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8 months out, no job... I guess my Ivy League Master's Degree was a waste of money

44K views 100 replies 47 participants last post by  serenesam 
#1 ·
Well, this is going to be steam-of-consciousness style because I don't really know what I'm looking for, maybe just to rant, or maybe just to figure out if there's something wrong with me.

Yes, it's been 8 months since I graduated from an Ivy League school with my Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering. I've submitted over 50 applications and networked with over 20 people in the field. I even attended a career fair in the city where I'd like to relocate. I've worked with recruiters in my field and gotten employee referrals. I've read several books and articles on resumes, cover letters, and interviews. So far, I've gotten 7 interviews, but nothing has come through.

I try to remember the common stock phrases everyone keeps telling me: "Well, it IS a bad economy right now." "Something will come through sooner or later." "Don't give up!" But I don't know how much longer I can take this.

I've applied to jobs that require a Bachelor's degree with no experience - I was told that I was overqualified and would be "bored". I've applied to jobs that require a Bachelor's degree with ~3 years of experience, hoping my Master's degree can compensate - I was "warned" that there were several other candidates with more experience. I've applied to jobs that require a Master's degree with no experience - no word from those. I think my Master's degree might actually be hurting and not helping.

What am I doing wrong? Is there something wrong with me? I feel myself sliding further and further into depression each day. My 9 side wants to think on the positive side and be optimistic, but my 1 side is telling me how pathetic I am and my 3 side is suffering from the feeling of inadequacy. Not to mention my Self-Preservation side which is screaming and crying in protest.

If anyone has any insights, I would love to hear them. Thanks for reading.
 
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#2 ·
How much monies did you waste, out of curiosity?

Sorry you gut sucked into the fold.

You know how much monies the subprime debacle was up for as it burst?

1.3T

You know how much monies student loan debt is currently valued?

~1T and rising ~50billion each month

Glad I figured out the ponzi-scheme a decade ago and decided to simply live my 20's as a 21st century community bum, trading various skills for the bare essentials.

What should you do? Continue, else move on. I'd try to land whatever you can for the time being, but still pursue your field of study for a while yet.
 
#3 ·
How much monies did you waste, out of curiosity?
Around $45,000. And there are no grants or scholarships for grad school. :/

Sorry you gut sucked into the fold.

You know how much monies the subprime debacle was up for as it burst?

1.3T

You know how much monies student loan debt is currently valued?

~1T and rising ~50billion each month

Glad I figured out the ponzi-scheme a decade ago and decided to simply live my 20's as a 21st century community bum, trading various skills for the bare essentials.

What should you do? Continue, else move on. I'd try to land whatever you can for the time being, but still pursue your field of study for a while yet.
I'm glad you've found a way around this. I'm unsure how I would do even in your situation being a self-preservation dom... money + housing + health means the world to me. But you're right, I think I just need to get started in something, even if it's only vaguely related to my field of study.

Thanks for your input! :happy:
 
#11 · (Edited)
Thank you everyone for your helpful replies. I am taking this all to heart and hoping that I can enact a change in this department!



Maybe, right now I'm looking for jobs anywhere in CA. That's actually one of the problems I thought of... maybe the companies on the west coast give preference to west-coast-educated applicants? That's actually why I had a hard time making use of my school's career resources... so many of them were focused on east coast companies, and I really wanted to be back on the west coast.

I am really surprised it's that hard to find a biomedical engineering job. Have you considered moving to a city where most of the biomedical engineering work is (not sure where that is, Boston?) Or have you considered just searching for other types of engineering fields, if biomedical has very few job openings.
Yes, I've considered that, but I'm unsure of how important that is for hiring. If it's important for companies to hire locally, then maybe I should relocate and THEN look for a nearby job. Biomedical Engineering in general has plenty of job openings, but also plenty of applicants. I guess I wasn't the only one who saw that Biomedical Engineering jobs were projected to rise when I was a freshman in college deciding my major. One of the problems with BME is that it's not specific enough. Many of the jobs I apply for are looking for mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or biology "or equivalent". I learned about all of those subjects during my college years, but none of them in a lot of depth.

Did you get offered those Bachelor's positions? Or did the employers turn you down without giving you the option to be bored? How about the Master's with experience positions, are there available options there? I think if you think you can enjoy a position, and there is room to grow over time, there is no wrong choices at this moment. Just give it a try for a year or two. I personally have never been given any tasks that I actually know how to do at the start; I have always had to work my butt off on every single new assignment because I always have to learn new things. So I guess I am saying don't pay too much attention to all the warnings and stuff. Only you know what you can handle, and you won't know until you try. Also, once you have a job, it will be easier to find the next one.
I wasn't offered the Bachelor's positions. I tried to persuade them that I would be open to the job without sounding desperate, but he had none of it. I have only been half-offered one job, but it was probably with a law firm collecting information to sue medical device companies. I say probably because the recruiter wouldn't give me much information about it. Needless to say, I think that kind of job would be a hindrance on my career development with medical devices. :p

There are a few jobs with Masters and some experience, but not many. There are very few jobs that ask for a Master's in general. The large majority of them seem to be Bachelor's or Ph.D..

