College grad son is floundering, need advice!

Parent Cafe
1

<p>I am new, so bear with me.</p>

<p>Son has a recent BS in Journalism from a large flagship OOS with about a 3.8GPA (And let me preface this by saying I did not encourage this major!) He has many units in math and physics as he was a physics major for the first 2.5 years. He moved back to CA and is living at home, the job hunt is not going well; he is very discouraged and so are we. (And no, I have never once uttered “I told you so” LOL.) He is a very strong writer but it’s dawning on him that jobs in this field are scarce and low paid. Now he is talking about a Computer Science degree (which he should have done in the first place, AUGH!) He met with an local college adviser this week who recommended taking as many CS classes as possible at a JC during winter and spring , in the meantime submitting an ap to a UC grad program for Fall 2009. I just dont see how he can have a competitive grad ap since his BS was not in CS or EE. </p>

<p>Any ideas on how to proceed? Does he get a second BS (not even allowed in some CA public universities.) Or go straight to a Master’s program? Money will be a factor as we are not in a position to finance another degree (we put all our kids through college and thought this was the end of it, sigh.)</p>

<p>I am not sure he is investigating this thoroughly and I really feel like time is slipping by, especially since he is a boomerang kid and it’s getting semi-stressful at home.</p>

<p>THANKS for any insight.</p>

2

<p>No experience with this, so no advice. Just encouragement.
On the bright side, it sounds like he realizes that he has to make a change.<br>
Talking with a college adviser was a good first step. </p>

<p>Good luck. I hope you can have a nice holiday season without too much stress.</p>

3

<p>I’d ask for another opinion. I’d be surprised if a grad program took him w/o an undergrad CS degree.</p>

4

<p>Has he applied for any technical writing jobs? Yes, the first “writing” jobs out of school are low-paying regardless of what part of the country you are in. I don’t think most college grads understand what realistic wage scales are. If he can land a job with a larger company in technical writing they may have a tuition reimbursement program that could support either another degree or an advanced degree. The other option is what many of “us” parents did, work during the day and pursue the advanced degree at night living by the skin of our teeth $ wise. This is the advice I would give any of my kids.</p>

5

<p>My nephew, in a similar situation, was recently told there’s a good chance UCs and CSUs will not allow second bachelors at all in anything except nursing going forward. The budget issues mean they need to cut the number they serve and second bachelors is one of the first things they are planning to cut. I’d call specific schools.</p>

<p>?if he wants to be a journalist he can not just apply for local jobs. Has he used his career office? It really is a field where you go to Nebraska or South dakota to pay your dues.</p>

6

<p>If his heart is with computer science, going to take some classes at the JC will give him a stronger application and allow him to sort of test the waters. I don’t see the point of getting another bachelors degree. He should take the GRE and if he scores high enough on the math, a CS Masters program may consider him. A MS in computer science from a Cal State program would be cheaper, and less competitive than a UC - and he would be just as employable.</p>

<p>Another route is to go after a different “more marketable” degree, like an MBA or JD. </p>

<p>In the meantime, does he still have access to his alma mater’s career services center? Even though he may not have access to many California jobs through the OOS career center, I think he’s more likely to get job leads/interviews versus the traditional means - especially in this tough employment market. Is he willing to go back to that state for a job?</p>

7

<p>DS will graduate in the arts in May. He discussed his “future” with us last week. He is VERY ready to take almost any job to make ends meet…waiting tables or whatever. He knows that being out and doing something…anything…is better than sitting around with no agenda but looking for a job. If he waits tables, that leaves the days to continue to job hunt. His job prospects in his field are very competitive and he knows that. He is looking at a LOT of different options to pay his bills. I know he’s worried, but DH and I were supportive…and glad that he’s thinking about it in varied ways.</p>

<p>I guess my point is that perhaps the OP’s son needs a break from JUST job hunting or thinking about attending school again. This is a good time of the year to get a seasonal job. He’ll be out, doing something, and earning a little money. Then after the new year (when he gets laid off from his seasonal job) he can resume his future hunt with renewed freshness.</p>

8

<p>One issue is to make sure DS is not just heading to CS because he’s scared after a few months of job hunting in his desired field. It’s hard to see someone who loves journalism loving a typical CS job. Sure it pays well out of college but the income ceiling is hit quickly for most and if they don’t love what they do they could end up unhappy.</p>

9

<p>My husband’s cousin was in the same sort of position for the longest time after he graduated. He gave up his pizza delivery job to become an “au paar” of sorts for us when our son got sick. We paid for him to get a computer science certificate at the community college. That worked very well. He was able to get a job with this additional certificaton, and is gainfully employed today at a job he loves and makes enough to live well. </p>

<p>What your son is going through is not at all uncommon. It can take a while for kids to find themselves and the right opportunity to get them into a career track. I have seen a lot of community college programs that can help these kids that already have bachelor degrees. Programs in insurance, benefits, fund raising, marketing, graphic design that have certificates that give the person a special skill can give him a wealth of options. My old friend who just visited me has a son who works at Dreamworks after taking a certificate CAD program at a technical. The course paired with a BS was a powerful package for hire. I know several young men who got air traffic controller licenses and airport management certificates after a BA in some liberal arts subject. A lot of health technician positions open up that then can continue into management positions for those who have specialty training AND a college degree. What’s great is that the cost of these programs is usually very reasonable, most of such students are working part time and going part time, and the programs often are very helpful to the students who need funds to get through the course of study.</p>

