Hey everyone. Let me start by saying I wish I didn't have to start a thread about this, but I've been getting quite frustrated lately and I hope to use this as a means to vent as well as obtain some feedback from all of you. I just graduated college with my bachelors and I majored in marketing, minored in communications. I live and went to school in upstate NY and I am looking for jobs in California. I've been job hunting for about a month now, applying to approx. 4-5 vacancies per day. I've had countless professors review and critique my resume and cover letter and I've been told its top notch. However, I'm having trouble even getting a call back for an interview on these positions. I did a 6-month internship for Toyota in California, so It's not like I'm unfamiliar with the area. I know there are a lot of CA guys and girls here on Scionlife, maybe you guys could provide some insight on the current CA job market, and how us East-coasters are viewed because I for one, have no clue why this is so difficult!

I'm not much of a career advisor, but I can say this much...

Stay miles away from the car business.

Well, What types of job are you looking for? Also, what type of pay do you want? Make sure your realistic with what you want and will get. Also, the car business isn't bad, but don't be a sales guys...There is no money there, but I'm sure being corp has still some good things going

Thanks guys. Right now I am looking in any industry, whether it be entertainment, financial, medical, etc. It would not be unreasonable for me to obtain a position as a marketing specialist, or a position as a market research associate to start off. I'm not really into sales. In the LA area, I'd start at anywhere from 50k-60k depending on the size of the company, etc.

The job market is awful right now, needless to say. A lot of companies are leaning their workforce out to cut costs.

Have you tried Monster?

Hey Cdogbert. I have tried Monster. I have an account with my resume and contact information. I actually log in daily and check on positions. One thing I'm concerned about is the fact that Monster is such a high-traffic site. Whenever a new posting hits, I'd imagine the employers instantly receive hundreds of resume's.

I'd start at anywhere from 50k-60k depending on the size of the company, etc.



this is what I mean starting in marketing your looking at 35k-45k you have to be real with yourself...you can make 50-60k but that takes connections... I was in the same shoes as you two years ago, you have lower the standards....If you want marketing you in the right town, but to break down the door is going to take time...I would research ant network marketing associations and groups. Make the connections and the bust the door down... That's what I did to get into finance and accounting...It paid off for me.

I'd start at anywhere from 50k-60k depending on the size of the company, etc.



this is what I mean starting in marketing your looking at 35k-45k you have to be real with yourself...you can make 50-60k but that takes connections... I was in the same shoes as you two years ago, you have lower the standards....If you want marketing you in the right town, but to break down the door is going to take time...I would research ant network marketing associations and groups. Make the connections and the bust the door down... That's what I did to get into finance and accounting...It paid off for me.

From the sources I've researched, people in the positions already that I've spoken to, and from reading the job descriptions (A small few post starting salary) I've found that 50-60k is reasonable living in Los Angeles. I wanted to be sure that I wasn't overshooting my salary requirements. Full time associates in my internship position are making about 65k.

I forgot to add, here's a sample job vacancy that gives a little more insight into the type of position I'm looking to acquire.

http://www.claritas.com/target-marketing/about-claritas/market-research-jobs/market-research-jobs-in-san-diego.jsp#sd_WebMarketingSpecialist

have you checked nearby hospitals. There always hiring, the one I work at has 400 openings at any given moment. I'm a comm major so the job markets sort of the same. unfornately for u I don't know much about cali. If cali dosen't work for you move to the MW, cheaper costs of living and alot of the major companies, such as GE healthcare, are based in the MW.

It isn't easy to get a job right now no matter what line of work you are in. I consider myself very lucky to have a nice job.

I'm not much of a career advisor, but I can say this much...

Stay miles away from the car business.

Aww c'mon you know it's the big biz, rofl.


To the OP, your school didn't have any sort of career placement? I hear that alot with schools, but I guess it's specialty schools only probably.

