Modern day job postings for "entry level" jobs...

[Imp]

I work in the media industry and most entry level jobs require a minimum of 2 years experience. Which nobody straight out of college is going to have. The smart thing to do for perspective media students is skip internships (that aren't for college credit) and go volunteer with a community cable or radio station. That's really the only way you're going to get meaningful experience in this field. Internships aren't long enough.

Is that an unpaid internship, or does the cable/radio station actually advertise the positions as "volunteer"?

 

[mrjminer]

Same. I've interviewed for jobs that I wasn't "qualified" for, and then turned them down because the work was boring. I do get filtered out quite a bit because I don't have a college degree, but that's never stopped me from applying anyway.

As someone mentioned, you need to go through a temp/headhunter agency to get a lot of IT jobs these days.

If you find a good agency they will interview you internally to see if you can actually back up your skills, then they tell HR people to jog-on with their ridiculous reqs and get you in front of the managers to work your magic.

If you get a BAD agency you will be worse off than if you tried getting a job on your own. They will just take your resume, cram it into their Word template, then blast it out like an idiot to every company in a 20mi radius. You'll get interviews, but with companies that are hell holes.

I applied for some entry level call center tech job at (IIRC) Kelly Services a few years ago. Their "technical hiring manager," or whatever title he had, didn't even know that to get certifications you just read/study and take a test.

I think 6 months later I got a call for a 2 month temporary position de-tasseling (sp?) corn for 60 hours a week at minimum wage.

 

[mmntech]

Is that an unpaid internship, or does the cable/radio station actually advertise the positions as "volunteer"?

It's advertised as volunteer, so unpaid. I still do it with TV Cogeco more as a hobby and a social thing. They do offer internships and co-op for college and high school students. The advantage is it's more flexible time wise, and it's more likely to lead to a job IMO. A lot of media internships just shove you off into a corner writing copy stories, if that. That's not meaningful experience. Where as volunteering for a cable station actually gets you on the equipment and producing content that goes to air. So you're building a meaningful portfolio.

 

[mrjminer]

It's advertised as volunteer, so unpaid. I still do it with TV Cogeco more as a hobby and a social thing. They do offer internships and co-op for college and high school students. The advantage is it's more flexible time wise, and it's more likely to lead to a job IMO. A lot of media internships just shove you off into a corner writing copy stories, if that. That's not meaningful experience. Where as volunteering for a cable station actually gets you on the equipment and producing content that goes to air. So you're building a meaningful portfolio.

I wonder how much of that varies on location / parent company of the station. One of our local radio stations advertises for interns every one-two years. They used to put them on the air alongside the permanent radio personality for a few hours sporadically throughout the week, but I haven't paid much attention in a while. This is a college area, so they may handle it different, but I think it was Clearwire that owned the station.

Who knows how many they have sitting in the back (or e-mailing in) just doing stories / researching for the permanent DJ.

 

[mizzou]

evvvverything now wants 4-5 years experience...it's kind of ridiculous when you think about it.

 

[Gunslinger08]

"Years of experience" seems like a weird thing to require for a job, now that I really think about it. If you're smart, you can learn everything about a job on your own (no experience) or in a short period of time on-the-job. Years of experience could be seen as ageism in some cases.

On a different note, I'd be interested in seeing comparisons of salaries for H-1B workers and citizens in the same role. It does seem logical that you'd hire a citizen instead of an H-1B worker, all things being equal, since the H-1B process is a pain and expensive. There are reportedly plenty of unemployed citizens with the skills that employers are bringing in H-1B workers for. If that's true, what other reason could there be than a wage gap?

 

[sunzt]

Interesting times...

Uno

Why is flight attendants on the list? Is it somehow demeaning or low skill to be one? That job is one of the hardest ones to get into, it's not just a waiter in the sky. There are intense safety training courses that go on for those jobs. Unlike a waiter, they are responsible for the safety and security of passengers.

This means being able to administer emergency services, knowing how to use the safety equipment and helping others with theirs in case of an emergency landing, and making sure everyone can safely and orderly evacuate when needed.

 

[Ns1]

Why is flight attendants on the list? Is it somehow demeaning or low skill to be one? That job is one of the hardest ones to get into, it's not just a waiter in the sky. There are intense safety training courses that go on for those jobs. Unlike a waiter, they are responsible for the safety and security of passengers.

