I live in a shithole where it's extremely hard to get a job with great education, credential and connections.
A student finding a part-time job that is actually a part-time job and not a 10/7 without paid overtime, free day and health care is literally impossible.
Oh and lets not talk about the fact that pretty much every employer asks for 2-5 years paid work experience in the field. Good fucking luck. Can't wait to finish and move away somewhere.
Are you a decent driver? Try to get a job driving a shipping or delivery truck, I've heard its practically the perfect low-skill job for introverts or people with anxiety disorders (sadly, I'm a terrible driver, myself).
I never learned to drive for a number of reasons. Probably not very good ones either. But you make a good point, delivering things means lots of alone time in the car which sounds better than working behind a bar or at a check-out. Depends if you're really comfortable driving though.
I'm delivering for a pizza place around here, making about $4-$20 in cash per hour (not getting all that many hours, but eh...and I make no hourly wages, so taxes are somewhat confusing) so I'm making more than someone working 40 per week at McDonalds or something similar. It's nice for the most part, though it can get pretty stressful if you care at all about not messing up people's food or their night in general, not to mention how tiring it is to have to be hyper vigilant all night long to avoid wrecks while zooming along to your destination.
Customers are generally nice around here. Manager is an awful human being. Co-workers are pretty cool.
OT:
Well, my Associates degree hasn't helped and neither did dropping out midway through an English BA due to disillusionment. Currently deciding if I want to go back and try to finish at a different college, but it sincerely seems like it'd be a waste of resources.
Experience, as most here have mentioned, is the devil.
While looking for jobs during the 6 months I was unemployed in that seemingly never ending (apply online -> hear nothing -> apply in person -> hear nothing -> apply everywhere you can think of -> interview -> hear nothing -> repeat) cycle, I kept stumbling on patently ridiculous experience requirements for menial jobs.
There was a stocking job in a grocery store - Stocking. As in placing items on shelves. - that required 2-3 YEARS of experience. The educational requirement was just highschool...and yet. Ugh.
I applied anyway, naturally, as I was told that they sometimes put those up to turn away less desperate/dedicated applicants, but no dice there.
Only managed to get what I've got now through a family member knowing the 'head' driver here.
So here I sit. In my mid 20's, living at home again after an 8 year departure, and delivering pizzas. Not exactly where I pictured myself at 16.
Needless to say, I'm looking for something better, in terms of education and income, but it's what I've got right now. Certainly better than being broke, though my bills are certainly doing their damnedest to make that a reality.
They do, but they have difficulties of their own. Can you handle working a graveyard shift? If you can look for things that say "overnight position" or something similar. It sounds like working as an overnight stocker in a store that isn't open 24 hours a day would be about perfect for you. I did it for years, and as long you can get along with a few co-workers and do the work that is expected of you, you can do fine. The contact with people is minimal.
Are you a decent driver? Try to get a job driving a shipping or delivery truck, I've heard its practically the perfect low-skill job for introverts or people with anxiety disorders (sadly, I'm a terrible driver, myself).
I never learned to drive for a number of reasons. Probably not very good ones either. But you make a good point, delivering things means lots of alone time in the car which sounds better than working behind a bar or at a check-out. Depends if you're really comfortable driving though.
Spider RedNight said:
I can't speak for anyone else here but *I* have trouble finding a job when I'm unemployed because I'm pretty sure (though I'm not gonna self-diagnose) there's a chemical imbalance upstairs. Like, is there a word for when you KNOW you have to call to check up on your application but you just can't because you feel like you're gonna start crying? Or you just curl up and say "Nah, it's pointless. you're just gonna have to work until you die and everyone dies" and turn into a misanthropic nihilist? (legitimately asking here)
I understand. As much as I'd love to contribute something worthwhile to society that a robot could not, I just do not want to be immersed in this world of cynical marketing buzzwords and running in a hamster wheel just to buy a bunch of pointless things and gain experience points to level up my career. I am just not a very competitive person and that just kills much of my ambition and enthusiasm for job searching. I missed a job search meeting once and almost broke down because I thought I was incompetent at keeping schedules. Though I shouldn't be too hard on myself because they changed the date and time at relatively short notice. But it's that kind of demand that makes me really nervous. At the end of the day I just feel incompetent because I keep second-guessing and worrying about things. I had a hard enough time applying for university. I have a hard enough time phoning my careers advisor.
