First Generation College Graduates and The Entry Level Job Market

Many of us have applied to many job positions using our High School Diploma and GED. We have found out that the job market was very difficult to get in with just a High School Diploma and GED. Many employers have skipped over our resumes and letters of interest after seeing that our highest level of education is High School and having no job related experiences.

So we ask our parents, teachers, employers and various other individuals, what we have to do in order to secure the interested positions in the future? They tell us to further our education, “Go to college and get a degree”. We then say, “we can’t afford college, we don’t have any money”. Then they say, “Financial Aid, you can take out loans to cover your cost and you can pay them back after you graduate college.”  Now we believe a college degree is the way to securing a job position and a way to get out of poverty. “If I graduate from college, I can get the job I want and live comfortably… “If I graduate college I can escape poverty and get my family out as well”.

After considering all the advice given, we decide to apply to colleges and universities. We mail applications, pay application fees, and visit the campuses. Now we are accepted and enrolled. Many of us are First Generation College students and we have to take out student loans to cover our tuition cost and living expenses each semester. Most of our parents and relatives aren’t successful and aren’t able to help with our college expenses. Therefore, we have to apply for work-study or get a part-time student job at the school to support ourselves. Accepting a work-study position or a part-time student position comes with a sacrifice; reducing the amount of credits/courses you take each semester, which means staying in college longer than you intended to be and having to cover more college expenses.

Our college commencement day has arrived. No more homework, studying, papers, projects, quizzes, or exams. Our internship is complete; we have met all the requirements for graduation. Upon graduation, we reapply to the interested job positions as well as other job positions that we qualify for with our college degree. Along with our applications, we submit resumes and cover letters stating our interest in the position, our education, job experience(s), skills and qualifications.  Interviews with employers/recruiters are scheduled and prior to the interviews, they tell us to be on time and be prepared. To prepare for our interviews, we take time out to sharpen up our interview skills.

Interviews are here; we dress professionally and arrive on time. Our recruiters call us back to the office and begin the interview process. They go over the job description and ask us about our job related experiences and skills we bring to the position. We provide the information requested and then they say, Thanks for coming in…we will be in touch. After a week has gone by they either inform us that they have selected someone that’s more qualified for the position, we don’t qualify, or that they need someone with more experience.

Now we are confused; they told us we needed a degree and now that we have a degree it isn’t enough.
After the feedback from the employers/recruiters, we notice during our interviews we were asked questions that could have been found on our submitted resumes and cover letters. Now we believe that many employers/recruiters don’t prepare for many of the interviews they conduct. We believe they do not take the time out to review submitted information. If they did, many of the questions asked during interviews could be answered by reading the information submitted prior to the interview. Questions related to the job position; experience, skills and qualifications could also be answered over the telephone. Instead we have to waste our money on transportation and waste time going to these interviews for questions that could be asked over the phone or answered by reading the submitted information. If employers/recruiters took the time out and read over candidate’s submitted information thoroughly, they would know what experiences and skills the candidate brings to the position and organization. Reading over the submitted information thoroughly would also save time on scheduling interviews for unqualified candidates and that will prevent unqualified candidates for wasting their time and money. We believe, face to face interviews should only be arranged prior to beginning job training or submitting hard copy documents. Web-cam interviews should be suggested by employers/recruiters; it would save time and money as well.

Ever since high school graduation, we thought if we graduate from college, it would be the way out of poverty. Instead, attending college put us $40,000 or more in debt. Our parents, teachers, and many others had us believing a college degree would open doors to our future. So far the only thing a college degree has given us, was a pat on the back from those who have seen us with our graduation cap on and those who have seen graduation pictures posted online.

Upon our college graduation, we have applied to hundreds of hiring jobs and had only a handful of interviews. Our interview skills are sharp and our written/oral communication skills are above average. Based on many observations and experiences, good interviewing skills and a college degree is not enough to get a job offer from your dream employer(s) or any other employer(s). Employers are more interested in candidates who have working experience; rather you have a high school diploma or a college degree.

I raised this question to many individuals and employers; how do I get the experience I need for the positions I’m applying for, if I have been in college for five years obtaining the degree for the positions?

Most individuals and employers couldn’t answer my question. Some suggested “Internships and Volunteer work” and a few suggested furthering my education. I raised another question to those that suggested internships and volunteer work; how many internships and how much volunteer work can I do if I’m unemployed and not financially stable? The respondents did not have an answer to my question. I also mentioned, “As a First Generation college graduate, it’s not possible for me to conduct multiple internships and do volunteer work for various organizations when I’m unemployed, living off the support of others and having major responsibilities to take care of such as, food, living expenses and child care.”  I responded to the few that suggested furthering my education: “I refuse to further my education because that would put me even more in debt, which I wouldn’t be able to afford to pay. I cannot even afford to make the student loan payments I have now.  

Many First Generation College graduates would suggest employers to consider more entry level candidates. If we aren’t able to meet the requirements of the position after a given time period, replace us. Give us a chance in the work environment; allow us to be the change in our community.

Davis, J. D. (2013, July 10). First generation college graduates and the entry level job market. Speak Up and Speak Out, 1, 1-3.

Jameel D. Davis

Kent State University Graduate 2013

Jdavi122@kent.edu

216-324-4739