Right, I'm definitely open to learning new things. I know I will have to work my butt off, as you say. I just want to be given a chance.

I'm kind of at a loss... and I'm so sorry you're struggling with finding work. I've been out of work a few times, and job-hunting for me is a tedious business, and kind of scary if one is unemployed at the time. I also empathize with the futility one can feel sometimes of just never being "quite right" for the position they're hiring for, and there is no good way to tailor yourself.
Right. I think I just keep getting beat out by that slightly more perfect candidate, but I'm unsure of how to ensure that I AM that candidate.

My only two suggestions right this moment is (1) make a list of other cities you are willing to consider and then search there as well. Right now, you don't have contacts or job experience. you might have to postpone getting a job in your #1 spot and just try a number of locations, then maybe transferring back to the location you really would like to be in.

The other of course is (2) continued networking. It honestly is about who you know, many positions are internal ones or filled by networking. You do have a decent number of networked partners right now, but you just might as well keep making connections and building the list of people you know. There's no real way around it, unfortunately.
True, maybe I should expand my search and try to find jobs more suited to the little experience I do have. I was hoping to break into the pharmaceutical or medical device industries, but maybe now isn't the time.

Maybe I should do what they say to do with LinkedIn, like looking for people in your desired field from your college and asking to just speak with them for 5 minutes, and then building a better network. Right now the people I've spoken with are mostly people in my general field who have offered to help by random chance. Having something in common, like alumni, could possibly help more.

I'm sorry, MBTI Enthusiast...

Don't know - maybe like, if you tried somewhere else, like some of the posters in here have mentioned? Like, maybe in somewhere obscure (the places you wouldn't think to look at, for example, Barrow, AK) there may be a job? If you could get something there maybe you could make things work out?
This is true. I heard North Dakota is really hurting for most types of employees. :tongue:

Other than that do you have any communities you're a part of? Like an alumni association, a yoga class, a pottery making class, or anything? Maybe having to know people from different walks of life (ie not necessarily within the field) would help you to come up with places you could work in by way of tips / referrals?
I don't. Only PerC. :laughing: Maybe I should see if there is an alumni association around here or a women engineer group or something. Again, it's not like there is a shortage of places to work/job postings. It's just the apparent inability for me to actually get a job. :tongue:

What other similar things can you do with that degree? Like, maybe there's work in the government sector for Biomedical Engineering and you could try that way?
Yes, there is work in the gov't sector, but my family strongly warns me against that.

Either way I hope you manage to find something soon...
Thanks for your kind thoughts. :happy:

so, ENTP who did a stint as an outplacement consultant once upon a time........

Number one. Network.

You have only talked to 7 people in the field? Not many.
Have you talked to your fellow students? Stated you are looking for the right position? Ask students you went to school wtih.

7 interviews, no job means you are saying something in the interview throwing them off.

the "easy" way to find jobs is network. You will have a friend or acquaintenace who will hear of a job before it is posted. They will ask you for a resume.

Before you send them a resume, dig out of them what the job is about. Ask them as much specifics as you can.

HR people are generally not real good at technical, so in your cover letter (email) to your friend, with your resume attached, say something like this:
Make it so the friend can forward the email along with no personal comments in it, so it is EASY for your friend to forward.

Hey Jenn,

Thanks for the information about the possible job opening. I know you can't talk about it, but you did mention the company name. I did some research on the company, and I think my skills in the following areas might be applicable.

(short bullet items to catch the HR person's eye so they forward it on)

Thank you for forwarding this on - I really appreciate it.

-Name


Resumes are to get phone interviews.
Phone interviews are to get personal interviews.
Personal interviews are to get job offers.
job offers are to get jobs.

Sell yourself!
Thank you for this advice. I should say that I've only gotten one in-person interview, the rest were phone interviews. I thought it was mostly because companies don't want to fly you anywhere these days, but you're right. I could be doing something wrong in my phone interviews.

I've written e-mails like that, but I might want to include the bullets of skills in the e-mail as you mentioned, instead of just my passion for the field/company/job.

And thanks for reminding me about my peers who graduated with me - I have an unhelpful habit of wanting to stay in the shadows of my peer social network until I can say I have a job in my field, but they very well might be able to help. I just have to suck up my shame and ask for it.