Eventually the job search guys recommended that I see a doctor about mental health stuff so I did and they ignored me and put me on pills... great. There's a weird parallel between finding a job and getting referred to a psychiatrist.
I get that, too. I just KNOW that there's a worthwhile life somewhere, it's just... slogging through the mundane pieces of still living with my parents who don't know why I just don't try harder but I almost physically can't. I have very little ambition, I'm not very good at faking my way through life. It's not even that I'm entitled or stubborn, I feel that I'd LITERALLY feel better if I could just bury myself and get out of everyone's way.
Maybe I should be a trucker... I LOVE driving. And spending time by myself.
I actually finished going to a career college/diploma mill about six months ago, a course that included a month of being an unpaid intern. I've been searching for a job since then but have been completely unsuccessful since a lot of employers seem to want people with 4+ years of experience for an entry level job.
Since I still need to pay off my student loan things are getting to be more than a little stressful.
I know I give the millenials a lot of shit, especially as an ex teacher. Still, the job market is a raw deal these days and I'd argue it is even worse than it has been during the Great Depression of the 30s.
Get this: I have a teaching degree. Couldn't find a job home so I taught in China for 4 years to pay my bills and starve off depression. I lucked out as a student and had a job as a cnc machinist for almost 7 years from high school to the day I got my degree and quit. I'm now back home and working somewhere else as a cnc machinist and I couldn't be happier. I'll be talking with my employer soon to see if we can work my schedule around school so I can get my official machinist creds and eventually use these skills to buy myself some machines and do work by myself on the side.
Please think about this: There is a lot of worth to be found in blue-collar professions. Going to college to get a degree, especially in the humanities, is now a huge liability. I'll be done paying back my student loans in 2 years and I'm grateful I'm from Quebec because our tuition fees are so ridiculously low. If you're an American, please reconsider getting in debt for a degree in the humanities and at the very least aim for STEM fields or simply go to a local trade school and be sure you'll most likely never have to worry about money in the future.
Truthfully, as a machinist my take-home wage is not that great at roughly $32k a year, but my 2 bedroom apt is only $3k a year in this small town and I end up saving/paying back almost $900/month. Also, I do have 4 weeks of paid vacation a year I take in December (so I basically have a whole month off per year) and use this time to travel around the world. I can afford this because I decided NOT to marry and NOT having children. I suggest you do the same as I think this lifestyle is awesome and is more likely to make you happy or at least reduce grief in times of economic turmoil.
Lastly, I'll leave you with the good words of my friend the captain. If you truthfully did your best, you have to forgive yourself even if you're not where you want to be or did not achieve your goals. The system sucks and you did your best. You owe it to yourself not to hate yourself.
Be afraid, be very afraid! Sorry but that's reality for you.
Chance are those who are unemployed here are unemployed due to the excuse "lack of experience" which itself is a vicious cycle. The whole point of having a job is to gain experience but they won't hire you if you don't have the experience for it!
People need to see that you can be employed before they will hire you. High school diplomas and college degrees are NOT proof of this. Doesn't necessarily have to be the same kind of job they want you for, but it has to be something.
As a manager, one of the many red flags I saw on applications was empty job history boxes. Any empty box is bad, but those are the worst. That left me to speculate whether the applicant had never had a job before, or refused to list prior jobs due to being rapidly fired from each one, or was too lazy to fill in the whole app. At least one of those was guaranteed to be true, which meant the odds were two out of three that the applicant was useless. I never hired anyone who gave me those odds. Better to just write "this will be my first job" or even fabricate a job history out of whole cloth and hope I didn't try to contact previous employers than to leave those boxes blank!
Another big no-no was a job history featuring a new job every couple months. An applicant once bragged to me that he had "worked in every kitchen in town." He thought he was impressing me with his vast experience, not understanding he was also telling me he wasn't worth hiring. Whether he was very easily bored, or categorically unable to get along with others, or something else, didn't matter. Since he didn't stick out any other job, I knew he'd be gone from this one before we even got him trained. Make the big red X and move on to the next app!
