Jobs

[GENE AUTRY KING]

My son graduated from a state school with a BS in communications in 2008. Since that time he has been unable to find a job in that field or even one that had a future to it. He has sent out many, many resumes with a
limited response (4 out of 75) He is now working as a cable
installer and earning decent money but wants something that is career and not just a job. Any Idea's?????

 

[princessnoelly]

Look into communications sales- radio, TV, publication, etc. My degree is a BS in marketing with a minor in communications. I went to work right out of college selling radio and did it for several years at two different groups. Media groups are always looking for new fresh faces as people burn out really fast in the job because it is very demanding and hard. Good people are also moving to other station groups or media fields because of a "list" (client list with a guaranteed billing amount) or because upper management moves and takes "their" people with them.

He could also look into intern programs at your local radio stations, sports teams, etc. I have many friends who did ticket sales for local sports teams and are now working in the marketing departments for the teams.

Have him talk to the director of sales at the cable company he is working for. They might have other unadvertised openings.

Tell him good luck. It's a hard job market right now.

 

[ArielsMommy]

My DH has a degree in broadcasting that graduated with in 1997. He has worked maybe 18 months on and off in that field since that time and 2 positions were unpaid internships. Things are becoming more automated and sindication (sp?) has made his career path out of reach. Although I have also supported his dream, I still feel like it was a big waste of $80k. I wish your son better luck.

 

[ellone]

My son graduated from a state school with a BS in communications in 2008. Since that time he has been unable to find a job in that field or even one that had a future to it. He has sent out many, many resumes with a
limited response (4 out of 75) He is now working as a cable
installer and earning decent money but wants something that is career and not just a job. Any Idea's?????

Question for you - did he tailor his resume for each of those jobs or did he just send the same one to all of them? You need to tailor your resume for each job you apply for and make a cover letter for each one.

 

[Kimberly]

Question for you - did he tailor his resume for each of those jobs or did he just send the same one to all of them? You need to tailor your resume for each job you apply for and make a cover letter for each one.

I never read cover letters. Tailoring your resume is a near must, though. I do care to read interests and extracurricular activities though. Coming off as assertive and outgoing is important in my business.

 

[tomthebarncat]

I never read cover letters. Tailoring your resume is a near must, though. I do care to read interests and extracurricular activities though. Coming off as assertive and outgoing is important in my business.

Why do you not read cover letters? they are not only an introduction, but a writing sample. Honestly, do you want employees representing your organization who can put together a sentence???? the written word is underrated in my opinion.

 

[ellone]

I never read cover letters. Tailoring your resume is a near must, though. I do care to read interests and extracurricular activities though. Coming off as assertive and outgoing is important in my business.

Guess it depends on the hiring manager - my husband always reads cover letters. As for interests and extracurricular activities - those he doesn't care about.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I do read cover letters, and I was told in one job interview that it got me in the door. Instead of a generic letter, I do a quick intro then I put a table with the job requirements (from the ad) and specific examples of how my qualifications match.

I worked with a recruiting firm once that told me something like 75% of jobs now come from knowing somebody. Your son and the rest of your family should be telling everyone you know what he is looking for. You never know when someone will have the inside lead to the perfect opportunity.

Have someone who is a grammar stickler read over the resume. Grammar errors really stand out to me, and I am of the opinion that a perspective employee who can't take the time to get something as important as a resume "right" is probably not a great fit for my team. Likewise for formatting - if he used a template, make sure everything is lined up correctly.

 

[niccikatie]

Have someone who is a grammar stickler read over the resume. Grammar errors really stand out to me, and I am of the opinion that a perspective employee who can't take the time to get something as important as a resume "right" is probably not a great fit for my team. Likewise for formatting - if he used a template, make sure everything is lined up correctly.

*bolding mine

Proofing is very important!

I agree that networking with family and friends may be his best bet. Also, contacting his old instructors may be beneficial.

 

[crisi]

Communications is a difficult field. Lots of people majoring, few jobs.

Maybe he should try something more general. Project management. Sales. Financial Planning.

 

[prncess674]

I think way too many students don't do enough due diligence when picking a major. Did your son research the job market before deciding on that major? What type of job was he expecting? Was he working the connections via his department teachers? A piece of paper (degree) is only one small part of getting a job, you need to network and get experiences outside of the classroom. Did the school have any statistics about how many students in his program actually receive a job that is within their field? Sending blind resumes is an exercise in futility. Many companies just list generic sounding jobs in hopes of generating buzz.

In the old days, most college students were quite wealthy and pursuing a degree was more like pursuing a hobby, now you need to determine if dropping $XX on a degree in XYZ is worth the return on investment besides just being a really good Jeopardy/quiz bowl player.

Has your son made a professional page on LinkedIn? He should then highlight any relevant skills he has obtained that relate to his desired job. You can join forums and groups on LinkedIn. Recruiters will at times look for persons who are subscribed to a particular forum or group simply because it narrows down people who may be qualified for a job.

Agree about getting a sharp friend to read his resume. Resumes need to be action oriented and not just a list of prior jobs. Your son is young and probably doesn't have a lot of relevant work history, but he can display many of the desired characteristics if his resume is written strategically. One incorrectly spelled word can land your resume in the recycle bin.

