Entering the job market

I recently graduated with a degree in political science. I chose poli sci because I am interested in politics and I thought I'd be going to law school. Now I have zero interest in doing that, and I'm stuck with a fairly useless degree. School guidance counselors should really discourage people from majoring in liberal arts, because you graduate with pretty much no marketable skills. I finally moved out of my parents' house to outside of D.C., so one would think someone like me could find a job in politics. Well, I've applied for so many that I have lost count and only got one response, and I didn't end up getting the job. Pretty much every job I apply for, I'm up against 30 or more other applicants with nothing to separate me from the pack. I went through this same thing with applying for internships (never got any) and without that, or actual work experience, I'm SOL. I have lots of experience volunteering on campaigns and even some paid campaign experience, but that's not cutting it. I have no connections, which seems to be the thing that matters in this town. I don't have time to develop them, I need to start paying rent soon.

Any advice? Honestly, I know it might sound arrogant but I didn't graduate college to go back to making espresso drinks. I'm really interested in working in the brewing industry and eventually opening a brew-pub (cliche I know) and I've applied to every beer job I could find. I even had interviews with two breweries, but things seem to have stalled with both of them. I was thinking of taking some welding classes and working as a bartender (if anyone would even hire me) for now.

Do what you have to do to pay the rent. Espresso, welding, etc.

Networking is what you need, so don't roll up in a ball somewhere. Get a job, rub elbows, and keep a keen eye out for people in industries that you are interested in. Don't be shy; start up convo's, ask a lot of questions, listen well. Don't tell people how smart you are - you become a competitor.

New grads can find work much more easily than older unemployed workers for a lot of reasons, but the easiest one to put a finger on is energy and enthusiasm. Work on those things, as well as a persistent positive attitude (even if you are serving coffee) and things will work out. You might be surprised where the great job opportunity comes from - likely not where you were looking.

Have you considered giving a handy to a senator? Sorry, just being an ass.....

Seriously, good luck and network. I know a few people in politics in DC and they got in with pure luck and by knowing the right person. Is it politics after all.

Well I worked sh!te jobs for many years after I graduated, finally went back to school and then after grad school I worked several more years before I ended up with a decent career job. It took me 15 years to pay of my loans! That was 30 years ago. Tings are worse now. No real advice but don't be bitter, it is the way the world is, just keep trying and learn to weld while you are looking!

I also have a liberal arts degree, and never worked any internships. Today I work in politics, but with a twist--I work for a state agency that monitors political campaign finance and ethics-in-elections issues.

I started out in the front office, making copies, but now I'm one of my agency's chief investigators. That might be a good route for you--have you considered working in elections administration, or in an ethics agency like mine? Many states, counties and cities have them. There's even seasonal work in elections offices, around November when things get crazy. Just to get your foot in the door.

Anyway, best of luck. Hang in there.

The advice would be to not be too arrogant to work in the coffe shop if that's what pays the bills. You chose your degree, now deal with it. Life isn't about what's owed, it's about what happens and how you handle it. Good luck friend

rexbanner said:

Honestly,

Click to expand...

If it's politics, don't you need to rid this work from your vocabulary?










Sorry, someone had to jump on it. Good luck with the search and tending bar may be able to get you into the networking or at least to meet interesting people. Otherwise, the ethics in elections idea sounded promising.

Honestly, a degree doesn't entitle you to anything. Find a job, any job, work hard, network, make connections, work hard, and work hard. You can't get to the top of the ladder without climbing the first step.

Yep, lots of successful people started out in retail or food service jobs. Just how it goes. No shame there; just work hard and keep applying for the things you want.

If you are really interested in doing something with beer, bartending is absolutely the way to go. Plus it's really fun, especially if you're 22 and single. Money is good, you usually have your days free (to apply for those political jobs you want), and you get to meet lots of people of the opposite sex (or same sex, if that's what you're looking for). If your bar stocks craft beers, the distributor provides a nice connection to the breweries themselves, and may give you an in. I bartended in various capacities for a bunch of years in my 20's (in a few different bars, for caterers, etc.), and it was one of the funnest experiences ever.

Obviously it's tough out there, but if you're keeping your head above water and paying your bills you're doing great. Keep plugging away and the right career path will open itself up.

rexbanner said:

School guidance counselors should really discourage people from majoring in liberal arts, because you graduate with pretty much no marketable skills.

Click to expand...

Why would they do that? The school has a much better shot at you actually sticking around the full 4 years and collecting tuition. Yeah, the jobless statistic can sting, but as long as it's on par with the rest of the nation in the same degree who cares right? Oh, yeah, the grads...

Keep up the hunt on beer jobs though. Every brewer I've met didn't care if you had a degree or not - a mash shovel doesn't care either. You'll probably be dirt broke for a while, but it's a step.

One thing I've noticed in my career, always ask the question. If you want something, apply for it even if you don't necessarily qualify for it. You'll be surprised how often rules get bent or broken, regardless of how "in stone" they are.

