WTF IS WRONG WITH COLLEGE KIDS!

Yea I was ITEC design. Haven't quite finished yet but was CM for my first 2 years. I didn't really like the program. I did field work since I was younger so I had a better base to jump into a decent position and not sound f.o.s. but yea I was just pissed it was an ECU guy period. I really wanted to ask him specifically who told him that so I could give them a ring. This is just for an internship kind of thing. I don't know why we recruit b/c we never hire recent grads for the most part. I'm almost 25 and was the youngest in office guy they've ever hired. Weird stuff.
 
We hire some recent grads, but at least 95% of them have prior experience. the ones that don't are subject to being paper pushers until they learn the process of estimating the project through the meetings and then managing the project, including billing. We do a lot of pharmaceutical construction, so we have tons of paperwork. What better way to break in inexperienced new grads :D


ITEC huh? Thats what I was my first 2 years, went to MANF, then quit for a few years to work, then went back as CM and finally graduated.
 
We hire some recent grads, but at least 95% of them have prior experience. the ones that don't are subject to being paper pushers until they learn the process of estimating the project through the meetings and then managing the project, including billing. We do a lot of pharmaceutical construction, so we have tons of paperwork. What better way to break in inexperienced new grads
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mind if I ask who you work for?
 
I think it really depends on the field you go into.

Get into many of the medical fields like my wife, and you might as well ask "Paper or plastic" unless you have a PhD, as evidenced by her sub-$10/hr. pay this year, while holding a master's degree in Psychology from Duke, while going for her PhD. Obviously this is about to change (big time), but it demonstrates that even with a few years of real-world experience (Practical application while in school, a year of related work at a top-level facility between getting her BA and starting Grad school, as well as working in her field every summer), some fields just demand a degree.

I'm fortunate that my field is still in its relative youth, and "or equivalent experience" still really will open doors. At 33, I have ~15 years of real-world experience, and a few technical certifications. However, without a degree, I'm nearing the top of my earning potential, and a management position (should I ever smoke enough crack to WANT to babysit) probably isn't attainable.
 
mbalbritton said:
Coming out of College with a BFA in Graphic Design and Illustration and about 2 classes short of a Double Major, all in 4 years of school, I didn't expect to make much. I was happy with my $20K at my first real job. However my buddies that did Computer Science or Technology, stepped out of college into Jobs at IBM making $50-60K. and with in a few years they were pulling 100K+. I never could wrap my brain around how the hell they pulled that off. I'm now 12 years out of college and not making that much. :shaking:
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I came outta college with a degree in Graphic Arts and Computer Info Systems (CIS) and my Roommate has a degree in Computer Science. We both work for the same company not using our degrees and our pay is around $35k for entry level. I have been outta college for 4 years now. This seems to be the case for most grads, not being able to land a job in their field.

And to make fun of the guys for coming to an interview with a suit? You think they would have done better in a wife beater? I tell ya there was a while when i was working through staffing agencies, and even though most positions were for warehouse and i was applying for fork lift duties i still came in a dress shirt, tie and blazer; everyone else would have on gangster Loony Tunes shirts on and baggy saggin jeans.
 
Rich said:
I think it really depends on the field you go into.

Get into many of the medical fields like my wife, and you might as well ask "Paper or plastic" unless you have a PhD, as evidenced by her sub-$10/hr. pay this year, while holding a master's degree in Psychology from Duke, while going for her PhD. Obviously this is about to change (big time), but it demonstrates that even with a few years of real-world experience (Practical application while in school, a year of related work at a top-level facility between getting her BA and starting Grad school, as well as working in her field every summer), some fields just demand a degree.
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hehe depends on what she does with her Dr title.
Some good friends have that title/piece of paper and are still making crap for money. Stupid research side. Of course the amusing part, is he works for the same practice another college buddy does, but that one is on the "dealing with patient" side, and IS making the big bucks. But after some days he is ready to murder everyone because of what he hears about, the other guy is just tired of staring at numbers. :D
(It was hearing about messed up kids that made the one guy realize he couldn't do it. He'd end up in therapy for killing some of these crazy parents. :shaking:)



As for wearing a suit to an interview, I maintain it's always better to look "over dressed" for an interview, than to show up in jeans and golf shirt, when others are in suits. For us coming out of college we were all being told, you'll make the big bucks. Then that whole dot com thing popped. Lots of friends got laid off, and ended up doing all sorts of stuff. Some got back into computer related jobs, others realized other fields/jobs were much more attractive to them. (the one that's the happiest, is managing a Lowes now. He loves it.)
 
