How having a college degree is worse than not having one: (employees, applying)

[veloman777]

That's correct, it is possible.

(This topic assumes you understand that it is impossible to get a job relevant to my degree (finance)).

Unless I lie on the application and my resume, I get rejected by employers (such as Target, Coca Cola and Pepsi bottling) for jobs that I have 4 years experience in (warehouse).


I am literally going to have to lie in order to get a job, it seems.

I thought I would be able to fall back on my warehouse experience, but that is anything but the case.

I wonder if fast food joints will reject me too? Manual labor?

This is the ultimate reality check, and I take full blame for my situation.

[Jesse69]

Worst job - bike messenger - they don't care if you have a college degree. You just gotta deliver stuff in complete days of rain or cold weather.

Pizza Delivery or car messenger might work for you too!

Did you just graduate with a finance degree? Why not work as a bank teller to start you in a bank and then move up?

[Nativechief]

You are not alone. For several years most college grads dont or cant get jobs related to their college major and the years spent in school make having full time experience at any job very hard to have done. They have an advantage . Just try to get your foot in the door with any company that in time will appreciate your education more after you work at an entry level job for them and show potential. When the job market gets better you can only hope that an employer will not throw your application in the trash as he may with the ones who apply and dont have the education. Maybe joining the army or other branch and going to officers school is an option that your degree will help you with.

[seenontv]

It's nothing new. When employers see overqualified applicants during a down economy a lot of times they assume that they will leave the minute something better opens up.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by seenontv

It's nothing new. When employers see overqualified applicants during a down economy a lot of times they assume that they will leave the minute something better opens up.

Had the same problem coming out of MBA school during the early 90s recession, and I had friends a bit younger than me (I was 4 years out of undergrad at the time.....I had worked F/T for 2 years then gone to MBA school f/t while working p/t for the school) who just graduated college with the same issues. It's not unique to today, it's an attribute of recessions.

If it's on DVD or video, rent a copy of the movie "Singles" starring Winona Ryder, I think it came out in 1992. You'll see a lot of yourself in there, even though you were probably just a toddler or starting kindergarten then.

[Duk123]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

If it's on DVD or video, rent a copy of the movie "Singles" starring Winona Ryder, I think it came out in 1992. You'll see a lot of yourself in there, even though you were probably just a toddler or starting kindergarten then.

"Single" or did you mean "Reality Bites" Winona wasn't in "Singles". Either way both movies are a very good look at life in your in your mid to late 20's.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by Duk123

"Single" or did you mean "Reality Bites" Winona wasn't in "Singles". Either way both movies are a very good look at life in your in your mid to late 20's.

I meant "Reality Bites" but you're right both movies would be very good and show that it was just the same way in an era just before the Internet and the cell phone. Thanks for the correction.

[dick1973]

Having a College degree in anything is better than a high school diploma or a GED. FYI GED is another way to say "I was a loser in school". I don't hire them.

You can still go into the Coast Guard as an Officer with a college degree

[Sunnnee]

Originally Posted by veloman777

That's correct, it is possible.

(This topic assumes you understand that it is impossible to get a job relevant to my degree (finance)).

Unless I lie on the application and my resume, I get rejected by employers (such as Target, Coca Cola and Pepsi bottling) for jobs that I have 4 years experience in (warehouse).


I am literally going to have to lie in order to get a job, it seems.

I thought I would be able to fall back on my warehouse experience, but that is anything but the case.

I wonder if fast food joints will reject me too? Manual labor?

This is the ultimate reality check, and I take full blame for my situation.

I think it depends on the industry your applying for. Some IT companies in the bay area want only college grads, so they can hire you at low pay and get rid of the older workers that are being paid well. Forget if you have any experience (isn't that what they usually post that you must have EXPERIENCE??). They want to see that paper and know what college you graduated from. Stanford (your in), Berkeley (your in) etc...

I see it all the time, especially at Google (I live in the Bay Area) and my friend that works there said that is all they want is College Grads. Google prides themselves on having employees that are college-educated (nothing wrong with that) or have PH.D's. Sorry I have just as much experience to do the same job. WTF is wrong with this country? Yahoo as well, but they lay off all the time.

If your over 35 your screwed and I am 39...still trying to hold on to my job. God helps us all.

[AlstraQ]

@ veloman777: Have you tried applying with the federal government? Say, USAJOBS - The Federal Government's Official Jobs Site. It may be well worth the arduous effort.

@ Sunnnee: You cite two big companies in the Bay Area (that are geared toward younger trends) but I wonder about the number of smaller companies willing to take chances with older people. Eventually, in my view, many companies will be hiring from the increasing population of baby boomers. They'd be foolish not to, as your post points out the value of their experience.

The federal government often hires regardless of age.