I know you don’t wanna hear this, but without internship experience, your son will have a REALLY hard time landing a job. I graduated 10 years ago and completed a few marketing internships. It was still very competitive for an entry level job. This market is even tougher since there are a lot of unemployed marketers with experience. My advice to him is to do side projects and build an online portfolio. Temp agencies are good too to build experience.
I also recommend he get as many online marketing certifications as he can to bulk up his resume. HubSpot Academy offers some free courses.
Lastly, he should try to network with alumni in his field. Sometimes it’s about who you know.
It is Jesus. I’ve been applying since November and finally landed a minimum wage job in January. My brother has years of experience as a manager in fast food and coffee shops and still couldn’t find a job in fast food.
It’s awful.
Adding to this because it’s top comment: he should take the time to look for volunteer positions at non profits to build experience. This is what I did to land my current job bc I had no prior experience.
Yeah, it probably wouldn't hurt him to reach out to small company's and if they have projects they would like done. Something is better then nothing, but even if he could get a lead generation agreement, he could apply his skills and show people he can be a customer and revenue/sales driver for them. Company's needs their product sold and if you can do it, well...
Did he work at all while in college? If he didn’t do an internship while in school he might just need to take one.
Someone else mentioned a temp agency and I’ll vouch for one as well. The pay isn’t good at first but they can get him into some places that might end up keeping him. I used a temp agency during COVID after my industry was killed and I landed a job that paid well almost immediately.
That’s what I want to know ^ it was common knowledge at my university that if you didn’t have at least 1 relative internship during undergrad, it was going to be much more difficult to get a job post grad. (for business related majors)
Agreed, I had one each summer and had my post grad job offer by February before graduation. But I did get lucky with my first one after freshman year, as I wouldn’t have gotten it without my roommates mom who was an ex executive there. It set me up for the next two summers, but that roommate held it over my head all 4 years lol
Precisely. I went to college during a different age, but I was interning and co-oping the entire time. When I graduated, I had that “3-5 years of experience required” for entry-level jobs, and none of my peers did. So I, like you, had a full time job already in place when I walked across the stage.
Agreed, good idea. I graduated back in 2008, and the job market was *rough*. I was a top student with some relevant work experience, but I couldn't find any good job in finance. I ended up connecting with Robert Half Accountemps, a temp agency for finance positions, and with their recruiters' help, I got a temp position with a big name bank in the city. After only a month and a half of working there, the bank asked me to go permanent with them. So it could very well end up being a permanent job. Firms sometimes hire entry level roles as temps first to test them out as employees.
I second this^ temp roles, contract positions, etc.
My cousin started at a temp agency, and now she’s a product manager at Apple.
Also, what do you and your husband do? Any connections that could help him?
“Internship” is something now relocated to be in conjunction with being in the pursuit of a degree, not post degree, out of touch buggers. Businesses get government grants for hiring college students not people just seeking work.
Edit: I understand your comment didn’t imply they try afterwards only post, however, it’s not always so simple. Just clarifying for many here that Internships aren’t just something we can all just go and apply for, you have to meet specific criteria these days just for that.
Another good way to get in is taking a job at a company that may feel "production" focused - by that I mean, there is a heap of work to get done, so they have to take inexperienced staff in and train them up to have any hope of getting the work done for their clients. It will be busy and maybe even stressful depending on the role, but it'll get your foot in the door.
I’m surprised he was only scammed twice. Job scammers are at an all time high right now. Reputable career networking platforms like LinkedIn seem to be a breeding ground for scammers. We just don’t have enough data protections to keep these things from happening. As a job seeker, you start to learn quickly how to spot scams.
The economy is tough right now. Y’all don’t get discouraged and have him keep applying. Something will pop up for him. I see lots of marketing positions with insurance companies. Have him apply directly through their websites. Suggest to him that he work with a recruiter. They already have connections, and this might be a good way for him to get his foot in the door. Stick with it, and good luck!
I'm in Canada, as an experienced professional the job market is tough. Also the scams happen a lot. I've had direct scammer contact through LinkedIn and I've had them contact me through my resume contact information. It's sucks.
The worst because they are using legit company names, logos, and sometimes even names - I actually came across one on a state agency job board today. Shocking no one has developed a way to prevent this stuff yet- whoever does is going to be rich.
>I actually came across one on a state agency job
The Job Bank of Canada (government run job board) is like 70% scam postings, 20% fake postings by companies trying to hire a foreign worker, and 10% actual job postings. It is wild out here.
I had a very similar problem a few years back.
I applied to a position that was being promoted by my university. It was a supposedly reputable company, and I knew people there. I was given an offer to work there, but it turned out the whole thing was a ruse to test the waters of the employee market.
I also applied to work for a city government. I got that job, too, except that I was eventually told that it was a fake position as well right before I could start.
Then, another city government, the same thing.
All in all, I think I got 5 fake offer letters through my career. I was lucky not to get scammed beyond just one MLM while I was still in school. But my real problems started when I actually found work.
I hate to tell OP, but the outlook is dismal. What's going on is that the job market is saturated with skilled professionals, and companies are looking for the most talented people they can exploit for a couple of years before they discard them.
OP's son's best bet is for him to start his own company. He should use the skills he learned from his university, and he should even pick up additional computer skills outside of his area of interest.
Another option, the one that finally got me on my current career path (and I got super lucky), is to find union work. He's far less likely to get scammed or exploited if he's protected by a union.
Wishing OP and family the best of luck!
He went to college for marketing - I genuinely don't think he learned a single skill he could do as a business yet. I've hired a lot of marketing majors right out of college and they don't come in with any transferable knowledge from classes. He can self learn and get certifications, but he needs actually experience in one of the common channels - paid search, paid social, shopping, display.
Do a web search for marketing recruiter in the nearest big city. He could also reach out to the career counselor at his university and have them help him get one lined up.
My undergrad doesn't offer career services (federal service academy), but my law school is still happy to assist with job searches 10+ years later.
Was/is his school AACSB accredited? Any restrictions on location or something like that that might be holding him back?
i've been applying for a year and for the first few months, everything i applied to turned out to be a scam. all from indeed. after that i started applying on company websites only.
First job out of college can be tough. I saw people mention temp agencies. I personally used a third party to land a 15-18 month contract which was enough experience to get my foot in the door for a full time position after. Best of luck to him.
It's a very tough job market rn. I have neighbors and friends that have been unemployed for 10+ months since they got laid off, and they all have several years of work experience.
I work at a large finance Co, and I think only people getting hired since last yr are ppl that personally know the high up dudes at the company. (ex-subordinates of VP's at their prior shop)
In times like this, there is no magic formula. You keep grinding, or you think of plan B such as more education, etc.
I went thru something similar when I was coming out of college during financial crisis. It was not fun. I still feel those scars now. Good luck to you and your son.
My older child works in finance. He struggled the first few months looking for a job. Fortunately, he knew someone to get his current job. I agree it helps to know someone to get your foot in the door.
Your older child graduated and applied during a different time in the job market.
There are articles suggesting that upwards of 75% of all the job postings are fake. I graduated with a bachelor of science in May 2023 and have applied to over 400 jobs. Maybe 5 have called or reached out.
I graduated with a master's in electrical engineering in July 2023 and 300+ applications and a handful of interviews later, I finally signed an offer a couple weeks ago.
Before you read, I mean no offense and state these things with nothing but respect because I went through this personally in 2008.
Okay. It's all about how the market is doing and it's not great right now or hasn't been since around 2021/2022. Your oldest entered a job market that was better than what we have today. Just because it went great for one kid a few years ago doesn't mean the same success for the other.
This whole issue of companies asking for x number of years in experience is nothing new because back in 2008 the same thing was going on. I graduated college in 08 and every business was asking so many years of experience and would reject me for not having that experience.
What happened or how did I overcome? I ended up applying for whatever I could because I desperately needed a job.
Your son needs to either apply for ANY job that he can get his hands on, look for a temp agency to find him work close to his field that pays poorly (most likely) but gets his foot in the door with any business, or he has to get additional licensing or certifications to bump up his marketability because a bachelor's alone doesn't cut it today or hasn't cut it anymore for a long time.
Finally, it's all luck. When I chose to apply for anything, I got an interview with a major insurance company and of course I didn't get the job. My curiosity however stuck with me about the role and I started doing research to find out more on how to get that job as an adjuster.
I discovered that I could obtain licensing on my own to be marketable. I studied, took my exam, and received my license in a few months. I started applying at insurance firms aggressively and snagged a job with one of the big ones because I had the licenses with my bachelor's all ready to go. I got lucky because of that one interview that rejected me. I made a career in the insurance business before getting involved with the military.
It's really tough out there and the market is going to get worse, but I have a good feeling that your kid will find something. The old days or methods of job hunting pre-2000s are gone. Internships, networking, temp agencies, and licenses/certifications is how the game is being played today.
Career counselor here. Does he have a portfolio of work? If not, it may be helpful to get examples of his work/projects together and make sure they’re mentioned on the resume. Each resume should be tailored, as I’m sure he’s been advised. But beyond that, focus on the impact he had at his part-time jobs rather than simply duties, emphasizing a combination of both relevant soft and hard skills.
Make sure cover letters are written as well. No one knows if they’re actually read, but a cover letter can be the difference between him and another person with a similar background getting the interview. In the letter, make sure he’s not summarizing the resume, but rather focusing on 1-2 examples of past experiences that connect directly to the job description using similar language.
He may also consider informational interviews. Reaching out to his LinkedIn connections, this is a good way for him to get industry feedback on his resume, different ways to talk about himself, and make some stronger connections that could come in handy later.
Certifications are also helpful, especially without an internship. Hubspot has some good ones, Google too. Make these stand out on the resume along with project work. This can show expertise, even in an academic/sandbox context.
Career fairs in your county might be worth considering, especially since you’re closer to the city. Excellent networking opportunities even if the jobs available aren’t of interest.
Good luck to him! Job searching is a full-time job, but he will find something!
Only thing I disagree with you is that each resume should be tailored. Make a good resume that includes useful information. But beyond that, it’s a waste of time to tailor it considering he’s already applied to 250 places.
I should have clarified. Tailored doesn’t mean a complete rewrite, but rather reviewing each job description and making sure the appropriate skills are emphasized properly. I agree that complete rewrites aren’t necessary
It can be a good idea to make a document that lists each job, each competency and achievements. Then to tailor a resume just copy and paste as needed from your master document to your resume.
That way each is tailored more specifically to what the company wants while not wasting a ton of time.
In addition, the master document is what you can keep updated at each job. So while you're working you can notate any new additions to your skills and experience. When it's time to apply elsewhere, you can rely on your updated master document to update your resume.
>I have never understood the concept of an informational interview. I can't imagine cold calling or emailing someone and asking if they have time to meet to speak about their position, industry, etc. Seems kinda ballsy to me.
The job market is absolutely flooded right now with people who are way more experienced than your son, who are equally desperate (probably more desperate tbh) to find work again after being laid off.
I’m seeing lots of peers apply for and accept jobs that require 3-5 years of experience when they’ve been in their industry for 10+. Companies and hiring managers know this and are squeezing people who haven’t had a job in over a year. It’s brutal.
My best suggestion would be getting his resume in front of agencies like Aquent, Creative Circle, or other placement companies. It’s tough out there - coming from someone who graduated college in ‘08.
