Well, it's the new year and I've layed about enough, so I need to get a job--only thing is I have no idea where to start. I've got a political science degree from Baylor (May '03), which means I can do pretty much anything that's not too specific to start (e.g. engineering, sciences). How does one find that first job? Everything in the paper and online sounds the same--SALES/MARKETING ADVANCEMENT **** GROWTH blah blah lies. I'm just looking for an entry-level postion in pretty much anything (though preferably involving writing/editing). Any advice? Are job agencies worth a try? Should I just send out resumes at random? Internet over newspaper? Any help would be appreciated. Let the snide comments begin...
No offense, which means you will probably take offense, but I find it rather comical that someone that goes to school and gets that magical peice of paper (a degree) does not learn how to get a damn job. You have been going to school for over 16 years now and dont know how to get a job or even what the hell you are going to do? Honestly, and this is constructive critisism, if you do not have an idea of what you are going to do by now, you have a serious problem. What were you wasting all of that time in college for? What was your ultimate goal? Why did you waste all of that money if it wasnt to accomplish something? I assumed, and I know what happens when you assume, that when people go to college, it was for one of two things. 1. To get a degree so that they can get a job in an area that they want to pursue. 2. Get ****ed up. This situation right here is why I think that college is a crock of ****. You get yourself in debt to go make less money than you expect. You could have started an entry level position out of high school making the same amount of money sans the debt and by now be making a lot more money. I will quit here. [/rant]
A university degree these days is little more than a prerequisite for starting your "real" training. Unlike in the past, it doesn't guarantee employment. You'll likely need more education before you start off on a real career path.
A degree is a piece of paper. I got my degree, but if you don't have the experience, you ain't going to get jacksh!t. You really need some job experience, but it would also depend on what field you want to go into. When I mean job experience, I mean anything. Work retail, apply temp agencies, etc. Just build that experience up to get the job you want.
How the hell does a degree in Poly Sci mean you can do anything? Not to be captain obvious here, but if you really wanted to be a engineer or scientist maybe you should have gotten a engineering degree or science degree. BTW Poly Sci does not count as Science, It counts as ass licking 101. Maybe you could get a job as CEO or something since ass licking is the basis for that position, other than that you should go back to your counselor's office with a large blunt instrument and beat him to death for not leading you down the right road.
No offense, which means you will probably take offense, but a great many people don't figure out what they want to do right away. Life experience can later shape a person's opinions about things. I knew a girl who was making good money with her biology degree but was unhappy then went back in her early 30's to get an art degree. I forgot what she wanted to do, but still.... It's a common enough syndrome: I want to be smart, I want to be educated....I'm good at this, great at that....but what doI want to do (as opposed to what everyone else thinks I should do)? For those who know what they want to do right out of the starting gate, bravo! I wish I had been one of you.
I'm somewhat interested in stadium designing and I just got an e-mail back from someone at HOK. I mean I knew that kind of career requires school and, dare I say, graduate school, but I just don't wanna. God I hate laerninng.
Man, some harsh responses. Give the guy a break, it's not easy to figure out what to do with your life. Couple of options rather than the conventional ones: 1. You should get a teaching certificate and become a teacher. Seriously, there are never enough qualified teachers. Alternatively you could try to teach english abroad. That way you'd get a chance to "see the world" in a way that you otherwise wouldn't 2. I wouldn't advise going to grad school right away; I did straight after college and sort of regret it. You're young, so I would consider getting a job tending bar or something and have some fun for a few years if that suits your fancy.
I think rudager was implying that he can do anything that is not too specific, as opposed to science or engineering (which is specific). As far as the whole "school doesn't teach you how to find a job," it shouldn't. School is supposed to help you do two things (while learning a little about your field of choice): 1) Think critically about subjects that you might not necessarily be an expert on. 2) Communicate your thoughts clearly (orally and on paper) 3) Organize your time Employers expect this out of college grads and should (if the company is worth a crap) train them to the specifics of the job. Unfortunately, both employers and college students fail their respective ends of this "bargain," which is why people often job skip until they've learned enough of the basics and particulars of a specific job to stick somewhere. As far as MB's comment, that's a load of crap. Many people (including some very bright and talented individuals) aren't sure what they want to do after college. So I think the idea of starting in a non-descript entry-level job (i.e. admin. assistant) is the right idea. My suggestion would be to go through a temp agency and just do clerical tasks. Hopefully, one of your temp jobs (if you work hard and show a willingness to learn) will lead to something more permanent. And working that entry-level jobs will help you know what your strengths and weaknesses are. At that point, you'll be ready to decide what type of career to pursue.
