<p>I just thought I would seek out opinions… When you have fresh graduates, or anyone really in a poor economy, do people still ask, and take into consideration, what the advancement opportunities are when researching and selecting a job?</p>
<p>It kind of seems like there are always lower level jobs open but nobody wants to apply for then. Maybe people feel over qualified or it’s in a different field. But those jobs may very well lead to something much nicer a year down the road in another department or promotion.</p>
<p>I remember opportunities for advancement were one of the things that I looked for when i was a fresh graduate and since I started I’ve almost doubled my salary. But these days many people seem entitled to a starting salary of x or only will work in certain fields.</p>
<p>That’s a great question. I was wondering the same thing - DD is interviewing this week for a job. It’s a teeny company, maybe risky… and on par with her campus job that she can continue (on temp basis).</p>
<p>When our S was considering and applying for jobs, we did urge him to consider the big, long term picture. He turned down two jobs in HI to take the one in VA that he felt had more growth opportunity and was more interesting to him. He did not pursue a job which had the interviewers scrambling for funds to hire him during a site visit. </p>
<p>I think it’s important to strike a balance–not be TOO picky but not take something you have absolutely no interest in (unless you have urgent bills and loans to pay). </p>
<p>We will be facing this with D soon. We will likely advise her to volunteer as intern where she hopes to work over a job unrelated to her skills and interest. We can finance while she gains experience in her field.</p>
<p>Yes, I think it’s a legitimate and important question to ask. It should be framed in terms of a desire to continue to work with the hiring agency or company, not in terms of job titles or salary. That is, you don’t ask, “So how long can I expect to work here before I’m eligible for promotion?” You do express a desire and intent to grow in your position and develop new skills over time to benefit the employer; when asked about your skills, you might say that you are “self-starter”, that you show initiatives and are comfortable assuming responsibility, or that you are a “team-player” and learn quickly. (Assuming there’s a grain of truth to that). </p>
<p>Interview for the job you want to have, not necessarily the one that got you in the door. It’s not uncommon for an employer to realize that an applicant is not well suited for an advertised position, but to redirect that applicant to other openings within the same company. You don’t want to show disdain for an entry-level position, but you can express enthusiasm in a way that also makes it clear that you view the position as a learning opportunity.</p>
<p>My D accepted an entry level position in sales at a major computer company. It’s not her dream job, but it’s in Silicon Valley, where she wants to be, and it’s got lots of perks. She never went to college thinking she would start in sales. But she has met a few people who started at the same company in sales and have gone on to do all sorts of things, including other positions at the same company or their own start-ups. She told several friends about ths opportunity, but they don’t want to do an entry-level job. One woman tells me her son thinks he’ll be a great CEO but he doesn’t want to start at the bottom. So he’s headed for law school, along with almost half her group of high school friends. Her company reimburses for education, so if she decideds to do an MBA or something, they will pay. I think she’s level-headed. I am also glad I am not having to pay for law school (my D would be a terrible lawyer anyway- she is illogical, but I think she’ll be a great salesperson, as she is personable).</p>
<p>It’s nice when parents and graduate are happy with work. I’ve worked my share of menial jobs before and I wouldn’t consider sales in that category. I do know some salespeople that make a lot of money - more than engineers - but they’re very good at what they do.</p>
<p>When we went to see S graduate in 2010, we met one guy who complained that he went back for his masters in engineering because he couldn’t get a job. One year later he had his masters, more debt and still no job. We are glad S chose to get a job he finds interesting while pondering if he wants more degrees. His employer will also pay for him to get more education.</p>
<p>Back in 2010, if you told me that a Masters in Engineering couldn’t get you a job, I’d have a hard time believing it. No problem believing it now.</p>