True Confessions of Post-Grad Basement Dwellers

Career Opportunities & Internships
21

<p>

</p>

<p>Actually, it’s one of the important college experiences to learn how to do those things. What you’re insinuating is that if someone offered you free cleaning, laundry, and home cooking services for you in your apartment, you should turn it down because “how will you cope when/if you get married?” Which is obviously untrue. Not that I treat my parents as such, I simply consider it an exchange for handiwork and tech expertise.</p>

<p>And yes, as someone else pointed out the inherent contradiction of criticizing my living at home and then stating the difficulty of finding someone not living at home… I’m very comfortable with my situation. I thought I’d get a lot more judgmental comments like yours when I share my living arrangement, but honestly I get a lot more envious responses about how much money I’m saving and how well it’s setting me up a few years down the road.</p>

22

<p>

I’m envious. If my parents didn’t live 2 hours from where I work I would seriously consider living with them. They know they could use some help (mowing lawns, cleaning garage, computer help, etc) and I’d be able to save tens of thousands of dollars a year. Give me 3 years of that and I could potentially have a substantial down payment for my own house/condo. And I’d still know how to wash my own clothes and dishes ;)</p>

23

<p>

</p>

<p>My major was Athletic Training. A little more than half of my job is directly related and then the rest is sort of related. When I get to do the healthcare part of it working with the athletes it is obviously directly related. When I do the fitness center stuff, it’s kind of related. </p>

<p>

</p>

<p>It is also an essential life lesson to learn financial stability. By living at home, I am able to pay off debt and establish myself financially before having to go “out on my own.”</p>

24

<p>

</p>

<p>How many new grads are working, paricularly in jobs that are related to their majors? I’ve been reading that many new grads can’t find meaningful work and that GenY is a “lost generation” akin to those who grew up in the depression (the one in the 30s).</p>

25

<p>I found a job that I started immediately upon graduating, in a field related to my major. This was about a year and a half ago.</p>

<p>I think far too many grads are waiting until they are about to graduate - or worse, AFTER they graduate - to even begin looking for jobs. I also think there may be higher numbers of students in college because it’s the “thing to do” after high school to ensure a better future - but they may not necessarily be motivated to do much beyond the basic coursework (no internships, no research, no networking, etc.), or may have done better in a technical/trade school. This makes it far more difficult to find work as well. Of course, these are just my observations of students I graduated with and know personally. From my experience, those who went above and beyond and who built up a strong network, recommendations, and resume prior to graduating did not have as much difficultly finding work. Or at least, the percentage of unemployed/underemployed is lower in that group.</p>

<p>I also see a lot of posts on here about how “worthless” students feel their psychology, sociology, literature, etc. degrees are - before they even graduated and tried putting them to use. Well, with that attitude, I can see why they are/will be unemployed. Sometimes you need to think outside of the box and realize you have developed more skills than you realize, and that you may be able to get jobs that are related, though perhaps less obvious choices, to your field.</p>

26

<p>I just graduated last month and I’m one of the few “lucky” ones who got a FT job directly related to my (liberal arts) major starting in August (could’ve started earlier but wanted to postpone the inevitable/be a summer bum for a while). NovaLynnx hit it spot-on. Starting your job search early, being flexible, having a positive attitude, and taking advantage of all the internship/networking/research/extracurricular opportunities while you are in school are crucial to supporting future job search efforts. That being said, it takes a while. Quite a few of my friends have great resumes and have applied to tons of jobs- it just is a waiting game. There is nothing wrong with being basement dweller right after graduation while you are trying to stand up on your own financially.</p>

27

<p>

</p>

<p>“Related to their majors” is not the appropriate phrase to use, in my opinion. I would ask how many new grads are underemployed? How many gave up on jobs that would utilize their degree in favor of tending bar, working retail or doing basic data entry?</p>

<p>Having a job related to your major isn’t so important anymore; a friend of mine graduated with an engineering degree, and he had a lot of trouble finding jobs in his specific field. When he broadened his search, I helped him to get a job at my company. He doesn’t do anything specifically related to his major, but he still has a good, steady job with comfortable pay and good benefits. That doesn’t seem like such a bad deal to me!</p>

28

<p>

</p>

<p>We’ve been all reading the same articles. Even the worst figures coming out (50% under/unemployment) still indicate half of our age group is still doing well, though. Just something to keep in mind. And the magnitude isn’t hugely different from any previous recession, just the length.</p>

29

<p>

</p>

<p>What did you friends major in and what are they doing while awaiting a FT position? How long do they expect to wait - we’re heading into the summer doldrums as far as jobs search goes.</p>

30

<p>I don’t know what “summer doldrums” are (I don’t think they exist, except in the minds of the lethargic job applicant) but there are plenty of jobs to apply for year round if you are relatively flexible. You seriously have to be patient, but at the same time unrelentlessly apply for jobs. I applied to my job in June 2011, heard back for a tentative job offer in March 2012, and didn’t get confirmation/start-date until May 2012 (I applied to literally 50 jobs until then). My friend is an Earth science major, she applied for jobs in February, March, April, etc. She just heard back in May and will be working for an Americorps position in Nashville. My other friend is a finance major, he has been applying/interviewing for stuff since last October and literally just got a job offer 2 days ago. etc. etc. </p>

<p>Just in case you are curious, these are my friends (I would say that this is pretty representative of the types of post-grad students still on the job search…not surprisingly, they are all liberal arts majors): </p>

