The Real Reason New College Grads Can't Get Hired

[usabasketball08]

All the hate on communications..but in some areas, there's great earning potential.

Speaking from people I know personally,

The Advertising majors I know didn't have trouble finding a job in their field or a business-related field after college, in the Dallas-Ft.Worth area. Granted I don't know what connections they made, etc.

BUT the Journalism and PR majors I know..are either unemployed or working at a retail-store.

There are so many variables involved, like said earlier in this thread.

But I wouldn't knock Communications as a whole.

All my Engineering, Nursing, friends obviously make more, but if you equip yourself with the right tools, you could actually go to the Communications route.

 

[jay zoe2]

really interesting topic!

 

[rustlenomics]

everybody is getting into the same ish everyone is doing, whether its IT or photography or some other crap 10 thousand other hipsters are trying to get into.

you gotta find your niche, something not alot of people know about but also pays very well and is in always in demand.

no not drugs, 

worse, 

ENTERTAINMENT.

 

[usabasketball08]

everybody is getting into the same ish everyone is doing, whether its IT or photography or some other crap 10 thousand other hipsters are trying to get into.

you gotta find your niche, something not alot of people know about but also pays very well and is in always in demand.

no not drugs, 

worse, 

ENTERTAINMENT.

Strong username to post ratio.

B.S. in Jimmie Rustlenomics.

 

[nazdrowie]

Some of the people in this thread are a little too sure of themselves about nothing more than prospects when you finish up school. Nothing is guaranteed and the only thing that matters is once you get an offer.

I respect the confidence but it's a humbling experience when it takes more than a few weeks to land a decent job.

 

[rell826]

Some of the people in this thread are a little too sure of themselves about nothing more than prospects when you finish up school. Nothing is guaranteed and the only thing that matters is once you get an offer.

The only thing that matters at the end. It's clear that many of you have contained yourself in a bubble with some of the statements made here. I never got insulting someone's major as it happens here so often. Now I'm officially done.

 

[dathbgboy]

The real reason is that employers have outrageous demands and are no longer willing to train. The recession made it this way and they're sticking with it. You'll see a post for a paralegal position that wants 5 years exp in Lotus Notes, Lexis Nexis, AND West Law for an entry level position. Unless u have thousands of dollars to get accounts to those programs, the only way to get them is w/ a law school degree or working in a law firm already.

Employers want that one employee to meet many demands that usually don't cross-reference with one another that takes years of training but want to pay entry level salary.

I knew once this recession was "over" that the work model that companies adopted would not go away and why should it? You can have your current employees taking on more responsibility with no increase in pay and not have to worry about hiring, and with the high demand for employment, most employees will suck it up because they need the gig.

 

[youngdoc]

75K not being amazing. I'm done. The **** I read on here. I'm going to start dumbing myself down here.

Everyone comes from different walks of life and expectations. 90% of the people that I know have starting salaries closer to 100k+ range (doctor, consulting, etc) if they go back to do graduate school. 75k is great pay, but not that great for San Francisco. Considering the effort I have put into graduate school of course I'd want much more return. After taxes, 75k is only 60k. That's 5k a month. Rent in SF is about 2400 for a decent studio in a non crazy area + 600 student loans. I have 2,000 left a month for food, gas, insurance, utilities, car payment, etc. Would leave me about $300-$500 to save a month if I'm lucky.

Again, not saying I don't appreciate it. Just saying...in perspective...ANYONE can do it. I'd have much more money if I kept my retail job from age 16 till now, and just gotten an AA degree and become a manager of the store. Would of had no debt and had monies stacked up.

Doctors do not have starting salaries at 100K. I know you most likely meant post residency but residency is a job.

In residency depending on your year and the program you make between mid 40s to mid 60s. You can get up to 100 if you moonlight a lot but you can't even do that right away.

 

[krazy88s]

@ the Baby Boomer Bob (real meme name is Old Economy Steve)

But still....

 

[suberzat1]

Havnt been able to keep up with the post to have time to post after making this thread.

A lot people have their views on labor work vs college degree and it depends on that person. Every year since I have been in college my dad has told me when Exxon was doing hiring at the plant and that I need to come work.(It doesnt fail twice a year). Telling me time after time that I should come and work with him up. I could have done this after high school or when I took time off from school to be making a good bit over 100k a year like pops. Plant work is just not for me I dont want a career just for the money and that still a problem from both point of views. I like the fact of moving around with a college degree vs making money in a local area makes more sense to me.

I do feel like I push all my boys and little brother into getting a college degree because it still a better fall back plan then getting out of high school and working mean less jobs. One of boys tell me that he not fit for college because his parents didnt go and making a good living(200k+). I told him thats them and not you son. You working college jobs but not in college.

