Finding a job is harder than geeting into D-school

[Dr. Konfetka]

So I graudated in January with a BA in bio, cum laude..the works right? Well I can't seem to find a normal job. Either they pay less than 12 an hour or they require years and years of experience or they want you to work there for at least 2 years. This goes for both bio research jobs and admin jobs. I mean if I was good enough to get into dental school one would think I'd be able to find a good job. UGHHHH...I just wanted to vent.

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[dmd2011]

So I graudated in January with a BA in bio, cum laude..the works right? Well I can't seem to find a normal job. Either they pay less than 12 an hour or they require years and years of experience or they want you to work there for at least 2 years. This goes for both bio research jobs and admin jobs. I mean if I was good enough to get into dental school one would think I'd be able to find a good job. UGHHHH...I just wanted to vent.

i hear ya. biology is such a highly technical field that you need an advanced degree or experience (like an internship). many ppl who graduate from my school with a BS in bio attend nursing school afterwards because they cant find jobs.

 

[I'mFillingFine]

Hey, I think $11/hr isn't bad for fresh out of school...at least just to support you until you start d-school in the fall. But yeah, bio is way too general to find something great right out of school. I say do something totally different...

Also, since you're competing with all the other college grads (this really is a TOUGH time to find jobs...was for me and still is for all my friends) the key is volume. Literally send out 50 resumes and applications. Also, the only way I've found the jobs I've had is by bringing a resume to all the businesses in town I'd be interested in...even if some aren't advertising that they're hiring, it's amazing what you'd find! Good to drop into their laps Good luck!

 

[Dr. Konfetka]

Good to know i'm not the only one having problems. I'm so happy I'm going to dental school at least...otherwise i'd go psycho. Good idea about personally going to businesses...i think i might do that if I dont hear from a few places in the coming weeks.

 

[xtractime]

well if you think about it....what CAN you do with a bio degree? recite the flow of the circulatory system? the degree has not necessarily prepared one to do anything else but build a foundation for further education (or research), hence your acceptance to dental school. business, engineering, etc are the degrees that can acutally pay enough to make a living off of coming straight out of school. but hey, you'll make more than enough in a few years if $$$ is the issue. congrats on the acceptance!

 

[IcemanDDS]

Well if you're telling these employers that you got into dental school, that's probably the whole reason you cant get hired. They are looking for people to stay with the company long term, as they are making an investment in you. If you're starting dental school in august, just go work for Home Depot or be a waiter for a few months

 

[SugarNaCl]

Don't feel bad. I had my MS degree and 1.5 yrs of research experience and when I moved back to Buffalo, I sold vacuum cleaners and temped at an environmental lab for 4 months before landing my job as a research technologist at a cancer hospital with the dept. of medicine here. A lot of people wondered what was wrong with me. I am NOT above selling vacuum cleaners! The things work! Granted you have to take out finance plans.

 

[amichail]

Well if you're telling these employers that you got into dental school, that's probably the whole reason you cant get hired. They are looking for people to stay with the company long term, as they are making an investment in you. If you're starting dental school in august, just go work for Home Depot or be a waiter for a few months

BS. in microbiology, and waiting tables... thats what I'm doing till august! By the way, if you count tips I'm making about $25/hr. not glamorous but it's money!

Why get a job that it takes 6months to a year to train you (pharmaceutical companies), then split 5 months after your hired... It's scandalous!

 

[wizziefiend]

So I graudated in January with a BA in bio, cum laude..the works right? Well I can't seem to find a normal job. Either they pay less than 12 an hour or they require years and years of experience or they want you to work there for at least 2 years. This goes for both bio research jobs and admin jobs. I mean if I was good enough to get into dental school one would think I'd be able to find a good job. UGHHHH...I just wanted to vent.

Seriously, what did you expect. It's a bio degree...at my school, that is definetly the psychology degree of the science world. But I got to hand it to you, at least you realized you could graduate cum laude without much work. Ive work increadibly hard just to get a 3.5 in engineering. You're the smart one...

On a positive note, could work for Kaplan tutoring the bio subjects.

 

[IcemanDDS]

I am NOT above selling vacuum cleaners! The things work! Granted you have to take out finance plans.

LMAO

 

[AnonymousADCOM]

Don't feel bad. I had my MS degree and 1.5 yrs of research experience and when I moved back to Buffalo, I sold vacuum cleaners and temped at an environmental lab for 4 months before landing my job as a research technologist at a cancer hospital with the dept. of medicine here. A lot of people wondered what was wrong with me. I am NOT above selling vacuum cleaners! The things work! Granted you have to take out finance plans.

reminds me of Pursuit of Happyness

 

[Dr.One]

erm its not just biology majors that are having a hard time - its pretty much everyone. the reason behind it is because america is no longer a producing economy. america doesnt do anything anymore other than consume. consumer spending makes up over 70% of americas economy. the rest is banking and defense related. its a service economy.

