What Would You Do If Your Grad Was Not Looking for A Job?

[MomofWildChild]

My nephew (TCNJ '11) has had a really tough time finding a job in PA/NJ. He has a good lead on a govt job in DC, but the clearances and process has literally taken over 18 months and is not complete. All the opportunities and leads from job fairs were those sham insurance sales deals which are commission only. He took a job as an assistant manager at a large convenience store/grocery/gas chain well outside a major city and is making a very low wage. BUT-he is getting great managerial experience, dealing with a transient group of young employees and learning to get up, get to work and give it his all. I think it is a good resume job, even if it is low-paying. The company claims you can move up fast. He is fortunate to be able to live for free in the family's nearby lake house, which helps.

[vlines]

JYM- you crack me up! And I am right there with you.

UMD-

Our county is begging for subs with a science background to teach in middle school and high school. They pay $25/hr. Guess what? MIT grad didn't want to work as a substitute teacher.

And there lies the problems. Again, entitlement attitude. And a home life that is permitting it. Your friend needs to "mom up" and push the little bird out of the nest.

[oldfort]

"mom up" - I like that. It may go in as another great one liner.

[jym626]

Thanks, vlines

My s's would get politely nagged to death and conversations might begin to feel like the Spanish Inquisition if they sat on their keister doing nothing. Plus, I have a tendency to enjoy researching on the web, and would shoot a gazillion emails with job links, which seems to help them prefer to do it themselves I found a line on someone's blog recently that made me smile. It said she had ".....Children who talk to me with affectionate tolerance for a well-meaning mother.."

No way would my DH or I tolerate a kid slacking on the couch doing nothing to find employment.

[vlines]

It said she had ".....Children who talk to me with affectionate tolerance for a well-meaning mother.."

my son gave me a hug the other day and said, "Thanks for all you do for me mom." I gave him an odd look, and before I could leave it alone, and say thank you, I said "I thought I drove you crazy?". His response "You do, but I know you do it because you love me."

So I love that quote you posted.

BTW--would that quote happen to have been from The Neurotic Parent blog?

[mini]

"Until he finds his dream job, he might drag himself into his local school district and pick up the substitute teacher package."

Don't know where he lives. School districts around here (actually statewide) have been laying off, experienced certified teachers left and right, and they are taking the substitute positions. And, yes, we did have a McDonald's hiring, and more than 400 people turned out for 5 part-time positions.

And if I'm a McD's manager, I'm definitely not going to hire a recent MIT grad over a high school grad, knowing full well that he's looking to leave the minute he gets the job. This is a clear case where a prestige degree might actually hurt rather than help.

That said, it's only 3-4 months. There are plenty of people out there with job experience and degrees who have been out of work for more than 99 weeks. Give the kid a break (and we don't know the whole story....)

[vlines]

Mini, the OP said that thier district is begging for sub. teachers. So it is an option there. I know some districts are laying off, and others begging for teachers. We are seeing the same thing in nursing. There are actually a few places that have laid off nurses, and other states still in a nursing shortage. It's crazy!

[mini]

Did the OP actually TELL the kid that their district is begging for sub. teachers? How close is it to him? Does the kid have a car? Could he even get one?

Don't make assumptions....

[vlines]

Yes, Mini, read post #72 and #75 written by the OP.
I am not making assumptions here, I believe you are.

[umdclassof80]

mini -- As I said, my H is a well-respected school principal. If MIT grad wanted to work as a substitute teacher making $25/hr, a recommendation from my H would get him a job. There have been no teacher layoffs in our county. My husband has to hire many teachers from out-of-state because there are not enough local new grads to fill all the teaching positions. The job market for our metropolitan area is still very strong compared to the rest of the country. There is always a shortage of people to work in lower paying positions.

[mini]

Why do you assume he doesn't want to work? Has he told you that? Did your H TELL him they were looking for substitute teachers?

Are you offering him a car?

I am not trying to excuse the recent grad. It's possible/likely he's confused, and maybe depressed. He may have applied for 25 jobs this year without a single interview. (That wouldn't be uncommon these days.) It may take him some time to gather himself. He might not be ready to flip burgers, and hasn't gotten the teaching thing in his craw yet. It is, after all only 3-4 months. My guess is that things will work out fine.

But the current unemployment rate for recent grads is roughly 40%, the underemployment rate higher. It is about 50% higher for African-Americans. I am sure it is lower for MIT grads, and I imagine it is higher for those who finish in the bottom quarter of their classes.

[poetgrl]

My senior s is already on the job hunt --the last thing he wants to do is have to come live at home after college! I could teach the OP's family member a thing or two

This. Laughed out loud.

Daughter, who is a junior, already has her job lined up for when she finishes school......I think, unfortunately, for the above reason!

Mom up. where is the like button when you need it?

[oldfort]

Why do you assume he doesn't want to work? Has he told you that? Did your H TELL him they were looking for substitute teachers?

I would think the only reason OP has started this thread is because she knows, maybe by speaking with the mother or the son. I don´t see why OP would assume or make it up.

If the graduate really wanted a job, he wouldn´t be waiting for OP´s H to tell him. My kid would have contacted OP´s H herself. When D1 was looking for a job senior year, she contacted my friends by herself, I didn´t tell her to do that. What, it´s OP´s H responsibility to go to this kid to offer him a job?

[annasdad]

My senior s is already on the job hunt --the last thing he wants to do is have to come live at home after college! I could teach the OP's family member a thing or two

DD (HS senior)'s response when we told her she'd always have a home to come back to: "I'd rather live under a bridge in Chicago than come back to [our town]."

I think that's a reaction to the town and not to her loving family - at least I hope it is!

In any event, I suspect that after a week or so of bridge life, she'd be happy to come home for awhile.

[umdclassof80]

mini -- My H spoke to him in person over a month ago. He told him that the county schools are hiring substitute teachers. He instructed him how to apply for a job. He also offered to give him a personal recommendation. His mother also works for the county schools in a cafeteria. When he spoke with him last week, he had decided not to apply for the job.

His mother told us that he hasn't applied for any jobs since he moved back home in May. Why would she lie to us about that?

No, we are not offering him a car. If he had worked during the summer when he was in college, he would have some money saved up to buy a car. His sister works two jobs to pay for her car and auto insurance. Our D (who is a college freshman) worked as a paid intern this summer and took home over $5,000. She has now paid off her car. He will need a car in order to work, so he could start by getting an old "beater."