Im just curious if there are any recent grads on macinsiders. What has been your experience with finding employment in the last 2 years. If you can please list your major, and share your experiences. Thanks!

I graduated in '08 but am doing a second degree...so I'm not of all that much help to anyone...

Lots and lots and LOTS of people are going back to school ater graduating (second degree, Masters, etc.) because finding a job is hard right now.

I'm not technically a recent grad, as I don't graduate until April. But I have a job lined up beginning in May. My major is Commerce (Accounting).

The job market HAS been difficult this year. Luckily I worked at an internship last year, and made enough of an impression that they were willing to bring me back on.

Originally Posted by Kathy2

Lots and lots and LOTS of people are going back to school ater graduating (second degree, Masters, etc.) because finding a job is hard right now.

Yup. I have read in a few places that post-grad degrees are't helpful in a lot of cases. For example, getting an MBA right after your Bachelors (i.e. programs like Mac that don't require much, if any full-time work experience: you will have acquired little-to-no working experience...so why would anyone hire you in a management role if you lack normal work experience?

I did Science (physics + origins) but I want to come back to do a second degree in enviro sci. I took a year off in hopes of replenishing funds. I've had dick all luck in that department. I've been able to get a few meager tutoring positions and that's it. But, I've also been sick so I haven't been able to hit the job market that hard. I'm enrolled in two programs in the mean-time: a post-grad in events management and photography. They're not related to my uni studies but I like to think of it as a wee bit of a sabbatical
But yea: the job market definitely blows. /rant

did you guys plan on doing the second degree while you were in undergrad?

Software Engineering & Management '09. Had a job lined up prior to graduation with a company I had done prior summer terms with. I chose to go more the business route (i.e. not engineering related work), but still find the technical skills very relevant and useful.

If it helps, I also managed to get 4 interviews in the Software Engineering field - some of which came after I accepted my current job and the others which didn't end up yielding a job. BUT ... people were looking.

Hope that helps.

I'm in a little bit of a different boat in that I'm not a recent Mac grad... but a Sheridan College one - Mechanical Engineering, December 2008. It was right when the job market was tanked and I wasn't happy with the opportunities out there for a fresh-out-of-school Mechanical Engineering Technologist, even after one 1 year's worth of work experience.

I applied and got into B.Tech Degree Completion. I started in September '09 as a Level III and finish in 4 semesters with the end result being the existing Mechanical diploma, about two years' worth of work experience with co-op, and a B.Tech degree in Energy - which draws heavily on both Electrical and Mechanical. We cover a lot of material in Level III that Level IV B.Eng Electrical Engineers do.

It takes a while longer and is hella challenging considering I have zero Electrical background, but I can't complain.

Originally Posted by sinthusized

did you guys plan on doing the second degree while you were in undergrad?

I had no idea what I was going to do but I just went along for the ride assuming I'd figure it out along the way. I didn't start considering the second degree option until fourth year. I'm still not decided if I will come back for it. It's way too expensive. My two college programs, however, with the help of a bursary, have only cost me about $1000 for two semesters for both tuition and textbooks. The tuition is a lot cheaper but unfortunately the textbooks are not - yet they manage to be even more useless than in university. If anyone needs to know all about events in Australia, I've got you covered!
I'm really enjoying them so far because it's giving me a chance to study business/mgmt.

PS I do not recommend photography at conestoga. Just.. don't.

Originally Posted by sinthusized

did you guys plan on doing the second degree while you were in undergrad?

I did, yes. I needed more expertise in English to apply to grad schools, since Ontario's only straight cultural studies program is Mac

Originally Posted by temara.brown

PS I do not recommend photography at conestoga. Just.. don't.

I wasn't aware that they had such a program... I'm an avid photographer myself. Hence my username *giggles*

(Much like nobody knows there was a Sheridan Engineering program)

Originally Posted by temptingf8

I wasn't aware that they had such a program... I'm an avid photographer myself. Hence my username *giggles*

(Much like nobody knows there was a Sheridan Engineering program)

Here's the description: http://www.conestogac.on.ca/ce/catlg...de=0960&v=0909

I really decided last minute to apply because it's located five minutes away from my house and I figured it'd probably be the only opportunity I'd have in the near future to be able to do it. If I had more options available, I would have gone to Sheridan. It's a full-time program over two-years but just seems to be better in every way. A lot of the other programs at other schools seem to be four-year programs and I was definitely not willing to do that. This one is part-time so you can still have a ft job (if you can find one) and get it done. My favourite part about this program is that, because of previous work experience, I can get out of a few of the courses (ie digital photography.. no way am I sitting through classes where you spend an hour teaching students how to use the clone-stamp tool..). Last semester was horrible though. I had learned nothing new, the marks for assignments were completely arbitrary, and he put stuff on the exam that he never taught us. I'm hoping that this semester makes it better.

Originally Posted by lorend

Yup. I have read in a few places that post-grad degrees are't helpful in a lot of cases. For example, getting an MBA right after your Bachelors (i.e. programs like Mac that don't require much, if any full-time work experience: you will have acquired little-to-no working experience...so why would anyone hire you in a management role if you lack normal work experience?

Isn't Mac's MBA program which you can enter straight after undergrad a co-op program? So you alternate school terms with work terms and gain work experience.

Originally Posted by Kathy2

Lots and lots and LOTS of people are going back to school ater graduating (second degree, Masters, etc.) because finding a job is hard right now.

Yeah. :( Just like Danielle, I graduated in 2008 (Honours Commerce) and am currently doing a second degree in Economics.