Graduated in August, immediately moved in with my family who moved after my junior year to New York state. Looking to move back. Anyone know where I should look? Careerbuilder/monster/indeed aren't bringing up anything other than part-time jobs for $8.50 an hour and MSU's career website isn't doing much for me. Got my BBA.
Jobs in Jackson
- Thread starter esplanade91
- Start date
Any idea what industry you want to work in? A BBA can cover a broad range of careers.
Decide on what careers you find acceptable, and then contact companies offering those jobs directly. All companies have an "Employment" section on their website. Get their HR address and send them your resume 1st class. Wait a few days and then call them to follow up that they received it. There will be competition so you've got to make yourself standout. Be proactive!
In Jackson, some of the larger employers:
CSpire
Trustmark
Farm Bureau Insurance
State & Federal Govt Jobs
University Medical Center / Baptist / St. Dominic all have non-medical staff
Nissan
AT&T
Blue Cross Blue Shield of MS
Decide on what careers you find acceptable, and then contact companies offering those jobs directly. All companies have an "Employment" section on their website. Get their HR address and send them your resume 1st class. Wait a few days and then call them to follow up that they received it. There will be competition so you've got to make yourself standout. Be proactive!
In Jackson, some of the larger employers:
CSpire
Trustmark
Farm Bureau Insurance
State & Federal Govt Jobs
University Medical Center / Baptist / St. Dominic all have non-medical staff
Nissan
AT&T
Blue Cross Blue Shield of MS
Check the websites of these and other larger local employers. If they're hiring youre more likely to find the posting there as opposed to monster, etc.
Ive always heard that its easier to find a job when you have a job. So if you are looking to move back, don't be scared to settle for a job you don't want for a career, just for the short-term to pay the bills And get you where you want to be. (though I don't exactly mean working at McDonald's. Not that there's anything wrong with that.)
Also, I'd highly recommend trying to find a friend to crash with for a month or two, bc being here and actually job hunting (dont be a slacker) would probably be more productive than distance job hunting.
Ive always heard that its easier to find a job when you have a job. So if you are looking to move back, don't be scared to settle for a job you don't want for a career, just for the short-term to pay the bills And get you where you want to be. (though I don't exactly mean working at McDonald's. Not that there's anything wrong with that.)
Also, I'd highly recommend trying to find a friend to crash with for a month or two, bc being here and actually job hunting (dont be a slacker) would probably be more productive than distance job hunting.
Have you been on Craiglist?
There are lots of jobs posted that are located in the tricounty area that would be applicable with a degree like yours.
http://jackson.craigslist.org/ofc/
There are lots of jobs posted that are located in the tricounty area that would be applicable with a degree like yours.
http://jackson.craigslist.org/ofc/
Consider banking. You can take a lower level position in banking and if you're willing to work you can find plenty of room to grow. There are a bunch of banks in the area. Also, as someone who is a lot older, I'd say don't be afraid of a commission based sales position with the right company. If you can build a strong base of business from an early age, you can do quite well. Of course it doesn't need to be with some crap company.
In closing:
In closing:
A. LinkedIN and be specific with job descriptions you've had (if any). Also be specific with school projects and relate it to the work force.
2. Update your resume. Use the internet to search for job descriptions and make your resume match those descriptions. I don't mean lie but use key words and phrases from found job descriptions.
3. Don't be afraid to take the wrong job in the right career. Experience is a bit overrated in my opinion, but as an employer and as a person who previously sought employment, experience is what gets you in the door.
D. Practice interviewing. Give work, school or life examples and how they apply to the job in which you are interviewing. Do your research. If you get an interview and do very well at the interview, you can overcome many things. Lack of experience, knowledge, schooling, etc.
2. Update your resume. Use the internet to search for job descriptions and make your resume match those descriptions. I don't mean lie but use key words and phrases from found job descriptions.
3. Don't be afraid to take the wrong job in the right career. Experience is a bit overrated in my opinion, but as an employer and as a person who previously sought employment, experience is what gets you in the door.