My advice?
1) Apply everywhere. If you're seriously looking for work, and you haven't filled out fifty-plus applications, you're not seriously looking for work.
2) Fill out the whole app. Preferably with penmanship that can actually be read.
3) Don't hold out for the perfect job. You won't get it. Instead, get a job -- any job -- and hold it down until you can get a better one. Show up every day no matter how much you hate it. Telling a prospective new boss you've worked at Burger King for the last year, are a shift leader, and have a perfect attendance record is an order of magnitude better than telling him you're unemployed.
I have a bit of advice for folks in the US. I don't know how well it will translate to anyone's experience overseas. Additionally, this advice is aimed primarily at those in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Education fields. I have worked with a number of folks in the sciences, but those students that I have worked with tend to get "under the wing" treatment in the STEM fields, for example, that has allowed a very seamless transition for them from college to employment (often with an internships first). Additionally, this is all based upon my experience working in academia, so it is indeed anecdotal.
A bit of background: I am currently employed in the discipline that I studied at a university. I'm tenured now, and I have learned quite a bit from my experience going through the "system" at each level of ed/employment. I had the fortune of having an older sibling (quite older) go through the process of going through university to doctorate, postgraduate and finding a job in the field they studied, which is a privilege that I am constantly thankful for. In my current employment, I have written a rather insane number of recommendations for people for employment, for scholarships, and for getting into graduate programs. I've discussed issues of "employability" with folks from all walks of life in and outside of academia and industry.
So, for what it is worth, I have a few suggestions for folks based on my experience:
1) If you are currently unemployed, it is important that you do some form of volunteer work if you cannot find an internship. Volunteer work fills in the gaps on resumes that unemployment creates. Try to volunteer in a way that is at least somewhat relevant to what it is that you want to do if it is possible. Many institutions now factor community engagement into the mix of variables when they accept people into a program or ask them back for an interview. It demonstrates something about your character and ambition to these folks, and it also counters the stereotype many (unfortunately) employers have about the unemployed. I have a feeling that many will poo-poo this as an important factor. I'm placing this first because of that fact.
2) If possible, go to a technical college at the same time as you are going for your BA (or before). There are numerous certifications that you can get that might not be directly connected to your dream job, but that can give you the kind of experience that will, again, set you apart from the inundation of applications that many programs/hr departments see. I cannot stress this enough for students in the US(a one year certification as a medical records worker (or any data entry worker), medical assistant, office assistance, legal assistant, health information worker, legal assistant, etc.(that this will be the thing that separates you from those that can AFFORD the education for their dream job and those that cannot. Look at a one or two year certification/degree that relates to your dream job. My best advice, though, is to start at a community college and get your cert and AA/AS and transfer to a program that has great placement in your field. This might mean a three year AA/AS, but if you aren't from a rich family this will mean a lot in the end.
3) Work with your university's "job placement" department/analog. Often these are called "career centers" in the US. If you are up in the air about a major, talk with them and your advisor about job prospects before you commit to a major. Additionally, even after you have declared a major (or have been accepted into a major(my uni made everyone apply for a major before allowing them to declare) keep in touch with both your advisor and career center staff. If the career center knows you by name, that is a good thing. Do not feel "weird" about this. If your institution is not helping you find placement after your degree in any way, then that says something about your institution. As long as you find employment after your degree in a relevant field, you are in a good position to get experience to move closer to your "dream job."
4) If you do not come from a rich family, make sure that you select a graduate program that will give you the best education AND money. Graduate programs (other than law) should give you a tuition waiver and a stipend. If you plan on doing research for a living, make sure you'll be an RA. If you plan on teaching for a living, make sure that you are a TA. If you plan on working in the schools as a teacher (k-12) be sure that the program has a robust practicum and that you receive a stipend for institutional research/RA or a TA. If you do not balance the quality of the program with how much they'll pay you to get a degree and simply go for the "best" uni that you think will get you a job without offering you experience and money, you need to make DAMN sure that you stand out in your coursework. I mean top 5% or more depending upon your graduate program's cohort (i.e. big entering cohorts are 5%, small entering cohort means top 1 to 3).
