Can't get a job, Science Major

[Giog]

I recently graduated with a B.S. in Natural Science and a minor in Chemistry from a university in California. I have a gpa that is above 3.5 and have a few volunteer/internship experiences. I have been applying for so many different types of jobs both in academia (research) and manufacturing (QC tech, QA tech, environmental analyst, etc.) I have been sending out resumes and applications for the past 4 months and have had only two interviews! Again, I have been searching on craigslist and on university pages (private schools in CA). What else can I do?! I am getting extremely desperate as I REALLY need a job in my field and I cannot get a job just to get by (long story but it has to do with my status in the US).

Anyone got any brilliant ideas? I know it is rough out there, but you would think that I could at least get a Laboratory Tech position... but NOPE!

 

[Tommyboy]

2 interviews in 4 months isn't all that bad. Hell, that's a lot better than what I've got in a somewhat similar field.

Try contacting these companies in person. It's hard to look good on paper since there will usually always be someone with a higher GPA and with more experience that is also applying for the same job as you.

I have recently seen a lot of Laboratory Tech positions in NY, but that doesn't mean that there are a lot by you.

 

[Giog]

2 interviews in 4 months isn't all that bad. Hell, that's a lot better than what I've got in a somewhat similar field.

Try contacting these companies in person. It's hard to look good on paper since there will usually always be someone with a higher GPA and with more experience that is also applying for the same job as you.

I have recently seen a lot of Laboratory Tech positions in NY, but that doesn't mean that there are a lot by you.

There are TONS of lab tech positions near me. One of the recruitors told me that they had 10 openings for Lab Techs at this specific company and they received 200 applicants the same day and had to close down the opening!

Oh and I apply to at least 1 positions everyday. I have probably sent in around 35-55 applications in the past few months.

 

[Tommyboy]

Try not to deal with recruiters. If you see a job they have listed try to find the actual company, and apply directly. The only interviews I have gotten were through directly applying to companies, and I used to apply mostly through recruiters.

Were your interviews set up through recruiters or the companies themselves?

 

[Giog]

Try not to deal with recruiters. If you see a job they have listed try to find the actual company, and apply directly. The only interviews I have gotten were through directly applying to companies, and I used to apply mostly through recruiters.

Were your interviews set up through recruiters or the companies themselves?

With the companies themselves, I rarely go through recruiters. On one occasion, I drove out for this clinical research assistant position and it was like an 45min drive. I thought I did really well, but never even got a call back telling me I didn't get it, some people....

 

[hiphophippy]

Go for monsanto

 

[ugly]

I am so with you, giog.

I have a BA in English, minored in Latin, full clear credentials, and roughly 6 years experience teaching.

I can't find a job sweeping McDonalds. Graveyard.

I was laid off two years ago. They cut my unemployment so I have no funds. None. I never ever EVER thought I would see the day. College is supposed to be our ticket UP and OUT of poverty.

Not.

You are still young, and I suggest you look at the drug companies. The whole economy seems to revolve around prescriptions, health care, etc. Gear yourself in that direction. You'll find something, I'm sure.

I'm going to offer you a bit of advice. Take it or leave it. I'm just putting it out there for you to think about.

After you have an interview, the person or panel should ask you if you have any questions. I like to ask, "How did I do, in your estimation? How do I compare to others you have interviewed? What did I do well this interview? What could I improve on for my next interview?"

This lets them know that you are humble. It puts you in a subordinate position right away, which they tend to like. And hopefully they will give you some insight on your personal interview technique and what might need to be tweaked.

I like to send a thank you card, thanking them for the interview, and for their interview suggestions, that day. I usually have the card made out already, and I send it before I get back home. I also call seven days later, to see if the position has been filled.

In my case, it's always been filled by someone younger or bilingual or who can also coach. Schools like bilingual coaches more than anything, no matter what the subject is.

Education isn't your field so you won't have to worry about that part of it. I would not advise anyone to go into education these days anyway.

The cure is in the medicine. The money is in the medicine.

Have you tried this?

Check with Merck.

Sandoz has openings.

Try Lilly also.

 

[Jerry Atrick]

I recently graduated with a B.S. in Natural Science and a minor in Chemistry from a university in California. I have a gpa that is above 3.5 and have a few volunteer/internship experiences. I have been applying for so many different types of jobs both in academia (research) and manufacturing (QC tech, QA tech, environmental analyst, etc.) I have been sending out resumes and applications for the past 4 months and have had only two interviews! Again, I have been searching on craigslist and on university pages (private schools in CA). What else can I do?! I am getting extremely desperate as I REALLY need a job in my field and I cannot get a job just to get by (long story but it has to do with my status in the US).