D. Practice interviewing. Give work, school or life examples and how they apply to the job in which you are interviewing. Do your research. If you get an interview and do very well at the interview, you can overcome many things. Lack of experience, knowledge, schooling, etc.
no offense to you directly but why in the world, with a completely clean slate like you have, would you want to move to Jackson? Go and try some different places for five years and find out what you really like. IMO a lot of Jackson people only love Jackson because they don't know any better.
Also
if you are in the unfortunate position of coming out of undergrad with a low GPA in a down economy (employers can be really picky with GPA in times like this), seriously consider grad school and knock it out of the park when you get there. Two years can make a huge difference in the job outlook and you making stellar grades in grad school can prove to a prospective employer that you are capable of learning, overshadowing a lackluster undergrad performance.
if you are in the unfortunate position of coming out of undergrad with a low GPA in a down economy (employers can be really picky with GPA in times like this), seriously consider grad school and knock it out of the park when you get there. Two years can make a huge difference in the job outlook and you making stellar grades in grad school can prove to a prospective employer that you are capable of learning, overshadowing a lackluster undergrad performance.
I was thinking this as well...
Don't try to force yourself in a particular area. There's a part of me who would love to work and live in the northeast-- as well as a part that would love to work and live in other places.
I'm a bit jealous of you because you have all these opportunities. You don't have to live in the northeast and you don't have to work and live in Jackson either. Just be open to possibilities.
Don't try to force yourself in a particular area. There's a part of me who would love to work and live in the northeast-- as well as a part that would love to work and live in other places.
I'm a bit jealous of you because you have all these opportunities. You don't have to live in the northeast and you don't have to work and live in Jackson either. Just be open to possibilities.
Listen to these fellas.
Doesn't sound like you have family to take care of in Jackson, and if you are still single, go someplace you've never been before for a few years. Want to try banking? Charlotte NC is a beautiful place, or Texas. I got my undegrad from MSState, got married and moved to Santa Cruz California within the space of a month. It was a culture shock, but I wouldn't give up those 5 years in granola land for anything. Take your shot man, you are only this age, and this free, once in your life.
Doesn't sound like you have family to take care of in Jackson, and if you are still single, go someplace you've never been before for a few years. Want to try banking? Charlotte NC is a beautiful place, or Texas. I got my undegrad from MSState, got married and moved to Santa Cruz California within the space of a month. It was a culture shock, but I wouldn't give up those 5 years in granola land for anything. Take your shot man, you are only this age, and this free, once in your life.
Go west young man! I spent my working life in MS, love MS, and come back to see family, friends, and an occasional MSU game. We chose to retire in Colorado and I only wish I had spent more time in the west. Weather, outdoor activities, quality of life, and many, many other things are far superior to Jackson.
If you want to stay in the south, middle to east TN. Or Little Rock to NW Arkansas. So many variable, depends on what you want from life. If you don't care to be in the south, go west as someone else suggested.
I can recommend one place NOT to go........Memphis. Assuming you have plans to have a family one day.
I can recommend one place NOT to go........Memphis. Assuming you have plans to have a family one day.
I'd look at the Asheville, NC area and areas like it around the country before I settled on Jackson, not that there is anything wrong with Jackson of course. What I mean by "areas like it" is that they are growing by leaps and bounds. Being in an area that is growing will give you a lot more opportunities over time with a BBA. Plus "areas like it" are those that have a lot to do but they aren't massive places like Austin or Dallas. I have a buddy who 4 years ago sold all his stuff and moved to Asheville to start over and boy was that the right move for him. He is in commercial real estate.
So the thing about New York, it's competitive. I don't want to live here but I'm having a hard time getting employers from Nashville, Charlotte, Boulder, and really anywhere cool to call me back because I have a long distance address. My reasoning behind Jackson is I have an MSU degree obtained in the last month so the New York address isn't as big of a relocation factor. Normally I'd never consider Jackson but I figure I can work there for a year or two and leverage that work experience for another job somewhere else (hard getting a job anywhere without 1 year work experience). The cost of living is so low (compared to here at least) I can travel on the weekends or what have you. I could live anywhere if I had company and all my friends are currently in Jackson. I could make it work.
