jobs are very hard to find for recent grads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No idea what CMU tuition costs, but the Federal government will usually hire a CS new grad with at least a 3.0 GPA at around GS-7 pay plus the computer science plus-up (worth about 3 steps, I think).

Local places STEM majors should apply include contractors like MItre and Aerospace and IDA and CNA or government (NIST, NIH, ARL, NSWC, NRL, USPTO, NAVSEA). NSA also reportedly hires tons and tons of CS graduates at Ft Meade.

I have to believe that if a recent CS grad applied to all of those that at least some would want to interview the student.

This is NOT a wise decision or investment. CMU costs 84K/year (post-tax money) to attend and GS-7 step 1 is around 56K/year (pre-tax money) in the DMV. People do not attends CMU for a GS-7 government job.

Jeez Louise. It doesn’t stay a GS-7 job forever.

You must be from a rich family. Unfortunately, most people do NOT.

In order to make 84K/year (post-tax money), you have to be a GS-13 step 4. That will take about four years to get there. Therefore, you run a deficit in the first four years. Let say you attend CMU on student loan of 300K, it is not a wise idea to take that government job. Just saying.

DP. I started out of school as a GS-9 and ended up as a 15 after 8 years before leaving and now make $260k. Plus government has student loan repayment programs. GS-7 is not beneath a new grad, even one that went to an expensive school.

This^, more so if they want to do something purposeful in their own field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is America obsessed with graduating from a "brand" name college?

Because for a recent grad, it helps you pass through initial screening, for jobs, grad schools, social situations etc.

I don’t think T-10 is that important - my kid went to UMD (ranked about 50) over a T10 (northwestern), most companies recruit from both schools. A few companies don’t (McKinsey, Bain, etc.). Interned at a B4 (got the job through on campus recruiting), received a return offer, starts in September. On campus recruiting for internships/jobs is important and most schools have many major employers attending.

[Anonymous]

Why so many wealthy kids from good schools and connected families go for federal jobs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why so many wealthy kids from good schools and connected families go for federal jobs?

Do they?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dunno. Im hiring stem grads and cant find many qualified. 3.5 and up GPA, good class experience and willing to work in person every day. And this is for $80k and up.

80K is a paltry salary for an engineering grad.

Most state school grads of CS/EE get those offers from defense contracting companies. So its pretty average.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am curious if people responsible for hiring have a negative bias against kids who don't have a job lined up by graduation. If I get a resume from a kid who graduated three or six months ago, my first thought is the kid lacks initiative. Why didn't they apply for jobs during their senior year or even the summer of their junior year? If their resume is impressive enough to warrant an interview, perhaps I'll learn that they took a 6-month senior trip to backpack around Europe after a grueling 4-year degree, which sounds fun, but it still doesn't signal a great work ethic or hustle. I could get over it for a kid with a 4.0 and excellent references, but if the references are that great, why didn't they get an offer at their previous internship? Why weren't they strategic about picking an internship that would lead to their desired job? These aren't insurmountable objections, but I'd have biases when looking at a resume from a kid who has been out of college for a while with no real job.

The kids I know have been looking for jobs long before graduation. Some had internships that didn't lead to jobs through no fault of their own. Their employer liked them but the company isn't hiring. Or they were offered a job that was later rescinded due to layoffs or similar. Most are working some sort of job in the meantime plus doing projects, getting certifications etc. They are happy to work in-person, to relocate anywhere, to do a job only marginally related to their field. It's tough out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why so many wealthy kids from good schools and connected families go for federal jobs?

Patent examiner is a fall back for anyone with a STEM degree, but most wash out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why so many wealthy kids from good schools and connected families go for federal jobs?

Do they?

For example DOJ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dunno. Im hiring stem grads and cant find many qualified. 3.5 and up GPA, good class experience and willing to work in person every day. And this is for $80k and up.

80K is a paltry salary for an engineering grad.

Most state school grads of CS/EE get those offers from defense contracting companies. So its pretty average.

Biomedical grads would kill for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the notion of graduating and then looking for a job. Are these kids really just applying to random jobs with no specific plan??