<p>Case 1: international relations/development major
what she is doing now: graduated in May, 2 part-time research jobs through our university
resume quality: top-notch
job application status: recently interviewed for 3 positions and they are all actively considering her (so she is just waiting to hear back from them…just a matter of time, not if but when)
her outlook: impatiently awaiting, pretty certain that she’ll get one of the positions she interviewed for, but applying to numerous jobs every week just in case</p>

<p>Case 2: international relations/european studies/german major
what he is doing now: graduated in May, full-time job as boss-man for our university cafeterias
resume quality: above average
job application status: was counting on a fulbright but didn’t get it, so just started to apply to stuff.
his outlook: hopeful, flexible, not really worried yet</p>

<p>Case 3: international relations major
what he is doing now: graduated in December, worked full-time for parking services until May, now living at home and not working at present
resume quality: above average
job application status: has applied to dozens of positions, interviewed for several, but has had no luck. still is continuing to apply to some but is very uncertain of where to look/what to look for
outlook: dismal/full of despair</p>

<p>Case 4: psychology major
what she is doing now: graduated in May, living at college town and not presently working, was waiting for her boyfriend to get a job (so that she could follow him to wherever)
resume quality: above average
job application status: has just started looking for jobs (as her boyfriend just received a job offer confirmation) where her boyfriend and her are planning on moving to
outlook: excited to move to somewhere new, but unsure if she’ll be able to find a job </p>

<p>Case 5: international relations major
what she is doing now: graduated in May, living at home and not presently working, is indecisive about whether she wants to move to Milwaukee with her boyfriend, stay at home with her family (who she is super close to), or be more career-minded and go where the jobs are
resume quality: above average
job application status: interviewed for a summer internship in Mexico but fell through, so she has just started looking for jobs everywhere
outlook: indecisive</p>

31

<p>

</p>

<p>sounds like the federal government…</p>

32

<p>@fra-la-la-lena great examples of where people are heading and how they’re dealing with the current jobs environment. BTW - my view of summer doldrums is all the hiring managers taking July/August vacations - it’s a hard time of year to get a hiring decision made.</p>

<p>What experiences have other’s recent graduate friends been having?</p>

33

<p>

</p>

<p>@chrisw - what kind of consulting firm are you working at? Is it one of the big 4?</p>

34

<p>Great post, Fa La La Lena! Parent of twins who graduated in May of this year from top 50 liberal arts college. Son is an English major with a solid resume and 2 excellent internships from college. His resume was forwarded from a sports management and marketing company ( with no openings) to a private equity firm for a 3 month paid internship. Living at home, commute is 1 hour each way, and position has great promise to turn into full time job in September. The question will be will it pay enough for him to live close enough to office to ease the expense and time of commute. I would never have thought DS would be working in a start=up in private eqquity. As prior poster said, though, major has less to do with it than school record and ability to communicate talents that work iwth job. Twins sister also at home, Philosophy major with honors, 2 excellent internships during college, but no interest in resumes sent out thus far over net. Doing some volunteer work and helping with things around the house. Both of our kids are back in their own bedrooms and have the run of thei entire second floor. They both realize that even when they do get a job, it will take time to save the money they need to move out on their own. This is not what either had planned, and it took a while for both of them to readjust to life at home, but knowing they are not the only kids in this situation has helped their self=esteem.</p>

35

<p>

</p>

<p>I’m not sure what the fourth big consulting firm would be, outside of McKinsey, Bain and BCG, but either way, I’m not at a top tier consulting firm (though I do have friends who had all sorts of different majors who did actually wind up at those firms for at least a couple of years). I am at a smaller (~500 employees distributed in several offices worldwide), boutique consulting - we have a very specific core competency, and over the past few years we have made every effort to actually focus our offerings instead of broaden them. I did apply to two of the big firms but did not get offered an interview (I had a 3.1 GPA and no internships); that said, I’m VERY happy in my job, especially since I get plentiful time off, appropriate praise/criticism and comfortable pay!</p>

36

<p>The 4th “Big 4” is generally considered to be Deloitte. Smaller consultants are great places to work. I’m at a specialized one too and I don’t think I’d trade it for any other entry-level job. The only downside is exit options aren’t as broad as at one of the big names.</p>

37

<p>Are people on this thread really suggesting that it’s the grads of expensive schools that can’t find jobs and living at home?? I know this comment might make me anathema to the some of you on here, but do you really think that that graduates of “cheap” schools (third tier state schools) are getting hired before kids from “expensive” schools? </p>

<p>Sure, student loans from expensive schools make it impossible to afford an expensive apartment in Manhattan with no roommates, but given that the average starting salary from top tier schools is many thousand more than from the third tier state schools, it can turn in to a wash. </p>

<p>Virtually all of my friends (from HS and College) who went to top-tier schools are employed. That speaks for itself.</p>

38

<p>if you take enough college classes, you will eventually learn that the plural of anecdote is not data.</p>

<p>the statistics are out there. it’s tough to find jobs.</p>

39

<p>Top tier schools are not the only expensive ones. There are plenty of lesser ranked or unranked expensive private LACs v. cheaper, lesser ranked state schools. So paying more does not equal higher likelihood of finding a job. Higher ranked schools might make it easier for some to find a job, but only if they put the effort into it. It is still not wise to put yourself deep into debt on the basis that a top tier school will be enough on your resume to get you a good job.</p>

40

<p>

</p>

<p>On an average salary vs cost basis, state schools outstrip most for their value. I went to NYU, so almost all my friends from school are saddled with loans. And despite being in accounting or banking, they have nothing left at the end of the month. Part of that is from going out, but the debt load really can be quite crushing.</p>