Entry level woes...
I graduated this spring from a Big Ten university, with degrees in political science and economics, and I have now been actively job searching for approximately four months. To my dismay, it seems that the only companies that are interested in hiring candidates without experience are offering only unattractive sales careers. I am educated, personable, and articulate, but I am totally turned offby the idea of pitching a product that I don't care about for the next2-5 years. I have also applied to, and been granted several interviews with, employers who were seeking candidates with limited (1-3 years) experience, only to be told that I interviewed well but the company decided to go with a more qualified candidate. Basically, it seems like you need at least 2 years of relevant experience to get a decent job, but no one wants to hire applicants without experience. Are there entry-level career choices out there for liberal arts graduates that don't involve being a salesperson or account rep? Are there no companies out there that are concerned about hiring and training younger candidates as baby boomers are nearing and reaching retirement age? Any thoughts or insights would be much appreciated! Try a receptionist position just for the work experience. Or a Data Entry Clerk position. Look into your local government for opportunities that might suit your career goals. Check with the court system for opportunities in positions like courtroom clerk, judicial assistant, bailiff, etc. Go to your college' s counseling center and ask for brochures for company' s who accept applications for interns.
I appreciate your response. I guess maybe I'm just too picky. I felt like 2 college degrees qualified me for more than just a receptionist position. Perhaps in today's job market, this simply is not the case. Also, internships are not really an option for me at this point, as I need to begin making money to pay back debt from school. I did spend an entire semester interning in the state legislature, however, during my senior year. Here' s some reality you probably don' t want to hear: 1. Are there no companies out there that are concerned about hiring and training younger candidates...? I wouldn' t say "no companies" but let' s say "few" companies. Companies expect a certain ability right from the start. If you have no experience doing so much as flipping a burger, you' re behind everyone else who has. What they feel that previous "World of Work" experience brings them is your understanding of: - how to show up, every day, on time, ready to work - understanding of how to conduct yourself in the workplace, get along with others, not cause dramas or lawsuits, not offend their customers - some knowledge of when to ask questions, when to provide input and when to shut up (although most companies recognize it does take a while to fully develop those skills) - some knowledge of how to work hard every day, even when you don' t feel like it, the surf is up, the work is boring or your dog is home sick. You may know (or think you know) how to do all those things, but you don' t have a proven track record yet and keep in mind, managers know that the World of Work and World of Academia are completely different (even though many new grads don' t know that yet). 2. Are there entry-level career choices out there for liberal arts graduates that don' t involve being a salesperson or account rep? Sure, there are a million different types of entry-level jobs in many fields. The bigger question is what do you want to be doing down the road and then what is the path that takes you there? For example, you could probably get an entry-level position today as an elementary school teacher in a high risk school in your area, but if you want a career in corporate economics, that' s not helping you much. So, you tell me, what is it that you' d like to be doing down the road? Now, questions you didn' t ask but I would ask you if you applied with me: Why didn' t you work while you were in school? What did you do during your summers? Why didn' t you do any internships? Why did you major in PoliSci and Economics? What career did you envision with that combination and how do you see this job leading down that track? Have you done any volunteer work? Been involved in campus leadership activities? What can you show me that says that you can stick with something and see it through, every day, rain or shine? How do you add value to this position? What skills, experience, interest, qualities do you bring that would be good for me as an employer to have? Even without experience, almost everyone has SOMETHING they can say. If you can find what those things are and make a solid case in an interview, you may overcome the experience issue. Finally, you need to start building experience so if what you want to get into doesn' t pan out, your choices are: Suck it up and take a sales job selling something you don' t care about for at least a year. Suck it up and be an account rep managing something you don' t care about for at least a year. Volunteer somewhere and start building experience that way. This is also a good way to network AND, you should look at non-profits for gainful employment too. They often don' t pay as much as corporates do but they' re more willing to overlook things like lack of experience. Many non-profits might actually be a good fit for PoliSci and Economics. The finance guy at Red Cross or the Fund raiser at the Boys and Girls club for example. Thanks for you insights... I found your last paragraph, about non-profits, to be an especially helpful idea. In response to your questions, though they may have been rhetorical, I do have some basic work experience and an internship, which makes my inability to find a job even more frustrating. I worked at two high-volume bars, while attending school, for an average of 15-20 hours a week. During the summers, I worked in Milwaukee for my family' s restaurants. I also completed a semester-long internship in a state representative' s office. I had limited experience in student government and residence hall advisory boards and was the vice president of a campus fraternity for an entire academic year. Ultimately, I plan to return to graduate school and am looking for an opportunity to find a job that I can work for 2-3 years that will pay a livable salary. Alas, grad schools too are looking for candidates with "real world" experience. I majored in political science and economics because I plan to continue to law school or into academia. I just want to find something that I can do to build experience, in the interim, that I won' t absolutely hate. So far, this has been extremely frustrating. Ok, good, that helps. You need to be sure that your resume makes the most of that experience that you do have. AND, once you get into the interview, you need to connect the dots and really hit hard on all the things you' ve done, how responsible, how reliable, how mature (without saying the word "mature"). And I would absolutely look at non-profits if you' re really looking for a bridge to law school. You should even consider the Peace Corps. Your Student loans will be deferred and if you have the right kind of loans, they can even be cancelled. Business Development is a big part of Peace Corps and you' d fall right into that. You could hit that Law School application hard by saying "I' ve spent the last 2 years developing a sustainable economic structure for a rural village in (where ever). The project included defining a marketable economy, developing the resources to get it started, training staff in sustaining.." (you get the idea. Peace Corps also has some programs that would provide some credit towards a Masters or other graduate programs, some scholarships... As someone who lived overseas a few years, I can tell you that it is an absolute bonus to have that global perspective and you really don' t get that just visiting a place. It doesn' t kick in until you live there a while. It is a very good point about the Peace Corps. Not only will you gain experience, jobs like that show employers you can handle responsibility, work in unusual environments and take initiative. Those are qualities (well, perhaps not working in unusual environments) that all employers want. If you can find a position in the legal field without a degree and the aforementioned experience, then kudos to you! With a degree in paralegal studies, I have been searching for over a year. It seems that I may be able to get some kind of job if I were willing to move into an urban cesspool.
After 30+ years in the world of work, I don't think the experiene they are looking for involves my work ethics. I have sold myself as a temp for several years, but the market in my little burg has simply dried up. The reason I don't have the experience they are looking for is a change to a higher level with specific work. | |
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