I'm flirting with the idea of grad school but I wanted to take a year or so off. Not the biggest deal in the world but everyone I've talked to has said it's frowned upon for someone to get their masters without having any work experience inbetween degrees. A lot of schools won't even admit without it.
I'm flirting with the idea of grad school but I wanted to take a year or so off. Not the biggest deal in the world but everyone I've talked to has said it's frowned upon for someone to get their masters without having any work experience inbetween degrees. A lot of schools won't even admit without it.
I read somewhere that Asheville has more college graduates working for minimum wage per capita than any other city. Trust me... I've applied for 20 odd jobs there. Not a nibble. I wish though. Blue Ridge would be the tits.
If your friends or in Jackson, you need to be hitting them up to put you in contact with people. Even with a MSU degree and looking in Jackson, trying to get somebody to hire you without any personal connection raises the degree of difficulty considerably. Too many good people looking for jobs to take a risk on somebody they know nothing about other than having a resume and a 30 minute interview. Even if you're resume is outstanding, they are likely going to be wary if there is not somebody recommending you personally. And it's not like you have to know the hirer's brother in law or anything. If even a casual acquaintance of the person making the hiring decision will vouch that you're somebody people get along with and seem to be generally on top of things such that you'll show up on time and be professional, it will go a long way.
Another thing nobody has mentioned, clean up and/or lockdown your Facebook page. The HR reps at all these companies are going to look at them. You don't want anything profane or offensive out there.
I don't want to turn this into an argument about Memphis, but if you're willing to relocate to Jackson, you might as well consider Memphis too, particularly if you're just looking for some experience and a geographic location where your MSU degree might open some doors.
I know a lot of people don't like Memphis, but as someone who's currently raising a family here, I think it's worth considering. And, for what it's worth, I've lived a number of different places, including the Jackson area and the northeast.
If you were planning to go BBA ---> MBA with no work experience, you would not get as much out of it and employers, correctly, understand that it isn't nearly as valuable as a guy with experience doing it. If, however, you have the ability (and desire) to get a master degree in a non-business field (say IT related), you can up your stock by proving yourself academically and gaining a more diverse skill set. If you could co-op while getting that masters, all the better. Certain people will also say don't get your graduate degree at the same place as your undergrad, but I don't put much merit in that because I did and it has worked out great.
That being said, and this might be the most depressing(or uplifting) part of the sermon: most of your success will depend on your ability, drive, initiative, work ethic, discipline, ability to get along with others and amount of personal responsibility you take. Sorry for the digression. Old guys have a hard time stepping AROUND soap boxes...
That being said, and this might be the most depressing(or uplifting) part of the sermon: most of your success will depend on your ability, drive, initiative, work ethic, discipline, ability to get along with others and amount of personal responsibility you take. Sorry for the digression. Old guys have a hard time stepping AROUND soap boxes...
Austin, TX
I would put Austin, TX up against any city for young professionals. Travel while you're young and single. Don't just settle for Jackson. And if you can't find any decent paying "career" type jobs then visit http://www.coolworks.com/ and do something awesome while you're still looking.
I would put Austin, TX up against any city for young professionals. Travel while you're young and single. Don't just settle for Jackson. And if you can't find any decent paying "career" type jobs then visit http://www.coolworks.com/ and do something awesome while you're still looking.
One southern chain expanding in CO right now is Moe's (the BBQ, not the Mexican). They have several employees right out of school - talked to a guy from MSU last week. Also, there is another chain, "The Lost Cajun", which is also making inroads. You might also want to check the website for DIA which is really expanding right now.
I live in the Raleigh, NC area. There are a bunch of jobs in the Research Triangle Area here. You might check some of those out, plus Duke, UNC, and NC State are all close by.