This means being able to administer emergency services, knowing how to use the safety equipment and helping others with theirs in case of an emergency landing, and making sure everyone can safely and orderly evacuate when needed.

Not demeaning, but yeah dude it's fairly low skill. You most certainly don't need a college degree for that.

 

[sunzt]

Not demeaning, but yeah dude it's fairly low skill. You most certainly don't need a college degree for that.

Electrician is low skill too? I would agree that a flight attendant doesn't need a college degree, but they have important responsibilities (in addition to getting my drink right) and are critical during emergencies.

 

[OCGuy]

I start people with no experience @ $23/hr (with 10 hrs allowed OT per week), benefits, etc, with no weight given to what degree they have. (Hell, I have a GED)

My point is that it is crazy to see how many people went through all of that schooling and ended up in careers that most likely make less than that. Is it all psychology and political science degrees that are taking the warehouse jobs?

 

[CPA]

For all of you bashing HR and company expectations, let me voice the other side of this issue: those of us who are interviewing and hiring.

What I'm finding in the accounting field are people who, even after 4 or 5 years of college education, still don't know how to reconcile their bank account; they can't tell you how they would react when a department manager is breathing down their neck about charges that mysteriously hit their department P&L; their first response to how they would handle an accounting error/issue is "I would ask my manager". Sorry, that's not going to fly in today's environment. There are no more company "career-path" position or weeks of training. You need to know your shit now or be able to learn very quickly.

Real world answers to these types of situations come with real world experience, even at the entry level position. Yes, that means my entry level accounting positions are going to require 2-4 years of accounting experience in addition to the education requirement. No experience, they you may be a good candidate for an accounting coordinator position. Yes, the pay isn't as good and you may have to deal with the mundane tasks of accounting, but you'll get your foot in the door and learn at a decent pace.

 

[Ns1]

Electrician is low skill too? I would agree that a flight attendant doesn't need a college degree, but they have important responsibilities (in addition to getting my drink right) and are critical during emergencies.

I never said anything about Electricians, only Flight Attendants. No objections with anything you said.

 

[OCGuy]

Electrician is low skill too? I would agree that a flight attendant doesn't need a college degree, but they have important responsibilities (in addition to getting my drink right) and are critical during emergencies.

Low "standard" educational requirements, but definitely skilled.

High-voltage guys with a HS diploma here can make north of $75k/year, and if you can get hired by Socal Edison and climb poles, you are in six figures easily.

 

[KlokWyze]

Why is flight attendants on the list? Is it somehow demeaning or low skill to be one? That job is one of the hardest ones to get into, it's not just a waiter in the sky. There are intense safety training courses that go on for those jobs. Unlike a waiter, they are responsible for the safety and security of passengers.

This means being able to administer emergency services, knowing how to use the safety equipment and helping others with theirs in case of an emergency landing, and making sure everyone can safely and orderly evacuate when needed.

Why are electricians and carpenters in there? Just a stigma associated with those professions. I'd imagine executive assistants can have some of the hardest jobs....

 

[KlokWyze]

For all of you bashing HR and company expectations, let me voice the other side of this issue: those of us who are interviewing and hiring.

What I'm finding in the accounting field are people who, even after 4 or 5 years of college education, still don't know how to reconcile their bank account; they can't tell you how they would react when a department manager is breathing down their neck about charges that mysteriously hit their department P&L; their first response to how they would handle an accounting error/issue is "I would ask my manager". Sorry, that's not going to fly in today's environment. There are no more company "career-path" position or weeks of training. You need to know your shit now or be able to learn very quickly.

Real world answers to these types of situations come with real world experience, even at the entry level position. Yes, that means my entry level accounting positions are going to require 2-4 years of accounting experience in addition to the education requirement. No experience, they you may be a good candidate for an accounting coordinator position. Yes, the pay isn't as good and you may have to deal with the mundane tasks of accounting, but you'll get your foot in the door and learn at a decent pace.

Some people never learn. I run into people with 10x my experience and they are just complete baffoons. Alot of folks just lack common sense, social skills, basic hygiene, etc.

Wasn't George W. Bush the mother fucking PRESIDENT?!?!? Case & point.

 

[CPA]

Some people never learn. I run into people with 10x my experience and they are just complete baffoons. Alot of folks just lack common sense, social skills, basic hygiene, etc.

