Just graduated, though financial prospects does have me a bit concerned

[Son Goku]

Well I've graduated from one of my majors (not official until the 15th, but 2 teachers have already mentioned what the grades would be on the current semester, and there's no way I could have gotten less then a B in the third class, regardless the grade on the final test we took).

I had some less then fun issues the past 1 to 2 weeks, which I've mentioned elsewhere, but not sure I want to get into it all again, but ranged from old and slow comps that weren't configured right, to a teacher who got peeved that a student should have helped his classmates and got him fired before thoroughly trashing one of the comp labs (the Friday preceeding the last week of classes) much to the chagrin of the person who had to spend several days fixing it all. I finished the last one on Friday.

Pretty much crashed, much of this weekend; though from here, dunno what will happen. In the past I've been concurrently enrolled in 2 majors at 2 seperate colleges. The plan was to get a degree, and from there I should be able to get some sorta employment, that hopefully would work around school schedules and allow me to continue with the other degree.

All said, when I started in school, the ecconomy was much better then it is now, and the pay rates that people had been getting for the major I'm graduating from has been under-cut... Undercut to the point I might have to look at something like a 50-60 hour work week in addition to school, to get where I would have had to do much less for several years ago. Not even sure if I could manage quite such a busy day, let along if I can find something that will accomodate continuing school. As to what's even available, job wise around here, I'm shall I say a bit nervious. New Mexico hasn't exactly been one of the ecconomic hot spots in the country, and things aren't better then what they were back in the late 1990s-early 2000s.

Looking at recent figures (as opposed to what I was seeing when I enrolled) people were starting out at only $10.75/hour and considering a 40 hour week are making $8,000/year less on average, then just what was reported only a couple years ago.

I ended up telling my parents (who had in part helped with my getting through school thus far) that looking at the current prospects, I'm not sure I could land a job now where I could take on all my expenses, and realistically, given the change with current statistics being reported, it doesn't look likely. They're saying now that if I can take on the rent and daily expenses, they could still cover the rest. At least that looks likely with what's getting reported as available.

Obviously career advancement is going to be an absolute necessity, just to hit something I can subsist on (not to mention I do have financial aid loans, and at 33 haven't yet been able to look at setting anything aside for retirement with my savings used up having been in school). And I'd rather not have to drop out of getting the other degree, which should also help qualify me for something even better paying, down the road... tbh, I'm not sure what will happen now...

 

[ejn74]

Congratulations on the Degree. Good luck with the job hunt. Be very thankful your parents are willing to help for a while longer.

Have a Great Holiday Season as well.

 

[mlakrid]

Grats man,

what are your major(s) in??

 

[kcnychief]

Congrats on graduating, I'm done on December 17th and I'm going to partaayyyyyy like it's 1999, eventhough it's 2005

 

[mooo]

there are a few places for tech jobs that I have used,
www.computerjobs.com (warning:: many of the staff agen. post on here but also some real employers do as well)
and www.indeed.com is another decent one. Also i learned that when sending your resume out, make your cover letter just state what they are looking for, because 90% of the time the HR person will not know anything about Computers and just have a highlighter and going down the list of what they are looking for to what you say. So leave the resume for all the extra stuff, EX: if they want someone with 3 yrs experience and you have 6, say "I have 3+ years experience in...." and it looks much better for the return call.. But yea congrats on the graduation, don't let the job stuff bring you down, its still a good time. Live like kcnychief is going to and get trashed one good night

 

[Son Goku]

Grats man,

what are your major(s) in??

thx guys...

And the degree I'm getting is in computer networking.

Besides, I had initially gone for a degree in computer science, though I'm looking to switch over to computer engineering, as the one school's CS dept. doesn't seem to be as well respected among many employers around the community here.

Lets just say that on seperate instances, such as where during CS251 a classmate was asking for assistance on the assignment, the person (a local employer mind you, but also computer programmer) was like "<the person's name> " (in a rather gruff tone of voice) "we don't respect him very much..." He also, pretty much built the dept, his way.

Thing is, he was one of those teachers in which everything had to be his way, or one got a failing grade on their program even if it worked; and the way he did things weren't exactly to the liking of most employers around here. A few more tip offs from various individuals, students, people in the community, those that hire, etc...I got the message loud and clear

I intially planned on getting a degree in both anyhow, so I gather the school I'm getting the network degree in has a better computer programming dept, and the other school I'm attending has a better comp engineering program.