And to make fun of the guys for coming to an interview with a suit? You think they would have done better in a wife beater? I
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I guess I should have specified more. Lets just say between the 2 of them they looked like the blues brothers. Black silk ties, black suits, black glasses, etc. I always go to interviews in a sports coat etc but when you know you are applying for a field position I think its overkill to come in dressed like you are in the mafia.
 
A college degree gets you a job but Hard work get you the $$
I have a 2 year AS in electronic engineering technology from a trade school

I started with my current company in 2001 at 32k and in 7 years I make more that 2 times that. I busted my ass to get to that point.
 
For what it's worth, I have several friends and family members that have 4yr degrees and none of them gross over 30K. Everyone that I have ever met or worked with that had a college degree was either lazy or thought that the world owed them something for going to college. Thats just been my experience.
On another note, I have only a 9th grade education and pull down around 60K a year with lots of other benefits. You can not replace hard work and experience. I worked my ass off to get where I am today and 90% of the college grads Ive seen could care less about the work part. They just want a paycheck.
I have interviewed them, worked with them,and so on. It is hard to find a hard working college grad. I think most of the problem is that these kids have no idea what they want to do with their lives before going to college.
Thanks for listening.
 
edolan said:
I think most of the problem is that these kids have no idea what they want to do with their lives before going to college.
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Worse, just because they never figured it out they expect the world to compensate them until they do. I have one friend like that who has a BS and MS in BioChemistry and then she decided to become a veterinarian (4 more years of school). She is now looking for a summer internship and *expects* that she will make at least $25/hr because of her papers. I laughed at her the other day when she told me that. IT'S A SUMMER JOB!?!??!

I went in for a BSME and came out with one. I knew I wanted to find something at least halfway challenging that did not keep me chained to a desk or stuck in a factory. I think I succeeded and keep working hard to stay ahead of my counterparts.
 
edolan said:
For what it's worth, I have several friends and family members that have 4yr degrees and none of them gross over 30K. Everyone that I have ever met or worked with that had a college degree was either lazy or thought that the world owed them something for going to college. Thats just been my experience.
On another note, I have only a 9th grade education and pull down around 60K a year with lots of other benefits. You can not replace hard work and experience. I worked my ass off to get where I am today and 90% of the college grads Ive seen could care less about the work part. They just want a paycheck.
I have interviewed them, worked with them,and so on. It is hard to find a hard working college grad. I think most of the problem is that these kids have no idea what they want to do with their lives before going to college.
Thanks for listening.
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The best part of this is, in spite of your 9th grade education, you use better spelling, grammar, and punctuation than most of the college students I know! Maybe it has something to do with pride. I don't know. :shaking:
 
College opens doors, there is really no way to argue against that. Early on my father told me, "You have to be so good at something that people will pay you over $100,000 a year to do it."

It seemed crazy that anybody would pay that much but it kind of sunk home with me. You need to provide serious value and understand supply and demand. You can't just be good at something that anybody can do. If you're terrific in a skill that takes 3 years to master your job is too easy. Pick something that takes 10 years to master.

As for the lazy college kids everybody knows, not all of them are like that. I'm sure the college people could start a thread on lazy people that didn't go to college just as easily.
 
SkyHiK5 said:
Ricky,
in your numbers you take 20% away before you even start.
A man making $15/hour now makes 12.
Generally speaking a $15/hour employee has no savings.
I believe your father to be fairly successful IIRC, he is probably trying to teach you a lesson. Play with numbers, how much are you paying towards student loans? Could you pay less? Should you? etc.