Sure, a liberal arts education doesn't leave you with a skill, in the sense that you won't have a trade, like welding, computer networking, accounting, etc. However, a liberal arts education is the best way to teach critical and analytical thinking. I'm sorry if you thought getting your political science degree was going to entitle you and train you for dozens or miraculous things, but your degree is only worth what you put into it. A liberal arts graduate should have the skills to think critically and analyze all possible scenarios in any field. Liberal arts degrees can be applied over a wide range of career paths.

I have two B.A.s. One in history and one in geography. I work as a natural resource specialist for the Army Corps of Engineers. I help plan how we will manage natural resources as well as many other things. I have no biological science, forestry, wildlife background. However, I was brought into the program at an elevated salary because of my ability to think critically and work around problems we typically encounter in management plans.

McHaven said:

Sure, a liberal arts education doesn't leave you with a skill, in the sense that you won't have a trade, like welding, computer networking, accounting, etc. However, a liberal arts education is the best way to teach critical and analytical thinking. I'm sorry if you thought getting your political science degree was going to entitle you and train you for dozens or miraculous things, but your degree is only worth what you put into it. A liberal arts graduate should have the skills to think critically and analyze all possible scenarios in any field. Liberal arts degrees can be applied over a wide range of career paths.

I have two B.A.s. One in history and one in geography. I work as a natural resource specialist for the Army Corps of Engineers. I help plan how we will manage natural resources as well as many other things. I have no biological science, forestry, wildlife background. However, I was brought into the program at an elevated salary because of my ability to think critically and work around problems we typically encounter in management plans.

Click to expand...

Nicely stated. Although I have a technical degree, I loved the lib arts curriculum - so interesting! You'll find that no matter what the job, being well-rounded and ready to converse intelligently on any topic will get you far.

To the OP: I graduated with a BS in Biology in 2006 and wasn't able to find a job doing what I wanted (wildlife biology). I ended up in the environmental consulting field and I have a great position now but I started in this business at the very lowest and menial position. I was doing field work for almost two years that I was definitely overqualified for. It was easy for me to get down on that, but I realize now that I had to do "my time". As I don't have an engineering or geology degree, I didn't have any basis for an scientist/office position. Now, my field background is a huge plus and gives me a big leg up on other people at my position level. I'm working on a two-year degree for engineering at the local community college that should help with the lack of appropriate education.

It's not the career path that I wanted in college but I also didn't really think too much about how I was going to pay for everything in life and still be able to have a life. Work hard and keep up a positive attitude, even if you're working at the local Starbucks. They pay fairly well and I've heard they do offer some form of health insurance.

I think the whole higher education system in general is a scam -- especially with liberal arts. All these poor kids exiting school with a useless piece of paper and $50k+ of debt. It is difficult for some people to get a return on that investment.

And I've went through a five month period of unemployment in 2010 -- and let me tell you -- it isn't that much better for people with technical degrees either. I sent out 500+ resumes and didn't hear back from anyone until January 2011 came along, then I started getting 5+ interviews a week.

My advice: Don't ever ever ever ever ever ever stop job hunting. It's hard to not get discouraged but you can never stop sending out your resume. I think I had 6 different resumes, all tailored specifically for different specific positions by the time I was hired.

Also check out staffing agencies if they are relative to your field. In the software world, staffing agencies usually control 75%+ of the open job positions so if you don't have your resume on file with them, you are likely never to even hear about the position.

As for bills, try to get something related to your field. Doing data entry for a law-firm or political office for $10/hr is much better than brewing espresso for $12/hr. At least you'll get exposure to the industry and it'll look better on your resume since you might be able to make it count as 'relative experience'. You want to avoid the dreaded "I've been out of the industry for X years" on your resume down the line......

Yes it sucks. But keep your head up, keep looking, and don't be afraid to look outside of DC or even other states for that matter. Fish with a very very big net.

McHaven said:

Sure, a liberal arts education doesn't leave you with a skill, in the sense that you won't have a trade, like welding, computer networking, accounting, etc. However, a liberal arts education is the best way to teach critical and analytical thinking. I'm sorry if you thought getting your political science degree was going to entitle you and train you for dozens or miraculous things, but your degree is only worth what you put into it. A liberal arts graduate should have the skills to think critically and analyze all possible scenarios in any field. Liberal arts degrees can be applied over a wide range of career paths.

Click to expand...

While that it is true that a liberal arts degree teaches you to think critically, every other college level degree will also do the same: I've yet to see an engineer or accountant without those skills.

One thing I've noticed in my career, always ask the question. If you want something, apply for it even if you don't necessarily qualify for it. You'll be surprised how often rules get bent or broken, regardless of how "in stone" they are.

Click to expand...

Definitely. I interviewed for a sales rep job for a brewery when they had originally said they wanted 2 years sales experience (I have a summer's worth) and they said they didn't care because if every job required experience no one would be hired. As soon as they get clearance to sell in my state, I have a good shot at getting hired.

McHaven said:

I'm sorry if you thought getting your political science degree was going to entitle you and train you for dozens or miraculous things, but your degree is only worth what you put into it.

Click to expand...