^^^This^^^
Good advice here. We always do a quick facebook page check. You really just need to make it private. Lots of things that are fairly common on a recent college person's facebook page would be a disqualifier in a toss up situation. I don't care that you used a beer bong in college (or after) and I don't care that there are pictures of you doing it, but if the pictures are on your facebook page and you don't have the common sense to make it private, I worry about that. Same thing for normal college party pics where the person is clearly hammered or where girls try to be slutty as possible without actually showing anything obscene. I don't want somebody not normal enough to have fun in college, but I want somebody that is already thinking about the fact that they need to be managing their professional image, and anything unprofessional that can easily be pulled up by a potential client/customer on facebook or with a quick google search is a red flag.
Good advice here. We always do a quick facebook page check. You really just need to make it private. Lots of things that are fairly common on a recent college person's facebook page would be a disqualifier in a toss up situation. I don't care that you used a beer bong in college (or after) and I don't care that there are pictures of you doing it, but if the pictures are on your facebook page and you don't have the common sense to make it private, I worry about that. Same thing for normal college party pics where the person is clearly hammered or where girls try to be slutty as possible without actually showing anything obscene. I don't want somebody not normal enough to have fun in college, but I want somebody that is already thinking about the fact that they need to be managing their professional image, and anything unprofessional that can easily be pulled up by a potential client/customer on facebook or with a quick google search is a red flag.
Nashville, ashville, charleston, greenville, charlotte and chattanooga are all great places to live in the south. If those dont work, try austin, san diego or denver.
Move to Huntsville, AL
Once you get used to the redneck Bama fans & the crybaby Auburn fans, it's a great place to live. Unless you're looking for a large metro area like ATL, etc. Cost of living is reasonably cheap compared to salaries. Lots of MSU fans here, too. Easy drive to MSU as well. The good city schools are very good & the county schools are better than most in MS.
I see my employer has a few biz related openings:
http://www.torchtechnologies.com/careers/openings
Looked like most of them wanted experience but can't hurt to apply.
Once you get used to the redneck Bama fans & the crybaby Auburn fans, it's a great place to live. Unless you're looking for a large metro area like ATL, etc. Cost of living is reasonably cheap compared to salaries. Lots of MSU fans here, too. Easy drive to MSU as well. The good city schools are very good & the county schools are better than most in MS.
I see my employer has a few biz related openings:
http://www.torchtechnologies.com/careers/openings
Looked like most of them wanted experience but can't hurt to apply.
If you do go the military route, go into the cyber world. Seriously. Even if you don't have a computer background, they can teach you a ton and once you get out (and get some good certifications along the way) you can make 6 figures at any number of contractors.
+1 for cyber security. In rough numbers there are 20 openings for every 1 qualified professional.
This may come into play unfortunately
Health-care exchanges, the marketplaces for uninsured people and those who don’t receive health insurance from employers, are launching in 36 states next week and while the premiums for insurance will only be revealed on October 1, the Department of Health and Human Services has shed some light on the exchanges. Rates will vary wildly from state to state; right now one of the lowest cost plans is in Minnesota at $192 per month, while it climbs to $403 in Mississippi. The system will also likely penalize young healthy people while reducing costs for those in poor health, according to many reports.
Health-care exchanges, the marketplaces for uninsured people and those who don’t receive health insurance from employers, are launching in 36 states next week and while the premiums for insurance will only be revealed on October 1, the Department of Health and Human Services has shed some light on the exchanges. Rates will vary wildly from state to state; right now one of the lowest cost plans is in Minnesota at $192 per month, while it climbs to $403 in Mississippi. The system will also likely penalize young healthy people while reducing costs for those in poor health, according to many reports.
Hell, we pay referral bonuses for network security guys
Plus you get to dress like a complete slob every day if you want.
Plus you get to dress like a complete slob every day if you want.
good luck....and i mean that sincerely. I am a jackson native and the job market in jackson is atrocious. if you are part of the 5% that have a connection to exploit, you are golden. if you are like the rest of us without a connection, the absolute best you might can hope for is a job at blue cross for 28K and your boss will most likely be someone with a GED. I can say that from experience.....worst year of my life hands-down. there is a special place in hell for most of the blue cross managers on up.