5) Lastly, even if you think I'm full of shit with my other recs, you MUST be willing to move. And move to areas that you might not want to move to by choice. There are regions in the US that pay very little compared to other regions for the same degrees/experience. Because of this, they have a more limited pool of applicants, especially in rural areas of the US. In Ed, I know of five programs off of the top of my head that will pay you to get your grad degree in STEM fields and will find you a job in a rural or urban "underserved" community for a period of time (usually two years or more). If you are unwilling to relocate, then you are doing a disservice to yourself (at the very least). If you are unable to do so, make sure that you stand out as a top student in your discipline.
I don't know if this will help anyone, but I thought I'd share my opinions with folks in the hope it might help someone in the thread.
ETA:
Johnny Impact said:
Scarim Coral said:
Be afraid, be very afraid! Sorry but that's reality for you.
Chance are those who are unemployed here are unemployed due to the excuse "lack of experience" which itself is a vicious cycle. The whole point of having a job is to gain experience but they won't hire you if you don't have the experience for it!
People need to see that you can be employed before they will hire you. High school diplomas and college degrees are NOT proof of this. Doesn't necessarily have to be the same kind of job they want you for, but it has to be something.
As a manager, one of the many red flags I saw on applications was empty job history boxes. Any empty box is bad, but those are the worst. That left me to speculate whether the applicant had never had a job before, or refused to list prior jobs due to being rapidly fired from each one, or was too lazy to fill in the whole app. At least one of those was guaranteed to be true, which meant the odds were two out of three that the applicant was useless. I never hired anyone who gave me those odds. Better to just write "this will be my first job" or even fabricate a job history out of whole cloth and hope I didn't try to contact previous employers than to leave those boxes blank!
Another big no-no was a job history featuring a new job every couple months. An applicant once bragged to me that he had "worked in every kitchen in town." He thought he was impressing me with his vast experience, not understanding he was also telling me he wasn't worth hiring. Whether he was very easily bored, or categorically unable to get along with others, or something else, didn't matter. Since he didn't stick out any other job, I knew he'd be gone from this one before we even got him trained. Make the big red X and move on to the next app!
My advice?
1) Apply everywhere. If you're seriously looking for work, and you haven't filled out fifty-plus applications, you're not seriously looking for work.
2) Fill out the whole app. Preferably with penmanship that can actually be read.
3) Don't hold out for the perfect job. You won't get it. Instead, get a job -- any job -- and hold it down until you can get a better one. Show up every day no matter how much you hate it. Telling a prospective new boss you've worked at Burger King for the last year, are a shift leader, and have a perfect attendance record is an order of magnitude better than telling him you're unemployed.
"Mass unemployment is required by our socio-political regime, a contemporary form of neoliberal capitalism. The Non-Accelerating Inflation Rate of Unemployment is a term used by economists and politicians to refer to the level of unemployment, between 4% and 6%, considered necessary to prevent inflation taking off."
Australia has an unemployment rate of around 6.8%.
There are around 144,000 vacant job positions, but there are over 760,000 unemployed. Even if every job available were filled tomorrow it would still leave more than 600,000 unemployed.
If we move in to under-employment the numbers get way out of hand (under-employment is people working only part-time, or several part-time jobs, but are looking for full-time work). Youth unemployment is also at ludicrously high rates in some areas of the country (as high as 16%).
The way unemployment works in regard to politics and the economy is very similar in the US as it currently is here in Australia, the difference is that the US government doesn't appear to be trying to punish the unemployed that are required as part of their economic ideology like the current "Liberal" Australian government maniacs.
I'm just glad I've got the job I have, it is hell for the unemployed at the moment, particularly those under 30.
Everyone and their mother has a degree these days, it's not that special if you've never worked a day in your life. Scrubbing toilets in McDonalds may be hard and "beneath" some people but it shows dedication to earning money and putting in a bit of elbow grease.
OP: In case it wasn't clear, I'm currently working in the career I studied for and doing rather well. :3
Yeah, I'm aware of this. I'm probably just frustrated that I put so much hard work into my degree and was told over and over again by lecturers how much it'd prepare me for employment. There's the stereotype that many students go to university to get drunk a lot on the government's dime which isn't entirely untrue. But I got so used to working long days on projects that I actually cared about and now the prospect of doing things that don't require my skills bothers me.
