Not getting a job after graduating from college - NEED ADVICE

cbm1442

I recently graduated with an AAS degree in Information Technology back in May of this year. I do not really have the option to get a 4 year degree because I do not have the grades or the money to get one. I did get 6 different IT certificates so I am hoping that will help in place of a 4 year degree. I have been looking for a job sense May and I have received no offers. I am getting interviews so I do not think there is nothing wrong with my resume. Does anyone have any advice for me?

Danielm7

You're getting interviews, so are they telling you why they are passing?

srabiee

What types of positions are you applying for and what positions have you interviewed for recently?

cbm1442

Danielm7 wrote: »

You're getting interviews, so are they telling you why they are passing?

No, I have tried calling them back but they usually will not return my calls.

srabiee wrote: »

What types of positions are you applying for and what positions have you interviewed for recently?

Pretty much every IT related job I can find on Indeed and Monster. It can be Help Desk work or it can be a system administrator position.

Danielm7

Well, without any real IT experience and a few lower level certs you aren't going to get a system admin position most likely. So I'd try to focus on the ones where you have more of a chance. So if they aren't returning your calls after an interview, aren't they giving you feedback? By that I mean are they saying... hm.. you lack experience in X, or we're really looking for Y instead, stuff like that. Maybe you can focus on those things.

Ultimately you're trying to get your first IT job, which can be the hardest one to get, so it takes time. Is there anything you can list as experience, have you done any volunteer technical work?

DissonantData

Network or System admin positions probably won't be open to you considering you don't have the necessary experience. If I were you, I would aim for Help Desk or Desktop/Network Support positions. If you have the CCENT, keep working towards the CCNA so you can move onto a Network Admin position. It seems you want to get into a networking career, but you have to start with an entry level position first. Out of those four certifications I see on your profile currently, the A+, Net+, Sec+, and CCENT are the useful ones.

cbm1442

Danielm7 wrote: »

Well, without any real IT experience and a few lower level certs you aren't going to get a system admin position most likely. So I'd try to focus on the ones where you have more of a chance. So if they aren't returning your calls after an interview, aren't they giving you feedback? By that I mean are they saying... hm.. you lack experience in X, or we're really looking for Y instead, stuff like that. Maybe you can focus on those things.

Ultimately you're trying to get your first IT job, which can be the hardest one to get, so it takes time. Is there anything you can list as experience, have you done any volunteer technical work?

I know it is unlikely I will get those types of positions. I will apply to them anyway because it can't hurt. I have tried looking for some IT volunteer work in my area but I can not really find anything in that area either. The only expierence I have is a 6 month internship in a help desk environment. I have tried to see if I could find another internship in my area but they all require a student who is pursuing a 4 year degree.

Polynomial

cbm1442 wrote: »

I do not really have the option to get a 4 year degree because I do not have the grades

This part concerns me. Why are your grades poor?

murphy80

Pretty much in the same boat. Finished my AAS in May and managed to get a short term gig that lasted for about a month. Started WGU this month and finished Network+ and Sec+. I've been doing my best to stick to low level help desk jobs, but it seems like most of the positions that are posed lately are calling for at least 3 years of experience as well advanced skills. I'm also willing to relocate and have also been working on tweaking the resume I post on job boards along with customizing it around positions I've directly applied to. I'm considering following some advice I've read in another post and removing my address information. I've had a couple of phone interviews along with e-mails/calls from recruiting agencies, but that hasn't really gone anywhere.
I'm not giving up, but I'm definitely starting to feel a bit frustrated.

cbm1442

Polynomial wrote: »

This part concerns me. Why are your grades poor?

I graduated with a 2.7 GPA. Its not that its poor its just not note worthy. The reason why its that low is because I switched degrees after my first year after I did poorly in that degree. To get my GPA up I would have to take classes that are not part of my degree anymore and I would have to pay for those classes out of pocket. All the colleges in my area that offer a 4 year IT degree require at least a 3.0 GPA and a lot of money, neither of which I have. I don't think the GPA is the reason because my GPA is not on my resume and it did not come up in the interviews.

pevangel

You should ask for feedback after the interviews. I'm also concerned about the poor grades.

TheEmperor

I was in the same situation when I graduated in 2002. I earned a BS in Computer Science with a 3.5 GPA but couldn't find a job in my major because of bad job market back then. I had to find odd jobs to do while looking for a real job. My suggestion is to get your feet into a company first, it doesn't have to be IT, customer service rep, answer the phone, whatever it may be as long as you are an employee of the company. While working at that job, volunteer for as many tasks as possible, that will put your name out there. Depends on HR policy, you can start looking for an IT job within your company after one year or so (average), at this time, you are not an outsider anymore, plus volunteering will help with your performance reviews. That's exactly what I did, even though I'm not coding at my current job but still involve with IT and project management.

Good luck!

SephStorm

Post your resume on DICE. It's literally the only place I get calls from.

Tyb

I've heard the market in New York is tight, is relocation out of the picture? You may have to move to get your foot in the door.

cbm1442

Tyb wrote: »

I've heard the market in New York is tight, is relocation out of the picture? You may have to move to get your foot in the door.

I don't have the money to relocate.

xiny

I was able to get a Net Admin/ IT Manager Position with just an Associates, A+, Net+, and CCENT, so it is definitely possible.
In my opinion it's all about where you're looking. 80% of the job market is hidden, I found my job by giving resumes to places that didn't even have an Ad out for the job.

Point is, make sure your resume is spot on and find businesses to give it to, i wouldn't rely on monster, indeed..etc. I've seen positions on those sites that were filled but the job post was never removed.

