. Make sure you get on it. You will pay a maximum of 15% of your discretionary income every month and after 25 years all of your remaining student loan debt will be forgiven. Only 10 years if you work in public service like teaching etc. This does NOT apply to private loan debt

That sounds like a pretty handy bill... I will have to read up on that. Just curious as to whether that will help and hurt the economy. It definitely encourages people to continue with/finish their education because they will know that they only have a defined time when the bills will end, but where does excess debt at the end of it go? Paid off by the government? That is a scary thought.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I watched some news cast recently where recent graduates were being interviewed and most of them had high hopes for their futures as far as employment goes. One was even brazen enough to say that he is just going to go home and choose whatever is the best option for him. When asked what his options were, his answer was a blank stare.

The fact is college these days is fine, people before me have already taken care of informing you that your bachelor's degree is the new high school diploma. I hate to say that anyone exiting college today who believes that they're due something is going to be sadly mistaken in the next couple of months.

I speak only on experience. I am fortunate to have a job but the job is certainly not paying me for my fancy diplomas, they pay me for my years and years in the industry.

 

[chstr]

That sounds like a pretty handy bill... I will have to read up on that. Just curious as to whether that will help and hurt the economy. It definitely encourages people to continue with/finish their education because they will know that they only have a defined time when the bills will end, but where does excess debt at the end of it go? Paid off by the government? That is a scary thought.

a drop in the bucket compared to what people default on with credit cards. And with how much debt gets incurred from educating yourself, more and more people are filing chapter 7 to rid themselves of cc debt.

 

[Tomorrow]

The bachelors degree is the new high school diploma. Caongrats on graduating high school!

I kid, but seriously, consider more education

Gone are the days where a high school diploma will get you a job. Gone (more recently) are the days where a college bachelors degree will get you a good job. Gotta get more education.

Disagree about grad school unless you really know what you want to do.

Speaking from experience, all three of these statements are true. Graduate school is almost a necessity now if you want to stand out, but it means a great deal more to your graduate professors AND to future employers if you get some work experience before grad school. It also helps you figure out what you want to do "when you grow up."

I know it sounds like a tough deal right now, but your best bet is to get some kind of work experience, anywhere from 3-6 years or so, then get into graduate school. If you're single or otherwise unattached, you might consider to moving into an area where the economy is stronger.