Upcoming grad and so discouraged

I am due to graduate (and defend my PhD thesis) on March 20th. For the last few weeks I have been frantically applying for jobs. I have applied to 20+ jobs and haven't heard anything! I feel like I have spent the last 10 years in school for nothing.
I know the economy is crappy, but some of the companies I am applying to have 20-30 jobs listed on monster every day. Luckily my thesis advisor has said she will keep me on if need be till May, however I really have had enough of working for her for the last 6 years. I am not even sure I can collect unemployment, as I don't know if the stipend I receive is considered pay. My wedding is coming up I certainly can't afford to not be working. Sorry to vent but this *****, especially since I didn't expect to graduate in such a tough economy.

Re: Upcoming grad and so discouraged

what field are you in?

Re: Upcoming grad and so discouraged

Re: Upcoming grad and so discouraged

Can you ask your advisor to take a look at your CV and cover letter? Maybe there's a different way to highlight your accomplishments and experience that will really catch an employer's eye.

Also, does your advisor (or better yet, the chair of your department) have any contacts or connections you can network with?

Re: Upcoming grad and so discouraged

What type of work do you want to do? Are you looking for a professor position or are you looking to work in some sort of lab environment?

Pharmaceutical companies are mostly doing well these days, and I would imagine there would be some opportunities with them. Granted, those positions may not be local to you and may require re-locating... but there are several pharm. companies in the NY / NJ area. (Just tossing that out there as an idea. There are likely tons of different biomedical areas you could be concentrating in...)

Re: Upcoming grad and so discouraged

Thank you for the suggestions. I have shown my CV to my adviser, and met with a few people at my school to go over it. I have also had two of my girlfriends (who have their masters in the same field) help with my resume. They have all been great.
Ultimately I would like to go into industry (I have NO desire to teach) but stay doing hands on research-maybe even run a lab/manage a few people. I have been applying to loads of pharma companies (in LI, NYC, westchester and NJ). I am just getting frustrated that I have applied to 20+ positions at these places and haven't heard anything back. I can't even follow up with a phone call/email because a lot of these places make you apply on their website, i.e. it's all automated.
I know the way to "get in" is to know someone, and unfortunately my adviser doesn't know many people in industry (because she has been in academic her whole career). My two girlfriends who work in the field have also been trying to help out, but one lives in MA (and i don't want to move that far) and there aren't any openings where the other one currently works.
I have also been in touch with 2 scientific recruiting firms, but they don't have any positions for me right now.
I guess I just have to keep sending out my resume.

Re: Upcoming grad and so discouraged

Is CT too far? I know Boehringer and Pfizer are there -- there may be others, too.

Re: Upcoming grad and so discouraged

Re: Upcoming grad and so discouraged

Oh bummer. (Well, not for your FH. )

If it's any consolation, I was recently hanging out with 5 of my friends from grad school. 4/5 of them are currently unemployed. It's a pretty terrible market.

Good luck!

Message edited 2/24/2009 7:29:20 AM.

Re: Upcoming grad and so discouraged

Posted by bird382

Oh bummer. (Well, not for your FH. )

If it's any consolation, I was recently hanging out with 5 of my friends from grad school. 4/5 of them are currently unemployed. It's a pretty terrible market.

Good luck!