After blue cross, i searched for a year...i had a few job offers but they were worse that bcbs. honestly, dont waste your time with bcbs if you are looking there. they are one of the largest employers in the state, but i can guarantee you will regret it. after that, i decided to go back to school and get a high-paying degree that is in-demand. (fwiw, i too had a BBA from state). jackson is just too damn good-ole-boy...at least in my opinion.
hit up the state board of personnel. they have a bunch of cushy jobs but you will wake up one day and you will be 45 and your life has passed you by. working for the state is a good transitional job though, so thats my best advice. Good luck, you will find something, but odds are, its not going to be a good situation financially, socially, or both so temper your expectations.
After blue cross, i searched for a year...i had a few job offers but they were worse that bcbs. honestly, dont waste your time with bcbs if you are looking there. they are one of the largest employers in the state, but i can guarantee you will regret it. after that, i decided to go back to school and get a high-paying degree that is in-demand. (fwiw, i too had a BBA from state). jackson is just too damn good-ole-boy...at least in my opinion.
hit up the state board of personnel. they have a bunch of cushy jobs but you will wake up one day and you will be 45 and your life has passed you by. working for the state is a good transitional job though, so thats my best advice. Good luck, you will find something, but odds are, its not going to be a good situation financially, socially, or both so temper your expectations.
In a similar boat here. Graduated from MSU in May and currently have a pt job and living with family so I'm not hurting for money. But man, it's discouraging. I've only had 2 interviews since May and have applied to dozens of jobs. One in Jackson and one in Huntsville. I've got a few years experience in HR/staffing, too. It's looking pretty bleak.
Come to Texas
There's "Help Wanted" signs everywhere. The State is booming, thanks to the Oil boom and Fracking.
There's "Help Wanted" signs everywhere. The State is booming, thanks to the Oil boom and Fracking.
A buddy of mine in ATL does this and makes a grand a week. Might not seem like a lot to everyone but it would feed me
When you say "move back", do you specifically mean the Jackson area, or just somewhere in the south?
If it's the latter, I'd suggest trying Huntsville and then Atlanta. I understand the job market has opened up again fairly recently, and it's a fantastic place to live. Huntsville's not bad either. One think you might want to do is check with one of the headhunter companies. My son change jobs about a year and a half ago (in Atlanta), and companies were calling him virtually every day.
Admittedly, being an engineer, I'm not real sure what BBAs do, but I assume it's fairly diverse so you could work for almost any sort of company or a bank or a stock broker company. Is that true?
If it's the latter, I'd suggest trying Huntsville and then Atlanta. I understand the job market has opened up again fairly recently, and it's a fantastic place to live. Huntsville's not bad either. One think you might want to do is check with one of the headhunter companies. My son change jobs about a year and a half ago (in Atlanta), and companies were calling him virtually every day.
Admittedly, being an engineer, I'm not real sure what BBAs do, but I assume it's fairly diverse so you could work for almost any sort of company or a bank or a stock broker company. Is that true?
Nashville!
Other cities mentioned may be good but Nashville is a hidden gem you won't regret moving to.
Tips:
1. Lock yo FB down!
2. Connect to people left and right on LinkedIn. Get a good profile pic too. Not a stupid FB one.
3. Just nut up and to one of those cities and find a temp job while looking for that one you want.
4. When looking for jobs, find MSU people that work at that company and reach out to them. Nut up and just go balls to the wall out there if you really want that job. Who cares if someone may think you're weird?
5. LinkedIn! LinkedIn! LinkedIn!
Other cities mentioned may be good but Nashville is a hidden gem you won't regret moving to.
Tips:
1. Lock yo FB down!
2. Connect to people left and right on LinkedIn. Get a good profile pic too. Not a stupid FB one.
3. Just nut up and to one of those cities and find a temp job while looking for that one you want.
4. When looking for jobs, find MSU people that work at that company and reach out to them. Nut up and just go balls to the wall out there if you really want that job. Who cares if someone may think you're weird?
5. LinkedIn! LinkedIn! LinkedIn!