I spent all four years of undergrad networking, interning, volunteering and strategizing so I'd have a job post-graduation. I knew I couldn't live at home again (mentally unstable parents) so I got off my tush and worked it. I did something to build my career options every summer and every semester of college. I had plans A, B, C and D, with sub options in the wings. My resume was highly tuned and demonstrated specialization in several highly desirable skills and I had recommendations from several folks who were well respected in their industries. I received several job offers by January of senior year. Waiting until graduation or close to graduation to find a job is stupid IMO.

This is very impressive, and I am sure most parents of college-aged students (like me) would be delighted if their DD or DS had this type of motivation, initiative, grit, and organization. I was super-motivated as a college student (in the 1990's) and yet I don't think I would have thought to do all of these things. I guess I always knew my parents would provide a cushion for me, and my teens know that my DH and I will always provide a cushion for them. Maybe that is the difference. Either way, I salute you for taking so much initiative as a college student to set yourself up for a career following graduation.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from an Ivy 20+ years ago and the economy wasn’t great (right after 9/11) for entry-level finance jobs. It took me 13 months to land a salaried job, and one reason I was hired was because my boss went to the same Ivy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD recently graduated from an Ivy with a degree in Biomedical Engineering with an internship in her junior, and she is still looking for a permanent job. She has been looking for a job since January 2024. She also has twelve friends from HS, five from Ivies, four from UVA, and three from Virginia Tech, which also graduated in 2024. Of those twelve friends, eight are still looking for jobs. Those four that actually have jobs, they get them through family connections. Two have jobs with a government contractor because their father/mother is a fed SES in the government. The other two have jobs because their uncle/aunt is SVP in the company. My DD is very depressed at the moment. I feel so helpless that I am not in a position to help my DD and her friends.

The people I know from Yale with that u grad major all went straight to grad school in bio chem/biomed and then VC.

Regardless, job searches take a year. Internships can help or be feeders to FT offers.

What’s she looking to do? Labwork? Private company? Mgmt rotation program? Pharma? R&D? Consult or financial advisory to public or private life sciences companies?

Start contacting older alums yesterday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the notion of graduating and then looking for a job. Are these kids really just applying to random jobs with no specific plan??

I spent all four years of undergrad networking, interning, volunteering and strategizing so I'd have a job post-graduation. I knew I couldn't live at home again (mentally unstable parents) so I got off my tush and worked it. I did something to build my career options every summer and every semester of college. I had plans A, B, C and D, with sub options in the wings. My resume was highly tuned and demonstrated specialization in several highly desirable skills and I had recommendations from several folks who were well respected in their industries. I received several job offers by January of senior year. Waiting until graduation or close to graduation to find a job is stupid IMO.

Same, but without the unstable parent situation.

Probably triple tracked my grad plans with lsat test, banking recruiting in the fall and internship offer at Fed reserve bank. Never took the lsat, had an offer by Christmas 2000. Then the market tanked and things were dicey, but I made it through 3+ years in nyc summer 2001-2003.

Did same thing when switching jobs or considering b school. Interviewed for jobs plus applied, took the best option, didn’t dwell on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the notion of graduating and then looking for a job. Are these kids really just applying to random jobs with no specific plan??

I spent all four years of undergrad networking, interning, volunteering and strategizing so I'd have a job post-graduation. I knew I couldn't live at home again (mentally unstable parents) so I got off my tush and worked it. I did something to build my career options every summer and every semester of college. I had plans A, B, C and D, with sub options in the wings. My resume was highly tuned and demonstrated specialization in several highly desirable skills and I had recommendations from several folks who were well respected in their industries. I received several job offers by January of senior year. Waiting until graduation or close to graduation to find a job is stupid IMO.

Same, but without the unstable parent situation.

Probably triple tracked my grad plans with lsat test, banking recruiting in the fall and internship offer at Fed reserve bank. Never took the lsat, had an offer by Christmas 2000. Then the market tanked and things were dicey, but I made it through 3+ years in nyc summer 2001-2003.

Did same thing when switching jobs or considering b school. Interviewed for jobs plus applied, took the best option, didn’t dwell on it.

This is the part I don’t really understand. In the two areas I went into from undergrad and grad school, recruiting took place during the year before graduation. Is that not common in some fields?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why so many wealthy kids from good schools and connected families go for federal jobs?

Do they?

For example DOJ

Recently saw a chart that applications to tech cos by recently grads are declining while increasing for federal jobs fur security and work life balance.