 

[Dr. Konfetka]

BS. in microbiology, and waiting tables... thats what I'm doing till august! By the way, if you count tips I'm making about $25/hr. not glamorous but it's money!

Why get a job that it takes 6months to a year to train you (pharmaceutical companies), then split 5 months after your hired... It's scandalous!

Wow didn't know waiting tables paid that well. Better than all the entry bio jobs at least. I think I'm going to start applying to waitressing jobs as well since the money is an important factor for me. I've been working at a clothing store, but only get 12/hr...not too hot. Thanks a lot for the advice!

 

[Joe70h8]

BS. in microbiology, and waiting tables... thats what I'm doing till august! By the way, if you count tips I'm making about $25/hr. not glamorous but it's money!

Why get a job that it takes 6months to a year to train you (pharmaceutical companies), then split 5 months after your hired... It's scandalous!

I'm with you amichail. I had ZERO success finding a job related to my biology degree. I ended up getting a bartending gig. It's pretty stress free, fun, and pays way better than any of the entry level positions I was looking at.

 

[pmantz]

So I graudated in January with a BA in bio, cum laude..the works right? Well I can't seem to find a normal job. Either they pay less than 12 an hour or they require years and years of experience or they want you to work there for at least 2 years. This goes for both bio research jobs and admin jobs. I mean if I was good enough to get into dental school one would think I'd be able to find a good job. UGHHHH...I just wanted to vent.

Have you considered giving Plasma, or perhaps walking around in a dirty boose stainded clothing, with a McDonalds coffee cup. It would give you a unique perspective on life. Also I keep on seeing advertisements on T.V. saying you can make thousands a month working from home, all you need is a small starting investment.

 

[mymouthsmells]

I've actually been emailed by some fellow from Nigeria about a hidden treasure chest filled with tens of millions of dollars. All I need is to wire a small portion of money into some bank account and it'll all be mine.

The funny thing was that I found it in my junk mail. Surely I'd be stupid to pass up an opportunity to make millions. In fact, I might just drop my acceptance!

 

[OSUDDS]

what is a BA in Biology anyway?

ive only heard of the BS, maybe thats your problem

 

[Snahster]

what is a BA in Biology anyway?

ive only heard of the BS, maybe thats your problem

that's absolutely ridiculous. It doesnt' matter BA vs BS in biology. Please don't start this arguement.

 

[Fuji]

There have also been some major layoffs by big pharmaceutical companies recently, so you may be feeling the effects of a market flooded with experienced bio people.

 

[Fuji]

that's absolutely ridiculous. It doesnt' matter BA vs BS in biology. Please don't start this arguement.

Well, it doesn't matter unless you get a DDS instead of a DMD.

 

[djeffreyt]

Bachelor of Arts in Biology is just a Bio degree that requires fewer units...usually fewer lab units and generally about 15-30 units less total. Some BA programs also require a little more in the way of courses in other majors...like language arts.


I didn't get a bio degree (English Literature...still fairly useless other than I know how to write a complete sentence), but I found a job. I told them I was planning to go to dental school and might not be around in a year. They took me anyway. I'm salary, but I think when you break my salary down into hourly, I make $20 an hour with benefits (before taxes). I do purchasing and also some little handy-man type stuff for a health facility. I will say that getting a job depends in large part upon being smart enough to network before you start looking so you're already set to succeed.

By the way $11 and hour isn't horrible...but that depends where you live. $11 and hour without any benefits is only $1750 or so a month...take out taxes, gas, car insurance, health insurance, food, other credit, school, utility bills and in some places you might not have enough money to pay rent. A studio in San Diego goes for $600-700 on average.

 

[SHC1984]

you are wanting a job AND go to dental school at the same time?? You know dental school is ALOT harder then Undergrad so you WON'T have time for any jobs. Just go to school and worry about getting rich when you get out.

So I graudated in January with a BA in bio, cum laude..the works right? Well I can't seem to find a normal job. Either they pay less than 12 an hour or they require years and years of experience or they want you to work there for at least 2 years. This goes for both bio research jobs and admin jobs. I mean if I was good enough to get into dental school one would think I'd be able to find a good job. UGHHHH...I just wanted to vent.