That said, if I could do a mind-numbingly tedious job without having to interact with people constantly I'd probably go for it. That's the main barrier for me, not that certain jobs are "beneath" me. Working at a bar almost gave me a panic attack near the end of my employment and I feel awful about it. The other job I had was as a part-time sound engineer which I could deal with slightly better but it still required me to fiddle about with things on stage in front of a crowd.
An entry level data entry role might suit you. Companies that deal with outsourced payroll employ alot of people along these lines, also direct mailing outfits, also medium to large charities usually have a team dedicated to recording donations and sending acknowledgements which is just data entry with an occasional mail merge required.
Alternatively if you have a reasonable typing speed you could look at transcription. I did it myself for a while to top up my income, basically you have to listen to an audio file and type it out, some services will even let you work from home, although if you want to do that they usually charge a small fee for uploading their software onto your own device. It can be a little hit and miss in terms of how much work you get but something to consider. Also based on your profile I'm assuming you speak Welsh? If so I believe there is quite high demand for people who can translate and subscribe.
Just thoughts off the top of my head. Either way I hope you eventually get to do something you enjoy and that makes you happy.
On top of that, think about the target audience for The Escapist...18-24 year old males sound about right (obviously there's more than that here but that crowd is a big target). Now this is anecdotal evidence so maybe there are studies that prove this wrong but what groups are also usually the ones looking for jobs? People just graduating high school and people just graduating college and that's exactly where most of the 18-24 year old are going to land.
As to being worried, you probably should have a sliver of healthy fear about it. It took myself about nine months out of college to get a job but (here in 'Merica at least) the job market wasn't the greatest back in 2008 when I graduated college. Hopefully you have an easier time of it than I did because having no job is far more over-rated than you'd think...
Look at unemployment statistics and you'll often see the under 25's are typically far above the average rate of unemployment.
Nobody really seems to want to hire the young and inexperienced, comparitively speaking.
And yes, there is a degree of self-selection going on too.
Who has the time to spend messing around on a forum for ages? More likely than not, someone who isn't working...
I'm technically employed, I'm on a 0 hour contract and currently work 11 hours a week minimum wage. I don't earn enough to cover both my rent and my bus fare.
My degree is pretty much useless without experience, so I'm volunteering (and doing very well at it) whilst applying for further degrees. However, the fact that I have to work for free just to get experience to get me on the bottom rung of the area I want to go into is bollocks. I'm lucky to even get this thanks to all the red tape surrounding everything.
I'm going to come off a real douche by saying this, but often people are just lazy. Getting a job is easy, getting one that pays well and or you enjoy doing or is actually suited to you or even just the hours you want is a whole different story. Well at least how that is in the very large town in the UK where I work. Now I should stress this doesn't apply to all people in all areas, but in my experience people are lazy and think they're above certain jobs. I'm in a decent job now that pays very well considering my age, but I got there by working shitty jobs and working my arse off at them. Sure it sucked but if I didn't I wouldn't have the job I have now. I should also add I didn't go Uni, I chose not to and worked my way up through shitty jobs so I had no choice but to work my way up; my friends who went to Uni see themselves above the jobs I did and that's why they're still unemployed. Again this doesn't apply to everyone but I'm sure it does apply to a decent proportion.
For those of you honestly working your arse off and trying to get a job, I wish you luck. Someone will call you back eventually.
Ah, unemployment. Something I can repress as long as I'm studying.
Lucky for me, at least the red cross will always take me back. When you got 18 in my country, you had the choice of being forced into completely useless military "training", or refuse and find social work for 1/3 of minimum wage. Just after me, they made it voluntary, and you're almost finished before you have all the training and licenses. Naturally, few people do that.
Which means they're happy to take a costly minimum wage worker like me who already has all that, and way more experience. Bad thing is, you have 50% overtime guaranteed, you must neglect all those poor ill / old people out of time restraints and work for 3. And after 2 months fulltime + overtime, I reach a wage limit at which they must pay more taxes and insurance for me, making me as expensive as 6 "volunteer" workers.
I can legitimately blame the law for being unemployed.
