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Well, I graduated in May with a degree in chemical engineering from a small college in TN, (gpa 3.75) with 20k in debt . I have just received my green card 2 months ago. Previously I was on student visa, thus I could not allow to work off campus / also I could not find any internship to earn relevant experience . From May, till now, I have started to look for jobs with no success. I just want some advice in order to solve this situation.
I know that grad school may not be a good option either, since the industry is almost run by BS plus you need relevant exp. I mean the worst case I can go to grad school.
I don't know anything about the chem engineering major, but make sure you get some good help with your resume and cover letters. Many non-native speakers have really bad resumes and don't even realize it.
20k is not that much debt nor is three months that long to have been looking for jobs. i would contact your school's career center to see if they can help you. i agree you should get your resume and cover letters evaluated by a native english speaker in your field
Thanks for the advice. I did have my resume and cover letter read by my professors and the advisor in my school's career service. All of them are native speakers. It's really a pain when looking all you friends making real money, and you have to live with your parents.
Something I've noticed lately is that internships no longer just apply to current college students, it can also mean recent graduates. The trend is to take a worker, pay them less then they would a regular worker and give them no benefits, make the position for 3-6 months and call them interns. It's not all bad though because you would get your foot in the door and in your field, a paid internship would be a given.
Go back to career services and ask for help finding a job or internship.
This is good advice. You might also consider expanding your search radius and consider perhaps other geographic locations. You mention that your university is in a small town in TN, but you don't mention where you are looking for a job. Maybe there could be an internship in a larger city near you that would give you some experience in your field while you still live at home with the folks?
As far as graduate school, I personally think students benefit most from a graduate degree having had some work experience in the field. If you go back for a master degree in your field, what's going to change in two years? You'll still have no experience? What happens then, do you just stay in school and get a Ph.D. because you couldn't find a job?
p.s. - Don't forget, you've graduated from college during one of the toughest times in our country. The unemployment rate is high and that doesn't even take into consideration those that have stopped looking and the underemployed. So, don't beat yourself up! It's only been 3 months since you graduated. Keep looking and remain positive
@ all : Thanks a lot for your advice. I will go again and check with my school's career office and see if they have something new.
@florida_boy : I totally agree with your opinion about grad school. I have heard horror stories about people who waste 2-10 years in grad school and can not find anything after that. However, one of my dad friend told me that, sometimes a grad degree may help. But again, exp is the most important. I knew it would hurt me a lot, but I could not really do anything cuz of the immigration 's law that prohibited me to work off campus while I was on student visa.
you need to contact every major and minor oil company, refining company, and oil field service company.....if you can't land a job with one of them with a chemical engineering degree then you have some type of major issue and a masters will not help you overcome whatever that issue is
chemical engineering is one of the preferred degrees for any oil industry work right up there with a petroleum engineering degree and since PE. degree programs are extremely rare ChE. degree holders are very sought after in the industry and they are generally considered to be even more well rounded than PE. majors
@ all : Thanks a lot for your advice. I will go again and check with my school's career office and see if they have something new.
@florida_boy : I totally agree with your opinion about grad school. I have heard horror stories about people who waste 2-10 years in grad school and can not find anything after that. However, one of my dad friend told me that, sometimes a grad degree may help. But again, exp is the most important. I knew it would hurt me a lot, but I could not really do anything cuz of the immigration 's law that prohibited me to work off campus while I was on student visa.
Bruce.
This is too late, but not having a green card should not prevent you having an un-paid internship.
Now, you said all your friends are having careers. How did they get those jobs? Can you follow their path? Can you ask them to hook you up with an internship or something?
Be aggressive. Once again, be aggressive.
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. I have just received my green card 2 months ago. Previously I was on student visa, thus I could not allow to work off campus / also I could not find any internship to earn relevant experience 