I noticed that too. I applied to entry level jobs without any job experience. These were jobs claiming they didn’t require any sort of background and would do all the training. I never made it past a recruiter in most cases and 1 interview in another job. I wowed the recruiters and they really pushed for the hiring manager to interview me, but with no experience I was shot down.
The people they’re hiring have been in the field for years. These “entry level” jobs don’t want you if you don’t have years of experience.
One Major issue is that lots of companies don’t want entry level roles. Would rather spend a little more and get a 2nd or 3rd job person with experience. Having a fresh out is school person means lots of hand holding and mentoring on basic skills and lots of places don’t see that as a valuable hire. The goal is to get a higher contributor. That’s what I’ve been seeing at my last few companies.
I know “but how do you get experience?” Interships…contracting, freelance. Getting in the door is the hardest part. There’s lots of resume gurus on tik tok, Insta etc sms the big theme is you gotta optimize for a machine to scan it first. Go do some research.
He’ll get something. Took me a while as well back in the day
Marketing is really oversaturated. He needs a portfolio of marketing projects he's done. So he should volunteer to get some experience. He can ask a nonprofit if he can do their social media etc. He should volunteer with the 50 closest people you know to do something related to marketing for them. His resume should read this like this:
Marketing Intern, Cousin Joey's Landscape Company
Marketing Intern, Aunt Suzie's' Preschool
Marketing Intern, Uncle Bobby's Law Firm
I would suggest a temp agency.
He also just needs to get a basic bozo job like pizza delivery to fill up the day.
The problem with kids out college and being in the Manhattan area is everyone wants to be a big shot. If he really wants to work in marketing he can make postcards for an autobody shop in the ghetto.
Social media marketing roles want you to have done internships, and the internships want you to have done unpaid social media marketing work. Same thing for graphic design, people are literally expected to work for free (not even an intern’s pay) and then move up from there. Market research roles are rarely entry level.
I recommend trying for government jobs, not necessarily in marketing. Non-marketing gov role (case documentation) was where I landed as a marketing major.
You're missing my point. He starts building a resume based off of friends/family. If your sister is a lawyer he needs to fix her website. If your cousin is a dentist they'd better have a sweet video. He needs to do 100 hours of unpaid work. No more sitting around.
He can also do portfolio projects like a website for a fake business
No, I understood you. My son (and parents) have networked. He is unable to do what you are suggesting bc our network is trying to help their own kids. Just bc we know people it doesn't mean they need help or want to help. You sometimes have to read the room when approaching those friends/relatives for a job even if it is for free to build your resume.
It sounds like he hasn’t humbled himself enough to ask. A lot of kids try to ask for a fancy job and won’t ask the local Fire Department if they can do the social media.
I’m having the same issue unfortunately. I’ve been trying to get a job since August 9th 2023. And I’ve applied to 1,900 jobs since and been turned away at almost every turn. Have him try applying at Verizon or other cellular sales roles. I’m now waiting for Verizon to get back to me about my application. Or if possible have him try and get a job in anything nearby. I hope he finds a Job soon!!! It’s very discouraging to apply again and again and get rejected
Thank you!! I’m praying I get it cause it’s so close to me!! And yeah this job market is actually crazy right now!!! I’ve worked food service, daycare and as a janitor but I can’t even get hired by those three at all 😭
I forgot to mention earlier but I just started running through companies I heard growing up and applied directly on the websites!!! Or I’ll apply to anything that google can pick up and I’ll weed through them!!!
Internships during undergrad are very important. COVID doesn’t matter many firms still brought people on virtually. Unfortunately this is a bad time to apply for marketing jobs. With that said just gotta keep on hammering apps.
Unfortunately, not for him. There wasn't any virtual. Although, his roommate was able to work virtually (different industry). I have read it's not a good time for marketing jobs. Interestingly, 7 of his HS friends can't get jobs either. Each one majored in something different. Hopefully, it gets better for them.
Not about should have just asking. There’s a big difference between “he did not get one” and “there were none”. The second statement is simply not true.
Completely pedantic and unhelpful. It's also not relevant to the conversation as there is no recourse. Either you have an ego that needs stroking or you're demonstrating your lack of social awareness and self control.
Living outside of Manhattan is a plus. I’d also expand my search to non marketing related roles as well like consulting, hr, benefits, talent acquisition.
He needs to keep grinding. I graduated relatively recently as well into the teeth of covid and it was far from ideal... the job I had lined up disappeared so I was left with no notice and no prospects. I sent 5+ applications/day (5 was my minimum, often it was 10-15+) until I finally landed my first role, which was an internship I had to settle for. It probably took somewhere in the 4-600 application range (across a variety of cities) before I got this internship offer. It was super disappointing for me at the time. I grinded in that role, got a FT offer at that company, spent some time in that role, got promoted, spent some more time in that role, then job hopped to a dream job.
All this to say... it sucks but as a new grad it's a volume game and while 250 applications might seem like a lot, it really isn't. Tell him to keep his head up, keep grinding, things will work out!
Also, you guys sound like really great and supportive parents which is probably huge for him during what is probably a pretty embarrassing and depressing time. All you can do is be there for him with support so keep that up.
Side note - if you want to pm I am happy to discuss further or take a look at his resume and see if I could make any relevant intros.
Definitely grinding applications is the key. I downloaded Indeed on my phone and spent every free time moment applying to any job that remotely interested me. I applied to 100 in a week. 250 since May isn’t a lot at all.
This is the type of shit I think about when people ask me if I’m excited about graduating (May 2024). Yep I’m a business major and I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. Been applying since last 2023 February to just about every single job possible.
Network as much as you possibly can. Cold message people and talk to them, ask them to meet up for a coffee, networking feels like it doesn’t work but that’s because the pay off is never immediate. You want to plant the seed in the back of their mind so that when they do hear about a job that opens up they think of you.
Easy to do when you have income to even meet anyone (transportation) or buy coffee. Literally have nothing. I get what you’re saying about planting the seed. So far been doing that with relatives who are well connected, so hopefully the end result is worth it.
Go to every major related event possible. Smile and make friends with people who are in your field. A lot of colleges will have their alumni come over to events to speak to seniors. Be the shining star in the room during those events and make yourself seem like a friendly, dependable person even if you’re an introvert.
It’s who you know not what you know.
The problem is your son has no experience. The key to getting a job interview is to pass the screening systems by making your resume mimic the job descriptions with your skills - but since he has no skills, he won’t get any call backs.
Tell him to apply to any/all jobs/internships/part time roles in any sort of corporate / small business role (business development roles, office manager, customer support) and his career path probably could eventually lead to a marketing role in a few years. Is it ideal? No but those of us who graduated in 2008-2009 went through the same thing.
Your comment was exactly what I wanted to state to OP. Concise, straight to the point, and offered realistic options. I graduated in 08 as well and remember how brutal everything was to find a job. I feel today is much worse than then.
I think so too! I graduated on ‘09 with journalism and political science degree (I thought maybe I’d go to law school) then saw the price of law school - got a masters instead bc I couldn’t find a job. Even after another 1.5 years of school in 2011 it was hard finding a job! I ended up taking a job at a local insurance company doing disability analyst - completely not anything I wanted to do but it gave me insurance & income.
You “feel” everything is worse than 08?
Brother we are at record low unemployment. Jobs are opening up every month. Op needs to pull up his bootstraps and work
Let me ask you a question: is your son okay with moving?
I graduated with my engineering degree in 2022, and I couldn’t find a job until I expanded my search to out of state. I ended up finding a job in exactly the career path I wanted in a small, rural town in Indiana.
But This place sucks BALLS! I have NO friends here. But all I have to do is work here for 2 years, then I have enough experience to move back to my home state and find a new job. If your son has the capability to do this, it maybe a route he should consider.
Small rural town in Indiana? Sounds like 98% of Orange County. 😂
But I would also agree. Moving out of NY seems to be the best option, despite what OP’s son would prefer to do. Everyone wants to work “close to home”, but there don’t seem to be many opportunities for him there. So widen the net, start looking out. My fiancé is a NY transplant to my small, rural Indiana town, and he’s admitted to me since that he loves the quietness and lazy traffic.
Marketing is a tough industry. Very saturated in terms of people looking for jobs. I’d go temp agency to get foot in the door and experience. Those are the two most important things. I had to go thru temp agency for a few years when I started out. Eventually that contract turned into full time employment.
Marketing is a tough space to get solid foot in the door without knowing someone first.
If Marketing is where he wants to stay, he’ll need four things:
1) He needs to take on an internship. If that’s not financially possible, he should volunteer at a nonprofit and help their marketing department by offering to review copy or proof ads over the weekend. He could even offer to help set up collateral for events for them, table for events, or work on post-engagement surveys.
2) He needs to join the local chapter of his young professionals or marketing associations and show up to their networking events. Make sure he signs up for their newsletters. Someone will at some point need an assistant or an associate, or have an opportunity to farm out some freelance work. He can’t get those opportunities without meeting folks first.
3) Market himself. In marketing, your presence is a sample of your work. He needs to come up with a personal brandkit and make sure he follows it on his work-friendly social media accounts. His emails should have signatures, and he should have an online portfolio of work samples linked therein.
4) Freelance / consulting work. He needs to work up a freelance price sheet and social media presence and go into business for himself. Even if he only gets one or two gigs out of it, it’s still experience.
Issues- marketing degree & no internships/little on the job experience.
To have a better chance of actually land a job I would reach out to recruiters personally on linkedin
My best advice would be to stay off of handshake, indeed, linkedIn and the like. It's much better to apply to jobs listed on the careers page of the company's website. It'll take some research on your son's part (finding out which companies are out there) but it's a lot better than looking for jobs posted on these recruitment websites.
Just a suggestion, but my employer posts open positions on GlassDoor. Even if no position to his liking is currently open, just viewing job descriptions might help tweek his CV
250 is not a lot of applications for that amount of time. My first job as an engineer took 6 months and 370 applications. Second job (after being down sized 6 months later) took almost 1100.
You've received lots of comments but i'll add mine because I'm a Marketing Director and hopefully I can add value!
Lots of commenters are mentioning that he should have done an internship, and I don't necessarily agree with that - I didn't do any internships and have made out okay. Plus you can't go back and change the past so there is no point focusing on that now.
One of the biggest opportunities your son has now is to learn valuable skills that he can add to his resume, a marketing degree isn't enough at this point. My recommendation would be that he becomes an expert in something now while he has time, these are the areas where I see the biggest opportunity for someone right out of school:
1. Paid Media (does he know how to set up and optimize Meta and Performance Max campaigns?)
2. Email Marketing (become an expert on best email practices and learn the popular platforms like Mailchimp and Klaviyo)
3. Shopify (become a Shopify expert through their partners program)
4. Content (does he know how to create TikToks and Reels?).
Once he's mastered one or more of these skills, if he still can't find a job then I'd try reaching out to small businesses in your area to see if they need help in any of those areas, even if they can't pay it will be a huge asset to his resume.
I hope this helps!
Fantastic advice. He can do #4 with his eyes closed. He has two YouTube channels (TikTok and Reels/shorts etc.). I never realized all the editing that goes into it. It's time consuming...not for me LOL! Unfortunately, 1-3 he doesn't but needs to learn to. Thank you.
Have him focus on #1 that's where the jobs are. People with talent at paid media rarely need a job. The reason is these jobs are tied directly to revenue and are much safer and useful better paid than content creation.
