2 years out of college and NOTHING

CrystalFlury · July 2013

So, I want input from you folks--most of whom I'm sure are employed and been in the professional working world for a while.

I graduated with my BA in Journalism May 2011. Before graduation I made sure to start applying like crazy to all kinds of "entry level" jobs or internships I thought I was qualified for in some way. I was told if I were to start applying just before graduation that it would be likely I'd have a job upon graduation. Boy were they WRONG! Here I am 2 years out of college and I have NOTHING to show for my BA. I applied to all kinds of jobs and only got "possible chances" with marketing (as in sales person) type jobs--which I absolutely didn't want to do. I eventually fell in and out of applying for jobs because it just got overwhelming and discouraging to continuously receive rejections through email or to just not hear anything at all.

I feel stuck now and basically useless. I have nothing worth writing on my resume, no official training in anything and honestly don't even have a passion for the kinds of jobs my degree is "attractive" for. As weird as it sounds, even with a journalism degree I really never learned much about writing articles etc. I did "journalism" originally because the university I went to had a "emphasis in advertising" attached to the program. I can honestly say, BIGGEST waste of time and money (on my dad's part) for that degree and that focus. I'm not against colleges... when they actually have marketable training available, but I'm sorry that's just fraud when you offer degree programs that offers nothing but meaningless classes that inevitably don't turn into a job.

I'm thinking about just wiping my slate clean and finding something I can actually be passionate about but don't know where to start. I really hate to go back through school for another head aching 4 years and what if I come out the other end screwed and unemployable for one reason or another strapped with student loans?!

Advice or tips? Anyone? Is anyone else in this rut?

jwdieter · July 2013

Get a job. Do some work. Think about what you want to do. When you have something in mind, go for it.

Derpes · July 2013

I experienced the same thing after graduation, and the key is to try different tactics. Here are my tips:

1. Do not spend all of your time applying online; it tends to be a waste of time. Over half of all jobs are filled based on referrals, which is a nice segway to my next point.

2. Write down the names and workplaces of as many friends and family members as possible. Search for jobs where they work. If you see something good, ask them if they would be willing to submit a referral form. Many companies pay bonuses to people that refer new employees, so it is a win/win. If you see something, apply online and forward the applicaiton confirmation to said friend, etc.. so they have the info.

3. Try freelance work - while it is difficult, you could freelance writing/editing/ etc....

4.

Jred36 · July 2013

You need to find out what it is that you like to do. Maybe try volunteering in different fields so you are exposed to the the different areas, i.e. healthcare, legal system, social work, etc. Once you have an idea on the field that interests you, find an entry level position. I like the legal/law enforcement system. 5 years ago I took an entry level clerical position in that field. I promoted around a few times within the same company until I found my passion. Since then, I am now in an executive position making more money than some people who have Bachelor's degrees....I have no degree, just passion and a willingness to learn.

cleotherio · July 2013

Sign up with all of your local temp and employment agencies. Lots of companies use them as a screening tool. If you've ever posted a job notice for anything, you know how many crap/unqualified/experience-not-related-to-the-job-at-all resumes that you get. When I was a year or two out of college, I got a temp admin assistant job in the marketing department of a company, got hired after a couple months and ended up staying at the company for over over 10 years.

rowanwood · July 2013

Unfortunately, you picked a major with 10 million graduates and 74 jobs. (Okay hyperbole, but still). Sometimes you have to just get a job and worry about passion once you have groceries.

I work in plumbing. Not what I planned at all, but turns out I'm really good at this and I help people everyday and I can pay my bills. I'm pretty passionate about that.

missy_girl001 · July 2013

I'm not sure where you live, but I think it's pretty tough most places. I have a BA in English and Professional Writing and it took me a year to get a relevant job. During that year I was lucky enough to secure a full-time job at a college where I had worked during my undergrad, but getting no response to my applications was really tough. It can really knock your self confidence around.

My advice:

1) try to figure what companies you'd like to work for, what type of work do they do, how do you skills/experience align with them
2) once you have that figured out, try to network with them via social media, set up an informational interview to find out more about them, what they look for in potential employees, etc. (sometime their answers can be surprising ... and will give you a leg up in subsequent applications). Also, many companies don't publicly post openings, so you won't know about them unless you have some line of communication open
3) try a short internship, even if it's unpaid. You said that your experience isn't worth putting on your resume, so a relevant internship is definitely a good option. Go into that internship like it's a chance at a permanent job and rock their socks off!
4) you may also want to consider short-term contract work. Those types of jobs tend to have a smaller pool of applicants
5) and last but not least, redo your resume! This should be a given, as it should really be rewritten for every job application. But do some research, look at other people's resumes ... make it interesting, make it interactive, and MAKE IT STAND OUT! If you're trying to get into some form of communications/marketing/advertising rest assured that these companies get some pretty killer resumes. Think outside the box, because these types of jobs require that type of thinking. Do you have any mentors from college (professors?) that can look over your resume and give you tips.

Hope this helps. It helped me, and I'm currently a Communications Officer at a university. Good luck!

BikerGirlElaine · July 2013

I had a bachelor's that I didn't use. I was waiting tables, bartending, etc. I realized that I wasn't going to be able to physically do that when I was 65 years old, but I didn't know what I enjoyed.

So I started asking to do other parts of my jobs. i moved into managing (and making less money

) I got a part time job working for a caterer and I did all kinds of things. I really enjoyed the bookkeeping-type stuff. I looked into accounting.

I took one accounting course at the local 2-year college, using my credit card to pay for it. I loved it!

I kept working while I took as many classes as I could afford -- I never got overextended. Eventually I had enough classes to combine with the bachelor's to sit for the CPA exam and I passed it first time. I had gotten an accounts payable clerk job by that point, and a contact got me an interview at a public accounting firm, and I was on my way.

So, my advice -- work while you explore and figure out what you like to do. Then set a path towards getting what you need under your belt to do what you love. But always make sure you are a working, supporting yourself, and not getting deep in debt to do it. Be patient. Back then, I thought it took forever to get through school. Today, I have no idea how long it took. Focus on enjoying the process instead of just thinking about the future result.

2 years out of college and NOTHING

Replies

Categories