The best thing I can suggest is that you forget about the city you wanted. Look everywhere you would consider living. More places, more opportunities. Also, being unemployed looks bad. This may make no sense, but employers want to hire people who already have jobs, not people who have been unemployed for more then a few weeks.

Get a job. Any job, but always keep searching. Not only will working keep your depression from getting any worse, but it will also help with searching. They will see you are employed, that you actually work. It's tough, I know, but nothing is impossible. I know you will get the job you desire. :)
Yeah, I know it looks bad. That's worrying me, too. I've actually applied to a few jobs with a resume listing my moderator position here on personalitycafe just to counteract that suspicion. But honestly, is it going to look better with a job in food service, retail, or filing papers? I feel like putting that on all of my applications will look bad, too... But I see what you are saying, it shows that I am somehow "employable". And it might help counteract the depression. I just feel like the day I take a minimum wage job is the day I will actually feel like a failure. (Makes little sense, I know.)
 
#5 ·
I am really surprised it's that hard to find a biomedical engineering job. Have you considered moving to a city where most of the biomedical engineering work is (not sure where that is, Boston?) Or have you considered just searching for other types of engineering fields, if biomedical has very few job openings.

Did you get offered those Bachelor's positions? Or did the employers turn you down without giving you the option to be bored? How about the Master's with experience positions, are there available options there? I think if you think you can enjoy a position, and there is room to grow over time, there is no wrong choices at this moment. Just give it a try for a year or two. I personally have never been given any tasks that I actually know how to do at the start; I have always had to work my butt off on every single new assignment because I always have to learn new things. So I guess I am saying don't pay too much attention to all the warnings and stuff. Only you know what you can handle, and you won't know until you try. Also, once you have a job, it will be easier to find the next one.
 
#6 ·
I'm kind of at a loss... and I'm so sorry you're struggling with finding work. I've been out of work a few times, and job-hunting for me is a tedious business, and kind of scary if one is unemployed at the time. I also empathize with the futility one can feel sometimes of just never being "quite right" for the position they're hiring for, and there is no good way to tailor yourself.

My only two suggestions right this moment is (1) make a list of other cities you are willing to consider and then search there as well. Right now, you don't have contacts or job experience. you might have to postpone getting a job in your #1 spot and just try a number of locations, then maybe transferring back to the location you really would like to be in.

The other of course is (2) continued networking. It honestly is about who you know, many positions are internal ones or filled by networking. You do have a decent number of networked partners right now, but you just might as well keep making connections and building the list of people you know. There's no real way around it, unfortunately.
 
#7 ·
I'm sorry, MBTI Enthusiast...

Don't know - maybe like, if you tried somewhere else, like some of the posters in here have mentioned? Like, maybe in somewhere obscure (the places you wouldn't think to look at, for example, Barrow, AK) there may be a job? If you could get something there maybe you could make things work out?

Other than that do you have any communities you're a part of? Like an alumni association, a yoga class, a pottery making class, or anything? Maybe having to know people from different walks of life (ie not necessarily within the field) would help you to come up with places you could work in by way of tips / referrals?

What other similar things can you do with that degree? Like, maybe there's work in the government sector for Biomedical Engineering and you could try that way?

Either way I hope you manage to find something soon...
 
#8 ·
so, ENTP who did a stint as an outplacement consultant once upon a time........

Number one. Network.

You have only talked to 7 people in the field? Not many.
Have you talked to your fellow students? Stated you are looking for the right position? Ask students you went to school wtih.

7 interviews, no job means you are saying something in the interview throwing them off.

the "easy" way to find jobs is network. You will have a friend or acquaintenace who will hear of a job before it is posted. They will ask you for a resume.

Before you send them a resume, dig out of them what the job is about. Ask them as much specifics as you can.

HR people are generally not real good at technical, so in your cover letter (email) to your friend, with your resume attached, say something like this:
Make it so the friend can forward the email along with no personal comments in it, so it is EASY for your friend to forward.

Hey Jenn,

Thanks for the information about the possible job opening. I know you can't talk about it, but you did mention the company name. I did some research on the company, and I think my skills in the following areas might be applicable.

(short bullet items to catch the HR person's eye so they forward it on)

Thank you for forwarding this on - I really appreciate it.

-Name


Resumes are to get phone interviews.
Phone interviews are to get personal interviews.
Personal interviews are to get job offers.
job offers are to get jobs.

Sell yourself!
 
#9 ·
The best thing I can suggest is that you forget about the city you wanted. Look everywhere you would consider living. More places, more opportunities. Also, being unemployed looks bad. This may make no sense, but employers want to hire people who already have jobs, not people who have been unemployed for more then a few weeks.