True to form, some classes are better taught at one of the 2 colleges or the other as well as some not being available at both, (and as many students around here have been concurrently enrolled, many tend to know, as people also know which teachers are good, which to stay away from, etc). Course as classes can transfer, for meeting requirements, it almost doesn't matter where one takes it, if one gets the better teacher in this or that subject.

 

[dreamliner77]

I work in staffing and NM is a very, very tough market right now. But drop a line, I'll see if I can help with anything.

 

[Son Goku]

Wow, thanks... I'm going to need to write up my resume first, as I had just finished classes last week; and one in particular I wasn't sure what would happen because of constant lab issues and the like which prevented me from completing the labs on time (60% of the semester grade). I finished Friday, so...

Should be ready to proceed after I get it all in order and stuff...

 

[Son Goku]

Well, I got most of the resume put together (well first draft); albeit I have a few things to add. Mostly going over the other colleges I've been to, to see if there's anything in course work worth mentioning.

Lets just say that I've been in college since 1993, mostly just classes until 97, as my father retired when I was in high school, but due to government regulations I was required to report his income till I was 25 years old. (Most people are required, unless they're married, serving in the military, or the like. This would even apply if the family broke up, and people don't get along, haven't ever spoken to each other in this amount of time...) Anyhow, they said essentially that he makes too much money from Social Security checks, and his company pension plan; so I was pretty much denied till 1997. Given that the college up where my parents retired (Maine, isn't exactly a bustling city, lol) is very much out in the boonies, it was next to impossible to get the class work one needed to complete any major. This even with having driven anywhere from 20 minutes, to 2.5 hours or so, to get to class on any given night...

Even after I was able to attend college full time (having hit the legal age where I didn't have to report my father's SS to the dept of education to get aid); I've taken such a large number of classes, in just about everything :lol: (probably more so, then most people); that there's just a lot not worth mentioning for the current career. The school I'm getting a degree from was easier (though I had also taken a fairly large number of classes) as 2.5 years ago I determined as a practical necessity I had to focus my efforts, or I'd never get 1 degree :rofl I can probably find a thing or 2 from the first school I transfered from, though probably not much worth mentioning, and I transfered, never got a degree there.

The qualifications section, I'll leave until I'm looking at some job listings. The listings might give an idea of what to put; and tbh I'm not that big on talking about myself in an autobiographical nature :lol:

Not sure I can get anything solidified, or at least rolling before Christmas; though the sooner I can find something now, the better...

 

[Son Goku]

Just a slight update: (And no, I haven't forgot to send you the resume dreamliner...albeit I had to get some more transcripts and see if there's anything worth adding.)

I'm gathering I'll pretty much need to wait until after the holidays to proceed any further, as a list of contacts would be hard to put together while people are still vacationing and all... I'm also getting some other stuff together, though this too will take more time.

Additional to preparing the resume, getting interviews, etc; I've also needed to get some stuff for work (such as shoes, and my last pair of dress shoes are many years old, when my feet were slightly smaller). Funny thing, I didn't know one's feet could still get a bit larger in one's 30s, but they're now size 12.5, whereas they were size 12 several years ago.

This itself proved problematic, as I drove around the city (well, it'd now be yesterday) trying to find something. Most things were sold out, or they didn't have something large enough for my rather big foot-esque feet :laugh: After visiting a fair number of stores, I ended up having to order some from one of the stores catalogues, and it's a matter of when they arrive in the mail.

At least things are beginning to come together however, albeit I'm still in for a bit of the long haul...

 

[kcnychief]

Good luck to you in your search, I got lucky and found something within 1-2 weeks of my initial search

 

[mlakrid]

Additional to preparing the resume, getting interviews, etc; I've also needed to get some stuff for work (such as shoes, and my last pair of dress shoes are many years old, when my feet were slightly smaller). Funny thing, I didn't know one's feet could still get a bit larger in one's 30s, but they're now size 12.5, whereas they were size 12 several years ago.

This itself proved problematic, ...or they didn't have something large enough for my rather big foot-esque feet :laugh: ...

