Job Hunt Thread

[bigruss]

In which I'm being insensitive: Then maybe they should get a useful degree.

You're not, I'm all for people finding something they love doing, but that doesn't mean you have to make a career out of it (most likely you won't be able to).

 

If you love Russian Art History, get a minor in it or just take some courses on it, but go get a history degree or an English degree with that so you can market yourself into a teaching job or something.

 

People who go to $50k a year private schools to study a degree where the job market is non-existent or depleted should expect hard times after school unless the family is wealthy. I do somewhat blame deans/school counselors for giving students the idea that it's ok to major in something you love and it'll all work out, because that's just not true, but students need to take responsibility for what they did in college. I was one of the hardest partiers at school and had a fantastic time, yet I had 4 internships and a fulltime job lined up before I even started my senior year.

[Soxbadger]

I think that is more about not having a good career plan. If you are going to get a Liberal Arts degree you should have a plan on what you are going to do with that degree.

 

 

[Iwritecode]

I love it when people say things nobody wants to hear...

 

To graduate from college and immediately get an amazing job only works in two ways: 1) you got EXTREMELY lucky, or 2) (and far more likely) you knew someone in a position of power that abused that power to get you a job you didn't yet deserve. The funny part is, in the case of both 1 & 2, those that this happened for will never admit they got lucky or knew the right people...because it's far more likely they actually believe they were that awesome and deserved it.

 

This is my career track:

 

1996:

Worked at Osco Drug (31st Halsted/Bridgeport) 3 to 4 days a week (weekday evening shifts 5-11pm or 6-11pm)

$5.35 per hour.

 

Worked at Dunkin' Donuts (31st Halsted/Bridgeport) Saturday and Sunday, early morning shift

$5 per hour cash.

 

Attended College, taking upwards of 20-24 credit hours per trimester

 

Yes, all at the same time.

 

1997:

Graduated.

 

Got a job at AIS (American Information Systems, Inc.), an internet service provider working afternoon/evenings as technical support for Internet connectivity. This was in the days of Windows 3.11, OS/2, and Windows 95...and modems.

 

$8.50 per hour.

 

Note that out of college, I was making 8 dollars and 50 cents per hour.

 

1998:

Got promoted from Tech Support to Jr. System Administrator.

 

$31,200 per year. ~15$ per hour.

 

Late 1998:

AIS was purchased by Exodus Communications where I was promoted to Sr. System Administrator.

 

Still making the same $31,200.

 

2000:

 

Finally moved me to $55,000 per year.

 

----

 

In 2003 I was laid off.

 

Between 2003 and 2006:

Verisign

Anexis

Ambiron (later becoming AmbironTrustWave), later becoming TrustWave

 

----

 

2006-2012:

 

Sr. Network Specialist, Blue Cross/Blue Shield

 

----

 

I didn't step into this job right out of college...and looking back, I realize why. The day I graduated, I knew almost nothing REAL or useful about computers/the internet.

 

I was book smart about them, though.

 

College showed them I could stick with something and make it happen.

 

Experience showed them I knew what the f*** I was actually doing.

 

That looks eerily similar to my career path. I also worked at Osco while going to school. My difference is that I got my first job making ~ $15/hour before I graduated when I was only 20.

 

I'll admit that I got extremely lucky. Mostly a right place/right time thing. Two of the people I was going to school with were already working there so I'm sure that helped but I didn't even know they were there until after I was hired.

 

 

[Y2HH]

That looks eerily similar to my career path. I also worked at Osco while going to school. My difference is that I got my first job making ~ $15/hour before I graduated when I was only 20.

 

I'll admit that I got extremely lucky. Mostly a right place/right time thing. Two of the people I was going to school with were already working there so I'm sure that helped but I didn't even know they were there until after I was hired.

 

To be absolutely fair, in my "Exodus" days, I didn't care what I made in salary because when they bought the company AIS, they gave us 3000 shares of Exodus Communications options with a strike price of something like 43$, I forget the exact number.

 

Keep in mind this was nothing but "dumb luck". I did nothing to deserve it, and I did nothing to "earn" it. I was more often than not a dumb-ass kid during this time, learned some humility, and it was, in the end, a humbling experience I wouldn't want to re-do in order to fix my mistakes. They were all mistakes I now realize I needed to make.

 

The stock promptly split 3 times in a row, 2 for 1.

 

My strike price ended up at about 8$ when all was said and done.

 

So, imagine, at the time I had 24000 shares vesting at 2.5% per month, and the stock was trading at about 120$, minus the strike.

 

So, I was usually selling 2.5% of it per month making about 40000 dollars per month AFTER tax, on top of that salary.

