MonsterCollege™

Lets be realistic here. I am a single mother of one and I do not feel that I am too good to work at McDonalds. If the opportunity is available and with benefits I am going  to "Have it my way". Money has no eyes and nobody really cares what way you make it as long as if it is honest and clean. I have work in the restaurant industry not McDonalds but, nothing is wrong with paying your bills. I live in Killeen, Texas which is where the biggest Army base is located in the world and I have not ever had a problem getting a job there. It is a military town so people are always hiring and no it may not be your dream job but, guess what it put food in my daughter mouth, clothes on her back, and it keeps a roof over her head. That is what important to me. You have to remember sometimes you have to crawl before you walk. Everybody wasn't born with a silver spoon in there mouth so, make the money and don't be ashamed  to let it make you. Take time to remember what is important in life and remember that everything isn't always going to go your way. It takes time and patience and with both create success. Very good topic

Some of us schmoes worked our way up to the 40k and above, I for personal reasons had to quit college and go to work full time. I have 14 years experience in my field, along with those years were 70hr work weeks and days with out seeing my children to even make it to the 40k. region, I am now closer to the 50k but I have had to sacrifice a lot to even get to this point.  It also took my 5 years to pay back my student loans. My point is US Schmoes did not get our positions handed to us, we had to work our way up like everyone else regardless of a degree. You have a degree, but do you have any actual knowledge in your field. No matter what you have to start at the bottom and prove your abilities, just because of a degree does not make you better then anyone else. You are not getting the positions becasue your ego is getting in the way!

Don't bother with Tampa! I live here and just got laid off Friday. The job market is miserable and I know I'll have to take a paycut but McD's will be a last resort only because I could never make it minimum wage and also because that big of a drop in pay will kill my social security which I only a few years away from. I got a nice severance package and am eligible for unemployment so I'm hoping this will turn around some before I have to go back to the two-job possibility. Getting too old for that.

We need to remember that this recession while it seems eternal is actually temporary.  It may not be short, but it is certainly not permanent.  Keep gaining experience in any way you can, intern, volunteer, take extra classes, get certificates and then take the highest paying "whatever" job you can to pay the bills while you wait out the storm.

I graduated 1.5 years ago with a Bachelor's of Science in Biochemistry from my state's flagship university. I have submitted my resume\applied to over 700 positions in my field nationwide. Guess how many interviews? Three. Yes, unfortunately, I'm 100% serious. And I have an outstanding resume with excellent academic, research, and extracurricular achievements. I have applied to McDonalds and similar restaurants, hotels as a housecleaner, rental shops as a mover, and other mimimum wage jobs, I get the same response... "you're overqualified. you'll leave us as soon as you find a career in your field." I apply to positions in my field, also the same response... "you don't have experience. our "entry level" positions require at least two years experience in a relevant field." Seeing as how I waited tables to put myself through college, and seeing as how I just graduated, I don't exactly have experience. I'm either overqualified or underqualified and unable to find middle ground.

The part I don't understand is do employers think that they can really treat people this way? Don't tell me that you have to balance books when you expect someone to have a degree, speak two languages, program a PC in the five most popular internet languages, have your own tools and truck, can work nights and weekends for 35K a year. That's just unconscionable. I foresee a new kind of discrimination coming out of this economy.

Don't tell me "if you don't like it don't take it". I was raised to be responsible, pay your debts, and do your best. Maybe I was unclear on all of the conditional phrasing but I don't remember being told to work myself out of a house and future. I WANT to raise my family and maybe retire someday with some money. I didn't think that was so unreasonable. Treat me with the respect you want to recieve.

Well, seeing as I make $0 and I'm 200 in the hole every month and I can't get unemployment because I moved across a state line after they sent my job to the Philippines... I'm ready to scrub toilets for a penny an hour with my two Bachelor's degrees.  This is stupid.

I agree with all those who does not have a degree and are making away more over the 40k per year and yes they have worked the way up to get there and I think that is nothing wrong there most employers all they care is that if you can get that job done and if you done it before.

For those with degrees is very much the same as for those with out it when it comes to experience on their fields, the employer does care if you went to school and payed your dues but at the same he wants to know if you can do the job and if you have done it before, therefore that's were experience has to be build, yet the employer might pay a little bit more with degree but yet they have to start from the bottom.