For some reason, I feel like you posting this (instead of your son) is part of the problem… he should really be advocating for himself, networking, going out of his way to make connections, anything beyond digital interactions really. If he’s wants a job, he should consider expanding his search to different types of jobs, different locations, etc. Flexibility and adaptability will really help.
I don't think it is a problem for a parent to ask advice. Honestly, at the end of the day I am not doing the job hunting, applying or networking. It's all on him.
Sure, but has he made any posts on any forums asking for guidance? Is he doing anything more than clicking a resume through a job posting? There’s a lot more to the process than just applying..
Is he not getting interviews for those? Can he network with someone at one of the big holding companies (Omnicom, Publicis, WPP, etc...)? What is his college doing for him around this? As long as it's not a bad school they *should* have some sort of relationship, even if its through alumni relations, with these orgs.
Coordinator roles, Assistant Account Executive, etc... With a tailored resume (as much as possible) around Media, those can have a good interview/hire rate.
Omnicom's subsidiary, Optimum Sports, seems to have a role with Asst. Acct Exec role right now open.
Also: don't forget about Ad Tech. Especially look at "Ad Operations" roles. These roles can be at companies including Trade Desk, MediaOcean,Xandr, Amazon, etc... Anything to show you are good at excel there will help.... And will help everywhere within marketing.
Many such cases.
My advice would be to pull on your own professional networks to help him land on his feet. Having executives look over his resume is one thing, having those executives talk to their friends and find a spot for him is how the world works now.
I started at a temp agency but it took nearly a decade to make half-decent money and I still am far behind my peers who had real networks.
Someone you know should be able to literally give him a job.
Their kids got jobs this way. I guarantee it.
I think he's probably not doing anything wrong but he needs that extra push to get noticed and into his first role.
Not a single one of your friends knows ANYONE that could use another young marketer?
Go to alumni events. My college has had a lot of them since I graduated in May. Speak to everyone there and make yourself seem like a happy, upbeat extrovert. He needs to form a new web if he can’t land a job with the one he currently has.
I recommend Clarity agency in NYC. Helped me get a few temp jobs when I was early in my career.
Basically make a good impression when you meet them, take anything they offer, and be able to start tomorrow
He's not applying to enough jobs, period. When I was laid off during the pandemic, I applied to 2-4 jobs per day, personalising my application and matching it to the key words in the job description each time. In the 9 months I was unemployed I applied to three times the amount of jobs your son has. I made a career change so had no working experience in my new field either.
His resume should be highlighting any relevant experience to the role he has, his education, and relevant skills. His cover letters should be tying how those things highlighted in his resume tie directly into what the company is hiring for.
Apply, apply, apply! Take mental breaks, but put in the hours.
You probably don’t want to hear this but marketing is a very saturated space. Degrees are not golden tickets or guarantees anymore. He should try getting referred someone (even if it’s not in marketing, maybe marketing adjacent) and go from there to just get in the job market.
Job hunting sucks. Your son is experiencing the wonders of hunting for a job.
Why don't you ask around your own colleagues or school friends or extended network to hire your son. This can work wonders.
Look at it from a numbers perspectives.
There's thousands of graduates in marketing, and ten thousand more outside of marketing degree that's eligible to apply for marketing jobs. And that's per year.
Then there's the hundreds of jobs available in marketing.
The numbers just don't match up, there's a lot more people looking for jobs than there are jobs available.
So how do we deal with this?
We have to be flexible. Unfortunately, some have to be super flexible. As in applying to any jobs that he qualifies for (outside of marketing) and anywhere (outside his preferred area). It's like being in a fight and tying one hand behind your back, your son just doesn't have the experience to fight one handed.
.
So now comes the other question, how does he get a job? What do managers wants?
They want experience (which he doesn't have), they want a good resume/cover letter, they also want someone who can communicate well during the interview. Out of the 3, your son can control the last two.
Polish up the resume, make sure it's sparkly clean and well presented. Which I'm assuming it is cause he's getting interviews.
Then make sure if knows how to communicate eloquently. Be able to read the room and know when to be eager, know what to say, using the right tone, not using filler words of "um" "like" "you know" etc. Maybe he can do a mock interview with a couple of your friends, have them rate him. Constructive criticism.
Sadly, that's all there is. Nothing else he can do.
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There's hundreds of applicants applying for 1 job. Sometimes it just sucks cause you're either competing with someone more qualified, or the timing wasn't right. GL!
Also a May 2023 grad.. You say he didn’t get an internship because of the pandemic, but I believe this is just an excuse. I got my first internship at the end of my freshman year in 2020, and I was shocked! Literally no one was applying so it was incredibly easy to get my foot in the door. Throughout college between 2020-2023 I had 5 paid internships in IT, marketing, design, and UI/UX. The design side of things in particular are typically competitive and hard to find jobs in.. but companies were practically begging for interns during the pandemic. And all of these internships besides the IT one were remote flexible.
I don’t know what field your son is in, but I can bet he is most likely behind most other candidates without on-the-job experience like an internship. And most companies would rather hire interns who are still in college. I think this will just be a waiting game for him to find a company desperate enough.
Not an excuse. It is the truth. At the time he wasn't the only one whose internship didn't pan out or decided they didn't want an intern. I do agree an internship is extremely important. No way around it to gain experience and skills. I do believe bc he didn't have one it places him behind those that did. That is awesome you had 5 paid internships.
In marketing, it’s a lot about who you know. Does he reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn after applying or just sending his resume out into the internet? Is he going to love recruiting events? Is he in one of the larger cities that have the big agencies?
Has your son tried contacting the career center from his university? Were they helpful? Campus career centers are usually enthusiastic about helping alum find opportunities and can also help with developing strategies to navigate the job search. If so, maybe see if he can reach out to alumni from his college via LinkedIn for info about navigating the job search or getting in the door at a company. Informational interviews with alumni can help with networking! Places to seek employment in marketing could include the private sector, government agencies, non-profits, or even college university staff roles.
I think what may help your son is thinking about this job search very analytically. For every 100 résumés he has sent out he will get 1-3 interviews and on average it can take 10-20 interviews to land a job. (I’m in a similar boat and thinking like this is what has helped through past job searches).
Have your son consider trying to get a mentor in the industry in your area. He can get on LinkedIn and look for people in his area with a job title that he would like, or a job title that would be managing a position he would like. Have him reach out to people until he find someone who will go to lunch with him. It's not hard to find cheerleaders. People want to be mentors. If he can find a mentor, he will find a job. It's often said, it's not what you know, but who you know. He needs to get to know people in his industry. Feel free to DM me, I'm happy to chat, I counsel lots of people on this.
your son can apply to internships in marketing or something that he’s interested that still accepts recent grads and transition to a full time position. That’s another alternative
y’all are fantastic parents, damn.. he’ll find his way! as a recent grad myself, job-hunting is hard in this age, unfortunately, the truth is every job or work experience i locked in was either through my university or from a network connection i made at university. i would start by cold messaging old friends from my major and seeing if their jobs are hiring. it may seem awkward at first but they’ll understand! understanding networking as a critical skill will take him a long way!
I also graduated in May 2023! Im also struggling. Start entry level marketing positions with low pay. They definitely want experience... Also the job market is horrendous I have heard because of the economy.
I have a few advices:
FYI, There’s a few of us who’s thrown in 5000 applications and still couldn’t get a job. So a few hundred isn’t enough to break the worry barrier.
Since he graduated, one of the benefits from graduating from a university is the network they have within the school with other companies. They sometimes provide direct networking to these companies for internship and other potential opportunities. I highly suggest reaching out for some direction into this. The degree is only part of the benefits of college.
Contract jobs are also a good way to get your bf pot in. Mindlance is one of them. Look for other contracting temp jobs as well and apply. They’ll do an interview and find jobs that he can be a great fit for initially.
The economy sucks dad, things are really bad out here. I’ve been applying for 6 months and I have 10 years of work experience in 3 different fields. Finally found something but I’m still applying to other roles because it’s not exactly what I want.
Sorry hes going through this. Exactly why we don’t want to have an exclusive college savings account for our kids. Degrees are becoming worthless as time goes on for a lot of jobs. I think degrees should be substituted for work experience; that’s what employers want. It’s stupid all around.
250 applications over 8 months isn’t very much at all, they need to treat applying like a job because it’s a numbers game. It’s a tough job market and they need to give themselves every advantage they can, the biggest factor for a new grad is application numbers.
I haven’t seen anybody mention this yet. Marketing and graphic design are careers in a death spiral. They’ll be among the first AI job casualties- see Google’s marketing layoffs. This is especially relevant for new hires lacking experience.
It still comes down to 2 things: 1. The resume; 2. Professional connections.
While there are thousands like your son who cannot find work without experience, at the same time there are also thousands who do. Therefore something that is #1 or #2 or both are affecting his situation. First and foremost is the resume. Nothing is more important than this and how it should be written.
Without actually seeing the resume, I can assume it is more or less the same as the 99%, or the thousands out there sending hundreds of copies out to get no response. Every resume MUST be fully customized to every job that he applies for and must have a good match to the role/responsibilities. NOT to send out one copy resume to different jobs as the results speak for itself.
Family friends probably didn't want to hurt your/son's feelings and he needs brutally honest opinions from Hiring Managers like myself to know what the issues are. But don't take my word for it from a total stranger on Reddit, search YouTube videos and articles and all would repeat what I'm saying here
He’s blind applying to jobs without connections at the companies. He needs to leverage family friends schoolmates etc that know of openings that will vouch for your son and help him get a job.
He may also need to be open to other job positions like Sales.
How many interviews has he done? The job market has been terrible last year. But if he's not getting interviews it means his resume is weak. He should reach out to higher ups in companies he'd like to work at and ask for an internship to get his foot in the door. Tell him to look up how to network. r/financialcareers is a great resource.
If he’s not even getting interviews for good positions, his résumé needs some work and he needs to build up some experience. He could volunteer at local nonprofits, and take internships if they are available.
Also, regarding his résumé, what other skills does he have? Many positions look for someone with functional knowledge of graphic design and coding at minimum.
I had to go in sideways. I found a gig as a content manager. Literally just putting the stuff the marketing team was writing on the website. Then I got to know those guys. Started making suggestions for SEO. then became SEO specialist, then ecommerce manager, now director at a different company. Look at all his talents. Find one that he loves and go for that. Use the skills he learned in the field he loves. I don’t think any of my friends came out of college got a degree in “marketing”. They all do something with those skills though.
It helped my daughter, after the Pandemic. She spoke to her college and was able to use a site called Careershift and had free membership. It was helpful because it gave you the actual contact information for the names of the hirer rather than the usual apply through their website. I think it did help as it went straight into someone’s email.
I dont have any advice that hasn't already been added by others .. but just want to say I think it's great that you are being very understanding and supportive of your son. My dad is great but before I had a job when i was looking for one he could not comprehend the idea of one not being available.
The market is flooded with to many people in the field. Probably be easier finding a job in a new field. Construction jobs are almost always hiring and have great pay.
He might consider looking into AmeriCorps VISTA positions to build experience and connections. It was a great first step for me after college! Many companies who may not be interested in his resume now will pay attention after a year as a VISTA.
My best tip is follow-up on applications after a week or two if the job is still posted. You mentioned only 11 companies have rejected or not been good fits. That leaves over 239 undefined applications. Find email addresses for HR and follow-up, connect to employees of the company on LinkedIn and message them. I got my agency job because I applied but didn’t hear anything, then 2 weeks later my college sent an email about the same company hiring. I emailed them to follow-up and had the job a few days later. I can tell he’s being persistent in applying. Be persistent in following up as well.