10

<p>My brother had a similar revelation - he got his BS in History and then decided that he needed to eat…</p>

<p>He went to the local JC and took the courses required to get a AA in computer programing. He then was able to get into a Masters program - but elected not to as he got his first job as a developer. Never has gone back for the degree and has been working steadily for the last 10-15 years as a software developer.</p>

11

<p>Would your S consider teaching? Math/science teachers are in demand these days. He might need to get a teaching certification first, but this should be doable. He seems very versatile, with his journalism degree. I’m sure many schools would love to have him.</p>

12

<p>I don’t know about his chances of getting accepted to a MSCS at a UC w/o a BSCS degree. Their masters programs are pretty competetive and (as a dad of two UC CS majors) their UG CS program is pretty rigorous as it is. Although the CS field pays well and there are pretty good job prospects, it’s not the type of field someone should go into unless they’re truly interested in it. The degree itself takes quite a bit of work to attain.</p>

<p>Has he considered being a Technical Writer ala ‘momofthreeboys’ suggestion. There are a lot of them in the CS and related fields and they can sometimes earn a pretty good income.</p>

13

<p>First, it is possible to land a decent job in this economy. It’s all about lowering your expectations so you don’t burn out or get depressed. Make realistic goals because it may take months (even a few years) to get to your dream job. When I graduated from college, I knew my options were bleak because I was returning home to MICHIGAN (!). I got a full-time job at the University of Michigan in a field related to my major, and I am making decent (not high-paying but I can actually pay my bills) money. I feel quite blessed given my geography. Do I have higher ambitions? Of course, but I have to take it a day at a time. If your son really wants to use his journalism degree, have him look at local universities’ communications and marketing departments. Try to get a campus job if a department needs temporary help. That’s a great way to gain transferable skills and continue the job search. Some universities are always hiring regardless of the economy. Anyone who thinks they will make over $50,000 immediately after college graduation is delusional (except if you’re an engineer).</p>

<p>Also, what type of journalism (radio, print, broadcast, new media) did he study?</p>

14

<p>He should go get an MBA and take his time until the economy improves.</p>

15

<p>I was a 70s J-grad from a large university in Washington, DC. As another poster noted, any J-job out of college is relatively low paying. People who enter the field of journalism do it for the love of the career, not for the dazzling salary. If journalism is what DS really wants, he should try to find a way to get his foot in the door…print journalism…broadcast…Internet…then work like crazy. He could also work for a government administrator or legislator. Or, he can take a some CS, software engineering, or tech writing classes to give him a specialization. That could open up the door to management documentation, software documentation, and proposal writing. While the salaries for tech writers/doc specialists tend to be greater than those for pure journalistic writers, the jobs are often contract-based, which means that at the end of the contract period, you’re gone…introducing a risk factor.</p>

<p>Since I came of age during Watergate and loved everything political, I took my first undergraduate degree in Journalism…did writing/editing/production for a 4-color trade magazine, moved to a trade association as a public affairs type, then sequed to tech writing that eventually lead me to defense software development management. My husband, a broadcast J-grad worked for a trade mag, then a newspaper, then he too went technical…though he remained on the tech writing mgmt track. It worked out great for both of us…staying close to our desires, yet making very respectable money (6 figures).</p>

<p>The beauty of being young is that you can follow your dreams, discovering the various ways you can exercise your talents. Remember, the closer you stay to journalism, the more intellectually creative and stimulating…the closer you stay to CS, the more cut-and-dry the work becomes. Both my husband and I were able to blend both by moving to the middle. Some times the time after college is just a great time to bumble around and learn exactly who you are and what you are meant to become. Enjoy the ride, before the wife and kids and mortgage come along and limit your options.</p>

<p>Life is a journey. A science degree really does strip away some of the joy of writing, and no amount of money can compensate for that IMHO.</p>

<p>Good luck. Though it all looks discouraging right now, it WILL all work out. Stay positive, flexible, and open. Talk with tech recruiters…they can be enormously helpful in teaching you the ropes of hunting for jobs in your desired field. Cultivate and appreciate these contacts.</p>

16

<p>Get an MBA? No. Any decent program requires several years of work experience. With an average MBA he would once again face poor job prospects.</p>

17

<p>What about the military? he will be eligible to be a lieutenant.</p>

18

<p>With strong journalism skills, while he’s hunting for a permanent fulltime job, should be able to earn some money by doing freelance writing and editing including copy editing grad students’ theses and dissertations. He also may be able to make money by tutoring and substitute teaching.</p>

19

<p>Have your son signed up for any temporary staffing agencies? He should sign up, especially those they offer technical writer assignments/contract work. </p>

<p>I know more education sounds enticing right now, but it’s not worth it if you will graduate with a higher loan debt and more competitive job market. Getting an MBA now is also the worst decision he could do.</p>

20

<p>Two words: Anderson Cooper (not even a journalist degree holder).</p>

<p>Life is what you make it. Tell your son to be a go-getter, and not wait for things to happen to him.</p>