I worked really hard in school and I volunteer on campaigns every election cycle. I feel somewhat entitled to work in a job that requires a college degree, otherwise I wouldn't have gone to college. I have only applied for jobs in politics because I'm slightly qualified for them. You work much harder in politics than at a generic job in business. Truthfully, I'd rather work in some other field, but I have no idea where to find jobs other than those in politics. That's kind of why I made this thread, for advice on where to find jobs.

I have a BA in poli sci as well. I am in law school after taking a few years off to make money (in a non-political job).

The advice given to me when I was in undergrad was to work for campaigns and if my politician won, beg for a permanent job. That's pretty terrible advice. It also shows what a waste the degree is. There's a few low level jobs out there if you want to work long hours for very little money. However, you could find a $20k/yr job outside of politics with a lot more growth opportunity.

A BA in poli sci does not prepare you for any political job (or any job, really). If you are serious about working in a political capacity, you need to:

* run for office;

*obtain a masters (or PhD) in statistics or some political field where you can go into polling, campaign management, lobbying, non-profit groups, consultants, etc.

*take an entry-level local/state/federal job and work your way up the chain

*suck it up and go to law school and go to work as a lobbyist or work for a non-profit

rexbanner said:

I feel somewhat entitled to work in a job that requires a college degree, otherwise I wouldn't have gone to college.

Click to expand...

So did thousands of other unemployed people in the country. There's no entitlement in the job market. Loosing that mentality now will help you.

My brother is the same way. He's in his 30's with a Bachelors in Wildlife Biology. Guess what? He works at a local farm supply store because he too feels entitled to a job because of his degree and isn't willing to take the entry level crap to get his foot in the door. See how far that attitude is getting him and his family?

jfr1111 said:

While that it is true that a liberal arts degree teaches you to think critically, every other college level degree will also do the same: I've yet to see an engineer or accountant without those skills.

Click to expand...

...but I've known plenty of engineers and accountants who can't read or write for ****. It's a different skill set.

MalFet said:

...but I've known plenty of engineers and accountants who can't read or write for ****. It's a different skill set.

Click to expand...

Yup. I have lots of friends in finance. They can think critically related to finance. It's near impossible for them to think of something in anything but economic terms.

McHaven said:

Yup. I have lots of friends in finance. They can think critically related to finance. It's near impossible for them to think of something in anything but economic terms.

Click to expand...

In my neck of the woods, the finance jobs are mostly gobbled up by liberal arts grads. *shrug*

IrregularPulse said:

So did thousands of other unemployed people in the country. There's no entitlement in the job market. Loosing that mentality now will help you.

My brother is the same way. He's in his 30's with a Bachelors in Wildlife Biology. Guess what? He works at a local farm supply store because he too feels entitled to a job because of his degree and isn't willing to take the entry level crap to get his foot in the door. See how far that attitude is getting him and his family?

Click to expand...

Uhh, what? When did I say I wouldn't take an entry level job? That's the only type of job I have applied for.

No one gives a damn about your college major. It's like a running gag in so many offices. "What was your major? History? How did you get into this? I was Economics. How about you, Bob?" There are exceptions, of course, but people overrate them.

There's a young guy in my office who's being held back because he's not a good writer (for reports, etc.). My boss and I agreed that his problem is he doesn't read enough. Nothing to do with our business, he's just not someone who reads a lot of books in general. So he doesn't write well. Liberal arts grads tend to write well. Business majors don't.

Start low and work your way up.

McGarnigle said:

No one gives a damn about your college major. It's like a running gag in so many offices. "What was your major? History? How did you get into this? I was Economics. How about you, Bob?" There are exceptions, of course, but people overrate them.

Click to expand...

Hmm, my two friends, an electrical engineer and a CS major, would beg to differ with you. Both of them got hired immediately for 60k, and they never went to grad school. That's what I meant by saying I picked the wrong major. Tried to avoid sounding like a whiny kid who thinks his liberal arts major qualifies him for a great job, oh well.

This thread is proof that no matter how you craft a post on the internet, people are going to not read what you wrote and try to pick you apart on things you've covered. If anyone has any serious advice like job resources, classes at Siebel that got them a job, info on welding, please PM me. Unsubscribed, peace.

Have you tried your college job placement services?

ANd sorry, by entry level jobs I meant, the lower level jobs within the company, that don't necessarily have anything to do with your major, but get you into the company.

rexbanner said:

Hmm, my two friends, an electrical engineer and a CS major, would beg to differ with you. Both of them got hired immediately for 60k, and they never went to grad school. That's what I meant by saying I picked the wrong major. Tried to avoid sounding like a whiny kid who thinks his liberal arts major qualifies him for a great job, oh well.

This thread is proof that no matter how you craft a post on the internet, people are going to not read what you wrote and try to pick you apart on things you've covered. If anyone has any serious advice like job resources, classes at Siebel that got them a job, info on welding, please PM me. Unsubscribed, peace.

Click to expand...

You're missing the point.You think poli sci is a "fairly useless" major. It isn't. So many companies don't care a lick about your college major.

And you were wrong when you slagged off on liberal arts degrees. Plenty people do well with them. If all you wanted was advice, you should have left those comments out.