Get a job. Any job, but always keep searching. Not only will working keep your depression from getting any worse, but it will also help with searching. They will see you are employed, that you actually work. It's tough, I know, but nothing is impossible. I know you will get the job you desire. :)
 
#10 ·
MBTI Enthusiast said:
Yes, it's been 8 months since I graduated from an Ivy League school with my Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering. I've submitted over 50 applications and networked with over 20 people in the field.
It's not you. I saw a Mike Huckabee show about recent college grads and jobs last year and one guy had sent out 200 resumes and only heard back from 2 employers; he didn't even get an interview.

You are aware that Obamacare imposed a tax on medical devices and several of these medical device companies like Medtronic in California decided to layoff 500 workers in 2012 and another 500 workers in 2013. This means you are competing with many thousands of laid-off, experienced workers for jobs that aren't there right now. Good luck.

You should probably try to find work in another field and even think of moving to a business friendly state like Texas or North Dakota. Better yet, think of starting your own business; maybe catering or photography or match-making.
 
#37 ·
Again, thank you all for your helpful encouragement and advice. Both are necessary in this stage of the game!

You are aware that Obamacare imposed a tax on medical devices and several of these medical device companies like Medtronic in California decided to layoff 500 workers in 2012 and another 500 workers in 2013. This means you are competing with many thousands of laid-off, experienced workers for jobs that aren't there right now. Good luck.
That's a good point. Recently I've been focusing more on medical device companies, but maybe I should switch back to pharmaceutical companies that aren't affected by that annoying medical device tax.

You should probably try to find work in another field and even think of moving to a business friendly state like Texas or North Dakota. Better yet, think of starting your own business; maybe catering or photography or match-making.
Hopefully that would be only a last resort, but it's a possibility. :tongue:

List 10 things you need to work on to take it to the next level, right now.

If you don't want to do it on here (though this would be good) then you can do it hard copy and carry it in your back pocket.
Well, I would do that if I knew what was wrong? Things I've been thinking of doing are:

1. Reading recommended books on job hunting
2. Taking a class or seminar series in AutoCAD or SolidWorks if I can find them nearby
3. Keep checking for and applying to jobs daily
4. Work out more to maintain my mental health
5. Possibly get a minimum wage job to show that I'm "employable"
6. Check up on networking leads
... not sure what else. :tongue:

There are really two ways to get what you want here. One is to go the "soft contact" route. This is really best if you use your network from school, or another network you belong to, to develop a "relationship" of interest over time. Obviously this works most naturally with people you already know, or "second" connections (even third, and on in some cases)/connections of your friends - but you can also do it with random people from a network you're part of, using that connection as common ground. You call them for informational interviews (brief ones - no more than 30 minutes) and re-affirm the connection basis, ask them to describe what they do, as well as a few other questions that show interest in the industry. I'm not sure if this is "protocol," but if things go well I actually make it clear that I'm looking for a job, and ask at the end, referencing a posting I've already seen. I also did calls for people in the network whose firms didn't necessarily have postings.
This is the part I'm dreading - more networking. :bored: It makes sense, but it's so annoying to me that you have to do that to get a job these days. :frustrating: I have a few friends and people I know on the lookout for me, but I could try to find more.

The other method would be to get in touch with random hiring managers, and tons of them. This is a lot harder to do IMO because there's literally no human element to the exchange before you experience it. Another drawback is that it doesn't work as well if you want a really specific company, job, or salary.
I don't get how this works? What do you say to the HRs, etc.?

Have you tried these yet? OMG use LinkedIn. I know a lot of this sounds business-ey, but even other sorts of jobs are being filled this way. Looking at postings is mostly useless nowadays since hiring is beginning to be done internally - that is, at the very least, from people within a network, and better yet by referrals from people who already work there. I got my job as a management consulting analyst by contacting someone totally random from my university network - they happened to be looking for someone at that very time, so it can be done. Not sure how Biomedical Engineering would play out differently, but it's at least worth a try. Since you went to an Ivy, you should have a number of people who I'm sure would be good contacts on Linkedin.
I don't know if it's been mentioned before, but have you tried getting an account on LinkedIn? It will blow you mind how many people you actually know, who they know and how somebody within that network is probably capable of pointing you in the right direction for a job. You can also make connections through professional groups, alumni groups and your hobbies and interests. If you haven't already done so, I recommend you give it a shot!
I do have a LinkedIn account, complete with endorsements and ~90 connections, but I don't think I'm utilizing it to its fullest potential. I pretty much just use it to search for and apply for jobs that I wouldn't be aware of otherwise. Do either of you have tips on how to utilize it better? I should just start contacting people and asking if they have openings? Or should I use the group discussions and hope someone notices my contributions?