Anyone got any brilliant ideas? I know it is rough out there, but you would think that I could at least get a Laboratory Tech position... but NOPE!

I say this all the time and nobody seems to want to hear it.....Have you considered grad school?

It sounds like you are smart and have your shit together. These days everyone and their dog has a Bachelor's degree. In my opinion, grad school is where it's at. I know this is not a popular opinion, especially for people who have just finished their undergraduate degrees. But this is the 21st century and if you want to be competitive, well, you know the rest......

 

[alasdairm]

giog, there's a famous definition of insanity: "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

while job-hunting is very much a number game, you're doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. maybe your whole approach to your job hunt is wrong?

you need to work your network relentlessly. it's far more likely that you're going to find a position through somebody you know than trying to get your foot in the (virtual) front door. work your professional network. look in your area for 'meetup' groups (or such) which have networking events. kick your linkedin profile into shape and use it (also learn to use linkedin signal). etc.

alasdair

 

[Giog]

Thank you so much for the advice everyone.

@Ugly, that is a great idea, about asking the interviewer how you did and such. Thank you cards too, I need to start doing that. I didn't find anything in those links that is directly related to me and my qualifications, but thanks for looking out, really appreciate it.

@Jerry, Graduate school is my last option. If I cannot find a job within this year I will probably start applying to graduate schools. Probably for a M.S.

 

[Giog]

giog, there's a famous definition of insanity: "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

while job-hunting is very much a number game, you're doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. maybe your whole approach to your job hunt is wrong?

you need to work your network relentlessly. it's far more likely that you're going to find a position through somebody you know than trying to get your foot in the (virtual) front door. work your professional network. look in your area for 'meetup' groups (or such) which have networking events. kick your linkedin profile into shape and use it (also learn to use linkedin signal). etc.

alasdair

I am very familiar with that definition of Insanity Alasdairm, hence why I came on here asking for some leftish ideas (a reminder never hurts!). I am making my linkedIn profile right now and it is amazing all of my teachers and job recruiters that it connected me with!

 

[alasdairm]

check out linkedin signal. it's a great way to connect with employers who are actively trying to fill positions.

alasdair

 

[Giog]

I got an interview call today for this Botany internship (not paid). Oh well, at least its something and resume building.

 

[alasdairm]

^ if you can find a way to make it work, i would absolutely recommend doing it. having current experience on your resume is very important (not to mention that your brain will continue to get exercise until you find a paid gig).

alasdair

 

[Foreigner]

The market is saturated with bachelor degrees. If you want to be more competitive you'll need to do graduate work. Sorry to put that on you, but it's the truth. The major benefit of graduate school that undergrad programs lack is professional networking, and IMO this is the #1 thing you will need to land a good job. No one cares about your fancy education, they care about who you know. Even if you can land an entry position for a few years, that experience will give you a leg up on the competition. Most employers are now asking for education + experience, which is a catch-22 if you're a new graduate. That's why I would try graduate school and network like hell while you're there. Follow every lead and leave no stone unturned. If the grad program also has co-op experience then so much the better.

The other thing is... be prepared to get a job that has nothing to do with your desired career in order to make ends meet until you can enter your desired job. I realize this is not what you had in mind when you did all this studying but, once again, it's a sad reality that a lot of young people are having to deal with. The baby boomers are really fucking people over by holding onto their coveted jobs for such a long time, and by outsourcing a lot of jobs to cheaper markets like asia, BUT there is still hope if you know how to work it!

 

[animal_cookie]

giog, there's a famous definition of insanity: "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

while job-hunting is very much a number game, you're doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. maybe your whole approach to your job hunt is wrong?

you need to work your network relentlessly. it's far more likely that you're going to find a position through somebody you know than trying to get your foot in the (virtual) front door. work your professional network. look in your area for 'meetup' groups (or such) which have networking events. kick your linkedin profile into shape and use it (also learn to use linkedin signal). etc.

alasdair

this is good advice. networking can be hard if you have never done it before. especially if you are shy like i am. but it is an important skill to learn.

it is also important to not burn bridges at a company because word travels around. so make sure you are always gracious and professional even if things start to turn sour.

 

[double ewe]

2 interviews in 4 months isn't all that bad

this is very true. my job search took six months, and i only got four call-backs and two final interviews.

\
you need to work your network relentlessly. it's far more likely that you're going to find a position through somebody you know than trying to get your foot in the (virtual) front door. \

absolutely. job hunting is a numbers game, but the number that really matters is interviews, not applications. my experience is that most qualified candidates will at least get a phone interview from a referral, whereas applying online means you have to beat out thousands of other applicants just to get your resume read (although indeed.com is still worth mentioning if you haven't been there).

do you feel like you're representing yourself well in interviews? that's another thing that takes a little while to get the hang of.

