I hate looking for a job

At the very least, HS grads should take enough time to figure out what they want to do before going to college, trade school, etc. I've had friends that wasted large college funds over the course of 7 or 8 years, and still don't have degrees. Their time in college was wasted, as was their parent's money. At 20, I decided I wanted to try college on my own dime. It took two years to realize I was going to see it through; I had started just to see if it was something I had an aptitude and desire for.

I've had all sorts of jobs: office work, physical labor, stockboy, caterer. The more things you're willing to try out, the more in touch you are with your interests and talents. College isn't for everyone.

Uhm, have you seen how few trade schools are around these days?
I live in CA, and my boy lives in TX because he's a carpenter and wants to study Construction Science. There are only a handful of programs for him. Our education system needs to be overhauled so we have trade schools again...

I don't know if its still the same way, but how my Dad described the trade school setup in many european countries (Germany in his case) it would be an ideal model for everywhere else, especially America.

I also think that in regards to alot of majors now-a-days colleges and highschool's don't consider accentuating the need for basic entrepeneurial skills. Even if you're going to end up being a drone, depending on one's major, you need to be able to grasp areas of a business as a whole to be effective and desired in the job market.

Reading many of these posts makes me think history could very well look back and consider this time to consist of the most educated blue collar workers ever.

[Edited on Feb 27, 2005 by Sexdwarf]

if anyone wants my job, make me an offer, before I start carrying an AK-47 to work.

[Edited on Feb 27, 2005 by PsychoMagnet]

I dropped out of college, before having to go into student loan debt.

I wandered a bit, worked at a temp agency while looking for what I wanted.

There are a couple of suggestions from some book I liked on the subject (Something like "How To Survive Without Your Parents Money" by Princeton Review)

Keep in mind that any job you take while looking for what you really want is just that - a joe job. Don't get sucked into thinking its what you settle for. Don't get sucked into other people's negative cycles on work. (IE, my ex-roommate who hated his dead-end jobs, and wasn't willing to apply himself - it encouraged me to see negative things about stuff I liked.)

Don't set limits on your ideal job. Want to be a reporter? How about an editor for a magazine (something you might have thought about minoring in)?

Networking isn't just a buzzword. It means telling people, I'm looking for a job in the industry, and while your company might not be hiring me...do you have any recommendations for companies that would be looking for someone of my skills?

Yeah, the job market can suck.

Once you're in an industry you like, you've done good work...networking is super easy. And staying unemployed is more of a choice

Thats what I plan on doing. It will be a little hard because I am moving after I graduate so I have to try to find work 9 hours away. Hopefully though there will be some company in San Diego who needs a chem lab rat like me.

Ya, I'd really like to find work doing construction or landscaping in Whistler, but apparently I'm about 100 lbs to small and the wrong gender. Somehow being a tiny girl doesn't scream "hire me for physical labour."

Ha ha...I'm a lab rat too, I have no idea what I'm going to do with my science degree when I get it...

Five years after graduation from college, I make as much money as a chemist as my bf's brother who manages a drug store and isn't finished with a degree. Moral of the story here: as a chem major also, I advise you to consider grad school and stuff. Chemists don't make as much as people think. chem majors with a BS make garbage money. Chem majors with higher education make great money. that gap sucks. and the market for scientists kinda sucks. good luck and search NOW.

I need to get back in school asap. I have spent the last 6 months looking for a job and the closest I have come is a temp job that pays $10/hr when the salaried position would pay $35k/year but of course they won't offer me that title (even though I've been doing the job just fine for 2 months) because I don't have a degree therefore I must be too stupid to be able to handle it (ie i don't deserve it - EVERYONE goes to college - something must be wrong with me)

Yeah, I remember hearing about the German trade school program. Sounds pretty solid.
If I remember right, Vocational schools are one of the programs that Bush is cutting funding to.

I feel everyone's pain, I'm also in the process of looking for a full time job and am so far meeting with limited success. I graduated with a BA in Political Science and Law and Society last June and I'm still working for $9.00 an hour at a one hour photo lab in a grocery store. I hate the whole process of having to go around to all these different places trying to sell my self, especially since no one seems to be buying. If all else fails I might go back for a Masters degree in the fall and see if that helps.

[Edited on Feb 27, 2005 by daggx]

Yeah I know that the pay isn't the greatest. I just wanted to do something that I love. I will hopefully work my shit job for a year or so and then go back to grad school. Nothing makes me happier than the thought of going to grad school. Lets just hope that they accept me.

I can't get the site to come up right now, but I'll try it later. Thanks Clara.

I hate looking for a job too.

Makes ya feel like you're missing something or you're not as good at something you thought you were. At least that's how I take it sometimes.