 

...that didn't last long before the .com collapse, but I can tell you I got some insane storys. I only wish that s*** was vesting faster...but since I was limited to 2.5% per month it was what it was... What's crazy is I was one of the few people that was actually selling it and taking the money. I did, however, get to live the life of a "star" for about 1 1/2 years...oh, and the tax man...keep in mind this was during the Clinton years...holy crap did I pay a megaton of taxes.

 

Some of the things I learned, saw, and did...and some of the stories I can tell during that time are insane.

 

One thing I learned, the older generation couldn't f***ing stand me, or people like me. They often called us the .com babies, but not in endearing terms.

 

If only it vested faster or the collapse didn't happen... :/

 

Edit: Also, being a 21 year old dumbass with way too much money is why I spent most of it. I can see why a lot of these young stars/sports stars fall into the same trap...you never see an end coming. Do I wish I had done it differently looking back? No. Or I wouldn't be where I am now, and I'm completely happy where I am now...without it.

Edited May 30, 2012 by Y2HH

[The Beast]

Well, I have the skills a PR person needs, graduated with a Business Administration/Management degree after taking advice for not getting a Journalism degree and am now working in PR. But that doesn't mean I am better off with the business degree - I got through the courses but I sure would have much rather written for four years as opposed to stomach Principles of Finance and Accounting. That said, business did lay a foundation for me to understand key jargon used in business writing and business journalism.

 

I'm at the stage right now where I am probably being too selective in my next job is going to be, but that's because I have no interest in what is hiring for a person like me (entry-level sales positions). Writing positions are few and far between, but I have heard that those with writing skills should try marketing or creating marketing communications materials. I may end up doing that if I don't go into the business side of health care or higher education.

 

Thanks for the commentary, it is comforting to know you don't have to have a plan when you're 24. You are just expected to pay the bills and figure it all out in the next five years. Maybe move out in the next year and meet a smoking hot wife.

[iamshack]

To be absolutely fair, in my "Exodus" days, I didn't care what I made in salary because when they bought the company AIS, they gave us 3000 shares of Exodus Communications options with a strike price of something like 43$, I forget the exact number.

 

Keep in mind this was nothing but "dumb luck". I did nothing to deserve it, and I did nothing to "earn" it. I was more often than not a dumb-ass kid during this time, learned some humility, and it was, in the end, a humbling experience I wouldn't want to re-do in order to fix my mistakes. They were all mistakes I now realize I needed to make.

 

The stock promptly split 3 times in a row, 2 for 1.

 

My strike price ended up at about 8$ when all was said and done.

 

So, imagine, at the time I had 24000 shares vesting at 2.5% per month, and the stock was trading at about 120$, minus the strike.

 

So, I was usually selling 2.5% of it per month making about 40000 dollars per month AFTER tax, on top of that salary.

...that didn't last long before the .com collapse, but I can tell you I got some insane storys. I only wish that s*** was vesting faster...but since I was limited to 2.5% per month it was what it was... What's crazy is I was one of the few people that was actually selling it and taking the money. I did, however, get to live the life of a "star" for about 1 1/2 years...oh, and the tax man...keep in mind this was during the Clinton years...holy crap did I pay a megaton of taxes.

 

Some of the things I learned, saw, and did...and some of the stories I can tell during that time are insane.

 

One thing I learned, the older generation couldn't f***ing stand me, or people like me. They often called us the .com babies, but not in endearing terms.

 

If only it vested faster or the collapse didn't happen... :/

 

Edit: Also, being a 21 year old dumbass with way too much money is why I spent most of it. I can see why a lot of these young stars/sports stars fall into the same trap...you never see an end coming. Do I wish I had done it differently looking back? No. Or I wouldn't be where I am now, and I'm completely happy where I am now...without it.

$40k a month?? Wowsas!

[Y2HH]

$40k a month?? Wowsas!

 

Yea, it was a pretty crazy time...it was literally like going from the minors to the majors (albeit at the minimum salary) for a year or so...and then the team going bankrupt very VERY suddenly.

 

Some of the stuff that occurred when it happened was eye opening, funny, and sad all at the same time. I can look back at it and laugh now, but I know quite a few people that really buried themselves so deeply in debt because of it they had to declare bankruptcy to get out of it.

 

It only lasted from Late 98 to early 2000...and when the bubble burst...that was it. Thankfully I had actually continued to care about my career and made some good decisions for lining up future jobs. If I learned anything, I learned this. Never take for granted how good things may be at a specific time...because in an instant it can all change, and always remember that when dealing with people. As bad as it was that I spent almost all of that money, it would have been far worse if I did what a lot of people did...who suddenly felt entitled to treat people like crap because they suddenly had money.

[iamshack]

Yea, it was a pretty crazy time...it was literally like going from the minors to the majors (albeit at the minimum salary) for a year or so...and then the team going bankrupt very VERY suddenly.

 

Some of the stuff that occurred when it happened was eye opening, funny, and sad all at the same time. I can look back at it and laugh now, but I know quite a few people that really buried themselves so deeply in debt because of it they had to declare bankruptcy to get out of it.

