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kake
The answer to1984 is 1776.



Registered: 05/06/99
Posts: 2,782
Loc: The 66th harmonic
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I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D
#5643527 - 05/17/06 08:22 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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So here I am...with a B.S. in Computer Science...and a growing anxiety about all the things I should have started doing my first year of college...like figuring out what I wasn't going to be taught in the next 4 years and motivating myself to educate myself on topics outside the classroom so I could get a job right away and be competitive with other graduates who were actually busting their ass in college (not that I didn't bust my ass, it's just that professors at my school would ask us to bust our asses on knowledge that would have been handy for a graduate 5 years ago). Of course college taught me a ton outside the classroom, but as for my education, I really just focused on getting a high GPA and maintaining good relationships with people and sort of slept on figuring out what I was actually going to do afterwards. I guess that's what you get when throughout highschool the whole emphasis is put on getting the grades, not necessarily on finding your future.
So, I graduated with high honors and know enough to prove I am indeed a CS major lol, but I've got a lot of broad knowledge and nothing really cutting edge. Of course, I've got my strong wits and a respectable personality to back me up, which I think are some of my best traits, but are these really going to help a lot in this industry? I recently went to Barnes and Noble and bought a few books to hopefully beef up my skillset a bit, but I just hope its not too little too late. I'm going to sound bitter here but I'm not bitter, just jealous - it sucks not having family or family friends who can just set you up with a job like 3/4s of my friends.
Anyone have any inspiring or stories that might boost my optimism a bit? I'm moving to California soon to get closer to Silicon Valley (and the beach...the only place I find peace and tranquility) and to pretty much start chasing a dream of becoming an artist/musician, but first I need something solid to be sure I can pay the bills with. I am scared that I won't be able to afford the nearly $1200/mo. baseline living expenses out there if I can't find a decent job.
Much love guys, and I can't wait to meet some west coast Shroomerites!
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Microcosmatrix
Spiral staircasetechnician


Registered: 10/20/05
Posts: 11,293
Loc: Ythan's house
Last seen: 17 years, 1 month
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: kake]
#5643535 - 05/17/06 08:24 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Find a nice commune and wait out the 6 years for the world to end.
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phalloidin

Registered: 07/03/04
Posts: 865
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: kake]
#5643573 - 05/17/06 08:32 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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I say go to grad school and get paid to learn. Theres lots of grant money and fellowships you can get. It'll give you chance to do some really cutting edge research. That's my plan when I graduate.
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DrunkenAttempt
Chemically Inclined


Registered: 03/10/05
Posts: 1,780
Loc: Nova Scotia, CANADA
Last seen: 9 years, 8 months
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: Microcosmatrix]
#5643574 - 05/17/06 08:33 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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i'll give you a job, starting $17 an hour, 40 hours a week
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  Nature is my God, Science is my religion.
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theuser
DON'T LOOK

Registered: 08/04/05
Posts: 5,859
Last seen: 3 years, 11 months
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: DrunkenAttempt]
#5643588 - 05/17/06 08:36 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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GRATS!!!! I am glad you have graduated. 5 shrooms!
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Mezcal
Registered: 08/11/05
Posts: 1,980
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: kake]
#5643652 - 05/17/06 08:49 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Yeah. Ditto. Just graduated with a B.S. in psychology (pre med) and a B.S. in mathematics. No real job prospects. Time to travel for a while I guess...
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TheCow
Stranger

Registered: 10/28/02
Posts: 4,790
Last seen: 15 years, 6 months
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: Mezcal]
#5643660 - 05/17/06 08:51 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Yea Im about to graduate with a BS in computer engineering. Im going to get a PhD after this though, but what I found kept me interested in school was doing research with professors. That was far more interesting to me then studying books and whatnot.
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lIllIIIllIlIIlIlIIllIllIIl
Stranger

