<p>First of all, it is very typical for liberal arts grads to not get hired until they are actually ready to work full time. Neither of my kids had jobs at this point – they were only getting started sending out resumes. My son had a job in hand within 2 weeks after graduating, but not a nibble on any application until he had graduated. My d. was informed that she was hired for her job the day she graduated. But she needed to be able to fill out an application saying that she was available to start work full time, immediately. </p>
<p>The next thing: my daughter’s LAC had totally, amazing, wonderful career services. If my d. were to list the best things about her college, the career services office would certainly be at or near the very top. But they did not get her a job nor did she get a job “through” them. Why were they so wonderful then? Because they taught her everything she needed to know about getting a job, including how to network; they hooked her up with a mentor – and basically it’s like that old adage about teaching a man to fish … maybe other career services office catch the fish for their grads, but my d. is grateful for the terrific education she has in job hunting. </p>
<p>Which brings me to point 3: “The truth is I’ve been quiet about my job hunt” " I would feel bad asking them for job leads" “I will try to go on job boards and such but I heard those places get the most applicants” “Many employers posting there might not be aware of LACs or even hold grudges against highly selective colleges.”</p>
<p>Those are all self-defeating statements that reflect a mindset that may become a self-fulfilling prophesy: “I won’t bother applying because they won’t hire me anyway.” Networking means you have to be very LOUD about your job hunt, letting everyone you know that you are looking. Heck, when my d. was looking, I was even talking to people I had just met at social gatherings if they were employed in her field of interest – of course I didn’t ask them for a job for my daughter, I asked them if they had any tips or suggestions that I could take to her. I actually got some really great info that way. </p>
<p>The reason that job boards get the most applicants is that that’s where the most jobs are. Most companies and agencies do NOT fill their ranks from campus recruitment, and even those that do usually hire outside those channels as well. My kids got their jobs by applying to publicly posted positions. My son has also been in a position to hire for those positions. They probably will recognize your LAC (they aren’t idiots, really) , and they probably don’t hold any grudges – do you really think that you are going to lose out compared to a graduate of Podunk State College because of a “grudge”? </p>
<p>It sounds to me like you aren’t really sure that you want a job – you just aren’t real sure about the money for grad school, either. So you seem to be looking for an excuse to rationalize a choice – that is, if you kind of halfway look for a job and nothing turns up on your doorstep, you can convince yourself that the grad school debt is worth it. </p>
<p>If you really want to find a job… get looking. </p>
<p>One thing that my d. discovered as an LAC grad that really worked to her advantage is that most of her classmates didn’t have a clue as to how to really look for a job. So the competition was not nearly as fierce as it could have been. </p>
<p>If you decide that you really do want to work, and not simply garner sympathy on an online bulletin board – you are going to have to stop being discrete and give people an idea of what type of experience you have and what kind of work you would like to do – as well as your specific major. I’m not saying that CC is necessarily the best place to do that – but you need to be specific before anyone can give you realistic leads & suggestions.</p>