 

It only lasted from Late 98 to early 2000...and when the bubble burst...that was it. Thankfully I had actually continued to care about my career and made some good decisions for lining up future jobs. If I learned anything, I learned this. Never take for granted how good things may be at a specific time...because in an instant it can all change, and always remember that when dealing with people. As bad as it was that I spent almost all of that money, it would have been far worse if I did what a lot of people did...who suddenly felt entitled to treat people like crap because they suddenly had money.

Reminds me of some of the stories I've heard from the guy at our shop that traded for Enron for awhile...

[bigruss]

Well, I have the skills a PR person needs, graduated with a Business Administration/Management degree after taking advice for not getting a Journalism degree and am now working in PR. But that doesn't mean I am better off with the business degree - I got through the courses but I sure would have much rather written for four years as opposed to stomach Principles of Finance and Accounting. That said, business did lay a foundation for me to understand key jargon used in business writing and business journalism.

 

I'm at the stage right now where I am probably being too selective in my next job is going to be, but that's because I have no interest in what is hiring for a person like me (entry-level sales positions). Writing positions are few and far between, but I have heard that those with writing skills should try marketing or creating marketing communications materials. I may end up doing that if I don't go into the business side of health care or higher education.

 

Thanks for the commentary, it is comforting to know you don't have to have a plan when you're 24. You are just expected to pay the bills and figure it all out in the next five years. Maybe move out in the next year and meet a smoking hot wife.

No offense, but a business degree is almost useless without complentaries like networking, professional development, and leadership roles, no matter what school.

 

It's good to major on business because intends to set those things up, but without them a business degree, or any degree, is almost useless.

[Y2HH]

Reminds me of some of the stories I've heard from the guy at our shop that traded for Enron for awhile...

 

What those guys were doing was pure evil.

[iamshack]

What those guys were doing was pure evil.

Not as evil as you have been lead to believe....from a trading perspective, much of the time they were just taking advantage of California's stupidity...

[southsider2k5]

Reminds me of some of the stories I've heard from the guy at our shop that traded for Enron for awhile...

 

I saw many millionaires made and destroyed personally during the .com era on the CBOE and with daytraders.

[farmteam]

Not as evil as you have been lead to believe....from a trading perspective, much of the time they were just taking advantage of California's stupidity...

 

Yeah, no idea what it looked like on that end, but I know from an accounting stand point they're the textbook example of what NOT to do.

[iamshack]

Yeah, no idea what it looked like on that end, but I know from an accounting stand point they're the textbook example of what NOT to do.

Yes, they were doing all kinds of crazy things because they got mark to market permission...

[Steve9347]

That looks eerily similar to my career path. I also worked at Osco while going to school. My difference is that I got my first job making ~ $15/hour before I graduated when I was only 20.

 

I'll admit that I got extremely lucky. Mostly a right place/right time thing. Two of the people I was going to school with were already working there so I'm sure that helped but I didn't even know they were there until after I was hired.

I got my first real job because I worked my ass off as an unpaid intern with the Blackhawks while being an Assistant Manager at Blockbuster during all my off time. That internship was an instant conversation starter in interviews, and I wound up picking a job out of multiple offers - something you don't expect as a Marketing professional breaking into the business.

 

So yeah, I got lucky that the internship I chose opened doors for me simply because it was interesting to multiple hiring managers. I also got lucky that Jim Blaney loved me during my internship interview, because I was actually a fan of a dead team.

[IlliniKrush]

I got my first real job because I worked my ass off as an unpaid intern with the Blackhawks while being an Assistant Manager at Blockbuster during all my off time. That internship was an instant conversation starter in interviews, and I wound up picking a job out of multiple offers - something you don't expect as a Marketing professional breaking into the business.

 

So yeah, I got lucky that the internship I chose opened doors for me simply because it was interesting to multiple hiring managers. I also got lucky that Jim Blaney loved me during my internship interview, because I was actually a fan of a dead team.

I took a pretty similar path, free internship that was good on a resume and helped me network to get the next job.

 

LOL at the Jim Blaney reference.

[Steve9347]

I took a pretty similar path, free internship that was good on a resume and helped me network to get the next job.

 

LOL at the Jim Blaney reference.

Blaney loved that team and his job, but he didn't really know what he was doing.

[SoxFan1]

I get to work for the Big Ten Network this weekend covering the NCAA CWS Regional in Gary.

[The Beast]

No offense, but a business degree is almost useless without complentaries like networking, professional development, and leadership roles, no matter what school.

 

It's good to major on business because intends to set those things up, but without them a business degree, or any degree, is almost useless.