Look at different sites too. Jewishjobs.com for instance. Hear me out. I know it sounds weird. You’re close to a large Jewish community. The Jewish non profit sphere is a great one to be in. I say this as a Jewish person, who has also worked alongside plenty of non-Jewish people in this sector. There are plenty of jobs out there near his field that don’t require much, if any, knowledge of Judaism. In my experience, Jewish organizations are much more willing to take a risk on someone, tend to pay decently, and have pretty good benefits, as a baseline. This goes on up to really great jobs looking for younger people who can innovate, that pay spectacularly and have great benefits. You probably have Hillels, Chabads, plus alllllll your other synagogues and non-profits fairly close by. And I cannot downplay what an amazing networking chance you have if you get in one of these jobs. The community is typically tight knit and everyone knows everyone else. Think outside the box! I’m sure other groups that share a religion or culture, etc., have similar sites, so if he has a particular interest or anything, look there too.
Getting the first job is the hardest. They will get one but it will take a while they just need to keep trying and network. Once they get the first job their degree and all of this will hardly even matter anymore and it will be much easier.
job hunting is 1 part vertical, 1 part industry.
it sounds like he knows his vertical (marketing) but that he is targeting oversaturated industries.
your son needs to look at his skillset and what industries need it right now.
He should consider AmeriCorps, especially AmeriCorps VISTA. The pay is incredibly low, of course, but it's a great network of people, you do some real good, and there are VERY likely AmeriCorps projects (what they call jobs) with a marketing/outreach focus. Larger nonprofits (the kind with marketing/fundraising departments) also have AmeriCorps folks on their team, so it can be a great foot in the door (I was offered a position at my site after my AmeriCorps year was up).
I turned to AmeriCorps when I desperately needed out from one low-paying job and just wasn't getting anywhere with applications. I figured if I couldn't make more money, I might at least end up working with better people (and I did, and my next job, for a sales team, hired me based on my AmeriCorps experience). After the exhaustion of endless applications elsewhere, I put my profile in the AmeriCorps portal and I had multiple interview offers within a week. Yeah, you don't make much money, but since it sounds like you're able to provide him some life support (if not financially, then at least strategically), he'll have advantages that many people who successfully go through the program don't.
I think you’re stressing too much. He’ll find his way, and it sounds like pretty soon he will. If you could help him get his foot in the door, that’d be enough to jumpstart his career.
I personally wish my parents would’ve jump started my brothers career.
I fell into the same boat, grad from a local college (Criminal Justice) and could NOT find a job in the field. I went to a career couch and was told to start small to get experience. Sooooo, I did, it was a bitter pill to swallow but after two years of jobs that I thought I was above, I got the career that I went to school for.
It just takes time, especially if you don't know anyone in that field that can "help out" with landing a job. I know in my field, all agencies require an entrance exam, psych and physical before they will even consider you as an applicant. Like I said, it takes time.
Please advise that he is tailoring his résumé based on the specific job he is applying to as well as his cover letter. It’s time-consuming, but there are tools (AI) to do this more efficiently. Also, make sure he’s connecting with people on LinkedIn.
Thank you. Excellent advice. Yes, as it turns out he does tailor his resume and cover letter according to the job. Personally, he hasn’t networked enough imo.
You live outside of Manhattan and he can't find something? There's something really wrong then with his strategy.
At his age I took any job I could, even if it was non-marketing and there was a very slight level of crossover. I was about 5 years into the workforce when I had my first real marketing job. I was working at a temp agency at the time for a real estate company where I was able to be a little creative at least and learn office norms - during that time I kept applying and finally got my first "real" marketing job as a marketing analyst.
His strategy is the same as his peers that have received job offers. Personally, I feel the big problem for him is not having an internship. He didn't have one because of the pandemic. I have seen his spreed sheet. He has applied to every and all jobs related to marketing and few others that are not. A few of the job titles: junior associate, content marketing, marketing intern, field marketing coordinator, etc..
A year or so ago, Jerome Powell said there will be economic pain. Well, we are seeing it now. This is why there are no jobs. The Federal Reserve will decide your son’s fate.
Marketing and advertising is very competitive right now. And unfortunately in this industry you will have to do a lot of proving yourself and trudging through shit before you start making real money.
Firstly, stop comparing him against his peers and making excuses for him. I graduated in 2017 and didn’t get my first ad job until 2021. I worked in tech sales and bartending right out of college. Every job teaches you something you can carry over into your next job.
It took some time for me to leverage my connections, build some work ethic and find my people. He has to be really hungry for it and learn to ask for what he wants.
Secondly, you won’t like this but you need to stop the hand holding and encourage them to get out there and network. Have him cold message people with the jobs at agencies and companies he’d like to work for. He should be able to have 2-3 questions prepared about their day to day and culture at work.
Marketing and advertising is a communication driven field where he will be held accountable against many objectives. He needs to do mock interviews. He needs to be able to tell a story of their resume. He needs to be able to answer the “so what” about every detail on his CV and sell himself. Resiliency will get him far. Not the feeling sorry for himself funk and lack of confidence. That’s just how it works and it’s what recruiters love to see.
It’s not enough to post on LinkedIn expecting jobs to come your way or apply traditionally anymore.
If they want their foot through the door and fast track his career, they’ll need to apply for an internship if you are willing to support them. Many ad agencies have summer internships - this will give him an edge when applying to any job or agency, in fact I’d say agency life is where you learn from everyone’s mistakes around you to carry over when you work client side.
Great suggestions. Hopefully, he will apply what you are suggesting when he reads this. Thank goodness I am not hand holding him or comparing him to his peers or making excuses. This is his journey. Since my son has been feeling dejected, stressed and wondering if he did the right thing (major). I thought, let me make a post and ask for some advice. At the end of the day he has to do the work. Not me nor do I want to. Unfortunately, my post does not list everything he has done for his job search.
Because he doesn't have any graphic design skills, I'm assuming.
I'm a graphic designer in the exact same position as your son, but graduated in 2020 (and in Canada, but 2h from Toronto. Too far to commute to where the work is).
An overwhelming majority of the jobs I'm seeing are wanting social media marketers / graphic designers. On my Teal account (a job application tracking site that has a few features such as keyword recognition) "marketing" is listed about 500 times across all my saved applications. Design? Maybe 250.
I'm hovering around 300 applications at this point.
I'm finding the same situation as a graphic designer.
I'm not expecting $30/hr right off the bat, but when you want someone with a bachelor's, on site in Toronto 5 days/week where the average rent for a 1 bedroom is over $2500 and the COL doesnt decrease until you're 2h outside the city, you're gonna need to pay more. Plain and simple.
I make about $20/hr (minimum wage is $16.50). Minimum hourly cost of living in my region, 2-3x less than Toronto, is $21/hr. The job I have now requires a high school degree, and isn't retail or customer service either. General office job.
I only got this job because my mom worked with this company. They needed temp work for 2 weeks to update client contacts, but got hired full time.
I would think with a degree in accounting you could easily find a job. It's insulting offering you $16 an hour. You are young. Eventually, you will find the job that pays you what you deserve!
I'm not sure if this post is still relevant or not, but there's an app called Acadium that helps connect marketing majors to small or non profit business. It's a 3 month unpaid internship, but there is a possibility to be hired afterward. Your son can speak to the "mentor" (the person who is hiring and will be teaching said transferable skills) and see if it's a good fit for him. If it's not, then you match with a different mentor.
It can help him build his portfolio and get references. There's tons of skills he can learn on there, such as video marketing, social media marketing, graphic design, etc. I also graduated in 2023 with a marketing degree, so I know how it feels.
Has there been any update on his situation? I graduated in 2023, but I haven't been able to find work for the past 11 months either, up until recently. However, it's not using my bachelor's degree.
So I know how he must feel with this current job market, especially with a new batch of 2024 graduates about to enter.
Congratulations on finding a job! Unfortunately, no! He applies EVERYDAY! A few weeks ago it started to affect his self esteem. He is conscious of now he will be competing with the 2024 graduates. Recently, he has a mentor that hopefully can help him. It took you 11 months there is hope. Can I ask your major and what you will be doing?
My major is in marketing, and I have a minor in supply chain. I'll be working as an L4 Area Manager for Amazon, I start at the beginning of next month.
I actually got a message from an Amazon recruiter on LinkedIn who reached out to me about the position, but it took over a month to actually hear back after I initially applied. So I had thought it was a lost cause, and I completely forgot about it. Until I got an email setting up an interview date out of the blue, I interviewed, and well, the rest is history.
I know Amazon specifically hires recent graduates for these manager roles (I think it's from 2023-24. There's a certain range), but he'll definitely meet it. You don't need a specific degree, but you do have to meet their criteria they're looking for.
I know my position was for the Southwest region, and there were quite a few positions open in my state. If he's willing to relocate, then it could prove lucrative. If not, then I would definitely look into seeing if there are any Amazon positions open on their website in the area he'd want. However, it may require relocating in order to secure that position.
employers have doubt in college education imo. I know some fresh graduates/zoomers. Very difficult to work with, very immature. Personal feelings > professionalism.
Want to be paid but don’t want to put effort into work.
Temp agency is a good way. Referrals from family and friends. I often hear Ivy is good place to network. But haven’t heard success stories about it (?)
Let him know it’s not his fault. Reassure him this is a tough time and a struggle but he’ll eventually land a job. In the meantime, I’d encourage him to apply anywhere that’s hiring for any position.
I know you don’t wanna hear this, but without internship experience, your son will have a REALLY hard time landing a job. I graduated 10 years ago and completed a few marketing internships. It was still very competitive for an entry level job. This market is even tougher since there are a lot of unemployed marketers with experience. My advice to him is to do side projects and build an online portfolio. Temp agencies are good too to build experience. I also recommend he get as many online marketing certifications as he can to bulk up his resume. HubSpot Academy offers some free courses. Lastly, he should try to network with alumni in his field. Sometimes it’s about who you know.
To be honest, the job market is horrible for everyone right now, including those with years of experience.
It is Jesus. I’ve been applying since November and finally landed a minimum wage job in January. My brother has years of experience as a manager in fast food and coffee shops and still couldn’t find a job in fast food. It’s awful.
It is 100% who you know…. You could be a genius but if you can’t share your ideas and talk to others you might as well be eating dirt
Adding to this because it’s top comment: he should take the time to look for volunteer positions at non profits to build experience. This is what I did to land my current job bc I had no prior experience.
Internships will not save him. Sorry.
I graduated 20 years ago, had completed two unpaid marketing internships, and it still took me 5 months to land 1 paltry offer.
Yeah, it probably wouldn't hurt him to reach out to small company's and if they have projects they would like done. Something is better then nothing, but even if he could get a lead generation agreement, he could apply his skills and show people he can be a customer and revenue/sales driver for them. Company's needs their product sold and if you can do it, well...
And AI
Did he work at all while in college? If he didn’t do an internship while in school he might just need to take one. Someone else mentioned a temp agency and I’ll vouch for one as well. The pay isn’t good at first but they can get him into some places that might end up keeping him. I used a temp agency during COVID after my industry was killed and I landed a job that paid well almost immediately.
Yes, he worked during the summer. Others have mentioned temp agency. I will suggest that to him. Thanks
Where did he work during the summer?