 

[Tommyboy]

The market is saturated with bachelor degrees. If you want to be more competitive you'll need to do graduate work. Sorry to put that on you, but it's the truth. The major benefit of graduate school that undergrad programs lack is professional networking, and IMO this is the #1 thing you will need to land a good job. No one cares about your fancy education, they care about who you know. Even if you can land an entry position for a few years, that experience will give you a leg up on the competition. Most employers are now asking for education + experience, which is a catch-22 if you're a new graduate. That's why I would try graduate school and network like hell while you're there. Follow every lead and leave no stone unturned. If the grad program also has co-op experience then so much the better.

The other thing is... be prepared to get a job that has nothing to do with your desired career in order to make ends meet until you can enter your desired job. I realize this is not what you had in mind when you did all this studying but, once again, it's a sad reality that a lot of young people are having to deal with. The baby boomers are really fucking people over by holding onto their coveted jobs for such a long time, and by outsourcing a lot of jobs to cheaper markets like asia, BUT there is still hope if you know how to work it!

"The market is flooded with bachelor degrees" is a bit of a blanket statement. There are certain majors that are a lot more common than others, so for those majors a masters degree may be necessary, but for other areas it's not as necessary.

As for networking, you shouldn't wait until grad school to do this. The people that I know that work in the science field had gotten internships as undergrads, then went on to work in the field for a few years, and then some of them chose to go on to grad school to move up in the field. That's a lot better than just going straight to grad school after getting your bachelors. There is such a thing as being overqualified for a job, and even with your masters if you don't have experience I think that some employers would prefer someone with their bachelors and no experience over a person with their masters and no experience.

 

[Transcendence]

Ha, you guys think the market is over saturated with people with a B.S.? Try being a Ph.D. Nobody wants to hire a Ph.D. with little or no work experience when there is a glut of Ph.Ds with plenty of experience who can't find even a mediocre position right now. Sorry, grad school is not the answer. Grad school is only worthwhile if you are passionate about doing it. It is not a joke, and if the main reason you are going for a masters or doctorate is to beef up your resume, you will spend the next 3-10 years of your life suicidally stressed out and depressed.

I mean, you realize that a masters in the sciences will only slightly improve your chances of landing a position, and a Ph.D. entails at least 6 years of brutal lab work, student teaching, and living on a measly stipend, and THEN will require another 4 or more years of a post-doc (a position that typically pays ~$20,000/year) to even have a chance at being competitive. And that's only if you're smart/lucky enough to publish some groundbreaking papers (fat chance). And again, you'll have spent your best years living in poverty and toiling away in school, and come out in your 30's with little or no experience in industry and an even narrowed field of expertise. Many people complete a Ph.D only to find that there are only 1 or 2 positions in their field available in the whole country.

In my opinion, you're much better off spending that time searching for jobs and accruing real experience. Giog, do you really really want to work in your field, or do you just feel compelled to because you don't want your degree to be "wasted"? As I'm sure you realize, most lab jobs for people with a B.S. are quite low paying, with little room for advancement, and involve extremely repetitive, menial, and unrewarding tasks. In other words, you'll be a disposable employee doing bitch work.

Unless you have a deep-seated passion for whatever your degree is (I really don't know what a degree in "natural science" entails, is it like a survey degree for bio, chem, and physics?) I suggest you expand your idea of what kind of jobs you're qualified for. Maybe apply for business positions (sales, marketing, etc). A lot of recruiters in business are starting to realize that any moron can sleep through a business degree and would rather hire scientists or engineers for these positions. Are you interested at all in teaching? There is a demand for science teachers throughout the country. Do you like writing? Maybe look into scientific writing (those guys who write all those product manuals no one ever reads).

Don't just apply for lab tech jobs. Those are surprisingly hard to get nowadays (even though they suck and pay like $13/hour) because they are eaten up by people trying to get experience for grad school or med-school rejects.

 

[MonKeYDNA]

Another thing you may have overlooked (but probably not from what I read, just making sure) is your appearance. Obviously, you want to dress nicely, but don't overlook a clean haircut or go in with a beard you've had since last November. Small things such as piercings also have an effect. I know this is obvious, but seriously, employers like to think they can tell A TON of information about you based on what you wear, how clean you are, and what you've done to your body.
A friend of mine couldn't get a part time gig for the life of him for 2 months. He chopped off his fro and landed a job within the next week.