Well what is networking? I have attended networking events in the Chicagoland area and have done the awkward "Hi, what do you do," gathered business cards and LinkedIn contacts. I know that sounds negative but in all honesty I don't know what I should be looking to gain out of that since it isn't exactly what I would call a friendship. My professional development came from practicing content at my job on campus and my leadership roles come from managing interns.

 

I guess the most odd part of my degree is that the management courses did not teach me much of anything since it was all theories. I am sure it trained me in thinking, but if I researched NIU's business schools compared to mine, I'm sure it would have drastically changed curriculum.

 

I'm not discrediting what you are saying, but I am playing devil's advocate.

 

@SoxFan1 - that's awesome. I was going to recommend the Big Ten Conference as an internship since their HQ is in Park Ridge, IL.

Edited May 30, 2012 by MuckFinnesota

[SoxFan1]

Well what is networking? I have attended networking events in the Chicagoland area and have done the awkward "Hi, what do you do," gathered business cards and LinkedIn contacts. I know that sounds negative but in all honesty I don't know what I should be looking to gain out of that since it isn't exactly what I would call a friendship. My professional development came from practicing content at my job on campus and my leadership roles come from managing interns.

 

I guess the most odd part of my degree is that the management courses did not teach me much of anything since it was all theories. I am sure it trained me in thinking, but if I researched NIU's business schools compared to mine, I'm sure it would have drastically changed curriculum.

 

I'm not discrediting what you are saying, but I am playing devil's advocate.

 

@SoxFan1 - that's awesome. I was going to recommend the Big Ten Conference as an internship since their HQ is in Park Ridge, IL.

That's not networking, that's forced connection making.

 

Networking is simply talking to everyone everywhere and enlightening them, so-to-speak, about what you do, what you want to do, and what your capabilities are.

 

And thanks. With Purdue winning the Big Ten, BTN decided to broadcast their games and our park was selected as a regional host venue, so I kinda lucked into it. We'll see what kind of connections I can make. Now I have to hope that Purdue plays well and wins some games so I can work all four days.

[kapkomet]

Slav, you hit on something I want to ask people here:

 

 

What is networking to you, and what do you find to be the best methods to do so?

[iamshack]

Slav, you hit on something I want to ask people here:

 

 

What is networking to you, and what do you find to be the best methods to do so?

To me, it's just making friends and connections...not saying "What do you do"? May I add you on LinkedIn?

 

My best connections have been people I wanted to become friends with because I thought they were interesting people, and then other stuff came later, as a result of our friendship.

 

No one is going to put their ass on the line or step out on a limb for some doucher they met at some conference and merely exchanged contact information with. You do that for someone you bonded with and trust...someone you talk to often on a personal level...you know all about their wife or their family or the women they talk about chasing...you've talked to them about sports and cars and your bosses...that is where the best connections come from.

[SoxFan1]

Slav, you hit on something I want to ask people here:

 

 

What is networking to you, and what do you find to be the best methods to do so?

 

 

To me, it's just making friends and connections...not saying "What do you do"? May I add you on LinkedIn?

 

My best connections have been people I wanted to become friends with because I thought they were interesting people, and then other stuff came later, as a result of our friendship.

 

No one is going to put their ass on the line or step out on a limb for some doucher they met at some conference and merely exchanged contact information with. You do that for someone you bonded with and trust...someone you talk to often on a personal level...you know all about their wife or their family or the women they talk about chasing...you've talked to them about sports and cars and your bosses...that is where the best connections come from.

I think you hit the nail on the head. It's getting to know people on a more personal level than just a professional level. It comes natural to outgoing people. You just have to be open-minded. In almost every single industry, it's WAY more about who you know than what you know. The key is to be someone who can be relied on. If someone knows you are a go-to-guy when something needs to get done, it goes a long way.

[The Beast]

I would enjoy networking if I didn't despise small talk. I can be very friendly but stumble upon questions that are "evasive" even though they are what gets the kind of information I am interested in. So it's more of a communication thing. Not to mention as an introvert (who has social skills) going to networking events and loud and boisterous places isn't as effective as networking in small groups where that is my strength.

[SoxFan1]

I would enjoy networking if I didn't despise small talk. I can be very friendly but stumble upon questions that are "evasive" even though they are what gets the kind of information I am interested in. So it's more of a communication thing. Not to mention as an introvert (who has social skills) going to networking events and loud and boisterous places isn't as effective as networking in small groups where that is my strength.

It has nothing to do with being introverted or extroverted, "networking events" will never, EVER equal the networking that happens with simple interpersonal interaction. It doesn't have to be small talk, but then again, that's kind of necessary in getting to know people. You have to be open-minded and willing to talk to anyone about anything, and judging by what you've said on here in the past, it seems that you aren't willing to do that.

 

From what I can tell, it seems like you over-analyze the s*** out of everything, and I hope you don't get offended by that. That's just the way it comes off. Just talk to people. Sooner or later, you'll find something that you have in common with just about anybody.