Graduating in a recession is an unlucky break. The unemployment rate for 20 to 24 year olds was 14.9% in September, swamping the nations 9.8% rate. The only group with a higher unemployment rate was 16 to 19 year olds at 25.9%.
Nearly six months ago we took a look at a few recent graduates who were juggling part-time jobs and struggling to pay the bills. But since then nearly all of them have seen their luck improve.
One, Andrew Friedson, managed to land a job soon after. Heres a look at the choices and sacrifices the others made to move up in the toughest labor market in at least 25 years.
The receptionist who discovered something more fashionable
Nicole Buckley made a risky move: she quit her full-time job as a receptionist and set out on Warped Tour to sell T-shirts and accessories with designer Jac Vanek.
Leaving her stuff behind in her Brooklyn apartment, Buckley made about $100 a day — up to $700 a week — with nearly all of her expenses paid to work as something of a business manager for Vanek.
It wasnt an easy trade-off. She had to give up a full-time job as a receptionist at a school in New York.
Do I leave this job I absolutely hate but am kind of committed to, Buckley wondered, Or do I leave for something I know Ill love and regret if I dont take it?
The offer was too good for Buckley to pass up: it combined her love of fashion and music with the opportunity to work with a long-time friend in the midst of launching her own business. When the tour ended and Buckley had the opportunity to move to L.A. and work for Vanek as a salaried employee (albeit with them still negotiating the salary), she decided to take it.
Im a lot happier now, Buckley said. I havent even attempted to look for another job.
The music aficionado turned corporate
Sarah Veilleux, Buckleys former roommate, stayed behind in their Brooklyn apartment, which she now share with just her twin sister and the new kitten she adopted, Phil Jackson.
My room is huge now, Veilleux said, adding that shes paying more of the rent but thats feasible now that shes accepted a full-time position with staffing firm Alliance Sourcing Network, Inc. as a junior financial recruiter.
It’s been tricky because I’ve had to learn pretty much a whole new language with all the recruiter/financial lingo, said Veilleux, who graduated last year with a communications degree. It’s completely what I did not go to school for, but it is a great career.
Before accepting the full-time position she was making about $2,000 a month (plus commissions from staffing placements) between working part-time for Alliance Sourcing and part-time for Sirius Satellite Radio.
Shes still negotiating a salary with Alliance Sourcing, but the company agreed to give her a raise — plus medical and dental benefits, which she didnt have previously.
I recently had to get a root canal done and my bills were out of control, Veilleux said.
It wasnt an easy decision to put her two-week notice in at Sirius on Friday, though. My heart is in music, Veilleux said. And she worked with a lot of friends at Sirius, both reasons that she loved the job.
But conquering a new line of work, along with a bigger paycheck, made her confident about the switch. Im happy — and that’s what matters, she said.
The temp who escaped to grad school
John Bence doesnt love spending his days in the classroom again — but now he knows its likely to pay off.
Bence started his master’s degree in history, specializing in archival management, at New York University in September. They gave him 100% tuition remission and a part-time job working in the university archives.
Bouncing around last year with no extra degree and no real work experience made me realize how valuable this will be and how serious I need to take it, Bence said.
He decided to take the leap back into academia after he was unable to find a full-time slot working in archives and was stuck bouncing from job to job through a temp agency. Bence said hell be more confident in his job prospects once he finishes his degree program.
Im definitely looking forward with some apprehension I guess to entering the market again, Bence said, especially after struggling with it earlier this year. That experience was really sobering.
The designer that finally gets paid to design
The time Brad Dechter spent scraping by on freelance design jobs and building contacts was worth it.
Now hes putting his graphic design degree from the Art Institute of Colorado to work as an in-house graphic designer for ATS Diesel Performance Inc., which designs and manufactures products for diesel trucks for uses such as towing, racing and off-roading. Hes making $31,000, plus full benefits and a 401(k) and stock options after hes worked there a year.
During my year of post graduation unemployment I made a ton of networking connections and one of them landed me this job, Dechter said. I am very relieved.
