Entry-level frustrations

[mrivnie]

Hi all,
This is my first post. I just finished reading the book and it is so nice to know I'm not alone in how frustrating this time in life can be.
I recently graduated (May '07) from a University with a BS in Geography. I focused in GIS to make myself more marketable. Or so I thought....
I've been out of school now for 8 months and I have no job. I worked part-time right after graduation as an office assistant, just to pay some bills. Luckily, my husband has a good enough job that I can focus on starting my career without squeezing us too much financially. Unfortunately, my husband has a good enough job that the thought of moving for me to start my career probably isn't the best idea. No matter what I do, he'll make more than me.
So...I search and I search and there are simply no entry-level GIS jobs where I live. I have no idea what to do! Every place I apply at for any kind of GIS job wants someone with more experience. I can't get more experience without having a job. I don't want to give up, because I have a passion for my field, but in another few months, more people will be graduating, likely with fresher experiences to help them in the job market.
I'm basically venting, but I'd like to know if anyone else has this kind of problem? Any sage advice?
The only solutions I can come up with involve me either giving up and trying to find another career as some kind of office admin (if I can even get that lucky) or moving by myself to someplace with some entry-level jobs and getting some experience, then moving back when a job opens up here.
The GIS field is growing so quickly and more people are using it, but there's just no place here for someone to gain some knowledge without being in school in this town.


Mel

[Rage]

If you can support it financially, take an internship and network. It won't pay much, but you will develop contacts and may get hired following a short time. Many of the smaller, niche, or competetive markets require more than just a degree. It's unfortunate, but true. If you can, try to talk to one of your professors and see if he has any colleagues looking for research assistants in the field, or the like. You may also be able to gain alot of intensive experience if you can travel on a research venture. I don't know about geography, but I'm thinking of how alot of marine biology studies take place at sea for a few months. It means you are away from home, but you develop great experience and contacts along the way. Unfortunately, much of finding a job is about networking and who you know, not what you know or have done.

[Doolkid]

Similiar boat too. I graduated in May 2007 as well. My major was sociology and I really don't have much in mind as far as a career...I'm just hoping that my college degree gets me a new job (working retail now). But then there were the summer grads in august, and then the winter grads in December...now there's going to be new spring grads in May! More people to compete with. BLAH. I really don't have any advice to you except keep trying! I knew someone with a geography degree that got a pretty good entry-level GIS job. Good luck!

[winneythepooh7]

I think the internship/networking piece is probably the best way to go. Also don't rule out joining a bunch of online groups that are related to your major/profession. People from all over the place are part of them, and often can give you suggestions of places to work in your own backyard (or not too far from it!) that you may not have even realized existed.

[SmilesSoSweet]

Depending on the demand/need in your industry, it probably wouldn't hurt to contact the companies that are listing the higher level jobs and ask if they just might need someone at entry level/intern.

My industry took a HUGE cut because of the housing market, but it's similar within the GIS field.

Also, if you haven't done so already, try looking at city/county/state agencies for GIS jobs. Even colleges/universities tend to have openings for GIS jobs.

And as an example, my BF graduated from college in Dec. 2001. That was right after 9/11. He tried to find something in his field (finance) but couldn't find anything for months. He ended up taking a job in different industry only because he couldn't find anything at the time he graduated.

So now he's been working in that industry since and hasn't used his degree. Had he of graduated prior to 9/11, he probably could have had a finance job. But of course, we can't predict how the job market will be after we graduate (no matter what your degree is in).

[Rage]

I think the internship/networking piece is probably the best way to go. Also don't rule out joining a bunch of online groups that are related to your major/profession. People from all over the place are part of them, and often can give you suggestions of places to work in your own backyard (or not too far from it!) that you may not have even realized existed.

Oh, and see if you can set up an informational interview with someone who does the job you want to be doing in 5-10 years. People are often flattered when they're asked for advice, and it may help you down the road if you genuinely just want advice about how to make your start in an industry.

[Rob_Loblaw]

I agree with the above. Informational interviews can lead to some pretty good contacts.

Too bad you don't want to move. a few hundred miles north and both you and your husband would have so many offers you wouldn't know what to do with them all (Especially GIS). Of course moving to another country is a huge step.

[mrivnie]

Thanks for all the input, guys.

I'd love to be able to get an internship. I actually had one last spring for a semester, but it was temporary and my supervisor really gave it to me just so I could gain some experience--there was no possibility of a long-term job afterwards.
The problem with getting another internship is that this is a college town and there's SO much competition from other people with a fresher education than I have.
I've contemplated moving to Canada, especially in Alberta, where the boom is huge, but my husband's originally from Canada (Toronto) and has wanted to live in the US for a long, long time.
I'm going to keep trying, but it's seriously frustrating. I had a job interview a couple of weeks ago with the state, but it was out of my league because I don't have a specialization yet and the work there was so focused on a couple of specific areas. It was a good practice interview, I guess.

Thanks again.