Having difficultly landing job in Houston (yes, really!) (Beaumont, Sugar Land: extended stay, apartment) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

EclecticEars · 08-08-2008, 12:18 PM

Just in a nutshell, I graduated from college in May with a Bachelor's degree in a social science. I've applied for jobs all over Texas, particularly Houston, but to no avail. Only 2 out of over 20 employers I've applied to have called me back, and they turned out to be, long story short, not with the most reputable companies. So...shucks.

I have over four years of sales/customer service experience to boot. In addition, I have several government internships and a lot of community service. So, I'm a rather well-rounded person. I DO NOT have any Texas address to use, and my degree is from a school where I live (KY), but I do have a Texas phone number through MagicJack. That's it.

So, no matter how much I call and apply to employers, it's to no avail. I really want to move to Houston, and for many stronger reasons than just the thriving job market.

Might it be best to move to Houston first, do a stint at an Extended Stay or someplace before landing an apartment, and finding a job in the meanwhile? At this point, if there are no interviews, that may just be what I have to do.

Thanks!

LostInHouston · 08-08-2008, 01:24 PM

What branch of the social sciences? This may be an urban legend, but I had always heard that with regards to the social sciences, it's hard to find a job without a graduate degree.

From personal experience, it took me months to find my first engineering job out of college. I doubt if I got called back on 1 out of every 10 job postings I applied for. You just have to keep at it, and you'll find the right job for you.

As for moving from KY to Houston without having a job lined up, I personally wouldn't do it. I'll admit it would probably make it easier to find a job in Houston if you lived here. However, you would probably just end up taking any old job. If you're really looking to start your career, you need to be concerned with how the job you accept will give you the experience to take the next step.

EclecticEars · 08-08-2008, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LostInHouston

What branch of the social sciences? This may be an urban legend, but I had always heard that with regards to the social sciences, it's hard to find a job without a graduate degree.

From personal experience, it took me months to find my first engineering job out of college. I doubt if I got called back on 1 out of every 10 job postings I applied for. You just have to keep at it, and you'll find the right job for you.

As for moving from KY to Houston without having a job lined up, I personally wouldn't do it. I'll admit it would probably make it easier to find a job in Houston if you lived here. However, you would probably just end up taking any old job. If you're really looking to start your career, you need to be concerned with how the job you accept will give you the experience to take the next step.

The degree is in Political Science, since you asked. A great predecessor into fields such as lobbying or non-profit organizations, or for law school or graduate programs such as urban planning (which I eventually want to do.) The thing is, grad school isn't for me just yet. Heck, I haven't even taken the GRE, but am currently preparing. But yeah, I'm finding that the "urban legend" is true.

I've only had about 1 in 10 employers overall that I've applied to call me back, in Houston and throughout Texas. I want out of Kentucky really, but I've applied to a few places here just for "backup"; haven't heard a peep out of any KY employers. So, yeah...

Maybe I just need to accelerate the grad school process and get into a g.s. program ASAP...even if that means I have to stay in KY for two more years.

(Not that this is a bad place, but it's just not for me, but that's another story.)

Texas Mack · 08-08-2008, 01:58 PM

Have you considered a career in marketing? I've actually come across people in the industry who have told me that they're looking more at people with poli-sci degrees. I don't know how much impact that has but you might want to do some research on it.

Poltracker · 08-08-2008, 02:08 PM

I hear HPD is hiring...

chris_ut · 08-08-2008, 02:33 PM

Consider getting a Texas address through the UPS Store. You can just have them forward any mail to you anywhere in the US and it is a street address not a PO Box.

creed2500 · 08-08-2008, 02:42 PM

chris_ut,
What we have done to move to Texas, is buy an RV and rent a space at a campground. It's very cheap rent (and if it's just you, you can buy an RV pretty cheap to live in for temp.) We landed in Sugar Land , but they are all over. Plus, they have a huge Houston job fair quite often. I would definitely go ahead and make the move. Especially since you really want to be here.
We are actually moving to Beaumont area and have found it necessary to actually be there to job search. We go over every week. Hope this helps.
By the way, how do you post a new question on this forum?

lonestarwvu · 08-08-2008, 02:45 PM

It is has been my experience that it can be quite difficult to get a job right out of college if you are looking for something other than any old job. I would say to find a low paying job in the area of work you are interested in, stick with it a couple of years, and you should have much more flexibility in terms of movement and opportunity.

If you don’t care what you do, you could probably move down and find a job in retail, but I have no idea what the market is like for that either. Might I suggest you take the GRE’s and go to grad school somewhere down here? College is a fine place to be.

FWIW, I think I sent out over 100 resumes when I got out of college with very few bites -- I feel your pain.

Topaz · 08-08-2008, 02:47 PM

I wouldn't go to grad school in Kentucky hoping it will help you get a job in Texas. You need to be more networked here because liberal arts grads with a bit of business experience tend to get jobs through connections rather than through posted advertisements.

If you can swing it financially, I think you are on the right track to move here and start working at something that will finance your effort to find the right job. I think it is an easier sell to go from local temp work to a local job in your field than to go from a job in Kentucky to a job in Houston.

LostInHouston · 08-08-2008, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcm1986

The degree is in Political Science, since you asked. A great predecessor into fields such as lobbying or non-profit organizations, or for law school or graduate programs such as urban planning (which I eventually want to do.) The thing is, grad school isn't for me just yet. Heck, I haven't even taken the GRE, but am currently preparing. But yeah, I'm finding that the "urban legend" is true.

I've only had about 1 in 10 employers overall that I've applied to call me back, in Houston and throughout Texas. I want out of Kentucky really, but I've applied to a few places here just for "backup"; haven't heard a peep out of any KY employers. So, yeah...

Maybe I just need to accelerate the grad school process and get into a g.s. program ASAP...even if that means I have to stay in KY for two more years.

(Not that this is a bad place, but it's just not for me, but that's another story.)

A good friend of mine got dual bachelors in urban planning and econ. She wasn't able to find a job out of college and ended up as a bank teller for awhile. Eventually she found a job in her field, but that didn't work out (little pay + long hours). She now is going to grad school for urban planning and working as a check-in person for a hospital. So yeah, I think that particular field is tough to get into with only a bachelors. I'd say taking a job to pay the bills and get through grad school may be your best bet.