I need to head to class now but I do believe that the labor jobs/trades will be the jump in employment with our parents retiring(in the next 5-10 years) and the newer generation will take over with those jobs

Everyone is not cut the same......Everyone doesnt have the drive as the next man.

 

[hennessy]

"The Real Reason New College Grads Can't Get Hired"...

..."The Real Reason"...

If there's one thing I've learned from reading through this thread, it's that there are a plethora of "real reasons" new college grads can't get hired. The problem is too big to be attributed to one cause. The amount of threads created/articles written about this topic just goes to show how complex, concerning, and even alarming this problem really is.

Instead of placing blame on someone/something for the real reason you can't get hired, I think it helps to absorb all the facts and opinions from threads/articles like this and come up with your own plan to hedge against unemployment. There's a lot to be learned from the successes and failures of our peers.

A lot of really good stuff has been posted in here already but I just want to touch on a few things to add to this great discussion that's going on. Certainly, this is a discussion worth having.

As the economic stalemate in America continues, employers are cutting costs wherever they can to save money. It's expensive to hire new employees. Overhead and supplemental costs of hiring a new employee add up. Paid leave, supplemental pay (overtime, etc.), insurance, retirement & saving benefits, legally required (social security, etc.). All of these things are costs to the employer. If I were an employer in today's economic climate, I would be reluctant to hire any new employees unless they were absolutely essential. Even then, I would prefer someone  who has shown they have experience in their field over a fresh college grad. It's simple risk mitigation to ensure that the costs of hiring that new employee will be worth it. I recently did an independent government cost estimate for a fairly large administrative support contract. Some of you would find the minimum experience and education required for menial entry level jobs appalling. Basic positions like administrative assistant, secretary, general clerk, typist, etc... Employers are seeking multiple years of experience for positions this basic that do not pay much. You don't even wanna know the generally accepted credentials for the positions that have what a new college grad would consider "good" pay. Here's an example of what government/contractors are looking for to hire a basic Financial Analyst (in terms of salary; this would be considered an entry level position for a new college grad):

Eight ( years relevant experience. Relevant experience may include, but is not limited to strategic, business and action planning for the cost and schedule performance of programs.

Bachelor's Degree or other equivalent degree program (or an additional four (4) years related experience). Requires ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Now this is just one example, although it may seem like an extreme one, this is from the real world. This is what employers are REALLY looking for. It's almost like some companies are completely ruling out hiring prospects without experience and it puts new college grads at a HUGE disadvantage. Which leads me to my next point...

INTERNSHIPS. You have to do them. Long gone are the days where good grades and a cordial interview are enough to land a job out of college. A couple people have brought up Drexel's emphasis on internships and their five-year co-op program. IMO, an extra year of being in school is a small price to pay for having a faculty dedicated to finding you numerous internships and allowing you sufficient time to attend these internships between your schooling. There should be more programs like this. It may take a Drexel student a year longer to graduate but I would bet good money it doesn't take them longer to find a good job. The experience you bring to the table from an internship is HIGHLY valued by employers. Also, a good recommendation from an internship can validate your ability to work well with others and will really make the decision to hire easier. Put yourself in the employer's shoes... Why would they EVER hire someone with no experience who no one can speak to their abilities over someone whose done the work and has someone vouching for them.

I actually have to get back to my own work now

. I could discuss/write about this topic a lot more but for now I want to emphasize the importance of EXPERIENCE and how (as a new college grad) INTERNSHIPS are essential to put yourself in a position to contend with older, more experienced candidates in today's competitive workforce.

 

[AZwildcats]

I also believe trade school will be the future of employment in this country.

 

[miamiboy]

This is a really insightful thread. Everybody's got good points in here.

 

[rustlenomics]

after i got off of work last night i went to grab a burger from in n out and they had a paper on the window looking for new hires.

starting pay is 10.50/hr  401k flexible hours advancement opportunities, i am seriously considering it.

its right by my work, i get 25/hr at the moment but im on call, the days are never shorter than 4 hours.

it has been picking up lately, it usually does after the hot months here in socal which is 8 or 9 months out of the year.

i set up cameras, run cables set up lights and things of that nature.

that is one field that will NEVER slow down, there are so many things to do in the entertainment biz.

let the dudes that want to make youtube videos be rappers or the chicks wanting to be models starve to death.

nobody realizes that all those concerts and tv sets are built by people and cameras are still operated by humans.

you also gotta get your connections up, im not talking about following someone on twitter and begging them to notice you, but actually meeting people.

you guys can fight for your terrible office jobs and intern for a company that will discard you when you aren't of any use or some hot chick walks through them doors.

people these days just don't want to take jobs that are actually out there and would prefer something where they can sit on their behind and browse facebook.

lets take those jobs back from the immigrants,

im sure there are countless grads that will be willing to wake up at 4am to pick strawberries in the hot sun for long hours and crap pay.

