All I can offer is a good GPA - what else am I supposed to do?

I graduated from UCSB with a good (3.5) GPA in Accounting back in August. It's been five months now, and I feel like all I have to show for it is a bunch of debt.

I have this feeling that I have nothing else of particular value to offer an employer for even entry-level jobs. Now while I was in college I managed to get interviews with various sized firms including two of the Big 4 (which were incidentally the two that didn't interview me for internships... speaking of which, I didn't wind up doing one because no one hired me). I felt confident enough in my soft interviewing skills, but I had trouble answering the more esoteric (behavioral) questions, mainly because I feel like I'm really uninteresting and have nothing really valuable to offer. I couldn't recall certain specific examples because I never had them happen. I even got one second interview with a regional firm, but got turned down even though I thought it went 99% perfectly and 1% unintentionally so-so (thinking that 1% was to blame).

The problems only compounded after graduation. I sent hundreds of resumes out, and in all these five months, I got only one in-person interview, which just turned me down anyway. It didn't help that that interview consisted of nothing but those esoteric questions that I couldn't answer because my life experience was really just so limited.

I even applied to three staffing agencies, including a local branch of the agency that I got my only "accounting" experience from while I was in college (and that was mainly just low-level "busy work" clerk jobs with virtually nothing but routine tasks) - and they all seemed intrigued by my "lacking in valuable content but making up for it by presenting what's there in a great way" resume. No jobs available, unless I had "experience".

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This is a situation that I'm not sure what to make of. Nobody wants to hire me for jobs that are below what a typical accounting graduate gets hired into. I feel overqualified for clerk jobs (which some wouldn't think so because I only have about a month and a half of experience doing that), yet underqualified for the jobs I should be seeking. I didn't do internships, and frankly I felt really shy and intimidated at "meet the firms" events. I've been spiraling into a bout of depression that's made me lose interest in just about anything else. I kind of feel like my whole life is taking a discourse, and that all I need is a job to keep it afloat. And I can't even get that.

By the way, I'm not necessarily asking for interview advice. Believe me, I've taken in my share of it and applied at - at least to the best extent that I can. I really am confident I can excel at them, but I feel like I just need extra work - or even life - experience to keep them flowing smoothly. So what I'm asking for is really more of "life" advice if anything. I studied hard in college, but frankly, I wasn't doing anything real productive outside of that. It's a mistake I want to fix, and I'm worried that I'm in too over my head to do so.

Mary inTampa in Tampa, Florida said: The economy is down to ZERO - not even the ho's are getting any work.

Apparently San Diego county is one of the worst-hit now. The only reason I'm even here is because I have family here - and really, nowhere else to go. At least without paying rent, which won't last long with what little I have saved up and the bills I have to pay on top of that.

How about doing income tax preparation for the moment? That's better than nothing. At least it will give you some money through April. It will also be something to put on your resume - and give you a tidbit of experience.

Mary inTampa in Tampa, Florida said: How about doing income tax preparation for the moment? That's better than nothing. At least it will give you some money through April. It will also be something to put on your resume - and give you a tidbit of experience.

That's one thing I'm hoping for. I just signed up for VRPP a few days ago. I'm also looking into trying to get the CTEC, but I need to take the 60 hour course, and most places are set up such that by the time I finish, tax season will be over. But that's definitely good advice, and something I am looking at.

And another thing - though it may not be applicable to me looking for entry-level, non-managerial jobs, I don't really have any formal leadership experience.

check out
www.48days.com
www.managertools.com

Sounds like your attitude about yourself is coming through your resume. Check out the sites above for helpful tips. You might also want to try small shops that need someone to handle the books.

When things get worse they can only get better and right now people are just taking jobs not necessarily starting careers.Just remember to stay positive and hopefull it could be worse. Remember that when the whole economy is struggling it isnt all your fault hahahaha

David, are you good looking? Do you have a nice body and a pretty face? You can go work as a male stripper or an escort a few times a week. You're in California, there might be a market.

Mary inTampa in Tampa, Florida said: David, are you good looking? Do you have a nice body and a pretty face? You can go work as a male stripper or an escort a few times a week. You're in California, there might be a market.

I'm pretty average. :)

sergio in La Jolla, California said: check out
www.48days.com
www.managertools.com

48days seems worthwhile. Not too sure about manager tools, having never really held a position of management before..

David, first of all be glad that you graduated from college and got a degree. Think of many other students who dropped out along the way and have nothing to show but a truckload of debt and NO degree. You need to develop a more upbeat, and positive attitude to show employers What you need to do now is to start looking for internships, pronto. All kinds of businesses need accountants, you could even do volunteer work for a non-profit organization to get some experience to list on your resume. You could also join some organizations for accountants and possibly make connections for accounting positions networking in this way. I am sure that they are out there.

Also, get some good books on interview techniques and how to answer possible interview questions confidently. This way you will present a more positive, confident and self-assured attitude that will attract employers' interest to hire you for good jobs.

Good Luck!

