When you graduated college, did most of your friends get jobs straight away?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I graduated from a Seven Sister college in the mid 70's the country was going through a recession. Most of my friends worked secretarial jobs until they went back to graduate school. The management trainee jobs were reserved for boys.

Fascinating. I graduated from one of the Seven Sisters in '81 and all the training programs -- in commercial and investment banking, marketing and sales, retailing, etc., -- came calling. Regardless of major, you could get one of those jobs if you wanted one. That said, however, many of my classmates chose to teach, get an entry-level job in journalism, work in museums and other nonprofits, work on the Hill, etc. Still others went directly to grad school in law, medicine, or varied doctoral programs (for b-school and policy grad programs you usually had to work a couple of years first before applying). I worked in college admissions for a couple of years, then went to law school.

We were so lucky -- we really could do anything we wanted to do without worrying about long-term career paths. My oldest graduated from college last year and is doing Teach for America. He loves it, but once he's completed his two-year commitment he's planning to go to a consulting firm and then probably b-school or law school. Despite having graduated from an Ivy and majoring in math, he feels he has to snag a very lucrative job early on given the economy. Sadly, he seems to be part of a zero-sum mindset generation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I graduated from a Seven Sister college in the mid 70's the country was going through a recession. Most of my friends worked secretarial jobs until they went back to graduate school. The management trainee jobs were reserved for boys.

Fascinating. I graduated from one of the Seven Sisters in '81 and all the training programs -- in commercial and investment banking, marketing and sales, retailing, etc., -- came calling. Regardless of major, you could get one of those jobs if you wanted one. That said, however, many of my classmates chose to teach, get an entry-level job in journalism, work in museums and other nonprofits, work on the Hill, etc. Still others went directly to grad school in law, medicine, or varied doctoral programs (for b-school and policy grad programs you usually had to work a couple of years first before applying). I worked in college admissions for a couple of years, then went to law school.

We were so lucky -- we really could do anything we wanted to do without worrying about long-term career paths. My oldest graduated from college last year and is doing Teach for America. He loves it, but once he's completed his two-year commitment he's planning to go to a consulting firm and then probably b-school or law school. Despite having graduated from an Ivy and majoring in math, he feels he has to snag a very lucrative job early on given the economy. Sadly, he seems to be part of a zero-sum mindset generation.

I had to take typing tests anywhere I applied. I remember one young woman who did get a management training offer from Manufacturers Hanover. Most of us went to grad school. Lots of women lawyers minted at that time. Those in med school still faced "you are taking a spot from a man". Many more opportunities in the 80s in New York though. By then many of us had solid mid-level management positions and some were VPs. There really was a "revolution.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I remember that many 7 Sisters grads from the '70s came back to campus as assistant VPs and mid-level managers to recruit for training programs in the early '80s. Getting back to OP's question, for those who didn't want the corporate route, job-hunting was often delayed until fall, giving new grads the opportunity to travel or work at the beach for the summer. Once September rolled around, though, those folks found jobs pretty easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated college
I graduated college
I graduated college
I graduated college
I graduated college
I graduated college

Donna Martin Graduates!

[Anonymous]

I graduated from an Ivy in the mid-90s, and it was expected that you'd have something lined up (job or grad school). My close friends all had something - med or law school, PhD programs, consulting jobs, government. I didn't, as of graduation, and felt bad (felt like I would be disappointing my parents). My grand plan was to move to DC and continue to job hunt - fortunately that plan worked, and I ended up with a gov position. I didn't realize until I'd started just how bad the economy was - the gov agency that hired me was actually in the middle of a hiring freeze and had managed to get an exception to bring a handful of us on board.

[Anonymous]

Graduated in 2006 and most of my friends found jobs within 6 months. I had an offer letter from my current employer (prestigious Agency) about 3 months before graduation.

We were all first time grads in the family, working to middle class, with great internships/jobs for age during undergrad and motivated self-starters though.

Ironically, the only one who has had issues went straight to law school and graduated in 2010. Bad timing, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from an Ivy in the mid 90s with a STEM degree. Had multiple job offers with decent salaries and signing bonuses, as did most of my peers (range was generally $35-50k). Others went on directly to grad school. There were a handful of English major types that took odd jobs before going back to grad school, but I can't think of anyone who didn't have something lined up at graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from an Ivy in the mid 90s with a STEM degree. Had multiple job offers with decent salaries and signing bonuses, as did most of my peers (range was generally $35-50k). Others went on directly to grad school. There were a handful of English major types that took odd jobs before going back to grad school, but I can't think of anyone who didn't have something lined up at graduation.

What a difference 15-20 years makes. It's a new world out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from an Ivy in the mid 90s with a STEM degree. Had multiple job offers with decent salaries and signing bonuses, as did most of my peers (range was generally $35-50k). Others went on directly to grad school. There were a handful of English major types that took odd jobs before going back to grad school, but I can't think of anyone who didn't have something lined up at graduation.

What a difference 15-20 years makes. It's a new world out there.

It certainly was a fortunate time for college grads. I do remember hearing from coworkers at my first job that they weren't hiring much at all even just 2-3 years earlier. The money was rolling then though - fat expense accounts, crazy projects, etc. Those were the days!

[Anonymous]

I hope that the parents who participate in this board understand what even the best-paper college students and recent grads are facing out there. The job situation is simply terrible. There simply are nearly no jobs except for Ivy grads and the like. The jobs that do exist typically are low wage (much lower than decent blue-collar wages), and typically offer few if any benefits. Be forgiving if your DCs need to move back home for a while.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope that the parents who participate in this board understand what even the best-paper college students and recent grads are facing out there. The job situation is simply terrible. There simply are nearly no jobs except for Ivy grads and the like. The jobs that do exist typically are low wage (much lower than decent blue-collar wages), and typically offer few if any benefits. Be forgiving if your DCs need to move back home for a while.

I wholeheartedly agree. I don't think any generation of kids has had it harder than these kids. Many of them have material advantages that I and my parents didn't have, but the global economy makes for so much more competition and stress. My rising college sophmore is already very anxious about finding a job based on what she's hearing from recent grads and she's no academic slouch - she just realizes that even with an Ivy degree getting a job is going to be exceedingly difficult.

[Anonymous]

Graduated in 1982 in a recession. I remember paying 17% interest for a used car loan. I had a job, though. Paid $12k per year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from an Ivy in the mid 90s with a STEM degree. Had multiple job offers with decent salaries and signing bonuses, as did most of my peers (range was generally $35-50k). Others went on directly to grad school. There were a handful of English major types that took odd jobs before going back to grad school, but I can't think of anyone who didn't have something lined up at graduation.

What a difference 15-20 years makes. It's a new world out there.

I graduated from an Ivy in 2005 with a STEM degree and also had multiple job offers. Most of my peers (engineering) went straight to industry and a few of my classmates went to grad school. My brother graduated from a "public Ivy" in 2010 with a liberal arts degree and wasn't able to get a job until this summer, and it's in an entry-level sales position.

What a difference just 5 years makes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Graduated in 1982 in a recession. I remember paying 17% interest for a used car loan. I had a job, though. Paid $12k per year.

Hate to tell you, but that's about $ 30 K now. Starting salaries for many if not most new grads - even in this area - are often even lower. Really. And now, the employee's benefit contributions are much much higher. New grads have just a horrible time now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Graduated in 1982 in a recession. I remember paying 17% interest for a used car loan. I had a job, though. Paid $12k per year.

I guess I was living the good life. I graduated in 83 and made $13.5k and went up to $15.5 by the time I left for grad school 2 years later.