You are not getting my point. Your friend obviously had a goal. She was working towards doing something in biology and got a job using that degree. After being in that field for some time she decided that biology isnt her greatest love. Nothing wrong with that. I am an IT consultant and I have been pretty successful so far in what I do. I want to be a chef but I have a young family and cannot just run off to culinary arts school yet. I will continue to be the best damn IT consultant that I can until I can go to culinary arts school. The bottom line is, no matter what you want to do, you always have to have some sort of plan and goals. Experience has shown me no matter how hard you plan, things usually do not turn out as you have planned. That isnt always a bad thing but just because things do not turn out as planned doesnt mean you stop planning. Also, when plans change, you also cannot stop working towards most of your goals. When I realized that IT was not the field I wanted to be in, that didnt mean I stopped working toward the goals I had as an IT consultant. When I realized that I wanted to be a chef, I didnt stop planning on reaching those goals as an IT consultant. Grasshopper here should have had some sort of plan on what the hell he was going to do with his degree. I think he is a little late in the game to start thinking, "Hmmm, what the hell am I going to do with this Political Science degree?" When he decided that his major was going to be Poly Sci, the next step should have been. WTF Mate? What am I going to do once I get this degree? What are my options? Where would I like to go? How would this benefit me? Life is a lot like chess. Think 8 moves in. Think about several different avenues. I just believe that this is common sense.
Try using your college placement center. Since you are a somewwhat recent graduate, they may be able to help you still. Lots of times stuff people enjoy doing for fun or as a hobby isn't the same thing they would enjoy doing for work, and vice versa. That said, try doing some searches on technical writing, documentation, etc. Take some journalism classes and see if that interests you. Also, most government project require reams of documentation, so most fed/state agencies and contractors need lots of folks who can write. re:teachers - there is such a thing as too many teachers. In CA, they hired a bunch of teachers during the boom times and had to lay a bunch of them off in the past two years. Really envy the three months off some teachers get. English abroad does sound like a lot more promising to someone who is not sure what they want to do right now, though.
lol..interesting thread.. Yes..people should have goals and be prepared..but it is surprising that many people don't... Well what can you do with a political science degree? www.monster.com Start sending out resumes! Good luck! Don't spend money on stuff you don't need..
I'm sorry but I find that to be a load of crap. YOU HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE!!!! Any idiot on earth can get a clerical job. If you want to be successful you have excude success. Answering phones and taking messages does not do that. You have to act the part before you get the part. If you are single with limited responsibilities, go get the best damn job you can. If you dont like it then find something else until you find a niche. Research what you are applying for. Learn the talk and lingo if you can. Act like you are the **** without being cocky. People skills are important and job experience is critical. Always try to bite off more than you can chew, eventually you catch up.
OT but what would one plan to do with a Politcal Science degree? I got recruited by some grad school for government when I graduated college about twenty years ago, and my degree was in Electrical Engineering so they didn't really care too much about my degree either.
True, anyone (not any idiot - I turned away quite a few when hiring at my company) can get a clerical job. But not anyone can parlay that clerical job into something more. Obviously, you want to get the best job possible, but the reality is that companies aren't going to hire someone with a bachelor's degree and throw them in a management position (not if they're smart). On the other hand, companies hire college grads (rather than HS grads)precisely because they're hoping the new employee can do a little more than the basic job. So if rudager shows he's capable of handling more than just clerical work, they'll give him more responsibilities. That's when he should attempt to bite off more than he can maybe chew (to use your analogy). If he does well and the company is smart, they'll promote him fast (that's what happened in my case). If the company sucks, then at least his resume will show his ability to grow as employee. Furthermore (and here's the important part), the employee learns what he's good at. He can than tailor his future education to pursue more specialized careers. Nothing is more ridiculous than someone going into an entry-level job interview and acting like he/she is already a pro (i.e. talking the lingo). Just show that you can communicate clearly (get a writing sample together and offer it even if they don't ask) and are willing to learn, and that's what will get your foot in the door.
