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I just graduated from a very well-known large university in a college town. Now, I am realizing, unless I was a science or math-based major, my odds of finding a job are very hard and I pretty much have to start at the worse of jobs. Heck, I'm starting to think if I was at least in a town outside a major metro like Santa Cruz outside San Jose or Davis outside Sacramento, my odds would have been better.
I feel bad because so many liberal arts majors are out of jobs and some even have big college debts to pay off.
Just having a college diploma by itself does not mean that you are guaranteed to find a decent paying job even in larger cities where there are more jobs available. Anyways have you done any internships while you were in school? Because most employers will take that in consideration and it would give you a significant advantage over someone who has not worked anywhere outside of low paying service jobs just because of the experience factor alone.
you have a degree? get in line with the other 300,000 people who applied and have no experience but have a degree. College is a scam.
a company wants an experienced person
college teaches you how to remember a term and take a quiz.
I very much disagree with this. College helped me become a more mature, well rounded person. It was a lot more than learneing how to remember...a lot.
Many people fail to understand that college isn't a placement agency. It's a place to learn and grow.
That said, OP - It's very normal to be concerned with finding a good job after college. And it's a rational concern. It's not easy out there - Even when times where purported to be better, it was still a struggle for me.
The OP has pointed out a really true problem - that the traditional "college town" has a huge disadvantage in that it does not allow students to search for jobs or work at meaningful jobs while in school, because there is simply nothing there except for a few sandwich shops and a bar or two. This really does put many students at a disadvantage and is something to take into consideration when choosing a school. It's one reason I would always recommend going to school in an urban area with a strong job market whenever possible - especially if one's parents live in area that doesn't have a lot of industry. For example, I grew up in a rural area with few jobs and went to school in a traditional college town where little existed outside of the campus. That meant that I had no opportunities to work or interview locally anywhere - not while in school, and not when I moved back home after graduating. We've all seen how hard it is to find work from out of area - this is exactly the situation that is guaranteed when you graduate from a college located in one of those tiny college towns and don't have parents or relatives in a more populated area.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
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Even 20 years ago it was difficult to find work right out of school. I had multiple internships, lots of other work experience, a science based degree, and even then I had to re-locate without a job, volunteer all day every day and work at nights to pay rent for a year before securing a position. That's the way it goes. Just keep doing the next right thing and good luck.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,937 posts, read 36,951,955 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mnseca
The OP has pointed out a really true problem - that the traditional "college town" has a huge disadvantage in that it does not allow students to search for jobs or work at meaningful jobs while in school, because there is simply nothing there except for a few sandwich shops and a bar or two. This really does put many students at a disadvantage and is something to take into consideration when choosing a school. It's one reason I would always recommend going to school in an urban area with a strong job market whenever possible - especially if one's parents live in area that doesn't have a lot of industry. For example, I grew up in a rural area with few jobs and went to school in a traditional college town where little existed outside of the campus. That meant that I had no opportunities to work or interview locally anywhere - not while in school, and not when I moved back home after graduating. We've all seen how hard it is to find work from out of area - this is exactly the situation that is guaranteed when you graduate from a college located in one of those tiny college towns and don't have parents or relatives in a more populated area.
What is a traditional college town to you? I think Burlington, VT, Madison, WI, Athens, GA, etc...
I just graduated from a very well-known large university in a college town. Now, I am realizing, unless I was a science or math-based major, my odds of finding a job are very hard and I pretty much have to start at the worse of jobs. Heck, I'm starting to think if I was at least in a town outside a major metro like Santa Cruz outside San Jose or Davis outside Sacramento, my odds would have been better.
I feel bad because so many liberal arts majors are out of jobs and some even have big college debts to pay off.
I would move if I were you. I live in Bloomington, IN, home of Indiana University. Plan on moving in two weeks to a larger city with a better job market. Nurses and engineers can do well here, as there are a couple of medical products manufacturing facilities here. The manufacturing jobs are very low paying $10 an hour and rent is sky high with the university being here. Other than that, it is basically restaurant and retail work. Many work multiple jobs to make ends meet.
In many college towns, competition is stiff because the grads aren't ready to leave to college life behind. My question to you OP, is why stay if you have already graduated? Look elsewhere for work. Join the Peace Corps or military if necessary. Sleep on someone's couch until you get on your feet.
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