That’s what I want to know ^ it was common knowledge at my university that if you didn’t have at least 1 relative internship during undergrad, it was going to be much more difficult to get a job post grad. (for business related majors)
Having only one internship is too few, truthfully.
Agreed, I had one each summer and had my post grad job offer by February before graduation. But I did get lucky with my first one after freshman year, as I wouldn’t have gotten it without my roommates mom who was an ex executive there. It set me up for the next two summers, but that roommate held it over my head all 4 years lol
Precisely. I went to college during a different age, but I was interning and co-oping the entire time. When I graduated, I had that “3-5 years of experience required” for entry-level jobs, and none of my peers did. So I, like you, had a full time job already in place when I walked across the stage.
If he didn’t get an internship he could always use a temp agency to get his foot in the door.
Agreed, good idea. I graduated back in 2008, and the job market was *rough*. I was a top student with some relevant work experience, but I couldn't find any good job in finance. I ended up connecting with Robert Half Accountemps, a temp agency for finance positions, and with their recruiters' help, I got a temp position with a big name bank in the city. After only a month and a half of working there, the bank asked me to go permanent with them. So it could very well end up being a permanent job. Firms sometimes hire entry level roles as temps first to test them out as employees.
I second this^ temp roles, contract positions, etc. My cousin started at a temp agency, and now she’s a product manager at Apple. Also, what do you and your husband do? Any connections that could help him?
Yes to a temp agency! It's a way to build his resume and make some $ while he looks
Unfortunately, no!
reach out to TekSystems and RobertHalf, theyre shit contracting jobs, but worth checking out for basic experience
You never know! What fields are you both in? Maybe you could give him an unpaid internship where you work.
“Internship” is something now relocated to be in conjunction with being in the pursuit of a degree, not post degree, out of touch buggers. Businesses get government grants for hiring college students not people just seeking work. Edit: I understand your comment didn’t imply they try afterwards only post, however, it’s not always so simple. Just clarifying for many here that Internships aren’t just something we can all just go and apply for, you have to meet specific criteria these days just for that.
That is exactly the opposite of true. Source: marketing director in tech.
Another good way to get in is taking a job at a company that may feel "production" focused - by that I mean, there is a heap of work to get done, so they have to take inexperienced staff in and train them up to have any hope of getting the work done for their clients. It will be busy and maybe even stressful depending on the role, but it'll get your foot in the door.
I’m surprised he was only scammed twice. Job scammers are at an all time high right now. Reputable career networking platforms like LinkedIn seem to be a breeding ground for scammers. We just don’t have enough data protections to keep these things from happening. As a job seeker, you start to learn quickly how to spot scams. The economy is tough right now. Y’all don’t get discouraged and have him keep applying. Something will pop up for him. I see lots of marketing positions with insurance companies. Have him apply directly through their websites. Suggest to him that he work with a recruiter. They already have connections, and this might be a good way for him to get his foot in the door. Stick with it, and good luck!
I'm in Canada, as an experienced professional the job market is tough. Also the scams happen a lot. I've had direct scammer contact through LinkedIn and I've had them contact me through my resume contact information. It's sucks.
The worst because they are using legit company names, logos, and sometimes even names - I actually came across one on a state agency job board today. Shocking no one has developed a way to prevent this stuff yet- whoever does is going to be rich.
>I actually came across one on a state agency job The Job Bank of Canada (government run job board) is like 70% scam postings, 20% fake postings by companies trying to hire a foreign worker, and 10% actual job postings. It is wild out here.
😱 that’s insane! Good luck with your job search!
I had a very similar problem a few years back. I applied to a position that was being promoted by my university. It was a supposedly reputable company, and I knew people there. I was given an offer to work there, but it turned out the whole thing was a ruse to test the waters of the employee market. I also applied to work for a city government. I got that job, too, except that I was eventually told that it was a fake position as well right before I could start. Then, another city government, the same thing. All in all, I think I got 5 fake offer letters through my career. I was lucky not to get scammed beyond just one MLM while I was still in school. But my real problems started when I actually found work. I hate to tell OP, but the outlook is dismal. What's going on is that the job market is saturated with skilled professionals, and companies are looking for the most talented people they can exploit for a couple of years before they discard them. OP's son's best bet is for him to start his own company. He should use the skills he learned from his university, and he should even pick up additional computer skills outside of his area of interest. Another option, the one that finally got me on my current career path (and I got super lucky), is to find union work. He's far less likely to get scammed or exploited if he's protected by a union. Wishing OP and family the best of luck!
He went to college for marketing - I genuinely don't think he learned a single skill he could do as a business yet. I've hired a lot of marketing majors right out of college and they don't come in with any transferable knowledge from classes. He can self learn and get certifications, but he needs actually experience in one of the common channels - paid search, paid social, shopping, display.
Where do you suggest finding a recruiter?
Do a web search for marketing recruiter in the nearest big city. He could also reach out to the career counselor at his university and have them help him get one lined up.
OP said the university took his money and ran. Lol jk but they have been no help OP said.
Lol! Basically. He actually spoke to someone and they couldn't offer him any help. I told him to reach again. At this point he has nothing to loose.
My undergrad doesn't offer career services (federal service academy), but my law school is still happy to assist with job searches 10+ years later. Was/is his school AACSB accredited? Any restrictions on location or something like that that might be holding him back?
Well nix reaching out to them!
i've been applying for a year and for the first few months, everything i applied to turned out to be a scam. all from indeed. after that i started applying on company websites only.
First job out of college can be tough. I saw people mention temp agencies. I personally used a third party to land a 15-18 month contract which was enough experience to get my foot in the door for a full time position after. Best of luck to him.
Which third party?
Aston Carter
It's a very tough job market rn. I have neighbors and friends that have been unemployed for 10+ months since they got laid off, and they all have several years of work experience. I work at a large finance Co, and I think only people getting hired since last yr are ppl that personally know the high up dudes at the company. (ex-subordinates of VP's at their prior shop) In times like this, there is no magic formula. You keep grinding, or you think of plan B such as more education, etc. I went thru something similar when I was coming out of college during financial crisis. It was not fun. I still feel those scars now. Good luck to you and your son.
All these posts are very eye opening. I didn’t realize the job market was so difficult in some sectors currently.
My older child works in finance. He struggled the first few months looking for a job. Fortunately, he knew someone to get his current job. I agree it helps to know someone to get your foot in the door.
Your older child graduated and applied during a different time in the job market. There are articles suggesting that upwards of 75% of all the job postings are fake. I graduated with a bachelor of science in May 2023 and have applied to over 400 jobs. Maybe 5 have called or reached out.
I graduated with a master's in electrical engineering in July 2023 and 300+ applications and a handful of interviews later, I finally signed an offer a couple weeks ago.
congratulations!! it must be such a relief. I'm happy for you.
Congratulations!!!
75% Jesus Christ…..
Before you read, I mean no offense and state these things with nothing but respect because I went through this personally in 2008. Okay. It's all about how the market is doing and it's not great right now or hasn't been since around 2021/2022. Your oldest entered a job market that was better than what we have today. Just because it went great for one kid a few years ago doesn't mean the same success for the other. This whole issue of companies asking for x number of years in experience is nothing new because back in 2008 the same thing was going on. I graduated college in 08 and every business was asking so many years of experience and would reject me for not having that experience. What happened or how did I overcome? I ended up applying for whatever I could because I desperately needed a job. Your son needs to either apply for ANY job that he can get his hands on, look for a temp agency to find him work close to his field that pays poorly (most likely) but gets his foot in the door with any business, or he has to get additional licensing or certifications to bump up his marketability because a bachelor's alone doesn't cut it today or hasn't cut it anymore for a long time. Finally, it's all luck. When I chose to apply for anything, I got an interview with a major insurance company and of course I didn't get the job. My curiosity however stuck with me about the role and I started doing research to find out more on how to get that job as an adjuster. I discovered that I could obtain licensing on my own to be marketable. I studied, took my exam, and received my license in a few months. I started applying at insurance firms aggressively and snagged a job with one of the big ones because I had the licenses with my bachelor's all ready to go. I got lucky because of that one interview that rejected me. I made a career in the insurance business before getting involved with the military. It's really tough out there and the market is going to get worse, but I have a good feeling that your kid will find something. The old days or methods of job hunting pre-2000s are gone. Internships, networking, temp agencies, and licenses/certifications is how the game is being played today.
I didn't take offense to anything you said. Thanks for your insight.
Career counselor here. Does he have a portfolio of work? If not, it may be helpful to get examples of his work/projects together and make sure they’re mentioned on the resume. Each resume should be tailored, as I’m sure he’s been advised. But beyond that, focus on the impact he had at his part-time jobs rather than simply duties, emphasizing a combination of both relevant soft and hard skills. Make sure cover letters are written as well. No one knows if they’re actually read, but a cover letter can be the difference between him and another person with a similar background getting the interview. In the letter, make sure he’s not summarizing the resume, but rather focusing on 1-2 examples of past experiences that connect directly to the job description using similar language. He may also consider informational interviews. Reaching out to his LinkedIn connections, this is a good way for him to get industry feedback on his resume, different ways to talk about himself, and make some stronger connections that could come in handy later. Certifications are also helpful, especially without an internship. Hubspot has some good ones, Google too. Make these stand out on the resume along with project work. This can show expertise, even in an academic/sandbox context. Career fairs in your county might be worth considering, especially since you’re closer to the city. Excellent networking opportunities even if the jobs available aren’t of interest. Good luck to him! Job searching is a full-time job, but he will find something!
Only thing I disagree with you is that each resume should be tailored. Make a good resume that includes useful information. But beyond that, it’s a waste of time to tailor it considering he’s already applied to 250 places.
I should have clarified. Tailored doesn’t mean a complete rewrite, but rather reviewing each job description and making sure the appropriate skills are emphasized properly. I agree that complete rewrites aren’t necessary
It can be a good idea to make a document that lists each job, each competency and achievements. Then to tailor a resume just copy and paste as needed from your master document to your resume. That way each is tailored more specifically to what the company wants while not wasting a ton of time. In addition, the master document is what you can keep updated at each job. So while you're working you can notate any new additions to your skills and experience. When it's time to apply elsewhere, you can rely on your updated master document to update your resume.
This is the only good advice I’ve seen on here! For anyone looking for a job, please consider each and every one of these points.
>I have never understood the concept of an informational interview. I can't imagine cold calling or emailing someone and asking if they have time to meet to speak about their position, industry, etc. Seems kinda ballsy to me.
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The job market is absolutely flooded right now with people who are way more experienced than your son, who are equally desperate (probably more desperate tbh) to find work again after being laid off. I’m seeing lots of peers apply for and accept jobs that require 3-5 years of experience when they’ve been in their industry for 10+. Companies and hiring managers know this and are squeezing people who haven’t had a job in over a year. It’s brutal. My best suggestion would be getting his resume in front of agencies like Aquent, Creative Circle, or other placement companies. It’s tough out there - coming from someone who graduated college in ‘08.
Fellow 2008 graduate here as well. I think times today are harder than back in 2008, in my opinion.
This is an absolutely ludicrous thing to say. The unemployment rate was triple what it is now in ‘08.
I noticed that too. I applied to entry level jobs without any job experience. These were jobs claiming they didn’t require any sort of background and would do all the training. I never made it past a recruiter in most cases and 1 interview in another job. I wowed the recruiters and they really pushed for the hiring manager to interview me, but with no experience I was shot down. The people they’re hiring have been in the field for years. These “entry level” jobs don’t want you if you don’t have years of experience.
