College Graduates are going home to live with parents...

[onehandle]

...because they can't find jobs and/or they can't afford to live on their own.

I just heard on the Today Show that this is a growing trend.

Vote Bush, Kids! Maybe you'll Never have to get a job!

[skippysmom]

1. This is what is was like when I got out of college

When I graduated in 1993, NO ONE was hiring. Many of my friends went to grad school so they wouldn't have to go out into the job market.

The worst was when I interviewed for a $6/hr job at Borders with my freshly minted MA in history. At the end of the interview, the woman said, "well, we'll call you if we want you to come in for a second interview."

A second interview? At BORDERS?

And to add insult to injury, they didn't even call me for that second interview.

I feel for the kids graduating now, after seeing their older brothers and sisters get signing bonuses in the late 90s.

[Skittles]

4. yeah?

well I enlisted in the military so I wouldn't have to sponge off mum and dad

[GOPisEvil]

5. It was the same for me when I graduated in 1990.

It took me two years to find a "real job with a future" - I'm still with that employer today. I worked a series of nowhere jobs until I found that though...Let's see...what was the President's name in 1990? BUSH!!!

[Eurobabe]

2. yep, got one coming out of a top notch school

will take a low paying internship, has to live at home for a year, until she goes to grad school. even with roommates these kids are finding life on the outside hard...

[BR_Parkway]

3. Maybe it'll swing mom & dad to vote Dem

so they can get the kids out of the house.

[rpannier]

6. Family Values

Bush'll just say it's reinforcing family unity, which is good for the country.

[YNGW]

7. Not Unusual

Not many graduates walk out of college and into a job where they can sustain themselves. I lived at home for the first two years after I got out, but I paid my own expenses and did all the yard work and stuff to make up for extras. Besides, my parents had started traveling more and liked the idea of someone at the house while they were gone. Several of my friends lived at home until they got on their feet. Others got together and shared an apartment and expenses. This is not a new phenomenon and I don't believe it's any better or worse than it's ever been.

[onehandle]

11. No, it's worse...

Yes it's common, but it's trending up. That's a bad thing and the reason I posted it.

[YNGW]

14. I disagee.

I believe it's about as normal as ever, give or take a percentage or two.

We'll just have to agree to disagree.

[JaySherman]

15. Finding any job? Maybe.

Finding a job that pays livable wages and offers any form of benefits? Defintely not. Sure you can find a job temping, waiting tables, or banging on a cash register, but chances are you're still living at home (most of my friends are). And how long is someone with college degree (and probably ten-thousands of dollars in college debt) supposed to take that? Of course if you work at McDonald's, that's now a manufacturing job (minus being able to unionize of course) in the new Republican economy. No, it is not as normal as ever.

[YNGW]

16. My first job out of college...

... was restocking grocery store shelves at night. Then I got a job selling shoes until 3 months later they made me a manager. I did that for 1.5 years until I got into the mortgage industry. That's when I started making money. It's all a step-by-step process. And very normal.

[JaySherman]

18. Well, I agree that it should be a step-by-step process.

But that's not how it works anymore. When did you graduate?

[YNGW]

19. Reply

1985. But one of my siblings graduated in 1996 and had the same experiences getting a well paying job.

Just understand, I have more control over my life than anyone sitting in an office in DC will ever have over my life, and I don't let who's in control in DC effect my life. I don't look to DC to find answers to my problems, and no political party can do anything that's going make anything better for me except get out of my way. I depend on me.

>But that's not how it works anymore.

And yes, that's how it still works, and no one can convince me otherwise. I know better.

[JaySherman]

21. Fine. No one can convince you other wise.

But I still think your perspective is distorted. You graduated almost 20 years ago and your cousin graduated 8 years ago. That's a long time. Much has changed in just the past few years. You have no idea what it's like being a college grad entering the job market now. I expected the same things you did coming out of college. So did a lot of people. But it's not the reality anymore.

That's all I'm going to say on the matter. I have to go to bed. Later.


edit: I'll sum the difference up in one word: OUTSOURCING

Good night.

[YNGW]

23. OK

>Much has changed in just the past few years.

Yeah, every generation claims it's worse when they started out than at any other time and how much everything has changed. My parents did. Their parents did before them. If you listen to people in a particular industry, they'll tell you how tough it is and how you need to look for another field of work. The grass is always greener on the other side. Some things never change.

[coloradodem2005]

8. Wow. This is what happened to me.

Now I am trying to go to grad school too. So I can try to make getting a good job easier on myself.

I Hate Bush.

[JaySherman]

10. Even that's no guarantee anymore

Not to burst your bubble or anything. I've considered doing it, but I'm not sure if the investment is worth it, given the chances of finding a decent job right now even with an MA or PhD.

[coloradodem2005]

12. Yeah.

My hopes are to get more hands on experience, such as internships and more application in a field. I will start next fall and be out by either 2006 or 2007. While it is not a guarantee, I am hoping things will improve by then. Especially if a democrat beats Bush this year. I know that it is not a guarantee, but it could only be helpful at this point for me.

[JaySherman]

13. What are you studying?

Just out of curiosity.

[coloradodem2005]

22. I did math for my undergrad.

But I decided that I don't want to teach because as someone said "Teaching is just too much hassle and too little reward to be worth it."

For my grad, I am either going into Accounting or I will get an MS in math with an emphasis in Statistics. I am taking two classes right now: One stats and one Accouniting to make that decision.


On another note before I decided to go back, I tried applying for jobs, including retail, which I hate. Never even heard back from them. I did get interviews for other kinds of jobs but not hired.

My friend went 7 to 8 months of looking for work before he found a job as a systems engineer. He graduated college at the same time as me. It can be a Step-By Step process, but not always.

[JaySherman]

9. Same story here. I graduated in 2001

Lived with mom and dad for two years. Had a steady job with decent company for a year. It was temp-to-perm but I was under the expectation that if I worked hard and did my job I'd get hired full-time, at which point I could think about moving out. Then the company started going under and I was in the first round of cuts. Spent the next year working whatever odd jobs I could find or tolerate, before I finally had to go overseas to find a job that would pay me enough to live on my own. Yet another in a mile-long list of reasons why I want to kick * the hell out of the WH :mad:. I desperately want to come home, but I'm not going to do it if means working at Wally World or slaving as a temp for $8.00 an hour.

[Must_B_Free]

17. til they get drafted to go die for Bush and Cheney

[madrchsod]

20. i had to do that

with my wife and two kids during the 80`s. my dad was asked by someone if he didn`t like the fact that we lived there..his response was that is what happened during the 30`s..people took family in when they had no where else to go. the church sent my mom and grandma to a family who took in people who didn`t have a home..history repeats itself,funny it`s always under a republican led government