STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

penguininaboat · BCBG

Finding your first real job-advice needed

XtinaStyles · Marc Jacobs

First, I think you may need to reassess expenditures/salary expectations for NYC. I find that alot of jobs pay very little considering the avg cost of living in NYC. Most of my friends (shortly after college) are only able to get by because they live with parents.

That said, I would start going on monster.com and my fave, careerbuilder. Also check out Craigslist.org.

I actually got my first out of college job through an agency where I had temped during my college years. There is alot you can do with the skills you possess, good luck!

lynnie · Chanel

I think you first need to focus on what you are looking for, maybe narrow down to some companies you'd like to work for? Finance/marketing/consulting in nyc is so broad. Things fall into place when you know what you want (at least for the moment!)

Also, salaries vary widely based on the field, but I think it's reasonable to expect to get paid $35-40K for starting at a lot of jobs. After take home, you will most likely still have to have some roommates and maybe live in Brooklyn. But you'd be able to go out to eat every once in a while and have some spending money too. I got by quite okay on that for a long time.

Now,,,if you start with a company like Goldman Sachs, you may make more or have the ability to grow to make more, but could be working a ton of hours. So also take that into consideration.

XtinaStyles · Marc Jacobs

To add to what Lynnie said, I have a friend who makes "upper 20's" at a PR firm, most of the people at my job make about 30-40K, I started around 40K straight out of college...

gingembre1 · Kate Spade

I agree with XtinaStyles...you can expect to make approximately 30k-40k, not really enough to live in New York City and have a crazy fun lifestyle. But I'm not saying you shouldn't go for it!!

I got my first job by chatting up every single person that came into the store I was working at. Networking is a great, and easy, way to find a job. But you need to be willing to talk yourself up and be bold about asking for jobs. You should also consider a temp agency. You can gain entry into companies you wouldn't, perhaps, normally consider, or who wouldn't normally consider you. If you have a good agency, they'll do a lot of legwork for you, looking for good jobs. And you don't neccessarily have to only look at temp jobs! In fact, I'm working with a temp agency right now who is shopping my resume around for me, for permanent and temp-to-hire positions. I have many friends who have used temp agencies in the past, and found some really great jobs that way.

Suasoria · Chanel

A couple of my friends got their jobs in the entertainment industry through temping. There are agencies that specialize in specific industries, and one of my friends was even more bratty about only being sent out for temp jobs in film, not TV or music or whatever. It worked for her.

Using a temp agency can be cost-prohibitive for smaller businesses, so you'll generally be going to big companies.

Unfortunately so much of the recruiting out there is cheesy - job fairs, "training interviews" where you work for free for eight hours, even the ads on monster.com are not always reputable.

Some trade journals have employment ads. Generally following industry news is smart - it will tell you which companies have signed major accounts or received VC funding, so you can hit them up for a job.

Contact HR people in companies you like and ask if they ever hold "informational interviews."

It's a longshot, but faculty in your department may have some contacts.

penguininaboat · BCBG

Thanks everyone for your quick response. I hadn't considered temp agencies as a way in to some companies I may end up doing that. I also don't plan on living a crazy life just one where I can eat at cheaper nice-ish places with my roommate and share foods there every once in a while. We also have 3 people planning on looking for a place together and I have already said I am more then willing to do some cleaning around the place and live in the smallest room if that means less rent for me.

As far as other things go...

Would you respond positively to someone finding you on a linkedin.com network or something like that and calling you up if you were an alum in the same major as them from the same school?

Have any of you had luck with linkedin accounts?

Suasoria · Chanel

I think a Linkedin profile is useful in your situation. I'm on Linkedin, and I get hit up a lot by people who want to interview me for jobs I don't want to do.

But I would not respond well to a cold call. A friendly but professional email would be fine.

When you invite someone to connect with you on Linkedin, you can send them a personal message explaining why you want to be their contact. That would be the time to say "I'm building my professional network and noticed you're also an alum of the X department at U of X. I'm a recent graduate and I'd love the chance to speak to you briefly about how to get an interview for an entry-level position in your company."