You think you have problems finding shoes, try having very long AND odd-ly shaped feet... My feet are very wide across the bridge from the knuckle to the pinky toe but very narrow across my heel...

in essence shaped like: V <---- that and Im a size 13 or 14 depending on the cut of the shoe...

Good luck in your job search, if you decide to stay in the networking arena it is VERY important for you to get your CCNA at a minimum and keep it current, as well as going down the road towards network security.. it is one of the fastest growing employment markets nationwide...

 

[kcnychief]

You think you have problems finding shoes, try having very long AND odd-ly shaped feet... My feet are very wide across the bridge from the knuckle to the pinky toe but very narrow across my heel...

in essence shaped like: V <---- that and Im a size 13 or 14 depending on the cut of the shoe...

Good luck in your job search, if you decide to stay in the networking arena it is VERY important for you to get your CCNA at a minimum and keep it current, as well as going down the road towards network security.. it is one of the fastest growing employment markets nationwide...

Holy cow you have some big feet, no wonder your woman said yes :laugh:

 

[mlakrid]

Holy cow you have some big feet, no wonder your woman said yes :laugh:

LOL... well Im just a big guy... :laugh: 6'5" and approx 240ish... hopefully Im not over that, I havent checked since X-mas, and we ate VERY WELL...

:s

 

[kcnychief]

it's hard not to eat alot over the holidays, but i'm happy to say my diet is still going well

*stops hijacking thread*

 

[mlakrid]

it's hard not to eat alot over the holidays, but i'm happy to say my diet is still going well

*stops hijacking thread*

Sorry Son Goku

KCNYCHIEF <---- He started it!

 

[Son Goku]

Sorry Son Goku

KCNYCHIEF <---- He started it!

:laugh:

Holy cow you have some big feet, no wonder your woman said yes

Yeah, perhaps she didn't want to get the ol boot

in essence shaped like: V <---- that and Im a size 13 or 14 depending on the cut of the shoe...

Meh, because they don't make half sizes after size 12, I have to get either a size 12 and be a half size too small, or size 13 and be a half size too big. I go with the latter. I don't even want to contemplate trying to find a size 14

Was bad though, as most stores were sold out of the larger shoe sizes with the after Christmas sale and all. One can blame it on my maternal grandfather, he was a big foot, and much like myself also fairly big boned, broad shoulders, etc... My skelaton seems to take much after him.

In the past, it's been a little running around, especially as my feet are rather flat on the bottoms, so much of an arche in the shoe or sneaker digs into my feet/rather painful... Yesterday however, was plain ridiculous. I was running around until dinner time, with just enough time to get up to the movies left; considering I had to drive like 70 miles (didn't show locally) to go see the movie I had seen last night.

Good luck in your job search, if you decide to stay in the networking arena it is VERY important for you to get your CCNA at a minimum and keep it current, as well as going down the road towards network security.. it is one of the fastest growing employment markets nationwide...

As part of the cariculum for graduation, I had taken all the classes for a Cisco cert (and actually, for Linux as well, though the cariculum/program on those changed, while I was in the midst of taking them). I do need to take the CCNA test however sometime, and also when I get the money together... Also, I should probably study some, as I had taken the last of the classes in the program (Cisco 4 and network troubleshooting) in spring 2005, and finished up with them last May...

Network security I have already been looking at, though undoubtedly there is more to learn. My class project in linux apps install, was setting up a honey pot or actually tar pit in my case, and then setting up hacker tools (which I won't go into detail on, given the TOS for the forum here) to test the thing with... I had run into some problems for which time didn't allow a work around however (aka keeping the thing embeded between 2 firewalls, while restricting outgoing traffic in both directions). Only had the server side port numbers, so... Well that getting GTK to compile under Slackware...

 

[dreamliner77]

Network security is getting huge in 2006. You don't want to know what guys/girls with CISSP's are getting...

 

[Son Goku]

Hmm, still that would be another cert to go for. I've taken some classes in network security and have looked at it, but not as part of the Cisco academy.

 

[Son Goku]

Meh, got the resume largely finished, the shoes arrived, and bought some other work cloathes (stuff from 7+ years ago don't fit anymore). So, came down for a list of references, and well...

One of the people who told me previously that he was willing to provide a reference is no longer employed here. Things have certainly changed around here in the last several years. Might take some time to find him again, as well as get ahold of some of my former instructors (what I came down for), to get any recommendations/references I can use towards landing something...