Anyway, if you ARE stuck with such jobs for a while, I recommend it. It's probably better where you live. It's the most fulfilling thing I've ever done for money. And it looks fairly good on CVs if you play your cards right.
My reason is school. I can't really commit to a schedule right now and that's what you need to do to hold a job. Well that and show up and do the work... And have a high tolerance for BS.
I was unemployed up until a few months ago. Before that I'd wasted a couple of years in college doing a digital media thing(Web design, 3D modeling, Advertising, small business management and so on). When I started it I thought it was fantastic but as the months wore on the work began to get more and more tedious and I found myself no enjoying what I was doing. I still stuck it out until the end but I've no enthusiasm to actually pursue the work in that field.
So come the end of college, I'm dicking around on unemployment benefits while trying to find a job in.....anything really. Problem was that there was very little full time positions going and if I took a part time job I'd be getting substantially less than what I was receiving on unemployment. Probably not the best reason for not taking a part time position but fuck it, I've still got bills to pay y'know? Anyways around the end of October I somehow managed to get myself a job working in a call center. 9 to 5 five days a week, pay is more than the minimum wage and the people are cool to work with.
Still, despite all that there's still the nagging feeling in the back of my mind of "I should probably go to college and do something". Hell if I know what that something is though.
3) Don't hold out for the perfect job. You won't get it. Instead, get a job -- any job -- and hold it down until you can get a better one. Show up every day no matter how much you hate it. Telling a prospective new boss you've worked at Burger King for the last year, are a shift leader, and have a perfect attendance record is an order of magnitude better than telling him you're unemployed.
If that's a joke, I don't get it. Based on your username, perhaps? If it's not a joke, care to actually make a compelling counterargument instead of hurling insults?
CriminalScum said:
Military's always hiring in America, if you're healthy and in decent shape.
That works for the young'uns, but America at least has a maximum age for voluntary enlistment. Also, most other jobs don't carry the risk of being sent to some infernal shithole on the other side of the planet and coming home in a box.
I have a bit of advice for folks in the US. I don't know how well it will translate to anyone's experience overseas. Additionally, this advice is aimed primarily at those in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Education fields. I have worked with a number of folks in the sciences, but those students that I have worked with tend to get "under the wing" treatment in the STEM fields, for example, that has allowed a very seamless transition for them from college to employment (often with an internships first). Additionally, this is all based upon my experience working in academia, so it is indeed anecdotal.
A bit of background: I am currently employed in the discipline that I studied at a university. I'm tenured now, and I have learned quite a bit from my experience going through the "system" at each level of ed/employment. I had the fortune of having an older sibling (quite older) go through the process of going through university to doctorate, postgraduate and finding a job in the field they studied, which is a privilege that I am constantly thankful for. In my current employment, I have written a rather insane number of recommendations for people for employment, for scholarships, and for getting into graduate programs. I've discussed issues of "employability" with folks from all walks of life in and outside of academia and industry.
So, for what it is worth, I have a few suggestions for folks based on my experience:
1) If you are currently unemployed, it is important that you do some form of volunteer work if you cannot find an internship. Volunteer work fills in the gaps on resumes that unemployment creates. Try to volunteer in a way that is at least somewhat relevant to what it is that you want to do if it is possible. Many institutions now factor community engagement into the mix of variables when they accept people into a program or ask them back for an interview. It demonstrates something about your character and ambition to these folks, and it also counters the stereotype many (unfortunately) employers have about the unemployed. I have a feeling that many will poo-poo this as an important factor. I'm placing this first because of that fact.
2) If possible, go to a technical college at the same time as you are going for your BA (or before). There are numerous certifications that you can get that might not be directly connected to your dream job, but that can give you the kind of experience that will, again, set you apart from the inundation of applications that many programs/hr departments see. I cannot stress this enough for students in the US(a one year certification as a medical records worker (or any data entry worker), medical assistant, office assistance, legal assistant, health information worker, legal assistant, etc.(that this will be the thing that separates you from those that can AFFORD the education for their dream job and those that cannot. Look at a one or two year certification/degree that relates to your dream job. My best advice, though, is to start at a community college and get your cert and AA/AS and transfer to a program that has great placement in your field. This might mean a three year AA/AS, but if you aren't from a rich family this will mean a lot in the end.