 

[truballa101]

Networking >

 

[dman14]

after i got off of work last night i went to grab a burger from in n out and they had a paper on the window looking for new hires.

starting pay is 10.50/hr  401k flexible hours advancement opportunities, i am seriously considering it.

its right by my work, i get 25/hr at the moment but im on call, the days are never shorter than 4 hours.

it has been picking up lately, it usually does after the hot months here in socal which is 8 or 9 months out of the year.

i set up cameras, run cables set up lights and things of that nature.

that is one field that will NEVER slow down, there are so many things to do in the entertainment biz.

let the dudes that want to make youtube videos be rappers or the chicks wanting to be models starve to death.

nobody realizes that all those concerts and tv sets are built by people and cameras are still operated by humans.

you also gotta get your connections up, im not talking about following someone on twitter and begging them to notice you, but actually meeting people.

you guys can fight for your terrible office jobs and intern for a company that will discard you when you aren't of any use or some hot chick walks through them doors.

people these days just don't want to take jobs that are actually out there and would prefer something where they can sit on their behind and browse facebook.

lets take those jobs back from the immigrants,

im sure there are countless grads that will be willing to wake up at 4am to pick strawberries in the hot sun for long hours and crap pay.

i hear a mgr at in-n-out makes close to six figures


i remember listening to mike rowe (dirty jobs) saying that there are so many trade jobs out there. young folks should consider it if college isnt really their thing. sometimes you got to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty

 

[ragerx10]

Writing a synthesis on this and how universities are heading in the wrong direction
This info will be great and help me out some

 

[meast]

Damn what the hell? They must be doing my background check right now. And even after the tests I think you still have to wait for a station to pick you.

Yeah man its a long wait. I did 1 part of the polygraph back in August and I am still waiting to be called back. On my page where they check off as you go, I have everything done except background check and drug test. I was tentatively selected at the very end of February 2013 and started all the steps at the end of March. I read that I should be expecting anywhere from 12-18 months. A buddy of mine completed everything and told me it took him about a year.

I struggled with the polygraph test cause I was nervous as hell. Terrified actually so I have to re-do some of the questions again. 

 

[nyc757]

 
after i got off of work last night i went to grab a burger from in n out and they had a paper on the window looking for new hires.

starting pay is 10.50/hr  401k flexible hours advancement opportunities, i am seriously considering it.

its right by my work, i get 25/hr at the moment but im on call, the days are never shorter than 4 hours.

it has been picking up lately, it usually does after the hot months here in socal which is 8 or 9 months out of the year.

i set up cameras, run cables set up lights and things of that nature.

that is one field that will NEVER slow down, there are so many things to do in the entertainment biz.

let the dudes that want to make youtube videos be rappers or the chicks wanting to be models starve to death.

nobody realizes that all those concerts and tv sets are built by people and cameras are still operated by humans.

you also gotta get your connections up, im not talking about following someone on twitter and begging them to notice you, but actually meeting people.

you guys can fight for your terrible office jobs and intern for a company that will discard you when you aren't of any use or some hot chick walks through them doors.

people these days just don't want to take jobs that are actually out there and would prefer something where they can sit on their behind and browse facebook.

lets take those jobs back from the immigrants,

im sure there are countless grads that will be willing to wake up at 4am to pick strawberries in the hot sun for long hours and crap pay.

Get a trade... most skill labor jobs are high in demand( plumber,electrician, contractor, etc).... Im a chemist but also certified chef as well and in the process of becoming a licensed electrician... do i need to have 3 careers no i do just fine with one but if someone is willing to pay top dollar for skilled services then why not keep my self marketable 

 

[secretzofwar]

i have always wondered, do people REALLY type their work emails in "text message english"? I always see articles telling new grads to not do this but are people really that dumb in the first place?

I have had people who manage >$500m send me emails like "K," "Cool, tx", etc. It really depends on who you're talking to.

 

[ayotayo]

i set up cameras, run cables set up lights and things of that nature.

Same job but I work in the hospitality industry.

The hours are pure ****, but I enjoy my duties. I am starting to realize jobs that are enjoyable wont pay an attractive salary, especially at entry level.

By the way, I am not putting my degree to use (Economics) for this position.