Q&A: I cant find a job, was going to college a bad idea?
Question by Ms. Fox: I cant find a job, was going to college a bad idea?
I went to college because I wanted to increase my chances of getting a secure job and helping out my family. I did everthing I could to be a marketable candidate for employment such as keeping a good gpa with my university, volunteering, holding lead positions in organizations and at my campus job, and I held a full-time internship for a semester before I graduated in May of 2008. I got my B.S. in social work but I find that most positions want bilangual applicants with at least 2yrs experince. I don’t have the money to intern for another year and a half to get more experience.
I live in a South Chicago neighborhood that is economically depressed. I have spent a lot of time mentoring to youth about how important it is to get an education and go to college and they look up to me. I don’t know if I want them to look up to me anymore because my peers that have not went to college have work experience, most have good jobs, and are being independent while I am in debt and miserable. My job is applying for jobs all day and attending job fairs while scraping up change for gas money to get to them.
Im trying to stay positive but I have worked hard and I loved school. Why can’t I find a job?
I am definately not looking for a job only in social work, I am looking for a full time job in other fields also. I am in grad school for my Masters in Public Administration and looking to gain experience before I graduate. I love school and I am anxious to work but I need health benefits to deal with health issues while I work.
Best answer:
Answer by afk
I’m having the same problem. I’m really beginning to think college is just one big scam to provide professors with jobs.
I have a friend who has no real formal education. He is an AC/HV repair person, and he makes 40-50K a year.
It’s crazy.
What do you think? Answer below!
October 8th, 2011 at 9:31 am
I think that if somebody decides to go to college, they should plan on getting at least a masters degree eventually. Otherwise, it seems like an expensive investment to make just to get a regular job.
October 8th, 2011 at 10:28 am
Well the entire country is in a terrible place right now so you can’t really expect to graduate and land a job (that would have been difficult even during good times!). Anyway, you should try taking a language class, since many social work jobs ask for bilingual workers.
You also should have looked into internships that either PAY or will at least offer you a job at the end of your time there.
Going to college doesn’t guarantee a job, in fact even before the recession employment was already moving towards needed a masters degree or higher. Anyway, if you wanted to do social work you could have gotten an associates degree or trade school instead of getting a general education first.
It takes time to find a job, you might have to look outside your field for a while and take whatever comes your way.
Good luck, and I know its hard but don’t blame college.
Remember that hopefully the economy will pick up and your background will help you land a better job. Because you do have a BA at least, you’ll have a better chance of getting paid more.
October 8th, 2011 at 11:19 am
Part of the reason that it’s hard for you to find a good job is that you are in South Chicago. Another part of the reason is that you are narrowing your job search too much. Just because you have a degree in social work, that doesn’t mean that the only job you can do is in social work – heck, it doesn’t even mean that the job that will make you the most money is in social work.
1) You need to extend yourself a little bit. You may want to start looking online for jobs, and you should probably consider looking at jobs that extend out of south Chicago. Look for jobs that may not necessarily be in social work. You could probably work HR for some company. But don’t extend it too much – for example, don’t apply for a job as a programmer unless you can actually program.
2) If it’s possible, you may be able to cut back on your living expenses. Don’t go out to eat, just learn to cook something. You don’t need a TV at all, much less cable. You can use the computers at the local library instead of paying for internet access at your place. Those things combined will greatly extend your ability to intern for more time.
3) See if you can get a job with the school you graduated from. Often they can find something for you to do. If not, then someone you know there may be able to hook you up with something. Try talking to some of your old professors – some of them only teach part time, but they have their own jobs (and some of them their own businesses). My father-in-law works as an engineer for L3 communications (making plenty of money), but he took a simultaneous part-time job as an associate professor at a community college, teaching a digital circuitboards class. Your professors will probably have connections of some kind for you.
4) Your non-college friends have good jobs because they either started through a temp agency, had some sort of internal connection, or something like that. They either started at the bottom and by experience got better, or on their own free time they figured out some useful skills. Here’s a chart for you to consider: http://xkcd.com/519/
October 8th, 2011 at 11:53 am
If you live in an economically depressed area, the smartest move you can make is to move away! I feel you, im from new orleans, which is THE most economically depressed city in the US and i did two years at Xavier University and i am now in Dallas finishing school. My cousin did the same, as soon as she graduated from Xavier, she got a job offer in Houston and is absolutely loving it there. As much as we love new orleans, we were smart enough to realize there is no room for advancement and if you live/are from an area like that, really the only thing you can do is move somewhere else. If you don’t want to leave the Chi, you can move to another area, instead of remaining on the south side. Don’t ever think that it was a mistake to go to college-trust me a degree is ALWAYS better than no degree. But maybe you should have majored in something that has a serious demand. Like education, nursing, law. I can tell you that the state of Texas has the biggest demand for social workers. In fact my best friend just graduated from UNLV in las vegas with a criminal justice/social work degree and is moving to Dallas in march, when her apt lease is up. As far as the bilingual thing goes, that’s a BIGGIE that a lot of employers will be looking for as time goes on. I took 4 years of spanish in high school and an additional year my first year of college so im fluent in spanish, but right now im working on my Bachelor of Arts Degree in French with a teacher’s certificate to teach secondary school. If you already have a Bachelors, you can go back and get certified to teach and its only a few classes more-you don’t have to go back and get another bachelors or anything like that. So i would say start applying for jobs outside of your area, seriously think about out of state, cause you might hit the jackpot. Keep doing what your doing with the mentoring because all of that looks great on a resume. I hope i was able to shed some light and i wish you the best of luck!
October 8th, 2011 at 12:30 pm
You can’t find a job because the economy for the whole nation is at a low. Everyone is being laid off, out of work, having trouble finding a job no matter what the area is.
You need to expend your search for a job to areas outside of social work. Having a Bachelors degree is still going to get you work.
In the meantime, get yourself a spanish computer program and start learning a second language.
have you looked into education. subbing and teacher’s aid does not require a education degree. My cousin got a job as a teacher’s aid at a special school. He has a pay check and benefits and is off at 3pm-
October 8th, 2011 at 1:06 pm
There are no guarantees in life. If there were, how boring it would be.
Find an entry level job in corporate America. Work hard and, with some luck, you’ll advance quickly. You have to be positive. An attitude won’t help.