You've accomplished way more than most & that is worthy in itself, in my humble opinion. I got a late start (had kids really young) and just recently completed a two year degree, then a 900 hour Medical course. It's gotten me - no job. I also put myself through cosmetology school which equaled - no job. Laughing outrageously loud now. I am currently interviewing (2nd round today) for a pet groomer position. Heh, heh, heh - gotta love it. Maybe the damn cosmetology training will pay off with less troublesome critters, they only bite you physically.

Anyways.... I'm feeling your pain as mine has been similar (7 mos. now w/o employment). I went to a job fair and saw so many people who seemed just awesome in the same boat. Talked to a few and it was not surprising that they all were awesome. So, it isn't us. We have to hold on to our self-esteem, and what we have accomplished, against so many odds. Surprisingly, the woman who interviewed me yesterday said as much (she'll never know what that meant to me).

I admire all you've accomplished. It's amazing. You're amazing. I've been bewildered, too. Even to the point of a crisis of faith, until I realized that bewilderment is part of the trip. I think I may be onto something with the pet groomer thing, though. Seriously, and it is funny as hell, considering I've spent my life in offices, striving for a modicum of respect. However, offices Suck, and maybe this new gig will shake some of those evil minion corporate types away from my dog shaving arse.
Haha, thanks for contributing your personal experience - it does help to know I'm not the only one. :happy: Good luck with the pet groomer job! We can do it!

Here's another idea: Try contacting employers for whom you'd like to work - but don't approach it from an "I need a job" standpoint. Write and MAIL a letter to a specific person (research each company to find out who the manager is, etc). In that letter, mention that you are CONSIDERING employment in their field, and ask about their company...what they look for in employees, etc.
Hmm, that could be very valuable. I really do want to know what these employers are thinking and why my applications come up short, so maybe asking an innocuous question and asking for information on the industry might give me that answer.

Also, maybe try offering to volunteer for a company in your field (or a related field). Or...try a temp agency. Or - a headhunter. For someone with an advanced degree like you, hiring a headhunter might be the answer.

Ask The Headhunter®: The Basics

https://www.theladders.com/
Hire a headhunter.

Headhunters Reveal 11 Ways To Ruin Your Chances Of Getting A Job - Business Insider


My sis was unemployed and hired a headhunter and boom, she's employed.

The problem with headhunters is that I've heard headhunters don't usually work with entry-level jobs (why would a company hire a headhunter for an entry-level job that hundreds of people apply for?) and also, one article states that they'd much rather work with you when you're employed. Hmm. I feel this pic is exactly my problem:


Also, you might already be doing this, but be sure to always show the employer what YOU can do for them - how are YOU going to improve their profit, productivity, etc? Sell them on everything YOU have to offer to help THEM.
Yeah, I try to write my cover letters in less of a "I want to work here" method and more of a "Let me show you why I'm qualified" method.

What you might do is under-emphasize your master's degree if at all possible. If you attained a bachelor's and then a masters, you can leave off the fact that you have a master's degree. There's nothing dishonest about this. They're not going to notice until they check your credentials with the college, but even then, it depends what they look at.

This is personally what I would do. Either that or forget the field, and apply for jobs you're not trained for.
I may do this if I apply to any more pure entry-level positions (BS with no experience needed) but if the job is BS + any experience, I have to include my Master's. Also, my Master's degree also gave me very good hands-on experience in the lab, which is one of the only experiences with such hands-on things. There's no way I want to minimize that experience.

I've definitely started applying to more diverse jobs, though, including operations, manufacturing, quality control, etc. So maybe if I can get my foot in the door that way, it will help if I want to move toward a research position.

Just keep at it. Keep looking, keep networking, sign up for linkedin and the various biomedical engineering groups etc that interest you on the site, post a profile describing what your skills are (I have had headhunters who were just searching through linkedin contact me randomly). Find headhunters like other posters suggested.
I have had company recruiters contact me on LinkedIn, too. The first time, I applied to the job I was suggested, but nothing happened. The second time, the job was not in my field at all and not the career I'd like to pursue (technical sales ::bored:), so I didn't pursue the tip.

See my comments above about LinkedIn and headhunters, as well.

I disagree that getting a master's degree in engineering is a waste of money. There are jobs out there where real knowledge matters. Even if you don't land a great job right away because of the bad economy, your degree will pay off over the long run. You will always have more options because of the knowledge you possess, and you will likely adapt better in the long run to this ever changing economic landscape, because it's not just about now, all of us will have to keep changing and keep adapting if we want to stay employed for 45 years. You are just at the difficult "chicken and egg" phase; have faith that you will pass through this phase just like everyone else. Have faith that the more real skills you have, the more options you really will have over the long run. And just keep at it.
Thanks, I'll try to keep my head up. :happy:
 
#13 ·
There are really two ways to get what you want here. One is to go the "soft contact" route. This is really best if you use your network from school, or another network you belong to, to develop a "relationship" of interest over time. Obviously this works most naturally with people you already know, or "second" connections (even third, and on in some cases)/connections of your friends - but you can also do it with random people from a network you're part of, using that connection as common ground. You call them for informational interviews (brief ones - no more than 30 minutes) and re-affirm the connection basis, ask them to describe what they do, as well as a few other questions that show interest in the industry. I'm not sure if this is "protocol," but if things go well I actually make it clear that I'm looking for a job, and ask at the end, referencing a posting I've already seen. I also did calls for people in the network whose firms didn't necessarily have postings.


