<p>My post about kids pitching for money from parents was more in jest. While D1 was visiting we did browse through some apartment listings in NYC. She kept on showing me some great apartments beyond her means, and I kept on saying “someday it could all be yours, but not today.” </p>
<p>She will be able to afford a nice apartment in the neighborhood she wants live in when she starts her new job next July, especially if she were to have a roommate. D1 already told us that between her savings from this summer and her sign on bonus she won’t need our help with her initial deposit. We figured out how much she could afford, and she will stick with the budget. </p>
<p>For her last year in college, she will no longer be getting an allowance from us, and she will start to pick up more of her own expenses. It is a waning off process.</p>
<p>Calmom–“her son wouldn’t have been recommended for the position unless he has made an impression on others as being smart and capable. And S. may have been doing a little more “job hunting” than his Mom was aware of – at least to the extent of using email and social networking to let his college friends know that he was still looking for work.”</p>
<p>Exactly true–it was the good recommendation and networking that paid off.</p>
<p>Though the school is in an urban area, it is generally considered a hardship to live there. He’s paying slightly more rent where he is than at home (which was extremely reasonable), but it’s a steal for a high-cost-of-living area. S is fortunate to have no debt. </p>
<p>Why was the school short-staffed at the last minute? My understanding is that two teachers they “inherited” when combining with another school were mistakenly thought to be full-time when they were both part-time employees. They realized this only a week before school started.</p>
<p>OK… I had thought “rural” only because I had assumed that there was some reason why they had to scramble to find a teacher – I am sure that if a private school here in the SF Bay area had an opening, people with teaching credentials and years of experience would be lined up outside the door begging to be considered. My son’s first job out of college entailed being willing and ready to relocate to upstate NY (from the west coast) within a week’s time – he had applied and interviewed locally, in San Francisco… and they really liked him, he was one of maybe 3 serious contenders for the job, but in the end they gave it to the person with more experience, and then asked if they could circulate his resume to their offices in other states – and of course right away he had calls from some of the less “sexy” areas. (In addition to upstate NY, the Cleveland office also expressed interest). </p>
<p>I thought my d. was in for disappointment when she was so focused on getting a job in NY… but it worked out for her. </p>
<p>Re the student loan thing – my d has a full complement of subsidized Staffords, and I don’t know when she will get the balance paid off - but her job includes a student loan benefit – they pay a fixed dollar amount each year to pay down the loans. She plans to make at least the regular full payment on top of the amount from the job, so that will be a big help.</p>
<p>A word of warning: my son was very proud of himself because he paid off all his student loans in full, before the first payment was due. But down the line he has run into some credit problems – and the people at the credit union have told him that paying off the student loan early was a mistake, as it does not establish a positive credit record unless the payments are being made over time (on time). So I would suggest running a credit check and getting a FICO score on the student BEFORE making any decisions to pay off student loans early. I don’t think there’s any problem with making extra payments to principal along the way – its just that it might be better for some to establish a history of making payments for a year or so before paying off the balance.</p>
<p>Also – re contributions to young working adults – I send my kids money for extras. For example, my d. is visiting home this weekend – and I paid most of the cost of the air fare. You would think my son was wealthy from all the fancy equipment his new baby enjoys – but just about everything the kid has is a gift from one family member or another, and I certainly did my part. So of course I am sensitive to the fact that they have a tight budget while they are starting out - but I just do my supplementation in the “discretionary” spending area.</p>
<p>No, I don’t have the data for entire Northwestern and I am curious too. It’d probably give a nice contrast and maybe that’s why it’s not available. That 37% of the engineers with jobs went into finance/consulting was a bit puzzling. I thought those jobs are scarce these days.</p>
<p>“That 37% of the engineers with jobs went into finance/consulting was a bit puzzling.”</p>
<p>Actually those jobs are opening up much faster. I have heard of 3 engineering kids from Rice who interned at one of those firms in CHI and all of them received offers for '11 graduation.</p>
<p>DS just landed a full time job with benefits, profit sharing, bonsues, in his major. But it doesn’t pay great (starts at 14.50 per hour) and he will need to live at home for a while because it is in an area where cost of living is high. His experience bears out what others have said. He went to Northeastern and did two full time internships so he had work experience. A lawyer who has worked for me recommended he contact that firms HR person. She didn’t have an opening but gave him a list of 12 or so firms and names to contact. One of those firms had an opening. Skype interview, job landed, offer letter signed. He moves back here Aug. 31 and starts there Sept. 2.<br>
So…work experience, and a foot in the door by way of a word of mouth introduction. Plus he had great references which they checked…</p>