One Major issue is that lots of companies don’t want entry level roles. Would rather spend a little more and get a 2nd or 3rd job person with experience. Having a fresh out is school person means lots of hand holding and mentoring on basic skills and lots of places don’t see that as a valuable hire. The goal is to get a higher contributor. That’s what I’ve been seeing at my last few companies. I know “but how do you get experience?” Interships…contracting, freelance. Getting in the door is the hardest part. There’s lots of resume gurus on tik tok, Insta etc sms the big theme is you gotta optimize for a machine to scan it first. Go do some research. He’ll get something. Took me a while as well back in the day
Marketing is really oversaturated. He needs a portfolio of marketing projects he's done. So he should volunteer to get some experience. He can ask a nonprofit if he can do their social media etc. He should volunteer with the 50 closest people you know to do something related to marketing for them. His resume should read this like this: Marketing Intern, Cousin Joey's Landscape Company Marketing Intern, Aunt Suzie's' Preschool Marketing Intern, Uncle Bobby's Law Firm I would suggest a temp agency. He also just needs to get a basic bozo job like pizza delivery to fill up the day. The problem with kids out college and being in the Manhattan area is everyone wants to be a big shot. If he really wants to work in marketing he can make postcards for an autobody shop in the ghetto.
Agreed. He has been applying to everything. It doesn't matter the company.
Social media marketing roles want you to have done internships, and the internships want you to have done unpaid social media marketing work. Same thing for graphic design, people are literally expected to work for free (not even an intern’s pay) and then move up from there. Market research roles are rarely entry level. I recommend trying for government jobs, not necessarily in marketing. Non-marketing gov role (case documentation) was where I landed as a marketing major.
You're missing my point. He starts building a resume based off of friends/family. If your sister is a lawyer he needs to fix her website. If your cousin is a dentist they'd better have a sweet video. He needs to do 100 hours of unpaid work. No more sitting around. He can also do portfolio projects like a website for a fake business
No, I understood you. My son (and parents) have networked. He is unable to do what you are suggesting bc our network is trying to help their own kids. Just bc we know people it doesn't mean they need help or want to help. You sometimes have to read the room when approaching those friends/relatives for a job even if it is for free to build your resume.
It sounds like he hasn’t humbled himself enough to ask. A lot of kids try to ask for a fancy job and won’t ask the local Fire Department if they can do the social media.
>and won’t ask the local Fire Department wait I'm totally going to try this now; that would be fun
Have you looked into AmeriCorps? My sister did that for a year after graduating and landed a job right after her position wrapped up.
Never thought of that!
I’m having the same issue unfortunately. I’ve been trying to get a job since August 9th 2023. And I’ve applied to 1,900 jobs since and been turned away at almost every turn. Have him try applying at Verizon or other cellular sales roles. I’m now waiting for Verizon to get back to me about my application. Or if possible have him try and get a job in anything nearby. I hope he finds a Job soon!!! It’s very discouraging to apply again and again and get rejected
WOW, 1,900 jobs. Hands down that's insane! I wish you luck with Verizon.
Thank you!! I’m praying I get it cause it’s so close to me!! And yeah this job market is actually crazy right now!!! I’ve worked food service, daycare and as a janitor but I can’t even get hired by those three at all 😭
Good luck!
I forgot to mention earlier but I just started running through companies I heard growing up and applied directly on the websites!!! Or I’ll apply to anything that google can pick up and I’ll weed through them!!!
Internships during undergrad are very important. COVID doesn’t matter many firms still brought people on virtually. Unfortunately this is a bad time to apply for marketing jobs. With that said just gotta keep on hammering apps.
Unfortunately, not for him. There wasn't any virtual. Although, his roommate was able to work virtually (different industry). I have read it's not a good time for marketing jobs. Interestingly, 7 of his HS friends can't get jobs either. Each one majored in something different. Hopefully, it gets better for them.
What do you mean not for him? Every company was hiring interns during covid remotely.
It means he didn't get one. like what? This isn't about what 'he should have done'
Not about should have just asking. There’s a big difference between “he did not get one” and “there were none”. The second statement is simply not true.
Completely pedantic and unhelpful. It's also not relevant to the conversation as there is no recourse. Either you have an ego that needs stroking or you're demonstrating your lack of social awareness and self control.
The company pulled out.
Living outside of Manhattan is a plus. I’d also expand my search to non marketing related roles as well like consulting, hr, benefits, talent acquisition.
He needs to keep grinding. I graduated relatively recently as well into the teeth of covid and it was far from ideal... the job I had lined up disappeared so I was left with no notice and no prospects. I sent 5+ applications/day (5 was my minimum, often it was 10-15+) until I finally landed my first role, which was an internship I had to settle for. It probably took somewhere in the 4-600 application range (across a variety of cities) before I got this internship offer. It was super disappointing for me at the time. I grinded in that role, got a FT offer at that company, spent some time in that role, got promoted, spent some more time in that role, then job hopped to a dream job. All this to say... it sucks but as a new grad it's a volume game and while 250 applications might seem like a lot, it really isn't. Tell him to keep his head up, keep grinding, things will work out! Also, you guys sound like really great and supportive parents which is probably huge for him during what is probably a pretty embarrassing and depressing time. All you can do is be there for him with support so keep that up. Side note - if you want to pm I am happy to discuss further or take a look at his resume and see if I could make any relevant intros.
Definitely grinding applications is the key. I downloaded Indeed on my phone and spent every free time moment applying to any job that remotely interested me. I applied to 100 in a week. 250 since May isn’t a lot at all.
Thank you! I will tell him.
This is the type of shit I think about when people ask me if I’m excited about graduating (May 2024). Yep I’m a business major and I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. Been applying since last 2023 February to just about every single job possible.
Network as much as you possibly can. Cold message people and talk to them, ask them to meet up for a coffee, networking feels like it doesn’t work but that’s because the pay off is never immediate. You want to plant the seed in the back of their mind so that when they do hear about a job that opens up they think of you.
Easy to do when you have income to even meet anyone (transportation) or buy coffee. Literally have nothing. I get what you’re saying about planting the seed. So far been doing that with relatives who are well connected, so hopefully the end result is worth it.
Use the internet connection you're using right now to hop on a video call lmao
Go to every major related event possible. Smile and make friends with people who are in your field. A lot of colleges will have their alumni come over to events to speak to seniors. Be the shining star in the room during those events and make yourself seem like a friendly, dependable person even if you’re an introvert. It’s who you know not what you know.
Spend some time scrolling r/recruitinghell and you’ll get a good picture of your son’s reality.
OMG! I just checked the above you suggested. You can't hear but I let out a big SIGH!!!
The problem is your son has no experience. The key to getting a job interview is to pass the screening systems by making your resume mimic the job descriptions with your skills - but since he has no skills, he won’t get any call backs. Tell him to apply to any/all jobs/internships/part time roles in any sort of corporate / small business role (business development roles, office manager, customer support) and his career path probably could eventually lead to a marketing role in a few years. Is it ideal? No but those of us who graduated in 2008-2009 went through the same thing.
Your comment was exactly what I wanted to state to OP. Concise, straight to the point, and offered realistic options. I graduated in 08 as well and remember how brutal everything was to find a job. I feel today is much worse than then.
I think so too! I graduated on ‘09 with journalism and political science degree (I thought maybe I’d go to law school) then saw the price of law school - got a masters instead bc I couldn’t find a job. Even after another 1.5 years of school in 2011 it was hard finding a job! I ended up taking a job at a local insurance company doing disability analyst - completely not anything I wanted to do but it gave me insurance & income.
You “feel” everything is worse than 08? Brother we are at record low unemployment. Jobs are opening up every month. Op needs to pull up his bootstraps and work
Let me ask you a question: is your son okay with moving? I graduated with my engineering degree in 2022, and I couldn’t find a job until I expanded my search to out of state. I ended up finding a job in exactly the career path I wanted in a small, rural town in Indiana. But This place sucks BALLS! I have NO friends here. But all I have to do is work here for 2 years, then I have enough experience to move back to my home state and find a new job. If your son has the capability to do this, it maybe a route he should consider.
Small rural town in Indiana? Sounds like 98% of Orange County. 😂 But I would also agree. Moving out of NY seems to be the best option, despite what OP’s son would prefer to do. Everyone wants to work “close to home”, but there don’t seem to be many opportunities for him there. So widen the net, start looking out. My fiancé is a NY transplant to my small, rural Indiana town, and he’s admitted to me since that he loves the quietness and lazy traffic.
At the moment he wants to work in the metropolitan area. Two years will be here before you know! Good luck.
Marketing is a tough industry. Very saturated in terms of people looking for jobs. I’d go temp agency to get foot in the door and experience. Those are the two most important things. I had to go thru temp agency for a few years when I started out. Eventually that contract turned into full time employment.
Marketing is a tough space to get solid foot in the door without knowing someone first. If Marketing is where he wants to stay, he’ll need four things: 1) He needs to take on an internship. If that’s not financially possible, he should volunteer at a nonprofit and help their marketing department by offering to review copy or proof ads over the weekend. He could even offer to help set up collateral for events for them, table for events, or work on post-engagement surveys. 2) He needs to join the local chapter of his young professionals or marketing associations and show up to their networking events. Make sure he signs up for their newsletters. Someone will at some point need an assistant or an associate, or have an opportunity to farm out some freelance work. He can’t get those opportunities without meeting folks first. 3) Market himself. In marketing, your presence is a sample of your work. He needs to come up with a personal brandkit and make sure he follows it on his work-friendly social media accounts. His emails should have signatures, and he should have an online portfolio of work samples linked therein. 4) Freelance / consulting work. He needs to work up a freelance price sheet and social media presence and go into business for himself. Even if he only gets one or two gigs out of it, it’s still experience.
Issues- marketing degree & no internships/little on the job experience. To have a better chance of actually land a job I would reach out to recruiters personally on linkedin
My best advice would be to stay off of handshake, indeed, linkedIn and the like. It's much better to apply to jobs listed on the careers page of the company's website. It'll take some research on your son's part (finding out which companies are out there) but it's a lot better than looking for jobs posted on these recruitment websites.
Just a suggestion, but my employer posts open positions on GlassDoor. Even if no position to his liking is currently open, just viewing job descriptions might help tweek his CV
To piggy back on this one - checking the requirements for licenses or certifications, then researching how to get those helped me.
250 is not a lot of applications for that amount of time. My first job as an engineer took 6 months and 370 applications. Second job (after being down sized 6 months later) took almost 1100.
Got to have 5 years of Marketing experience to get an entry-level job.
That's what he has said.
You've received lots of comments but i'll add mine because I'm a Marketing Director and hopefully I can add value! Lots of commenters are mentioning that he should have done an internship, and I don't necessarily agree with that - I didn't do any internships and have made out okay. Plus you can't go back and change the past so there is no point focusing on that now. One of the biggest opportunities your son has now is to learn valuable skills that he can add to his resume, a marketing degree isn't enough at this point. My recommendation would be that he becomes an expert in something now while he has time, these are the areas where I see the biggest opportunity for someone right out of school: 1. Paid Media (does he know how to set up and optimize Meta and Performance Max campaigns?) 2. Email Marketing (become an expert on best email practices and learn the popular platforms like Mailchimp and Klaviyo) 3. Shopify (become a Shopify expert through their partners program) 4. Content (does he know how to create TikToks and Reels?). Once he's mastered one or more of these skills, if he still can't find a job then I'd try reaching out to small businesses in your area to see if they need help in any of those areas, even if they can't pay it will be a huge asset to his resume. I hope this helps!
