Just graduated. Should I take this job? (Houston, Howe: daycare, student loans)

[Jetta_Geo]

Hi all, I need an advice. I graduated with bs in geophysics this May, had a couple of interviews. One of them I feel really confident about. It's an entry level lab tech in fluids testing lab, not really geophysics related, pays about 24k. My question is, in the reality of job market, absence of experience, should I take it, had I been made an offer? My concern is, time is precious and i don't want to become damaged goods for employers one yr from now being without job. On the other hand, perhaps I should keep on looking and find something more related to my degree and with more $$?

[PinkLadyK]

First job out of college? I say take anything you are offered that doesn't require asking, "Do you want fries with that?" Get a resume going and start looking for a new job in 18 months. You'll be amazed at how much easier it is to find a job when you have a job.

[mkwensky]

Originally Posted by Jetta_Geo

Hi all, I need an advice. I graduated with bs in geophysics this May, had a couple of interviews. One of them I feel really confident about. It's an entry level lab tech in fluids testing lab, not really geophysics related, pays about 24k. My question is, in the reality of job market, absence of experience, should I take it, had I been made an offer? My concern is, time is precious and i don't want to become damaged goods for employers one yr from now being without job. On the other hand, perhaps I should keep on looking and find something more related to my degree and with more $$?

I think for most Geophysics jobs you need a Masters. If you want to go back to school eventually and just want to work and experience life then you can consider taking a job out of field.
However 24k is really, really low and you'd have trouble living on that in Houston, and I'd probably turn it down on that basis alone. Any job that does not give me financial independence and does not pad my resume is IMHO not worth it, unless I really, really need the money. How long have you been looking? Are your classmates finding better jobs?

[Jetta_Geo]

Originally Posted by mkwensky

How long have you been looking? Are your classmates finding better jobs?

I've been looking for couple months, have a friend who graduated petroleum engineering in December, not a single interview. Another one graduated like me with geophysics, same story. I have a spouse and his income is supporting us and our 2 little kids, so technically I could survive, as long as I start paying my student loans.

[swopoe]

Originally Posted by Jetta_Geo

I've been looking for couple months, have a friend who graduated petroleum engineering in December, not a single interview. Another one graduated like me with geophysics, same story. I have a spouse and his income is supporting us and our 2 little kids, so technically I could survive, as long as I start paying my student loans.

In this case, go get a master’s degree in geophysics and defer your loan payments until you are done.

I have a bachelor’s and master’s in geophysics. You really need the master’s degree. Go full time and you will finish in 2 years and be way more marketable.

[mkwensky]

Originally Posted by Jetta_Geo

I've been looking for couple months, have a friend who graduated petroleum engineering in December, not a single interview. Another one graduated like me with geophysics, same story. I have a spouse and his income is supporting us and our 2 little kids, so technically I could survive, as long as I start paying my student loans.

A couple of months is not that long. I know people who looked for half a year before they found something good. With 2 little kids you'll need more than $35k before the job's worth it due to daycare costs.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by PinkLadyK

First job out of college? I say take anything you are offered that doesn't require asking, "Do you want fries with that?" Get a resume going and start looking for a new job in 18 months. You'll be amazed at how much easier it is to find a job when you have a job.

Exactly,
It's better to say "I was working in X company for 6 months doing something I didn't go to school for while I waiting for the right job to show up"
than to say "I was home waiting for 6 months waiting for the right job to show up"

[Chrisrock]

Sounds like you will be putting labels on pee cups of parolees. If you keep looking and turn down the lab tech, you can always go to serving fries, and there won't be that much of a difference in pay.

[Jetta_Geo]

it's industrial fluids, oil, tested for viscosity, oxidation etc.

[PinkLadyK]

Are you 22 years old with no/limited experience? If so, my original advice still stands. If you're a nontraditional (polite way of saying older - ha) student and your resume isn't empty or many years outdated from being a stay-at-home-mom, then I may defer to mkwensky and swopoe. I also am unfamiliar with job searching in that particular field. I was a liberal arts major, so for me, it was wise to just get in the door somewhere to get my resume started. May not be the case for you.