Comments on: Grads: Can You Still Afford to Be Picky?

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:26:05 +0000

I just turned 24 a month ago. I graduated with a BA in Managment in 2009. I spent 6 months looking for a job that was “up to my standards” and paid me what I thought I was worth. At the end of 6 months I was still unemployed living at home (and I had student loan debt). I decided I wasn’t worth that much.

I decided to take a sales position… eww right? I finally landed in a furniture company as a sales associate. Within 4 months, I was training to be a sales manager. Within another 3 I was training to be a store manager, and one week shy of a year in the company I was running my own store with roughly 10 to 15 people under me, including 2 other managment positions.

Scott is an idiot, as was I at first. You can’t be picky for ever and you never know if were you land will work out for you. Day one they don’t make you the CEO, everyone feels they are undervalued, but if you work hard, people will see and you start getting closer to you “value”. Its a goal for a reason, it doesn’t happen over night.

Side note: The question in the interview that I believe did it for me was when my interviewer asked me what I am looking for in a job. This was the first time in the numerous interview that I answered this way… and it resulted in my first job offer which I took right away. “An entry level position in a company where I can prove my self and grow with the company”. Not “I want to be in charge.. can I have your job?”

By: Brett

Brett — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:19:24 +0000

I graduated with a BBA in Finance in December 2008 myself. If I knew how bad things were really going to get I would have never waited until this previous semester to start grad school. I’m still waiting for my 40K offer or even a decent internship opportunity as I’ve waited tables and worked retail most of the time and I couldn’t take it anymore. If he is comfortable as he watches his friends start careers while he sits around all day then kudos. I could never

By: Meg

Meg — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:59:32 +0000

I blame the guy’s parents almost as much as I blame him.

I graduated in May 2010, 21 years old, very little in student loans (under $6K) and moved halfway across the country after graduating with a BFA in Theatre with very little in savings, but nothing to lose. Now I work for slightly below a livable wage in an expensive city, and do not work in my intended field. But guess what? It took me 4 weeks to land a job (granted, I had tons of work experience for my age) and there’s tons of room for growth, and great benefits. On top of that, I’m able to use “life lessons” (worth ethic and ownership of your work) I learned in college in my work. Sure, it’d be nice to have some cushion, but I’m young, and as long as I watch where my money’s going, I’ll be able to take more career risks in 10+ years and do what I love.

Our generation needs to end this whole “living in the moment” thing and start thinking long term. Many of their parents did them no favors in the way they raised them to think about and spend money. If we think the Boomers are doomed when it comes to retirement, I can’t imagine what our generation is going to be like…

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 18:57:43 +0000

Agreed – considering that the median income in America is just over $40K, I’d say that’s a nice starting point for someone out of college with no experience especially in this economy.

Just like you, I took a lower paying job straight out of college (first offer which I now know I should have negotiated – growing pains I guess, but my foot was in the door) and now I’m making double my starting salary (through hard work, several promotions and salary negotiations in the past 5 years) and much more than the average income even in my area (DC-Balto. Metro).

I guess I just had a different upbringing – no silver spoon or pony.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:54:12 +0000

I should have mentioned that in some cases, as it did for me, getting that extra degree can really boost your resume. And it looks better than empty space. I may not want to practice, but my law degree certainly helped me land this job. I use my degree, in some way, every day.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:48:58 +0000

My mom has always said that it’s easier to find a job when you have a job. This is true. When I graduated from college 6 years ago, I couldn’t find anything in my field (legislative/policy work). I ended up working as an order taker and then a customer service rep for a clothing call center for about a year. I also volunteered in legislative offices to gain more experience. I eventually left the call center job for a stipend-only internship working for my state senator during our legislative session, and I had already decided to apply to law schools. After my time with the state senator, I started law school. Three years later, I found myself in the same situation and since I didn’t want to practice (and still have to pass the bar anyway) I couldn’t land a job as an attorney. I actually went back to work (this time part-time for pay) for the state senator I had worked for before law school. This past May, a year after graduating law school, I finally landed a full-time job as a legislative assistant for a state delegate. It’s certainly not where I thought I would be when I graduated from college 6 years ago, but it’s where I need to be and I’m happy. Sometimes things don’t always turn out the way you plan. This guy Scott seems to have a problem of thinking he’s too good for anything lower than what he wants. That’s an okay attitude if you also have a bit of common sense. Turning down a $40K job because it’s not as good as his older brother’s job (which is what it sounded like from the article) is just plain stupid. Plus, he has parents who seem willing to let him do this because they also think he’s better than entry-level. Hey, if my parents had been able to pay all of my tuition for undergrad (they paid part and I have student loans), then my life would be so easy too. Interesting that now, in the end, he’s willing to do temp work or work as a bartender. Should have taken the other job. You can learn a lot from hindsight, and I hope he did.

By: Haley

Haley — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:10:09 +0000

See if you can get the offer extended. If you can’t, maybe you should take it. Still interview for the other job no matter what–who knows what could come from it?

By: Jane

Jane — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:06:58 +0000

Reality check: $40,000 is a solid starting point. I’m a few years out of school and most of my friends started at less than 40. I started off making $35,000 (took the first job offer I had) and four years later I’m making double that with huge bonus potential, more than most of my friends.

On a related note- I’m tired of recent grad interns who think they know more than people who have been in the work force for years. Just because you have a college degree from a good school does not mean you know more than anyone with even a year of experience. Nor does it mean the world owes you anything. The best thing grads can do when they accept a job is to work hard, LISTEN, and learn. There’s a lot that you can pick up from those that have been in the business that will help you grow and move up. And NOBODY likes some smug kid that thinks he’s smarter than everyone else.

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:52:08 +0000

I’m in a similar but not so extreme situation looking for advice. I got a job offer today with a pretty good salary. But I’m interviewing a week from today for a better job with a better salary. In this economy, is it silly to try to hold onto the offer I have until next week once I’ve interviewed with job #2?

By: Johanna

Johanna — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:10:05 +0000

Plain arrogant if you ask me.

I finished my undergrad in 2004 and my graduate degree in 2008. The job I have doesn’t require my degree, but is in my field, and secure. I’ve not applied for a few jobs I’ve seen because they didn’t seem secure. Meanwhile, I am applying for jobs that are secure, and hope something will come to fruition at some point. In the meantime, I’m covering rent and student loans and my other bills.

Another reason to take the job – it’s always easier to get a job when you have one. 2 years of unemployment looks bad, even in this economy. Even a part time, unpaid internship in your field would look better.

Take the job, start earning money, and stop free-loading off your parents. Even if you are living at home post-college because you can’t afford your own place, you should pay your parents something (like part of the utilities and the cost of your food.) His parents have really encouraged him to be an arrogant person with a sense of entitlement – what do they expect now?