Heero

Assuming your resume doesn't significantly embellish your actual qualifications, the fact that you are getting interviews but not getting offers probably means you aren't interviewing very well.

When I interview for a job that I really want, I spend at least a few hours prepping. I research the business and the individuals I am interviewing with. Then I mentally practice answering common interview questions. Then I spend an hour or two reviewing topics specifically listed in the job description, and then I come up with a list of questions. I've never been the best people person so preparing myself as much as possible is very important because it makes me feel comfortable throughout the entire interview and I feel more relaxed.

Anyways, the biggest things they are looking from from someone with no experience are soft skills such as communication, enthusiasm, general intelligence, integrity, honesty, etc... The technical skills will be important, but they realize you don't have experience and just have the two years of college, so they put more focus into non-technical skills.

xiny

Heero wrote: »

Assuming your resume doesn't significantly embellish your actual qualifications, the fact that you are getting interviews but not getting offers probably means you aren't interviewing very well.

When I interview for a job that I really want, I spend at least a few hours prepping. I research the business and the individuals I am interviewing with. Then I mentally practice answering common interview questions. Then I spend an hour or two reviewing topics specifically listed in the job description, and then I come up with a list of questions. I've never been the best people person so preparing myself as much as possible is very important because it makes me feel comfortable throughout the entire interview and I feel more relaxed.

Anyways, the biggest things they are looking from from someone with no experience are soft skills such as communication, enthusiasm, general intelligence, integrity, honesty, etc... The technical skills will be important, but they realize you don't have experience and just have the two years of college, so they put more focus into non-technical skills.

Ya to Note on that. I did research the company i work for, before the interview, and they did end up asking me questions about the company during the interview.
Being able to answer the questions and then some, did impress the interviewer.

Researching the position and the company is an excellent idea.

Blade3D

cbm1442 wrote: »

I graduated with a 2.7 GPA. Its not that its poor its just not note worthy. The reason why its that low is because I switched degrees after my first year after I did poorly in that degree. To get my GPA up I would have to take classes that are not part of my degree anymore and I would have to pay for those classes out of pocket. All the colleges in my area that offer a 4 year IT degree require at least a 3.0 GPA and a lot of money, neither of which I have. I don't think the GPA is the reason because my GPA is not on my resume and it did not come up in the interviews.

I had transferred from community college to university with 2.07 with about 45 hours. I think you should be able to get in somewhere. I screwed up out of high school, and failed a lot of classes. However, you can turn it around, my GPA wasn't great, but I have a degree in Computer Science now, and nobody asks what my GPA was.

cbm1442

xiny wrote: »

I was able to get a Net Admin/ IT Manager Position with just an Associates, A+, Net+, and CCENT, so it is definitely possible.
In my opinion it's all about where you're looking. 80% of the job market is hidden, I found my job by giving resumes to places that didn't even have an Ad out for the job.

Point is, make sure your resume is spot on and find businesses to give it to, i wouldn't rely on monster, indeed..etc. I've seen positions on those sites that were filled but the job post was never removed.

Did you just email a resume+cover letter to the HR department? What would your advice be for getting in touch with companies who do not have online postings?

tkerber

It's really hard to tell without knowing how exactly the interviews are going. However, I'm thinking it may be just lack of experience. I also wouldn't necessarily just throw your resume out at every job and company you possibly can like a paper boy on a bicycle. Find specific companies and positions that really interest you and cater your resume to their requirements. In an interview don't just answer questions, ask them. Every time I go into an interview I prepare at least 10 questions I'd like to ask the employer. Not every one of them will always get answered but you don't want to come off as a desperate 'yes man' that is looking for any job he can take. Your skills are in demand right now and you want to make the company feel like they're pursuing you as well as you pursuing them.

Here are some interview tips I stole from a power point I got from a good friend of mine who is a Senior Sales Trainer / Professional Development for a large life insurance company. Some of these may be obvious and some, not so much. Either way they have all worked for me so far.

- Dress professional and dress up--dress shirt ironed (no wrinkles), dress pants, dress shoes, and dress socks (must cover ankles), suit and tie optional depending on position (however over dressing is never a bad thing).

- Always bring a portfolio with extra copies of your resume, certifications, transcripts, etc. This portfolio shouldn't be any wacky colors or anything that sticks out and it should have no logos--whether it be a previous employer or random company. If you're unsure just go to a office supply store and buy a plain black portfolio. Example

- Turn your phone off and do not turn it on or even look at it until the interview is over (give all attention to the interviewer). This also goes for waiting in the lobby for the interviewer.

- Arrive no more than five minutes early for an interview and never arrive late. When waiting in the lobby for an interviewer, do not sit down or get distracted (you are there for them). Stand attentively and wait for their arrival so you can shake their hand and introduce yourself.

- If the interviewer offers you a beverage, you may accept as long as it doesn't become a distraction or danger. Often times you can use it to your advantage and take a sip of water to clear your throat and calm your mind during the interview.

- Eye contact. Enough said..

- Prepare and study for the interview, have questions you'd like to ask the employer and do your homework. Read company reviews and and ask about the culture, the leadership philosophy, and one question that interviewers love to hear because it really changes the setting is: "What do you enjoy the most about working at (company name)?" Asking the interviewer this question gives them the opportunity to be put on the spotlight by you and gives you a chance to see if they can find something they truly like about working there. If the interviewer pauses or hesitates then you may have other issues. I've had one HR Recruiter actually stop the interview and compliment me for asking that question because so many people seem to just skip through why they're actually interviewing.

Anyways that was a lot and I hope some of it may help. But I'm sure with the help of this forum board and your own skill set you'll land yourself a job, no problem.