David doesn't need to work on his attitude, or work on getting false hope. There is one legal assistant on the forum that has sent out 3000 (yes, 3000) resumes, did everything she was supposed to do - and still has not gotten a job.

Don't all of you come here and tell him he needs to work on his attitude. People are getting laid off, not hired. That is a fact.

But doing an internship, or working at volunteer (with your degree) that will use up your time, help towards experience for when you get a paying job, and give you experience.

If you are single and no attachments (mommy, daddy, or pet), how about going overseas to teach English for a year. The pay is good. You could work as a male stripper, but no one has the money to waste on silly stuff right now. You could work as a male escort too. Right now, do whatever you have to do get some money coming in.

Perhaps you both have valid points. I can say though my attitude did perk up lately because I was finally offered an interview, and I think it went very well. Still waiting to hear back.

And in the meantime I am going to do the IRS VITA program - it's a volunteer tax prep program for lower-income individuals. I figure if I don't get that job I interviewed for (which would be the 12th...) I can take up something of a lower caliber while still volunteering.

So how did it go? Did you get an offer?

Nope. And I even interviewed as perfectly as I can; the only downside was that I didn't have much experience working closely one-on-one with clients. And I tried to parlay retail experience (which is kind of the opposite, with 200+ customers a day), and interpersonal experience (college projects), but meh. I don't know why I didn't get the job, they wouldn't tell me (in fact, nobody has, and frankly I wish they would), but if that was the reason, I wonder why they would bother interviewing me from the first place, because it was obvious on my resume that I didn't have that type of close, one-on-one experience.

It was essentially an entry-level, no experience needed, they'd train, type of job, they mentioned I'd have to learn quickly which I was fully capable of, but meh. Some other theories include: they have a lot of work to do now and need someone with the experience anyway, or that I live about 75 minutes away, not counting SoCal traffic. They even inquired about that, I said I wouldn't mind the commute, and make room-hunting a top priority, but they also asked if I was relocating just for that job, or if I was going to relocate *anyway*. Which with my small bank account and no job yet, I certainly couldn't risk that.

I can't help but feel completely heartbroken and worthless. It's like I've been pre-screened out of the 'young professional' environment before ever getting a chance to join it.

At least my volunteering is going OK...

To add a tiny bit of insult to the injury, I had to call them the next week (they told me they'd contact me by the end of the prior week), then they gave me that same generic, passive-agressive excuse: "the position's been filled". Then, not but 10 minutes later, one of the interviewers sent me an equally generic rejection email essentially telling me the same thing I was just told after making the initiative to call myself.

If it helps you feel any better I also, coincidentally enough, graduated from UCSB this past June. I double majored with a B.A. in business economics and psychology. I have no experience except for a few months of retail a couple of years back. I didn't apply to anything until about August because I didn't really notice the dwindling economy until October (ironic since I was an econ major). I started off trying to apply for some entry level corporate stuff. Then after nothing came of it after a few months I started applying to anything listed that just required a high school degree. I managed to score some temp jobs for a couple of months at Universal Studios but nothing steady. Aside from Universal the only other interview I've gotten is from American Airlines for a ticket counter position but that didn't take. So, it's not just you, we're all just in the same sinking ship.

Did you take the accounting emphasis?

Like I said, my only experience was a temp agency the summer before my Senior year since I couldn't score a proper internship (granted all I applied to were the Big 4; I was a little surprised how I got the interviews in the first place; frankly they didn't go well at all, but that was the start of a massive learning experience that I'd like to think I'm mostly refined at now). Might as well have taken a few classes during that time.

I didn't do the accounting emphasis because frankly, I hated accounting. I was more into the economics courses. I sort of wish I'd just gotten a proper degree in economics or econometrics instead of business economics. It just had less requirements which made it easier to squeeze into 4 years with a second major.
I feel the same way about refining the interviewing process. I look back on my past interviews and go "wow... even I wouldn't have hired me". I honestly think it's how comfortable you seem. Basically, make them like you as a person.

I'm thinking of maybe taking classes in something practical at an occupational center. My dad only had a high school degree and that's what he did. Took a course in electronics, a recruiter came by to the class and offered jobs. He's been working for them ever since, over 10 years. Even if they don't come by and shower me with a job at least I'll have a wider array of skills.

Yeah, but I've tried my absolutely damndest to do so, and yet no bites, no matter how well they make me seem like I'm doing. :(

David, as to why employers won't tell you why you were not hired. It has to do with the possibility of you filing a lawsuit against them. They all have lawyers that advise them on the hiring process, etc. who tell them that the less said to prospective employees about why they weren't hired, the better. They are very much on guard about the possibility of lawsuits. Therefore, they don't tell anyone why they were not hired. Not only you. I've been on many interviews myself which I did not get hired and have never been told why I wasn't hired. And trying to question the employer(s) as to the reason(s) you were not hired is like pulling teeth. They will refuse to tell you the reason(s)because they fear that you might initiate a lawsuit against them for unfair hiring practices.

Sometimes I think they ought to deserve one. :)