Taking it slow is what I can definately agree on. I ALWAYS expect too much too fast out of every job, and hype myself up too soon and always feel let down. Treat your job like a girl. Er, one you really like.

:love:

Hey didn't that internship with Toyota lead to anything?? That is how I got my full time position at TMS, starting off with an internship (I think we talked before in PM)-
Anyway, I know here the job market isn't so hot right now- and specifically within Toyota I can say there is very little to zero movement going on- Pretty much the only openings are within the contact centers, which I'm sure you don't want- plus the starting salary for that is around $41-42k =/

Hey Integres, thanks for your note. We have talked before in PM. the TMS internship hasn't really lead to anything concrete yet. I'm discussing current opportunities with my former boss but as you mentioned, movement within is slow at the moment. I suppose my only option for right now is to network more with CA people and keep plugging away with the resumes.

Oh, and your new 250 looks nice! :)

Thanks :)
Well best of luck to you! If you can get an opportunity at TMS, I'd say definitely jump on it, even if the pay isn't quite as high, because TMS is a great company to work for :)

You're exactly right. I was on talent link earlier today and noticed a position open in the Lexus Call Center. Perhaps I'll submit my materials and see how that goes. For a starting position, I'm just looking for something that will be able to support rent, food, student loans, and a little money to save.

You should definitely try for that position in Lexus-- Its a good place to start ;)

Good luck!!!!

I work for IBM and we have a ____load of openings in alot of our coporate offices, although most of them are Account exec's or Tech support :(

At Boeing we are trying to fill a lot of positions with youngsters, because about 60% of the entire workforce is due for retirement in the next 10 years.

RodC. That's a great suggestion. I knew Boeing has an office around the Seal Beach area. I'll stop by their careers page and check current openings!

RodC. That's a great suggestion. I knew Boeing has an office around the Seal Beach area. I'll stop by their careers page and check current openings!

I highly recommend you do that, and don't be discouraged when you don't get hired right away. I applied for about 40 different Boeing positions, in addition to 40-50 positions at Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon. I received at least 30 Boeing rejections before I finally got a phonecall. Just don't give up. Be extremely persistent and push your resume for every position, even the ones that are not exactly in your line of work.

I got a phonecall in early June 2008 about a position which I applied for 2 months earlier. They set up a telephone interview with me for a few days later. After the telephone interview, they flew me up to Seattle for a series of in-person interviews. By the time I arrived back in L.A., I got the phonecall that I had been hired and was to start immediately. The initial call happened at the start of June and I was working for them by June 20th. They move fast.

But yeah, it's funny you should mention Seal Beach. I am stationed at the Seal Beach office. Boeing also has offices in Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Cypress, Anaheim, El Segundo, and more.

I can help you out with information and assistance with the application and hiring process if you want. I recommend that you start with their careers page and setup an account. Take the time to create a strong resume and a nice cover letter. Once you are all setup, just add a lot of positions to your "cart" and hit the apply button. It doesn't hurt to overdo it. Afterall, different HR officers will be reviewing applications for each position, so no one will know that you are applying for 40 different jobs. Just don't give up until they hire you. The pay and benefits are excellent.

Thanks for the clarification Rod! That's one thing I was concerned about: applying to many positions at the same company. You put me at ease though once you mentioned that different HR officers review for different positions. I'll create a profile on their site tomorrow and get my materials up there. Thanks again.

How was your GPA? Boeing likes high GPAs, and the same goes for the other aerospace and defense giants. I also cannot comment on the prospects for your particular major, since I graduated with an IT degree and went into IT.

I graduated with a GPA of 3.01. My GPA for courses in my major only was 3.2

Eh, a bunch of the Boeing positions I applied for were 3.8 or higher, but it's all good.

Ehh yea, that could be a problem.

Just a suggestion but experiance is key in the field your looking at and you're young. Don't look down on positions that start lower than what you are seeking. Where I work, (a major car company) it's almost impossible to start where you really want, like the marketing dpmt. You need to start lower, yes with less pay, and get your name out within the company. Net work with the managers. Work on special projects. Etc.

