<p>Older child, son, is now 32. He told us at the age of 16 that he was going to move to Spain when he finished college (UG). He did just that, lived in our place in Madrid, got a job within 7 days working for an American company. Just lucky, but he had been doing his research without telling us.</p>
<p>Two years ago they wanted to open a branch of the company in another city, and asked him to do it. His then to-be wife got a transfer from her company to the same city. So far, everything is going great, even in the terrible Spanish economy. He works many hours, but loves the work.</p>
<p>D is another story, but we never had the stress.</p>
<p>I can’t imagine how stressful it was for my dad when DH and I got out of grad school when the Texas economy was probably at its lowest point ever. Dad has helped place probably THOUSANDS of students in jobs, but he couldn’t help us at all (DH and I met in grad school and both had my dad as a prof) because there were no structural engineering jobs to be had in Texas. I actually had a job offer that was rescinded. We sent out 273 letters looking for jobs (“We are a newly married couple looking for work as structural engineers in the _______ area.”). Even with strong GPAs and resumes, it took us six months. Our lead came from a fellow student from the northeast - he gave us copies of the Yellow Page ads for engineers in Portland. A large engineering firm flew both of us up and then hired us. Of course, they also laid both of us off the same day four years later, but that’s another story! I will never forget how stressful that first job search was.</p>
<p>Thanks, musicmom. Maybe he’ll listen to anonymous vibes, but he sure won’t listen to me. We even offered him use of our oldest car (2000 Elantra) as soon as he’s approved for an internship, with plans to transfer the car into his name after he graduates. Didn’t help.</p>
<p>He’s already been told that he has to be self-supporting in July, whether he graduates or not. We originally intended to pay for four years and allow him to graduate with no student loans. When he failed so many classes that he had to go to summer school all four years, we made him take out $10,000 in loans so he would have some skin in the game. We should have made him take a year off after a 1.46 GPA his freshman year, but he aced his summer school classes so we thought he’d figured things out. Guess not. At least his GPA is up to 2.66.</p>
<p>I’d post an update, but I don’t have one. S1 has not provided me with any further news. He graduates in 55 days and I have no idea what he will be doing, where he will be living, or who will be paying for it. He is very non-communicative over the phone. In our last email exchange, 6 weeks ago, he said it was his responsibility to figure things out, and that I should trust him and give him room to figure things out on his own. So here I sit, gray hairs multiplying, waiting for an update.</p>
<p>In 2011, my D graduated without a job offer. We told her she could come home for a few months while she searched for a job (since we knew so many grads who didn’t have jobs). She stayed in her college’s city, 9 hours from home, found a roommate in an affordable apartment on Craigslist, and got a job at Starbuck’s. She worked like crazy, putting in more than 40 hours a week when possible. She paid for everything herself. The following March, she got an offer for a great job. I can’t say I didn’t worry, but I sure am proud that she did it on her own.</p>
<p>kelsmom, that’s how I think it’s going to turn out for us, at least the first part. D seems very determined that, no matter what, she’s not moving back home and has told us she expects that her first job will be a barrista in her college town (I think Starbucks provides health insurance, at least!). Hopefully, she’ll have the same happy ending that your D did.</p>
<p>S1 is also graduating in May and had a verbal job offer in the fall at a company where he interned for 3 summers - he was thrilled and relieved. Well, that “offer” is still not inked-up, and it doesn’t look so promising at this point. He is so frustrated and disappointed.</p>
<p>We told him (actually probably more like begged) to go through the search anyway, just in case things fell through. But, this wont surprise any of you, he didn’t see the need to do that because “they would never do that to me, Mom. They offered me a job, why would they lie?” Still so naive, even at 22…</p>
<p>So, we wait and see if he finds something. Hoping for the best, although prepared to have him come home, at least for a bit. So stressful.</p>
<p>I’m so glad to see that all of you have kids just like mine! Although it’s frustrating, it make me feel like I’m not alone. My son has applied to a foreign correspodent study abroad program for a month in Jeruselum. He’s very excited and hopefully it will make him more marketable. His resume is amazing for a college student, but like I said before, no one wants to train anyone anymore.</p>
<p>Dwhite, that’s really bad luck. Sorry to hear about all the stress. RVM, Boysx3 and Dkitty. All of my D’s friends that graduated without jobs had offers by the end of the summer. Things will work out eventually.</p>
<p>Well, my DS is taking the next couple of days to consider his offer and look for other opportunities in the town he wants to stay in. I sent him a copy of “Oh the places you’ll go!”
I’m trying to back off, but I want to make sure he doesn’t burn a bridge here. There’s a reason for the old saying “a bird in the hand…”
OTOH, I don’t want him to be miserable. AND I don’t want him to stay in his college town and then watch all his friends graduate and leave town in a year.</p>
<p>dwhite - unbelievably parallel lives - my son has a very similar situation - with a job that he has held throughout college that he hopes will turn into an offer after graduation. But, I am not aware of any actual job offer so far. I believe that worst case scenario - he could remain in his apt and still work for them - at an hourly wage for the summer/fall - but that is not the same as a real job offer and I don’t even know if he can actually do that anyway.</p>
<p>I think this is actually worse than the college application process because for that - I had plenty of involvement and knew what was going on. This - I am so in the dark. I am giving myself a daily pep talk to let him figure it out on his own. I just wish I at least knew he had something for the summer lined up.</p>
<p>I just wish I could take a peek into the future - say 6 months from now - and see that he is living on his own and is self-supporting.</p>
<p>RVM - I’m right there with you! By the sounds of your posts, your son seems confident with his plan, whatever that may be - kudos to him. Maybe, he has a good inclination about a job or a lead on one and doesn’t want to share until things are more final?? </p>
<p>Mom2three2 - To answer your question, “Is this fun or WHAT”? YES!! So much so, that I can’t wait to do it again in 3 years - woohoo!!! :)</p>
<p>I think a lot of firms are circling the wagons right now. The sequester has (a) caused an almost immediate belt-tightening in anything gov’t related, and (b) caused concerns about a ripple effect that could impact the economic recovery. (note- please don’t read this as political - i think it’s just the economic reality. I work for a company with ties to the federal government and DOD, and it has impacted that company’s hiring plans there and the budgets of its clients.)</p>
<p>So some of those sure-thing internship to job offer transitions may not be as sure as before, through no fault of the student involved.</p>
<p>D texted me today that she’s gotten a job TA-ing a summer session at her college. It’s part-time, and only for 6 weeks, but as she put it, “It’ll give me a little extra time to look for a real job.” So at least she’s getting herself out there.</p>
<p>Well, DS is going into work at his internship today. I think he’s going to push a bit to see if a job offer is in the offing. Yesterday he told me that if nothing else comes through, he’ll accept the out-of-town job.</p>
<p>Thank goodness we only have 3 to worry about and this is the last “first” job.
:-)</p>