But some quick rough numbers.
Rent/Mortgage $900 (mine is less than this, but starting out you should be able to get here. may not be dream home but nice enough)
Food $250 (I budget my family of 4 of 600)
Power $150
Cable $100 (face it you are going to have it, sure its not a necessity)
Gas (for vehicle) $200
Phone (home/cell) $100
Insurance $150

At this point I am at $1850.
Now sure, add in a $500/month car payment and shit get tight. Add in $300 month in bar tabs and it hurts the numbers. But these are luxuries not everyone has. $2500? I mean thats pretty thick.

The average 2 income family makes $45k/year.
With your numbers you better make 60+...and you probably will, in a few years.
Then you can improve lifestyle, make higher loan payments etc.
but in case no one else has said it, WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD....$1,000 for Z71 Mantastic upgrades just got real tough.

Unless you move back home with Mom and Dad....
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The numbers you have listed above are about right at what I budgeted for except for a couple differences, my car insurance is right at 125 i think, but I also have to pay for my own health insurance (If the job I'm trying to get works out) so thats another 150 a month plus I have some health issues (hereditary - thanks dad :shaking: ) that cost me bout 150 a month in prescriptions, then I also have the college loan payment that I believe is gonna be slightly over $400 a month . . . . so yea bout $2500 in expenses . . . . not including the tithe or savings
 
Moral of the story: success is largely contingent on hard work, education, and sometimes, plain luck. I will have been in school for 7 years when all is said and done but it beats the hell outta flipping burgers.
 
When you are self employed, succesful or not, sometimes flipping burgers sounds like a great idea! Sometimes a time clock sounds great, sometimes working for the man sounds great.....And then you remember...You want to go wheeling next thursday thru monday, now the man, time clocks , and all that stuff sounds awful.
 
I read an article a while back about "The Entitled Generation" the Cliffs notes version is basically, there's a generation of Kids that feel they are "entitled" to everything. Far fromt eh days of work hard for what you want, this generation expects to walk out of school and make big money. Why?

well, much of it stems from the fact the both the Welfare parent and the Durham Soccer mom want their kid to be in brand new $150 Nike's and an iPod in the pocket of their Abercrombie jacket... and they do whatever to see to it that the kid gets it. The parents give give and give more to the kids so they can be seen with the best and wearing the best.

I feed my dog everyday at 6pm. come 6:15 if he doesn't have his food, he scratches at the door. same holds true with people.. and these kids. they expect to get everything.

So I say, you can blame it on the parents that are spoiling these kids. Remember that the next time you see a kid (be it yours or someone else's) that standing the in Department store whining about getting the latest whatever. Then the parent grabs it to shut them up as opposed to a swift smack across the chops and instructions on how to get a job and pay for it their-damn-selves.
 
jrraw23 said:
The numbers you have listed above are about right at what I budgeted for except for a couple differences, my car insurance is right at 125 i think, but I also have to pay for my own health insurance (If the job I'm trying to get works out) so thats another 150 a month plus I have some health issues (hereditary - thanks dad :shaking: ) that cost me bout 150 a month in prescriptions, then I also have the college loan payment that I believe is gonna be slightly over $400 a month . . . . so yea bout $2500 in expenses . . . . not including the tithe or savings
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It's all give and take...as I said before, get a roommate, and you knock that rent mortgage down to $450, even less if your rent isn't that much. Drop the $250 a month bar tab to $50 or $100 and you have some money for toys. The best advice I can offer is DON'T GO GET A HUGE CAR PAYMENT AS SOON AS YOU GET YOUR FIRST JOB. Your new car will most likely loose value as fast as you you can pay it off for the first 2-3 years. If you can't follow this then don't expect to have any money for toys.

:beer:
 
i'm graduating with a BSME from NCSU in may and have been on a job search this spring. To me it doesn't seem as bad as most people are saying, I've had lots of interviews and invites to come to different factories / facilities throughout the region. It seems as if there is alot available right now. Granted, I did co-op and have more experience in my field then most of my classmates and I am willing to relocate. If you expect to graduate with no experience and are unwilling to move, then yeah you may be dissapointed.
 
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