Job hunting is more challenging than getting the actual degree Vol. Jobs/ Experience

[gregbutler20]

I will have my BS in information systems  in about 2 weeks. Everyone keeps patting me on the back and saying cheer up (I'm only the second person in my imediate family to have a degree), but It's hard to do so when everytime I go to look for jobs I keep seeing the word EXPERIENCE, x amount of years worth and skill sets that don't quite match mine. I had to work full time and go to school full time in order to take care of me and my daughter (no time for an internship) and I currently have work, but it feels like I am in the same place that I was in before I earned my degree. I'm going to talk with the career center from my school, and I received some advice from a manager in the field to try contract work or to get an A+ or network + cert. I'm not an idiot and I developed an asp project from scratch, front end and back end, and have a 3.2 GPA (not the highest, but certainly not the lowest).

I'm going to keep trying until I get in somewhere, but it's frustrating when people without degrees or real experience (like my cousin) get IT jobs, but I get the experience stone wall. Oh well, my determination won't let me quit, so I'm going to continue chasing leads tomorrow. Anybody else in this position? And to those that have been here, what did you do to get break in to your career field?

 

[gregbutler20]

I will have my BS in information systems  in about 2 weeks. Everyone keeps patting me on the back and saying cheer up (I'm only the second person in my imediate family to have a degree), but It's hard to do so when everytime I go to look for jobs I keep seeing the word EXPERIENCE, x amount of years worth and skill sets that don't quite match mine. I had to work full time and go to school full time in order to take care of me and my daughter (no time for an internship) and I currently have work, but it feels like I am in the same place that I was in before I earned my degree. I'm going to talk with the career center from my school, and I received some advice from a manager in the field to try contract work or to get an A+ or network + cert. I'm not an idiot and I developed an asp project from scratch, front end and back end, and have a 3.2 GPA (not the highest, but certainly not the lowest).

I'm going to keep trying until I get in somewhere, but it's frustrating when people without degrees or real experience (like my cousin) get IT jobs, but I get the experience stone wall. Oh well, my determination won't let me quit, so I'm going to continue chasing leads tomorrow. Anybody else in this position? And to those that have been here, what did you do to get break in to your career field?

 

[bgl2687]

knowing the right person is key.

 

[bgl2687]

knowing the right person is key.

 

[rsxtreme415]

 

[rsxtreme415]

 

[guillermo gutierez]

Got an internship with a professor three months before I graduated

Im currently unemployed cuz I moved away but ima be moving back and the professor said that I can continue working with him and he will connect me with other professors/job opprotunities

 

[guillermo gutierez]

Got an internship with a professor three months before I graduated

Im currently unemployed cuz I moved away but ima be moving back and the professor said that I can continue working with him and he will connect me with other professors/job opprotunities

 

[jthagreat]

its a B!!! man....just keep tryin

 

[jthagreat]

its a B!!! man....just keep tryin

 

[ruxxx]

"It's who you know".
I HATE that $%@+,but it's real and right now it doesn't matter if you have a degree,certified,blah blah blah blah blah blah blah,it
USUALLY boils down to that quote.

 

[ruxxx]

"It's who you know".
I HATE that $%@+,but it's real and right now it doesn't matter if you have a degree,certified,blah blah blah blah blah blah blah,it
USUALLY boils down to that quote.

 

[redman]

I know this is the wrong time to tell you but if you had an internship or two under your belt life would be a whole lot easier. You should look into Northrop Grumman, Huntington Ingalls Industries, or Lockheed Martin.

 

[redman]

I know this is the wrong time to tell you but if you had an internship or two under your belt life would be a whole lot easier. You should look into Northrop Grumman, Huntington Ingalls Industries, or Lockheed Martin.

 

[guillermo gutierez]

Originally Posted by Ruxxx

"It's who you know".
I HATE that $%@+,but it's real and right now it doesn't matter if you have a degree,certified,blah blah blah blah blah blah blah,it
USUALLY boils down to that quote.

Before I moved from school the professor recommended all types of jobs at colleges for me to apply to never got accepted for any of them over yhe course of a yearJust had a meeting with him amd he told me that they usually higjer in house and that if u aint connected then u are outta luck

 

[guillermo gutierez]

Originally Posted by Ruxxx

"It's who you know".
I HATE that $%@+,but it's real and right now it doesn't matter if you have a degree,certified,blah blah blah blah blah blah blah,it
USUALLY boils down to that quote.

Before I moved from school the professor recommended all types of jobs at colleges for me to apply to never got accepted for any of them over yhe course of a yearJust had a meeting with him amd he told me that they usually higjer in house and that if u aint connected then u are outta luck

 

[gregbutler20]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to hit those spots you mentioned redman, I was looking at General Dynamics today, also. I'm certainly open to doing the internship now, even if it means two full time jobs. I just want in bad. The downside is now I don't qualify for all of those since some list in the criteria that I need to be in school part/full time. I'm also looking at temp work.

Does anybody know how to get a military clearance? I keeps seeing job fairs with on the spot interviews for those with military clearance.

 

[gregbutler20]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to hit those spots you mentioned redman, I was looking at General Dynamics today, also. I'm certainly open to doing the internship now, even if it means two full time jobs. I just want in bad. The downside is now I don't qualify for all of those since some list in the criteria that I need to be in school part/full time. I'm also looking at temp work.

Does anybody know how to get a military clearance? I keeps seeing job fairs with on the spot interviews for those with military clearance.

 

[db west]

It's not what you know, but who you know. It's easy to find a kid who has a good gpa and a few extracurriculars so it's up to you to build your network. I'm a rising junior and I finally landed my first internship as a college student. I applied for nearly every job on my school career board and had a decent gpa (3.2) but to no avail. This year I had a lot more success with my job search. I built a relationship with my dean and a few of the business advisors, signed up for every networking opportunity and site visit that I could, cold-called small firms, became more active on campus, networked informally and sat down for coffee with anyone that I could contact. My efforts resulted in 6 interviews, 3 job offers and numerous contacts that I plan to utilize as I go further. It's kind of late in the game for you to try to build relationships to leverage so I suggest that you cold-call smaller companies that may want to hire you.

 

[db west]

It's not what you know, but who you know. It's easy to find a kid who has a good gpa and a few extracurriculars so it's up to you to build your network. I'm a rising junior and I finally landed my first internship as a college student. I applied for nearly every job on my school career board and had a decent gpa (3.2) but to no avail. This year I had a lot more success with my job search. I built a relationship with my dean and a few of the business advisors, signed up for every networking opportunity and site visit that I could, cold-called small firms, became more active on campus, networked informally and sat down for coffee with anyone that I could contact. My efforts resulted in 6 interviews, 3 job offers and numerous contacts that I plan to utilize as I go further. It's kind of late in the game for you to try to build relationships to leverage so I suggest that you cold-call smaller companies that may want to hire you.

 

[bjamez20]

i've applied for like 60+ jobs in the last few months and havent heard back from a single one. really frustrating..

 

[bjamez20]

i've applied for like 60+ jobs in the last few months and havent heard back from a single one. really frustrating..

 

[whyhellothere]

Keep your head up young lads

 

[whyhellothere]

Keep your head up young lads

 

[xbiker47]

Originally Posted by BgL2687

knowing the right person is key.

Its not what you know but who you know