Registered: 12/16/04
Posts: 11,123
Loc: Texas
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: kake]
#5643721 - 05/17/06 09:06 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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What I've done so far in my life is find work that noone else wants to do, and do it where there are extreme labor shortages.
If you move to silicon valley, you are going to a place that is full of computer programmers. Not to mention that places like India are pumping out computer programmers like mad, so the whole computer programming industry is a lot more competitive than when you started your degree.
Remember the dot com boom? That was about when you started.
What I would do in your shoes is try to get on somewhere that is desperate for workers, but it doesn't nessecarily have to be a computer programming job.
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DrunkenAttempt
Chemically Inclined


Registered: 03/10/05
Posts: 1,780
Loc: Nova Scotia, CANADA
Last seen: 9 years, 8 months
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i would have liked to gone to university but me nor my parents could afford it so i had to go to community college lol
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  Nature is my God, Science is my religion.
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badchad
Mad Scientist

Registered: 03/02/05
Posts: 13,372
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: theuser]
#5643741 - 05/17/06 09:13 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Don't sweat it.
You have a college degree which will always look solid on a resume. Put in your time and build a little experience. The baby boomers are all approaching their 60's and occupy the majority of upper level positions. Hopefully in 5-10 years the job market will have an enormous swing. Consider that in 5-10 years you will (hopefully) be much more experienced and entering the prime of your career. In sum, be optimistic and stay focused on more long term goals.
-------------------- ...the whole experience is (and is as) a profound piece of knowledge. It is an indellible experience; it is forever known. I have known myself in a way I doubt I would have ever occurred except as it did. Smith, P. Bull. Menninger Clinic (1959) 23:20-27; p. 27. ...most subjects find the experience valuable, some find it frightening, and many say that is it uniquely lovely. Osmond, H. Annals, NY Acad Science (1957) 66:418-434; p.436
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lIllIIIllIlIIlIlIIllIllIIl
Stranger

Registered: 12/16/04
Posts: 11,123
Loc: Texas
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: DrunkenAttempt]
#5643746 - 05/17/06 09:14 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Do you live in a trailer park?
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DrunkenAttempt
Chemically Inclined


Registered: 03/10/05
Posts: 1,780
Loc: Nova Scotia, CANADA
Last seen: 9 years, 8 months
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actually i don't live in a trailer park you ignorant peice of shit....=)
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  Nature is my God, Science is my religion.
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CherryBom
Yoga Gypsy


Registered: 12/26/98
Posts: 11,177
Loc: Ontario
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: DrunkenAttempt]
#5644246 - 05/17/06 11:05 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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....play nice jerk ass.
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kake
The answer to1984 is 1776.



Registered: 05/06/99
Posts: 2,782
Loc: The 66th harmonic
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: DrunkenAttempt]
#5644303 - 05/17/06 11:18 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Thanks adjust. BTW, I'm not much of a coder, not sure if I ever will be. Programming has always seemed like a slow and inefficient process and this is why I dislike it. I'd rather feel like I'm getting more done in my day. FWIW: I do envision a day when programming will take place in a hands-on virtual 3-D environment, will still be founded in OOP principles, but I'm not sure if this will happen in the near future, but I could see that becoming something taught in schools beginning at a very young age as we embrace technology and creativity more and more.
Anyway, I guess its time to start educating myself more in-depth on areas of specialization and then pick a few to adopt and go for it.
-------------------- The answer to 1984 is 1776.
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Silversoul
Rhizome


Registered: 01/01/05
Posts: 23,576
Loc: The Barricades
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: kake]
#5644655 - 05/18/06 12:49 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Hey, I'm in the same boat as you, buddy. But I wasn't smart enough to major in Computer Science. No, I had to go for a fun major, and got a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology. I've been going through ads in the paper, and it feels so humiliating to be looking into jobs like janitorial work when I spent 4 long years busting my ass to get a degree. But such is life. There's always a light at the end of the tunnel.
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mojika
Jonium


Registered: 01/11/06
Posts: 87
Loc: the dark side of the moon
Last seen: 8 years, 3 months
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: Silversoul]
#5645296 - 05/18/06 06:14 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Hey there ive got a b.s in psychology/psychophysiology... finished my honors last year in psychophysiology too.... fuckin hard work congratulations!!!
and yes i was unemployed.. still only workin a bit but i like what i do... i wanna do my PhD too....
the jobs are out there you just need to find one you like and hope they like you. My advice is find a good job which gives you opportunity to expand yourself cause if your lucky they could end getting you to do your PhD as your job if they like you.... thats how it works in my field anyway
-------------------- Three words ...sex acid & psytrance...
amen
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Jalruza
Boot Lover