 

[dudewhensmydat]

Well if you're telling these employers that you got into dental school, that's probably the whole reason you cant get hired. They are looking for people to stay with the company long term, as they are making an investment in you. If you're starting dental school in august, just go work for Home Depot or be a waiter for a few months

...Totally true; I interviewed for a dental tech position; the owner told me I was the most qualified college graduate he's ever interviewed, BUT when he found out I was leaving in 6 months to go to dental school, he said it wasn't worth it to train me. So now I work at Starbucks at minimum wage.

 

[jackbauer!]

getting into dental school easier than getting a job? speak for yourself

jb!

 

[Yellow Snow]

If you have a bio degree you should check out the possibility of working in a medical lab. I have a non-science degree and started out at $13/hour or so. The bio kids are closer to $15/hour but you may have to work in microbiology plating peoples crap and snot.

 

[Dr. Konfetka]

...Totally true; I interviewed for a dental tech position; the owner told me I was the most qualified college graduate he's ever interviewed, BUT when he found out I was leaving in 6 months to go to dental school, he said it wasn't worth it to train me. So now I work at Starbucks at minimum wage.

Yeah something similar happened to me when I was called about a dental assisting position. I was trying not to mention I was going to dental school...but when the person mentioned the doctor's connections with Tufts I was like...ok there goes my cover. lol Guess I'll stick to my retail job and look into waitressing.

 

[dentwannabe]

Don't feel bad. I had my MS degree and 1.5 yrs of research experience and when I moved back to Buffalo, I sold vacuum cleaners and temped at an environmental lab for 4 months before landing my job as a research technologist at a cancer hospital with the dept. of medicine here. A lot of people wondered what was wrong with me. I am NOT above selling vacuum cleaners! The things work! Granted you have to take out finance plans.

I SOLD VACUUMS TOO after graduating.

Hey man, apply to agencies a lot. If you tell them about dental school they WILL NOT hire you, hands down. No question about it.

 

[dentwannabe]

Guys.. be honest.. i'm curious..

Who here would not tell their prospective employer about dental school, work for a few months, and then leave?

 

[mymouthsmells]

Who here would hire a prospective employee knowing that he/she was going to dental school, work for a few months, and then leave?

 

[OSUDDS]

Who here would hire a prospective employee knowing that he/she was going to dental school, work for a few months, and then leave?

i just wanted to keep the repetition up

 

[SugarNaCl]

I have a job, but if I didn't, I would NEVER tell a prospective employer I'm going to dental school if I actually needed the $$. You have no shot if you do that...unless it is easy, meaningless work...or you already know the field so well you don't need much training....or you know someone.

 

[Critical Mass]

So I graudated in January with a BA in bio, cum laude..the works right? Well I can't seem to find a normal job. Either they pay less than 12 an hour or they require years and years of experience or they want you to work there for at least 2 years. This goes for both bio research jobs and admin jobs. I mean if I was good enough to get into dental school one would think I'd be able to find a good job. UGHHHH...I just wanted to vent.

I've been in the same boat.

 

[marina1285]

So I graudated in January with a BA in bio, cum laude..the works right? Well I can't seem to find a normal job. Either they pay less than 12 an hour or they require years and years of experience or they want you to work there for at least 2 years. This goes for both bio research jobs and admin jobs. I mean if I was good enough to get into dental school one would think I'd be able to find a good job. UGHHHH...I just wanted to vent.

Dr. Konfetka<-- cute name I think you should waitress. I will tell you the reasons why I think this is good...
1. Can work for a short period of time (just for a summer before Dschool)
2. Experience with working with people (experience kissing people's asses ) something you will need later on in life when your trying to sell treatment plans
3. you make BANK (I make about 25 bucks an hour) which is more than a teacher makes. I assume ti devachka? work at a bar cocktail waitress soooo much money
4. it's soo much fun, i've been doing it for years (not a career, but a fun job for a young person especially if you are 21 )

good luck!!

congrads on acceptance!!

 

[marina1285]

BS. in microbiology, and waiting tables... thats what I'm doing till august! By the way, if you count tips I'm making about $25/hr. not glamorous but it's money!

Why get a job that it takes 6months to a year to train you (pharmaceutical companies), then split 5 months after your hired... It's scandalous!

yep def at least $25/hour I bartend too though, so some nights I can walk out of there with 400 bucks. it gives you a great life exp, I'm not like trying to sell it, I just think it's the best idea, ok I'll stop posting now lol

 

[masterofpuppet]

there is no better job for you than waiteressing. BUT Look for this job in a high class restaurant not one of those with launch specials :-D I did it for 3 years. Its cash money every night. sorry uncle sam.