<p>ebeeee- Congratulations. That is wonderful and I’m glad employed adults are willing to help these new grads.</p>
<p>We just went the other way and spent the last two weekends moving our son 3/4 of the way across the country. We helped him set up his new apartment and he started work last Monday. Tonight his employer is taking all the new grad hires to a professional baseball game, which I think will be really fun. My son was one of the last ones to start and this will let him meet more of the young hires. He already knows a bunch of them from their recruiting weekend last fall and facebook etc. To me this is a bigger “step” than sending him off to college (well- he had already been going to school away from home). This feels sad to me- he is really gone and there won’t be school breaks etc. He is living his own grown-up life now. We won’t see him very often.</p>
<p>MOWC, our son started his job in May the day after graduation. He has been in Australia and will probably stay there through October before heading to a new country. But no trips to the U.S. since his company does not have any clients here. I’m not sure when we will see him next, but he Skypes with us pretty regularly (the time zone difference is perfect since my morning is his evening) and sends pictures. We communicate about the same amount as when he was in college. I sent him the Spartacus workout routine somebody posted on the wellness thread and he has been loving that. The company has a team of about ten young guys from four different countries in place for his current assignment, so they all are workout buddies and do fun stuff together on the week-ends. I find this new stage to be much more exciting than college.</p>
<p>It is very hard for new graduates. The students who have gained employment generally have a set of skills and good resumes for college students. As an entreprenaur myself my only advice for those coming out of college who can not find a job…consider starting something small that you can work from your apartment or parents house. This will be the only time in your lives that you may have the opportunity to go out on your own with an idea. Once most kids land a job and get accustomed to the salary and benefits it gets difficult to do this. Good luck to all new grads and those who are ahead of them!!</p>
<p>My advise is for junior start looking for internship now, specially with companies that would offer full time jobs after graduation. Seek out seniors already with job offers and find out where they interned. Many in my S circle of friends are seniors and already have job offer conditioned on completing their degree. I think this may be one of the reasons for seniors/graduates having a hard time getting interview with some companies because the entry level is already filled. For seniors, starting looking for jobs now. Make use of the career office.</p>
<p>MOWC, I experienced much the same thing. Of course I am pleased that our son has a job in his field. But I felt so bereft walking into the airport to fly home after helping him to settle in. The flood of emotion took me completely by surprise, and I had to find a quiet corner in which to weep (that is not like me at all!).</p>
<p>^^ That makes me feel better (not that I want YOU to be sad…) I thought I was really being strange. It just feels so— final or something. I flew back home yesterday afternoon after vacationing for a few days after we settled him in. The one thing that helped was that my daughter had what’s called “candidacy interviews” with her Bishop and Committee and was made a Candidate for Holy Orders (Episcopal priesthood). That was thrilling and she expects to be ordained next June. That cheered me up AND she and her husband do live in our city!</p>
<p>^^How nice for you (though it is not about you, of course!!). I would think that having one of them nearby would be very nice. Even if you don’t see her all that frequently, you know that you could!</p>
<p>One thing to consider. My daughter did manage to find a job, 15 months ago, when she graduated. A good job, with a salary, and health insurance, and upward mobility. But she has voiced a wistfulness, feeling that compared to her vagabond friends, she has grown up very fast. Settled down, very fast. I have told her she can save up her money, and then wander all she likes. </p>
<p>I actually feel bad I didn’t do as some of the parents of her friends did - fund a year or two of self and world exploration. No matter how these kids exit college, maybe it’s a five year plan, not a one or two year plan.</p>
<p>I don’t mean to in any way discount her good fortune in landing where she has. Nor to make light of the hard work she did in school and in summers, and the good interview skills she’s got. I was the one pushing her to go to the career services center, where ultimately this job was posted. But I did feel a pang. Maybe I should have let her wander. So maybe my reaction is another piece of data for everyone.</p>
<p>Alumother, I hear you. I find it somewhat odd/unsettling that our son is already tied to his cubicle. BUT, this is in part the consequence of an earlier choice. He turned down the opportunity to go to an excellent school and graduate debt free and chose another route that necessitated some moderate student debt. (pretty low, really in the scheme of things.) He takes that debt seriously and wants it paid off ASAP and certainly before he goes onto graduate or professional school. Hence the cubicle.</p>
<p>Mafool, D didn’t have debt, just a mother who is unemployed…My hope is that children like ours, who did manage to come up with career-type jobs, will still have a chance to roam around some day, if they want. I feel as though it’s not a bad part of 21st century youth in the West.</p>
<p>And congratulations to your boy. Don’t want to lose that sentiment:).</p>
That 37% of the engineers with jobs went into finance/consulting was a bit puzzling. I thought those jobs are scarce these days.</p>