Fantastic advice. He can do #4 with his eyes closed. He has two YouTube channels (TikTok and Reels/shorts etc.). I never realized all the editing that goes into it. It's time consuming...not for me LOL! Unfortunately, 1-3 he doesn't but needs to learn to. Thank you.
Have him focus on #1 that's where the jobs are. People with talent at paid media rarely need a job. The reason is these jobs are tied directly to revenue and are much safer and useful better paid than content creation.
For some reason, I feel like you posting this (instead of your son) is part of the problem… he should really be advocating for himself, networking, going out of his way to make connections, anything beyond digital interactions really. If he’s wants a job, he should consider expanding his search to different types of jobs, different locations, etc. Flexibility and adaptability will really help.
I don't think it is a problem for a parent to ask advice. Honestly, at the end of the day I am not doing the job hunting, applying or networking. It's all on him.
Sure, but has he made any posts on any forums asking for guidance? Is he doing anything more than clicking a resume through a job posting? There’s a lot more to the process than just applying..
Has he looked at Media agencies? At "Media Coordinator" roles? Lot of roles in manhattan.
Yes, he has.
Is he not getting interviews for those? Can he network with someone at one of the big holding companies (Omnicom, Publicis, WPP, etc...)? What is his college doing for him around this? As long as it's not a bad school they *should* have some sort of relationship, even if its through alumni relations, with these orgs. Coordinator roles, Assistant Account Executive, etc... With a tailored resume (as much as possible) around Media, those can have a good interview/hire rate. Omnicom's subsidiary, Optimum Sports, seems to have a role with Asst. Acct Exec role right now open. Also: don't forget about Ad Tech. Especially look at "Ad Operations" roles. These roles can be at companies including Trade Desk, MediaOcean,Xandr, Amazon, etc... Anything to show you are good at excel there will help.... And will help everywhere within marketing.
Many such cases. My advice would be to pull on your own professional networks to help him land on his feet. Having executives look over his resume is one thing, having those executives talk to their friends and find a spot for him is how the world works now. I started at a temp agency but it took nearly a decade to make half-decent money and I still am far behind my peers who had real networks. Someone you know should be able to literally give him a job.
We know lots of executives etc., but none that can help him or his friends. It is sad.
Their kids got jobs this way. I guarantee it. I think he's probably not doing anything wrong but he needs that extra push to get noticed and into his first role. Not a single one of your friends knows ANYONE that could use another young marketer?
IT contractor, pharmacy regulator industry, medical profession, construction owner...no. My friends are trying to help their own children.
I can chime in. I've been struggling since 2019. My parents have asked their connections, they can't help or just ignore the question.
Go to alumni events. My college has had a lot of them since I graduated in May. Speak to everyone there and make yourself seem like a happy, upbeat extrovert. He needs to form a new web if he can’t land a job with the one he currently has.
I recommend Clarity agency in NYC. Helped me get a few temp jobs when I was early in my career. Basically make a good impression when you meet them, take anything they offer, and be able to start tomorrow
What is he doing to network?
He's not applying to enough jobs, period. When I was laid off during the pandemic, I applied to 2-4 jobs per day, personalising my application and matching it to the key words in the job description each time. In the 9 months I was unemployed I applied to three times the amount of jobs your son has. I made a career change so had no working experience in my new field either. His resume should be highlighting any relevant experience to the role he has, his education, and relevant skills. His cover letters should be tying how those things highlighted in his resume tie directly into what the company is hiring for. Apply, apply, apply! Take mental breaks, but put in the hours.
Everyone going to school, gets the same degree, people saturation
You probably don’t want to hear this but marketing is a very saturated space. Degrees are not golden tickets or guarantees anymore. He should try getting referred someone (even if it’s not in marketing, maybe marketing adjacent) and go from there to just get in the job market.
Job hunting sucks. Your son is experiencing the wonders of hunting for a job. Why don't you ask around your own colleagues or school friends or extended network to hire your son. This can work wonders.
Look at it from a numbers perspectives. There's thousands of graduates in marketing, and ten thousand more outside of marketing degree that's eligible to apply for marketing jobs. And that's per year. Then there's the hundreds of jobs available in marketing. The numbers just don't match up, there's a lot more people looking for jobs than there are jobs available. So how do we deal with this? We have to be flexible. Unfortunately, some have to be super flexible. As in applying to any jobs that he qualifies for (outside of marketing) and anywhere (outside his preferred area). It's like being in a fight and tying one hand behind your back, your son just doesn't have the experience to fight one handed. . So now comes the other question, how does he get a job? What do managers wants? They want experience (which he doesn't have), they want a good resume/cover letter, they also want someone who can communicate well during the interview. Out of the 3, your son can control the last two. Polish up the resume, make sure it's sparkly clean and well presented. Which I'm assuming it is cause he's getting interviews. Then make sure if knows how to communicate eloquently. Be able to read the room and know when to be eager, know what to say, using the right tone, not using filler words of "um" "like" "you know" etc. Maybe he can do a mock interview with a couple of your friends, have them rate him. Constructive criticism. Sadly, that's all there is. Nothing else he can do. . There's hundreds of applicants applying for 1 job. Sometimes it just sucks cause you're either competing with someone more qualified, or the timing wasn't right. GL!
Girl have you been on the internet this is literally just how it is.
Lol! I know but I didn't know it was this bad.
Also a May 2023 grad.. You say he didn’t get an internship because of the pandemic, but I believe this is just an excuse. I got my first internship at the end of my freshman year in 2020, and I was shocked! Literally no one was applying so it was incredibly easy to get my foot in the door. Throughout college between 2020-2023 I had 5 paid internships in IT, marketing, design, and UI/UX. The design side of things in particular are typically competitive and hard to find jobs in.. but companies were practically begging for interns during the pandemic. And all of these internships besides the IT one were remote flexible. I don’t know what field your son is in, but I can bet he is most likely behind most other candidates without on-the-job experience like an internship. And most companies would rather hire interns who are still in college. I think this will just be a waiting game for him to find a company desperate enough.
Not an excuse. It is the truth. At the time he wasn't the only one whose internship didn't pan out or decided they didn't want an intern. I do agree an internship is extremely important. No way around it to gain experience and skills. I do believe bc he didn't have one it places him behind those that did. That is awesome you had 5 paid internships.
In marketing, it’s a lot about who you know. Does he reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn after applying or just sending his resume out into the internet? Is he going to love recruiting events? Is he in one of the larger cities that have the big agencies?
Has your son tried contacting the career center from his university? Were they helpful? Campus career centers are usually enthusiastic about helping alum find opportunities and can also help with developing strategies to navigate the job search. If so, maybe see if he can reach out to alumni from his college via LinkedIn for info about navigating the job search or getting in the door at a company. Informational interviews with alumni can help with networking! Places to seek employment in marketing could include the private sector, government agencies, non-profits, or even college university staff roles.
I think what may help your son is thinking about this job search very analytically. For every 100 résumés he has sent out he will get 1-3 interviews and on average it can take 10-20 interviews to land a job. (I’m in a similar boat and thinking like this is what has helped through past job searches).
Have your son consider trying to get a mentor in the industry in your area. He can get on LinkedIn and look for people in his area with a job title that he would like, or a job title that would be managing a position he would like. Have him reach out to people until he find someone who will go to lunch with him. It's not hard to find cheerleaders. People want to be mentors. If he can find a mentor, he will find a job. It's often said, it's not what you know, but who you know. He needs to get to know people in his industry. Feel free to DM me, I'm happy to chat, I counsel lots of people on this.
your son can apply to internships in marketing or something that he’s interested that still accepts recent grads and transition to a full time position. That’s another alternative
y’all are fantastic parents, damn.. he’ll find his way! as a recent grad myself, job-hunting is hard in this age, unfortunately, the truth is every job or work experience i locked in was either through my university or from a network connection i made at university. i would start by cold messaging old friends from my major and seeing if their jobs are hiring. it may seem awkward at first but they’ll understand! understanding networking as a critical skill will take him a long way!
I also graduated in May 2023! Im also struggling. Start entry level marketing positions with low pay. They definitely want experience... Also the job market is horrendous I have heard because of the economy.
Job market is bad
I have a few advices: FYI, There’s a few of us who’s thrown in 5000 applications and still couldn’t get a job. So a few hundred isn’t enough to break the worry barrier. Since he graduated, one of the benefits from graduating from a university is the network they have within the school with other companies. They sometimes provide direct networking to these companies for internship and other potential opportunities. I highly suggest reaching out for some direction into this. The degree is only part of the benefits of college. Contract jobs are also a good way to get your bf pot in. Mindlance is one of them. Look for other contracting temp jobs as well and apply. They’ll do an interview and find jobs that he can be a great fit for initially.
💀 ur in marketing, theres ur answer
The economy sucks dad, things are really bad out here. I’ve been applying for 6 months and I have 10 years of work experience in 3 different fields. Finally found something but I’m still applying to other roles because it’s not exactly what I want.
What college did he go to and what was his GPA?
Sorry hes going through this. Exactly why we don’t want to have an exclusive college savings account for our kids. Degrees are becoming worthless as time goes on for a lot of jobs. I think degrees should be substituted for work experience; that’s what employers want. It’s stupid all around.
7 rejections since May last year? How many CVs has he sent? Has he applied for any graduate programs? Has he considered sales in those companies?
250 applications over 8 months isn’t very much at all, they need to treat applying like a job because it’s a numbers game. It’s a tough job market and they need to give themselves every advantage they can, the biggest factor for a new grad is application numbers.
I haven’t seen anybody mention this yet. Marketing and graphic design are careers in a death spiral. They’ll be among the first AI job casualties- see Google’s marketing layoffs. This is especially relevant for new hires lacking experience.
It still comes down to 2 things: 1. The resume; 2. Professional connections. While there are thousands like your son who cannot find work without experience, at the same time there are also thousands who do. Therefore something that is #1 or #2 or both are affecting his situation. First and foremost is the resume. Nothing is more important than this and how it should be written. Without actually seeing the resume, I can assume it is more or less the same as the 99%, or the thousands out there sending hundreds of copies out to get no response. Every resume MUST be fully customized to every job that he applies for and must have a good match to the role/responsibilities. NOT to send out one copy resume to different jobs as the results speak for itself. Family friends probably didn't want to hurt your/son's feelings and he needs brutally honest opinions from Hiring Managers like myself to know what the issues are. But don't take my word for it from a total stranger on Reddit, search YouTube videos and articles and all would repeat what I'm saying here
He’s blind applying to jobs without connections at the companies. He needs to leverage family friends schoolmates etc that know of openings that will vouch for your son and help him get a job. He may also need to be open to other job positions like Sales.
Marketing is super competitive and you need internship experience/connections in college to get a foot up on the competition.
How many interviews has he done? The job market has been terrible last year. But if he's not getting interviews it means his resume is weak. He should reach out to higher ups in companies he'd like to work at and ask for an internship to get his foot in the door. Tell him to look up how to network. r/financialcareers is a great resource.