Registered: 10/09/04
Posts: 1,985
Last seen: 15 years, 7 months
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: Silversoul]
#5645417 - 05/18/06 07:54 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Silversoul said: Hey, I'm in the same boat as you, buddy. But I wasn't smart enough to major in Computer Science. No, I had to go for a fun major, and got a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology. I've been going through ads in the paper, and it feels so humiliating to be looking into jobs like janitorial work when I spent 4 long years busting my ass to get a degree. But such is life. There's always a light at the end of the tunnel.
He says there is a light!!! Hooray!!
Got a dgree and forcd to work as a janitor, whhoooaaa lol.
Same here, i worked as a chef last year with my buziness degree
-------------------- Time keeps ticking and running away And It's taking us fast to a brand new free dimension Too cool to mention well that's the intention But some of us too dame blind to see Jesus is the King Volume I Jesus is the King Volume II Shroomery MSN club I'm talking to aliens! Volcano Vap and Brain Chakras Hilary Duff!!
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Jalruza
Boot Lover


Registered: 10/09/04
Posts: 1,985
Last seen: 15 years, 7 months
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: mojika]
#5645428 - 05/18/06 07:57 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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On the other hand, i got a degree and im considering doing another degree in CS, or myabe do Masters conversion to CS. Which one?
I donno, i hear IT jobs are shit in the US tho, that might be why you cant find anything. Have you looked in Canada?
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gema
Freedom from the Known

Registered: 10/24/04
Posts: 1,767
Loc: t(here)
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: Jalruza]
#5645460 - 05/18/06 08:09 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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Same here, I wasn't smart enough to major in Computer Science with all those calculus and chemistry classes but took them none the less. I found out really quick that I could see myself going back to school in my 30s with a BS in Computer Science so I dropped that major thank god. It's not for everyone, good luck buddy!
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nookjohn
Nooker


Registered: 08/26/03
Posts: 1,560
Loc: Dancin' in the street
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: gema]
#5647216 - 05/18/06 06:09 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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I majored in electrical engineering and took most of the undergraduate computer engineering classes my university offered, too. Unfortunately, I didn't get either degree because I ran out of money. The stress of working and running massive credit card debts to supplement my insufficient student loans caused me to get shitty grades. I'll never be able to do graduate school but I got tons of experience while in school. Since I stopped taking classes, I've been continuously employed except for one 7 week period.
If you only took classes and had no work study or anything, take your good grades and get into graduate school. A high GPA with no experience doesn't look very good to employers, but it looks excellent to graduate school admissions.
However, you should still be able to find a job. Stick with a state with better than average unemployment and you'll find programming jobs to be fairly plentiful. Getting 2 years of experience is key, though. Shows that you're not just some bookworm, but you can do real stuff.
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biglo
Shroomery BabySitter



Registered: 11/22/02
Posts: 603
Loc: US of A
Last seen: 8 years, 5 months
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Re: I'm officially a college graduate... and unemployed :D [Re: kake]
#5648018 - 05/18/06 09:59 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
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There's hope, I was the same way, graduated with a degree in IT and had no prospects. Basically busted my hump working 7 days a week all summer after graduating, got some side tech work working on computers for a local school district and working food service on the weekends, and doing job searching when I had free time. Summer was just about over, the high school job was just about done and about to be let go, but I landed an interview with a company in a different state, thanks to my aunt who had an interview with a company, as she is in her 40s and was in the same boat I was, and passed my resume.
I aced the interview, and before I knew it moved to NY to do phone tech support for a company. While it's not glamorous or high paying, I'm also in an office with over 600+ employees in different areas. I just need to get some experience and can then put in to other jobs in the department, or hopefully have enough exp to be marketable for different companies. The main thing is if you can't get a full time job, look for some shit to do on the side, and keep pluggin. You'll eventually find something, even if it's not directly in your field.
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