Maybe I missed this but also it doesnt hurt to talk to an agency like Apple One, Aerotek. Companies contact them to help find the "perfect" employee and most of the time it's free for you.

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Just a suggestion but experiance is key in the field your looking at and you're young. Don't look down on positions that start lower than what you are seeking. Where I work, (a major car company) it's almost impossible to start where you really want, like the marketing dpmt. You need to start lower, yes with less pay, and get your name out within the company. Net work with the managers. Work on special projects. Etc.

Maybe I missed this but also it doesnt hurt to talk to an agency like Apple One, Aerotek. Companies contact them to help find the "perfect" employee and most of the time it's free for you.

I've heard of Apple One and Aerotek. Usually when I see their ads on Monster, i just think of them as spam. I'll stop by their site and see if I can talk to somebody that works their about keeping me on file.

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I wouldn't fit on camera :silly: :silly:

Just wanted to post an update. I have an interview with Genworth Financial as an eMarketing Team Leader in Richmond, VA. It's a relief to know that my resume was actually being viewed and that some people are interested in speaking to me..haha.

^ That's awesome :)
Good luck!!!!

good luck man.....

i know how you feel about that....im trying to make my dreams come true too...and when your so close you get a funny feeling and cant believe that something that you have be looking forward to for so long is actually happening.... :nails:

good luck man.....

i know how you feel about that....im trying to make my dreams come true too...and when your so close you get a funny feeling and cant believe that something that you have be looking forward to for so long is actually happening.... :nails:

very true. Feel free to share your experiences if you'd like!

i always wanted to become a cop and i remember that 3 yrs in a row when i was little for halloween i dressed up as a cop....i have pictures hahahaha.....but i have a physical exam coming up this weekend and i have to run like 1.5 miles and 300 meters and a hole lot of other stuff and its like im so close to my dream i can almost reach out and grab it

You're going to do great man. Keep that end goal in sight and prepare for the physical exam in any way you can. Let us know how you make out.

thanks man i really appericate that...good luck on your dreams too man....

it took me a few months to find a job after graduating. i was really getting stressed out because my savings was getting a little thin and payments just kept getting higher.
i was reaching high trying to get a $40k+ job off the bat but it was going no where so i took the 1st job that was offered to me. it was working for a bank in their mainframe/server room. it was fun for a bit but then it got too repetitive for me. i have a comp sci degree and a minor in business and my most of my co-workers didnt have a degree but they have been working for the bank for at least a decade or two.
They knew i wanted to move up and they were impressed at how fast i learned things so they all put in good words for me. about 6 months after i was hired i was hired in a different dept. i am now a programmer for the bank and my paycheck doubled just like that. there were actually 2 or 3 depts wanting me to go work for them which was really nice to be wanted like that.
you just have to get your foot in the door and get yourself known. since your are going cross country it will be hard financially but just find something that pays for your living expenses. on my student loans, i went with a graduated payment plan because i have so many other bills right now but payment years 9 and 10 will have a monthly payment of $600. But i plan on having my loans paid off way before that.
good luck dude

Screw the 9-5 and work 24 hours and have 48 off.

Hug a Firefighter!

Greatest Career Choice....evah!

well if he goes to cali and becomes a firefighter, he is going to work his ___ off with all of those wildfires every year.

well if he goes to cali and becomes a firefighter, he is going to work his butt off with all of those wildfires every year.

Thanks for sharing your story. Right now, my undergrad student loans are near 130k. I received almost NO financial aid and RIT doesn't give very much grant money. Its sickening every time I think about how much my monthly student loan bill will be.

^ I can give you an estimate ! haha I racked up about $90,000 in student loans and my payments are roughly $1100 a month!!!! :cry:

It sickens me too when I think about it too hard.....=/
But don't worry I'm in the same financial boat you are (as are many people I am sure)