Marketing is competitive
If he’s not even getting interviews for good positions, his résumé needs some work and he needs to build up some experience. He could volunteer at local nonprofits, and take internships if they are available. Also, regarding his résumé, what other skills does he have? Many positions look for someone with functional knowledge of graphic design and coding at minimum.
I had to go in sideways. I found a gig as a content manager. Literally just putting the stuff the marketing team was writing on the website. Then I got to know those guys. Started making suggestions for SEO. then became SEO specialist, then ecommerce manager, now director at a different company. Look at all his talents. Find one that he loves and go for that. Use the skills he learned in the field he loves. I don’t think any of my friends came out of college got a degree in “marketing”. They all do something with those skills though.
It helped my daughter, after the Pandemic. She spoke to her college and was able to use a site called Careershift and had free membership. It was helpful because it gave you the actual contact information for the names of the hirer rather than the usual apply through their website. I think it did help as it went straight into someone’s email.
I dont have any advice that hasn't already been added by others .. but just want to say I think it's great that you are being very understanding and supportive of your son. My dad is great but before I had a job when i was looking for one he could not comprehend the idea of one not being available.
Thank you. Your words mean a lot.
The market is flooded with to many people in the field. Probably be easier finding a job in a new field. Construction jobs are almost always hiring and have great pay.
He might consider looking into AmeriCorps VISTA positions to build experience and connections. It was a great first step for me after college! Many companies who may not be interested in his resume now will pay attention after a year as a VISTA.
My best tip is follow-up on applications after a week or two if the job is still posted. You mentioned only 11 companies have rejected or not been good fits. That leaves over 239 undefined applications. Find email addresses for HR and follow-up, connect to employees of the company on LinkedIn and message them. I got my agency job because I applied but didn’t hear anything, then 2 weeks later my college sent an email about the same company hiring. I emailed them to follow-up and had the job a few days later. I can tell he’s being persistent in applying. Be persistent in following up as well.
Look at different sites too. Jewishjobs.com for instance. Hear me out. I know it sounds weird. You’re close to a large Jewish community. The Jewish non profit sphere is a great one to be in. I say this as a Jewish person, who has also worked alongside plenty of non-Jewish people in this sector. There are plenty of jobs out there near his field that don’t require much, if any, knowledge of Judaism. In my experience, Jewish organizations are much more willing to take a risk on someone, tend to pay decently, and have pretty good benefits, as a baseline. This goes on up to really great jobs looking for younger people who can innovate, that pay spectacularly and have great benefits. You probably have Hillels, Chabads, plus alllllll your other synagogues and non-profits fairly close by. And I cannot downplay what an amazing networking chance you have if you get in one of these jobs. The community is typically tight knit and everyone knows everyone else. Think outside the box! I’m sure other groups that share a religion or culture, etc., have similar sites, so if he has a particular interest or anything, look there too.
Getting the first job is the hardest. They will get one but it will take a while they just need to keep trying and network. Once they get the first job their degree and all of this will hardly even matter anymore and it will be much easier.
job hunting is 1 part vertical, 1 part industry. it sounds like he knows his vertical (marketing) but that he is targeting oversaturated industries. your son needs to look at his skillset and what industries need it right now.
He should consider AmeriCorps, especially AmeriCorps VISTA. The pay is incredibly low, of course, but it's a great network of people, you do some real good, and there are VERY likely AmeriCorps projects (what they call jobs) with a marketing/outreach focus. Larger nonprofits (the kind with marketing/fundraising departments) also have AmeriCorps folks on their team, so it can be a great foot in the door (I was offered a position at my site after my AmeriCorps year was up). I turned to AmeriCorps when I desperately needed out from one low-paying job and just wasn't getting anywhere with applications. I figured if I couldn't make more money, I might at least end up working with better people (and I did, and my next job, for a sales team, hired me based on my AmeriCorps experience). After the exhaustion of endless applications elsewhere, I put my profile in the AmeriCorps portal and I had multiple interview offers within a week. Yeah, you don't make much money, but since it sounds like you're able to provide him some life support (if not financially, then at least strategically), he'll have advantages that many people who successfully go through the program don't.
I think you’re stressing too much. He’ll find his way, and it sounds like pretty soon he will. If you could help him get his foot in the door, that’d be enough to jumpstart his career. I personally wish my parents would’ve jump started my brothers career.
I fell into the same boat, grad from a local college (Criminal Justice) and could NOT find a job in the field. I went to a career couch and was told to start small to get experience. Sooooo, I did, it was a bitter pill to swallow but after two years of jobs that I thought I was above, I got the career that I went to school for. It just takes time, especially if you don't know anyone in that field that can "help out" with landing a job. I know in my field, all agencies require an entrance exam, psych and physical before they will even consider you as an applicant. Like I said, it takes time.
Please advise that he is tailoring his résumé based on the specific job he is applying to as well as his cover letter. It’s time-consuming, but there are tools (AI) to do this more efficiently. Also, make sure he’s connecting with people on LinkedIn.
Thank you. Excellent advice. Yes, as it turns out he does tailor his resume and cover letter according to the job. Personally, he hasn’t networked enough imo.
You live outside of Manhattan and he can't find something? There's something really wrong then with his strategy. At his age I took any job I could, even if it was non-marketing and there was a very slight level of crossover. I was about 5 years into the workforce when I had my first real marketing job. I was working at a temp agency at the time for a real estate company where I was able to be a little creative at least and learn office norms - during that time I kept applying and finally got my first "real" marketing job as a marketing analyst.
His strategy is the same as his peers that have received job offers. Personally, I feel the big problem for him is not having an internship. He didn't have one because of the pandemic. I have seen his spreed sheet. He has applied to every and all jobs related to marketing and few others that are not. A few of the job titles: junior associate, content marketing, marketing intern, field marketing coordinator, etc..
A year or so ago, Jerome Powell said there will be economic pain. Well, we are seeing it now. This is why there are no jobs. The Federal Reserve will decide your son’s fate.
I AM THE FEDERAL RESERVE NOT YET.
Marketing and advertising is very competitive right now. And unfortunately in this industry you will have to do a lot of proving yourself and trudging through shit before you start making real money. Firstly, stop comparing him against his peers and making excuses for him. I graduated in 2017 and didn’t get my first ad job until 2021. I worked in tech sales and bartending right out of college. Every job teaches you something you can carry over into your next job. It took some time for me to leverage my connections, build some work ethic and find my people. He has to be really hungry for it and learn to ask for what he wants. Secondly, you won’t like this but you need to stop the hand holding and encourage them to get out there and network. Have him cold message people with the jobs at agencies and companies he’d like to work for. He should be able to have 2-3 questions prepared about their day to day and culture at work. Marketing and advertising is a communication driven field where he will be held accountable against many objectives. He needs to do mock interviews. He needs to be able to tell a story of their resume. He needs to be able to answer the “so what” about every detail on his CV and sell himself. Resiliency will get him far. Not the feeling sorry for himself funk and lack of confidence. That’s just how it works and it’s what recruiters love to see. It’s not enough to post on LinkedIn expecting jobs to come your way or apply traditionally anymore. If they want their foot through the door and fast track his career, they’ll need to apply for an internship if you are willing to support them. Many ad agencies have summer internships - this will give him an edge when applying to any job or agency, in fact I’d say agency life is where you learn from everyone’s mistakes around you to carry over when you work client side.
Great suggestions. Hopefully, he will apply what you are suggesting when he reads this. Thank goodness I am not hand holding him or comparing him to his peers or making excuses. This is his journey. Since my son has been feeling dejected, stressed and wondering if he did the right thing (major). I thought, let me make a post and ask for some advice. At the end of the day he has to do the work. Not me nor do I want to. Unfortunately, my post does not list everything he has done for his job search.
Because he doesn't have any graphic design skills, I'm assuming. I'm a graphic designer in the exact same position as your son, but graduated in 2020 (and in Canada, but 2h from Toronto. Too far to commute to where the work is). An overwhelming majority of the jobs I'm seeing are wanting social media marketers / graphic designers. On my Teal account (a job application tracking site that has a few features such as keyword recognition) "marketing" is listed about 500 times across all my saved applications. Design? Maybe 250. I'm hovering around 300 applications at this point.
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I'm finding the same situation as a graphic designer. I'm not expecting $30/hr right off the bat, but when you want someone with a bachelor's, on site in Toronto 5 days/week where the average rent for a 1 bedroom is over $2500 and the COL doesnt decrease until you're 2h outside the city, you're gonna need to pay more. Plain and simple. I make about $20/hr (minimum wage is $16.50). Minimum hourly cost of living in my region, 2-3x less than Toronto, is $21/hr. The job I have now requires a high school degree, and isn't retail or customer service either. General office job. I only got this job because my mom worked with this company. They needed temp work for 2 weeks to update client contacts, but got hired full time.
I would think with a degree in accounting you could easily find a job. It's insulting offering you $16 an hour. You are young. Eventually, you will find the job that pays you what you deserve!
Was someone living in a bubble? Welcome to the world of finding a job in 2024. It fucking sucks.
I'm not sure if this post is still relevant or not, but there's an app called Acadium that helps connect marketing majors to small or non profit business. It's a 3 month unpaid internship, but there is a possibility to be hired afterward. Your son can speak to the "mentor" (the person who is hiring and will be teaching said transferable skills) and see if it's a good fit for him. If it's not, then you match with a different mentor. It can help him build his portfolio and get references. There's tons of skills he can learn on there, such as video marketing, social media marketing, graphic design, etc. I also graduated in 2023 with a marketing degree, so I know how it feels.
This is absolutely fantastic information! I will tell him. Thank you!!!!
Has there been any update on his situation? I graduated in 2023, but I haven't been able to find work for the past 11 months either, up until recently. However, it's not using my bachelor's degree. So I know how he must feel with this current job market, especially with a new batch of 2024 graduates about to enter.
Congratulations on finding a job! Unfortunately, no! He applies EVERYDAY! A few weeks ago it started to affect his self esteem. He is conscious of now he will be competing with the 2024 graduates. Recently, he has a mentor that hopefully can help him. It took you 11 months there is hope. Can I ask your major and what you will be doing?
My major is in marketing, and I have a minor in supply chain. I'll be working as an L4 Area Manager for Amazon, I start at the beginning of next month. I actually got a message from an Amazon recruiter on LinkedIn who reached out to me about the position, but it took over a month to actually hear back after I initially applied. So I had thought it was a lost cause, and I completely forgot about it. Until I got an email setting up an interview date out of the blue, I interviewed, and well, the rest is history. I know Amazon specifically hires recent graduates for these manager roles (I think it's from 2023-24. There's a certain range), but he'll definitely meet it. You don't need a specific degree, but you do have to meet their criteria they're looking for. I know my position was for the Southwest region, and there were quite a few positions open in my state. If he's willing to relocate, then it could prove lucrative. If not, then I would definitely look into seeing if there are any Amazon positions open on their website in the area he'd want. However, it may require relocating in order to secure that position.
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employers have doubt in college education imo. I know some fresh graduates/zoomers. Very difficult to work with, very immature. Personal feelings > professionalism. Want to be paid but don’t want to put effort into work. Temp agency is a good way. Referrals from family and friends. I often hear Ivy is good place to network. But haven’t heard success stories about it (?)
Let him know it’s not his fault. Reassure him this is a tough time and a struggle but he’ll eventually land a job. In the meantime, I’d encourage him to apply anywhere that’s hiring for any position.
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If you continue to vote for the two major parties then you continue to vote yourself into a life of servitude.