I will give you that, but the ratio favors the experienced.

 

[Ns1]

Wasn't George W. Bush the mother fucking PRESIDENT?!?!? Case & point.

Obama doing much better?

Gas, meet fire.

 

[KlokWyze]

Obama doing much better?

Gas, meet fire.

Ahhhh, but my point is that Obama is not a complete buffoon. He knows how to speak publicly. You've seen/heard a speech from W right?

Obama not doing too bad. Just the Obamacare thing, which, in the end will be just fine. This isn't P&N. *shrug*

 

[edro]

If you were hiring, wouldn't you want to see if you could get someone with a degree first?

 

[Ns1]

Ahhhh, but my point is that Obama is not a complete buffoon. He knows how to speak publicly.

At this point in time, I would like to present the following as evidence:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZTbOMzOlpI#t=20

 

[Rinaun]

In the Bay Area requires for career experience has became insane over the last several years. I look up some internship roles available and I think the larger companies know they are getting an amazing deal by hiring college comp sci/engineering kids straight from college for pennies, when most of these engineers would cost 90k+ a year. It really needs to be looked into as doing an internship for two years to be dumped like a used wrench doesn't help a student much. As mentioned before, the internships most of the time are horrible anyways and bring no job experience to the table.

Don't even get me started on the "Required: 5 years experience". If I had 5 years in experience for a Customer Service Representative job, I wouldn't be applying for an entry level job. I would apply to these positions anyways if you feel comfortable with doing what they are asking you to do. Anything can be learned quickly with enough dedication; I work with various coding languages, but most of these languages I "learned" (ability to parse, read diagnose, etc) in less than 1-2 weeks.

Obama doing much better?

Gas, meet fire.

I don't want to delve into a political argument, but I'm pretty sure he's talking about their social outward appearance rather than performance. George W. came off as being just as intelligent and wise as a wet paper bag. Obama isn't doing well, but at least listening to him speak doesn't make me embarrassed for our country. I also voted for neither, and I support neither so yeah, I'm looking at them communications-wise.

EDIT:

At this point in time, I would like to present the following as evidence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZTbOMzOlpI#t=20

Wow, so you bring out one video and this somehow proves your point? Bro, get some fresh air. I think you can find a video of almost every president messing a speech up: it's called being human. George W. however messed more speeches up during his two terms than the last 2-3 presidents combined. This is ontop of the fact that he had a simplified "Texan" vocabulary which isn't really perceived as the most bright and intelligent way to speak by most people in the world. It's american, sure, but if you mix his accent in with just being unable to speak you're going to have a bad time.

I hate that this side-tangent is about presidents because I want to keep talking about this (who the fuck thinks Obama is a worse speaker than Bush), but I'm not playing the political discussion game. I simply think Obama speaks ten times better, and I agree with the original poster in that if George W can be a president, you don't really need to have a masters or some amazingly high level of IQ to do even the most prestigious job in the world. I'll just pop a lawnchair and popcorn at this point

P.S. I'm still chuckling IRL about the fact that someone thinks G.W. is a better speaker overall than Obama. That's a really really good troll, gotta remember that. So subtle.

 

[Ns1]

Lol. I brought out one video but I think it's pretty common knowledge that Obama sucks ass without a Teleprompter.

Anyway that's enough of a thread derail from me. Don't take things so seriously bro.

P.S. I'm still chuckling IRL about the fact that someone thinks G.W. is a better speaker overall than Obama.

Who thinks that?

 

[Mai72]

Yea. Obama is dumber then Bush. :hmm:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp9FdTnCW1M

Clinton would speak circles around Bush and Obama.

 

[LetsGetReal]

Ahhhh, but my point is that Obama is not a complete buffoon. He knows how to speak publicly. You've seen/heard a speech from W right?

Obama not doing too bad. Just the Obamacare thing, which, in the end will be just fine. This isn't P&N. *shrug*

ya he speaks well publicly..... from the teleprompter. GW was hard to listen to at times but at least he was sincere and spoke from the heart. His problem was he listened to the liberal voices in the GOP, bail outs etc. Obamas long since realized how hard the job is. So much for transparency, most opaque in history.

 

[Insomniator]

I don't think a college degree is too much to ask for an entry level IT job. They put that because there are probably a million recent grads looking for jobs like that, so why open it to those who haven't completed a degree?