 

[ArielsMommy]

I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but I am currently looking for part time work in addition to my full time job. I have put out about 20 applications but I haven't had one call back. Does anyone have any advice about what I could be doing wrong? I need some additional income and I am starting to get desparate.

 

[Kimberly]

Why do you not read cover letters? they are not only an introduction, but a writing sample. Honestly, do you want employees representing your organization who can put together a sentence???? the written word is underrated in my opinion.

2 things are far more important; recommendations and experience. I see cover letters really as only blowing sunshine up my skirt. A good cover letter usually tells me you're covering up other inadequacies.

 

[Elleshoodat]

2 things are far more important; recommendations and experience. I see cover letters really as only blowing sunshine up my skirt. A good cover letter usually tells me you're covering up other inadequacies.

I couldn't disagree more. Experience is important, yes, but a well-written cover letter shows personality as well as whether someone has a good grasp of the English language. It shouldn't be someone "blowing sunshine up (your) skirt."

OP, I definitely believe that if he hasn't already, your son needs to get the word out that he's looking for a CAREER, not just a job. I've gotten two of the three jobs I've had since graduating college thanks to someone else.

 

[Sagginit]

my advice from years as a manger (i used to directly read resumes and hire at my last two jobs).

i just joined linked in. i have no intentions of leaving my job but i want to build my network and put people in connection with me as my company is constantly hiring. if he is not on it he should seriously consider joining. hiring people is such a risk that if you have connections it makes a big difference.

lying seems like an obvious don't but tons of people do it. i worked in retail and we did hire people that lied but they quickly got caught, and then we examined every move as they could not be trusted.

the other thing i would say is people don't understand that careers are not always a clear path. my last two jobs had nothing to do with my degree. my first job got me the experience needed for the second one. the second job i left a few months ago got my foot in the door at this company and allowed me to apply internally for a better position. now the job im currently in overlaps with my experience and my degree. not to mention im becoming vested in my 401K and building benefits that can be lost when you skip from company to company. so if he is installing cable he can work his way up into a management position. from there he would then say apply for a job in a marketing team/ communications team as a project leader (since he knows how to manage a group) at the company and give him the boost to get where he really wants to be. i have friends who went back to school b/c the mentality was get degree A, get masters B, apply to job C. they now have two degrees in a field that is not thriving and may never get that job they spent 6-8 years in college for.

just don't let anyone tell him that installing cable is a dead end job. he could walk into the house of someone who owns a radio station tomorrow and end up with a job offer.

 

[v.t.]

Volunteer!
I received many, many job offers through my volunteer work. He could use his communication skills to help with marketing, advertising, or something in that area. Working for United Way, MDA, American Cancer Society, or another organization could provide him much needed experience as well as help his networking skills. I met many executives while working with the Jaycees. Because in this job market it really is about who you know.
Good Luck

 

[disfan07]

Networking. Probably one of the most important things right now.

I still have 2 more years of undergrad left but I will be graduating with a B.A in Psychology and Social Behavior and a B.A in Public Health Policy. I am planning on going to graduate school as well. I have not signed up for LinkedIn yet but i've been networking in other ways.

I have been talking to my doctors about what I want to do and they have connections at a university where they teach at the medical school. They also have excellent connections within the hospital where they are employed as well as a couple of other major hospitals in the area.

I am volunteering at the Childrens Hospital in our area starting in the fall and hope to make some connections there.

I am going to be a research assistant for one of my professors this fall at school

I have been making contacts throught the public health sector in my state especially with health care reform and patient advocacy because that is my major interest right now.

I also have some excellent connections just within my family. We have some very well established lawyers, doctors and psychologists in our family who have some connections to some great internship programs around the country.

So basically, what i'm saying is networking and connections are very important. I've been lucky that many of my connections have just kind of fallen into my lap because of who I am around all the time but some have taken more work to search out. I have found that for me, especially with the public health scetor, these groups are very impressed when you reach out to contact them for information or to get involved. I have always been told that one of the best ways to get to where you want to go is to reach out and contact people and not wait for them to come to you. Many times, there are people who are more than willing to talk to you about your career of interest and who would be willing to help you along. You just have to find who and where they are.

 

[collegejunkie]

Networking. Probably one of the most important things right now.

this. this, this, this. i go to an elite school with amazing opportunities. one of the worst things you can do here is not take the time to meet with the people who come and who can really help you out. it's shocking that some students think that they can just come here and they don't have to do anything to work with their degrees and skills. completely wrong! this goes for anyone, anywhere. my dbf is a great example. he wants to go into investment banking, so when banks started coming, you can bet he was at every single event, stayed late to chat, followed up with e-mails, met them on his own when we're in the city, etc. he has a great internship this summer, and, most likely, a great-paying job as soon as he walks out of school. if he hadn't been working so hard to meet these people and keep in touch, this would not have happened.

see if your son can go back to his old school and start talking to some people. it's never too late to express interest and to ask for help. i agree with what a PP said and you should start asking your friends if they know of any opportunities.