I have a degree and i thought i could just land the perfect job once I was out of school, but guess what I crashed into the wall and found out that I had to start from entry level making just enough to pay rent, so ok now I/m in the market again looking for IT job but guess what at least now i have the 3-5 year experience and  trust me on this one what you learn in school is nothing compared of what you learn in real life. so that puts me right on the question of how low whould I go to land a job. I first answer the employers questions and they i describe what im capable of and what my duties were before and you have to be (HONEST) thiw way at least the employer knows you know your place and $$ that you're going to ask is at least right, but now at least you can only lower your self may be1-3 dollars, only and you don;t have to back to entry level again.

Yet my respect to all those with out degree.

 I would not rush into jobs which are beneath your level of either qualifications or experience. You have to have some patience to find a good position. If you have applied to many jobs but received few interviews, then question your resume and your approach - use a close and wise friend to review your resume and which jobs you are applying for.

If, due to pressing financial need, you are forced to take a lesser job, then see it as something temporary and probably leave it off your resume.

If possible, see if you can use your time constructively whilst waiting for that better job to come along. Maybe volunteering, or taking additional qualifications, or writing a book - all of this will add to your resume, and reflect well upon you.

Above all, stay positive and live the dream!

:))

I received my Master's in Secondary Education in April and have actively been looking since June of this year. I have had a handful of interviews, but no job offers. I have my teaching license for 2 states and I am considered Highly qualifed because of my degree and subject testing. My dream job is to teach Biology at the high school level.  I have been told that science teachers are in high demand, but if that is so how come I haven't been offered a position?  I would just like to point out that because I am a new teacher, I lack the classroom experience. I have applied for substituting, but the counties I have applied in have a hiring freeze right now.  This may seem silly to point out, but how do future employers expect teachers to get classroom experience if they are not offered a position in the field? I know things are tough everywhere, and I am starting to feel like I did when I graduated with my B.S.. I had a hard time finding anything in my field then due to my lack of experience and as a result I ended up working at a fast food join to make ends meet. I don't have a problem working in fast food, especially because I think these are the only places that will hire anyone who has experience or not. What I have a problem with is having to settle for less. But at least its a job and I can work there until the start of the next school year. Maybe by then the economy will turn around.

I currently live with my inlaws and work a temp job making $8.25 and hour, so I'm not real picky at this point.  I am married and have two little girls and I am currently having to live with my inlaws just to make it.  I don't have my degree yet, but I have already been able to get some good experience.  I have about a year and a half to two years experience in my feild.  I was able to get a couple of co-ops while still in school with some big companies.  The shortest drive was over 45 mins on the interstate.  At this point I'm just trying to finish school and keep my head above water.  A new car manufacturing company is in the proccess of openinga plant nearby.  I plan on trying to get in on the production floor so I can make more while still in school and then I've already got my foot in the door after graduation.  Even if they couldn't hire me into my field at least I will have a better paying perminant position with benifits.  As far degree vs experience goes, both are really needed.  I have worked for people with technical certification and no experience and also worked for people with years of experience and no technical certification.  Both situations present equally iritating situations.  Most people without experience don't think about all the aspects of what needs to happen before and after "thier part", assuming that they know how to do that.  On the other hand some who have years of experience without technical backgrounds sometimes do things wich make no sense logisticly and tend to be rather "set in there ways" or have real trouble recieving improvements or changes.  "If it aint broke don't fix it" is one hum-dinger of an irritating statement, everything changes with time, get over it.  Anyway, school certifies you it does not qualify you and visa versa.

I'm in the same boat. We lost our house last year. I was laid off in July and have been looking everywhere for a job. I've had friends tell me to just delete my education information on my resume. I've kind of adapted the suggestion. If the job is more advanced then what I've been doing and I don't have the experience they are asking for...I keep the education element. If the job is the same...I delete the Masters degree.

I just got back from my interview with Hertz. I've heard bad things about working from them...but it's a job and it pays real money. Plus it's a Management Trainee job so I know that I'll be able to advance with the company. I'm trying to take all the negative comments with a grain of salt. I think your job is what you make of it. The hours might be long, but I'll really be learning a lot.