3) Work with your university's "job placement" department/analog. Often these are called "career centers" in the US. If you are up in the air about a major, talk with them and your advisor about job prospects before you commit to a major. Additionally, even after you have declared a major (or have been accepted into a major(my uni made everyone apply for a major before allowing them to declare) keep in touch with both your advisor and career center staff. If the career center knows you by name, that is a good thing. Do not feel "weird" about this. If your institution is not helping you find placement after your degree in any way, then that says something about your institution. As long as you find employment after your degree in a relevant field, you are in a good position to get experience to move closer to your "dream job."
4) If you do not come from a rich family, make sure that you select a graduate program that will give you the best education AND money. Graduate programs (other than law) should give you a tuition waiver and a stipend. If you plan on doing research for a living, make sure you'll be an RA. If you plan on teaching for a living, make sure that you are a TA. If you plan on working in the schools as a teacher (k-12) be sure that the program has a robust practicum and that you receive a stipend for institutional research/RA or a TA. If you do not balance the quality of the program with how much they'll pay you to get a degree and simply go for the "best" uni that you think will get you a job without offering you experience and money, you need to make DAMN sure that you stand out in your coursework. I mean top 5% or more depending upon your graduate program's cohort (i.e. big entering cohorts are 5%, small entering cohort means top 1 to 3).
5) Lastly, even if you think I'm full of shit with my other recs, you MUST be willing to move. And move to areas that you might not want to move to by choice. There are regions in the US that pay very little compared to other regions for the same degrees/experience. Because of this, they have a more limited pool of applicants, especially in rural areas of the US. In Ed, I know of five programs off of the top of my head that will pay you to get your grad degree in STEM fields and will find you a job in a rural or urban "underserved" community for a period of time (usually two years or more). If you are unwilling to relocate, then you are doing a disservice to yourself (at the very least). If you are unable to do so, make sure that you stand out as a top student in your discipline.
I don't know if this will help anyone, but I thought I'd share my opinions with folks in the hope it might help someone in the thread.
ETA:
Johnny Impact said:
Scarim Coral said:
Be afraid, be very afraid! Sorry but that's reality for you.
Chance are those who are unemployed here are unemployed due to the excuse "lack of experience" which itself is a vicious cycle. The whole point of having a job is to gain experience but they won't hire you if you don't have the experience for it!
People need to see that you can be employed before they will hire you. High school diplomas and college degrees are NOT proof of this. Doesn't necessarily have to be the same kind of job they want you for, but it has to be something.
As a manager, one of the many red flags I saw on applications was empty job history boxes. Any empty box is bad, but those are the worst. That left me to speculate whether the applicant had never had a job before, or refused to list prior jobs due to being rapidly fired from each one, or was too lazy to fill in the whole app. At least one of those was guaranteed to be true, which meant the odds were two out of three that the applicant was useless. I never hired anyone who gave me those odds. Better to just write "this will be my first job" or even fabricate a job history out of whole cloth and hope I didn't try to contact previous employers than to leave those boxes blank!
Another big no-no was a job history featuring a new job every couple months. An applicant once bragged to me that he had "worked in every kitchen in town." He thought he was impressing me with his vast experience, not understanding he was also telling me he wasn't worth hiring. Whether he was very easily bored, or categorically unable to get along with others, or something else, didn't matter. Since he didn't stick out any other job, I knew he'd be gone from this one before we even got him trained. Make the big red X and move on to the next app!
My advice?
1) Apply everywhere. If you're seriously looking for work, and you haven't filled out fifty-plus applications, you're not seriously looking for work.
2) Fill out the whole app. Preferably with penmanship that can actually be read.
3) Don't hold out for the perfect job. You won't get it. Instead, get a job -- any job -- and hold it down until you can get a better one. Show up every day no matter how much you hate it. Telling a prospective new boss you've worked at Burger King for the last year, are a shift leader, and have a perfect attendance record is an order of magnitude better than telling him you're unemployed.
That was great advice, but for number 5) could you expound on that? What are the five jobs off the top of your head? And if I wanted to do research in grad school, as a biology major, which one of those certs would be most related to my field of study? I'm in my 3rd year at a state school and I still don't have it figured out.
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