The other method would be to get in touch with random hiring managers, and tons of them. This is a lot harder to do IMO because there's literally no human element to the exchange before you experience it. Another drawback is that it doesn't work as well if you want a really specific company, job, or salary.

Have you tried these yet? OMG use LinkedIn. I know a lot of this sounds business-ey, but even other sorts of jobs are being filled this way. Looking at postings is mostly useless nowadays since hiring is beginning to be done internally - that is, at the very least, from people within a network, and better yet by referrals from people who already work there. I got my job as a management consulting analyst by contacting someone totally random from my university network - they happened to be looking for someone at that very time, so it can be done. Not sure how Biomedical Engineering would play out differently, but it's at least worth a try. Since you went to an Ivy, you should have a number of people who I'm sure would be good contacts on Linkedin.
 
#15 ·
I don't know if it's been mentioned before, but have you tried getting an account on LinkedIn? It will blow you mind how many people you actually know, who they know and how somebody within that network is probably capable of pointing you in the right direction for a job. You can also make connections through professional groups, alumni groups and your hobbies and interests. If you haven't already done so, I recommend you give it a shot!
 
#16 ·
You've accomplished way more than most & that is worthy in itself, in my humble opinion. I got a late start (had kids really young) and just recently completed a two year degree, then a 900 hour Medical course. It's gotten me - no job. I also put myself through cosmetology school which equaled - no job. Laughing outrageously loud now. I am currently interviewing (2nd round today) for a pet groomer position. Heh, heh, heh - gotta love it. Maybe the damn cosmetology training will pay off with less troublesome critters, they only bite you physically.

Anyways.... I'm feeling your pain as mine has been similar (7 mos. now w/o employment). I went to a job fair and saw so many people who seemed just awesome in the same boat. Talked to a few and it was not surprising that they all were awesome. So, it isn't us. We have to hold on to our self-esteem, and what we have accomplished, against so many odds. Surprisingly, the woman who interviewed me yesterday said as much (she'll never know what that meant to me).

I admire all you've accomplished. It's amazing. You're amazing. I've been bewildered, too. Even to the point of a crisis of faith, until I realized that bewilderment is part of the trip. I think I may be onto something with the pet groomer thing, though. Seriously, and it is funny as hell, considering I've spent my life in offices, striving for a modicum of respect. However, offices Suck, and maybe this new gig will shake some of those evil minion corporate types away from my dog shaving arse.
 
#17 ·
Here's another idea: Try contacting employers for whom you'd like to work - but don't approach it from an "I need a job" standpoint. Write and MAIL a letter to a specific person (research each company to find out who the manager is, etc). In that letter, mention that you are CONSIDERING employment in their field, and ask about their company...what they look for in employees, etc.

Also, maybe try offering to volunteer for a company in your field (or a related field). Or...try a temp agency. Or - a headhunter. For someone with an advanced degree like you, hiring a headhunter might be the answer.

Ask The Headhunter®: The Basics

https://www.theladders.com/
 
#18 ·
Also, you might already be doing this, but be sure to always show the employer what YOU can do for them - how are YOU going to improve their profit, productivity, etc? Sell them on everything YOU have to offer to help THEM.
 
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#19 ·
What am I doing wrong?
You got your masters degree before you had experience. Colleges sell students on this, but if you talk to people who hire and in business, a good bit of advice I always heard was that you should wait a few years to get your master's. Experience first, then a master's degree.

No one wants to hire someone who spent 6 years at a college but has no job experience.

For entry level positions, the employer is assuming they'll have to pay you more because you have a master's. They want someone who they can train and pay less, and then up their pay after they're trained and integrated. If they have to pay you more to begin with (their perception) but still train you just the same as anyone, it's not that appealing to hire you.

You're not qualified for the positions that want experience because you don't have any. So you wont be hired for these.

What you might do is under-emphasize your master's degree if at all possible. If you attained a bachelor's and then a masters, you can leave off the fact that you have a master's degree. There's nothing dishonest about this. They're not going to notice until they check your credentials with the college, but even then, it depends what they look at.

This is personally what I would do. Either that or forget the field, and apply for jobs you're not trained for.

Once you have a few years under your belt, a master's will help a LOT, but until then it's a detriment in most fields. The idea was that it would make you more qualified than entry level people who just have a BA, but that I believe was a lie fabricated by colleges to get more money... as you're probably finding out. You have to view everything from the lens of who will employee you and always be suspicious of what a class adviser suggests, their aim is to increase college revenues by signing up students for things they don't need.
 
#20 ·
Just keep at it. Keep looking, keep networking, sign up for linkedin and the various biomedical engineering groups etc that interest you on the site, post a profile describing what your skills are (I have had headhunters who were just searching through linkedin contact me randomly). Find headhunters like other posters suggested.

I disagree that getting a master's degree in engineering is a waste of money. There are jobs out there where real knowledge matters. Even if you don't land a great job right away because of the bad economy, your degree will pay off over the long run. You will always have more options because of the knowledge you possess, and you will likely adapt better in the long run to this ever changing economic landscape, because it's not just about now, all of us will have to keep changing and keep adapting if we want to stay employed for 45 years. You are just at the difficult "chicken and egg" phase; have faith that you will pass through this phase just like everyone else. Have faith that the more real skills you have, the more options you really will have over the long run. And just keep at it.
 
#22 · (Edited)
The current average number of weeks being unemployed in the US is 37 weeks/9.25 months. It hasn't been this bad since the great depression and half of all americans are so poor they don't pay federal income tax. You could try the armed forces or the police, but I would not recommend those alternatives. You could try relocating to a country with better job prospects or alternatively start a small business instead. One of my childhood friends was a struggling single mother with two children. She was continually knocked back by the banks for loans, because of her marital status, but eventually did well in the retail food business. She eventually sold a majority shareholding in the business for $30 million. She's still working as the managing director in the same business. With your level of intelligence, I'm sure you're likely to find something that you're successful at, sooner or later.
 
#38 ·
The current average number of weeks being unemployed in the US is 37 weeks/9.25 months. You could try relocating to a country with better job prospects or alternatively start a small business instead.
Wow, that's good to know. I hope I make it under that average. I don't trust my ability to start my own business, but I have thought briefly about moving to Germany. Then I could also be closer to my bf who's stationed there! :kitteh: I might have to seriously consider that.

Just graduated this past May, and I refuse to apply for jobs at major companies related to my field. Employers are being outrageously unrealistic when it comes to what they want. They are being too selective, and one day it is going to bite them all in the ass. I will make sure of that.

Since graduation, I have been pursuing my dreams and applying at small, local places related to my passions.
Now I'm starting to think that I'd wish one of these big-name companies would hire me. Then I could say that the wait was worth it. I also think the system is screwed, but I can't bring myself to rebel just yet. I don't think the problem is being too selective, I think the problem is requiring inside connections and "networking" to get a job. And also the fact that most companies don't even have the decency to let you know if you didn't get the job. :rolleyes:

Maybe I should start applying to jobs in my other true passion - psychology. Maybe a technician or analyst or something.

@MBTI Enthusiast, have you considered moving to New Jersey? there are a lot of pharmaceutical companies here. also, I was looking at this page from the BLS website, and it actually says that the job outlook for biomedical engineers in the next few years is very good. I'm guessing it's only confined to certain areas of the country, however.
I've applied to a couple of jobs there, but I haven't looked significantly. I'm going to have to start expanding my horizons, I guess. But like I said, I have little trouble FINDING jobs to apply for, it's the LANDING of the job that's been impossible.

Also, I firmly believe now that majoring in "Biomedical Engineering" to gain those promised Biomedical Engineering jobs was fruitless. I can count on one hand the number of jobs that specifically list "biomedical engineering" in their major requirements. They almost always say "Biology or equivalent", "Biochemistry or equivalent", "Chemical Engineering or equivalent", "Mechanical Engineering or equivalent", etc. It seems like they want someone more specialized, because in my biomedical engineering degree, we covered all of those things, but none in extreme depth. So misleading when deciding a major. :dry:

The perc community has given lots of helpful advice. I'll add mine in there as well; I suggest you narrow down what you want to do (specifics) and create a description of the type of company you want to work for. Then what you do with that is thoroughly research those companies and learn as much as you can about them. Preparation is key here, so when you talk to a person at the job fair or send them a message you are talking specifics with them, not general stuff like I hear you got this job open and more like I know you are expanding in x area and need a person with xxx. Usually the job description tells you what they are looking for, but it never hurts to call HR and investigate the reason for the job opening & what their needs are. Armed with that you start to prepare things you've done that fit perfectly with what they are trying to achieve and if you are ambitious do a sample of what you'd be able to accomplish for them on the job. When you really try to really listen and solve their problem companies tend to take you more seriously.

While job hunting it never hurts to do an internship to gain experience and possibly connect with industry people and see if they know anything or could connect you is always a good idea.
Right, I've tried to tailor my cover letters as much as possible to the specific job. I make sure I research the company beforehand and mention something that stood out to me. It might help to call the HR like you said, though. I've never thought of that.

Recently I've started looking into internships, but so many of them ask for you to be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate academic program. I don't know if I qualify. I've found a couple that don't say that, but the vast majority do. :/

I really like this. THIS is how I am attempting to approach my future.
Haha, I could never do that. /sp dom :tongue:

Sweetheart, I graduated with the weakest GPA and a basket weaving degree and I got a job.

Check your FB, I'll be sending stuff your way.

Seriously, you deserve a 6 figure salary. STEM careers are the only places where you can make money today.
Haha - thanks for your help. As I said, 6 figure is way out of my league, though. The jobs I apply for seem to pay $50-70k. The average that previous Master's Degree students in biomedical engineering from my school earned in their first job was $59k. Heh.

I TOLD you you were/are extremely lucky. :wink:
 
#23 ·
Just graduated this past May, and I refuse to apply for jobs at major companies related to my field. Employers are being outrageously unrealistic when it comes to what they want. They are being too selective, and one day it is going to bite them all in the ass. I will make sure of that.

Since graduation, I have been pursuing my dreams and applying at small, local places related to my passions.
 
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#25 ·
Employers are being outrageously unrealistic when it comes to what they want. They are being too selective, and one day it is going to bite them all in the ass. I will make sure of that.
absolutely. sadly, they can afford to be so selective because there are so many people desperate for work that they'll take anything. I think that this recession is going to have long-term effects on wages in the United States because people are now willing to work for less as long as they have a job.

@MBTI Enthusiast, have you considered moving to New Jersey? there are a lot of pharmaceutical companies here. also, I was looking at this page from the BLS website, and it actually says that the job outlook for biomedical engineers in the next few years is very good. I'm guessing it's only confined to certain areas of the country, however.
 
#24 ·
The US really is corrupt now....and I believe with what we have now things are not going to get much better....things are going downhill now, or up and down unstable. My advice, get out of California. Go elsewhere. I enjoyed reading all of the posts; they were very encouraging. :kitteh: My gosh, this makes me scared. Once I graduate college, there's going to be like nothing out there.
 
#26 ·
I'm starting to doubt the facts of research done by BLS or other government agencies. They say this job is going to be in growth and that job is declining. You know what???!! What. Ever. Damn, we can't predict much of what's going to happen in the next few years, or 10 or 20 years down the road!! They say a registered nurse is going to be a job with growth, but you know what?? There's like a ton of people going to school for nursing and a lot of schools with competitive nursing programs. So now it's just a job with regular growth similar to a teacher and other careers out there. The economy's going down. That's all I've got to say.
 
#28 ·
You are correct. I have a BS in Health Sciences and was planning to go to nursing school because it LOOKED like there was a lot of demand for nurses. Well...I went back to college and took the pre-reqs, and then found out via a lot of research (and through people who are nurses or work in hospitals) that although there are LOTS of nursing jobs posted, it is VERY competitive and a lot of employers are just looking to build up their database of candidates.

I decided against nursing school and was lucky enough to be recruited by a company in my field (nutrition) last year.

Now I'm working on some IT certifications, and am going back to college for some Project Management classes because it seems like all of the jobs are in those fields.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Well, in terms of discretionary income luxury item, I would consider the Mercedes SLK sales to be an example of short term consumer optimism. Conversely, what americans would consider an essential item, guns, I see as an example of short term consumer pessimism. Not all people buy guns to defend themselves, but a significant proportion do. Gun legislation also has a significant effect on gun sales.

Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Record U.S. Gun Checks Show Economic Doubts: Chart of the Day - Bloomberg

Let me put it this way. If I was looking for high sales growth over the next eight years, I would not be looking for work as an american Mercedes salesperson.
 
#29 ·
The perc community has given lots of helpful advice. I'll add mine in there as well; I suggest you narrow down what you want to do (specifics) and create a description of the type of company you want to work for. Then what you do with that is thoroughly research those companies and learn as much as you can about them. Preparation is key here, so when you talk to a person at the job fair or send them a message you are talking specifics with them, not general stuff like I hear you got this job open and more like I know you are expanding in x area and need a person with xxx. Usually the job description tells you what they are looking for, but it never hurts to call HR and investigate the reason for the job opening & what their needs are. Armed with that you start to prepare things you've done that fit perfectly with what they are trying to achieve and if you are ambitious do a sample of what you'd be able to accomplish for them on the job. When you really try to really listen and solve their problem companies tend to take you more seriously.

While job hunting it never hurts to do an internship to gain experience and possibly connect with industry people and see if they know anything or could connect you is always a good idea.
 
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