Son, go to Texas and get a job. Get some experience under your belt and you can work your way back to California down the road. I'm proud of you.

Why in the hell would he prefer California? She better be hot.

I was sort of in the same boat after I graduated. I had no real job lined up but I really wanted to stay in Texas. I had a fresh degree with decent grades in Ag Economics and wanted to get into lending. I applied to around 100 jobs in Texas and got maybe 3 or 5 interviews. So, after sweating my ass off in a livestock mineral plant the summer after I graduated I started to look out of state and found a job in lending within weeks. Sometimes it takes leaving what's comfortable and taking a risk. It was the most frightening decision I ever made but I can also tell you it was one of the best things I've ever done.

Take that for what it's worth. I realize everyone is different. Good luck to your son.

My husband had cancer when my son was in high school, and they didn't have much quality time together. It's been good for both of them to spend time together. They've been making up lost time.

I think all of us wish he could get a decent job in the bay area.

SVaggie84 said:

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My husband had cancer when my son was in high school, and they didn't have much quality time together. It's been good for both of them to spend time together. They've been making up lost time.

I think all of us wish he could get a decent job in the bay area.

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If his intention was always to get a job in the bay area specifically, why go to A&M and not a school that would have allowed him to better network in that area? The Aggie network is great, but when you are that focused on where you get a job, a more local school may have been more useful.

Stepping out of comfort zone will be the best thing that has ever happened to him professionally. And he presumably has friends in Dallas and Houston. Will be much easier to find a job in the Bay Area or wherever he wants if he has real work experience under his belt. Getting a job at Whole Foods or Target while living at home should be the least appealing thing ever to a young man with a college degree.

It's also completely worthless on an application aside from, "I had a job."

We are hiring financial analysts, but are in Dallas. We stopped hiring into our California office because it was too expensive. We are a SaaS company that moved most of our operation out of California a few years ago.

If he wants to chat he can email met at username at gmail dot com.

I can give him my pov for someone <10 years out of school.

I'll probably sound like an old man yelling "get off my lawn" here, but:

If he's a recent college graduate and doesn't have a job then he doesn't want one bad enough, or more likely, doesn't NEED one bad enough. If he's living with parents (or they're covering his bills), he's got no financial incentive to take a job that might be slightly less appealing or perfect than he'd wish.

Starting life and a career sometimes comes with desperation, not desire. Pat snowflake on the head, tell him he needs to have his own place and pay his own bills by May 1 (and actually follow through with the deadline) and you'll be amazed at what career options he finds.

Amen brotha!

Stive said:

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I'll probably sound like an old man yelling "get off my lawn" here, but:

If he's a recent college graduate and doesn't have a job then he doesn't want one bad enough, or more likely, doesn't NEED one bad enough. If he's living with parents (or they're covering his bills), he's got no financial incentive to take a job that might be slightly less appealing or perfect then he'd wish.

Starting life and a career sometimes comes with desperation, not desire. Pat snowflake on the head, tell him he needs to have his own place and pay his own bills by May 1 (and actually follow through with the deadline) and you'll be amazed at what career options he finds.

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I'm located in Houston, but work for a Bay Area HQ company. I would love to pass his resume to some finance peers in California.

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Any words of wisdom would be appreciated.

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He needs to be on here looking for a job, not you. I'd never consider anyone who has their mommy out doing their job for them.

You say he doesn't want to do sales yet he doesn't sound like he's in a position to be picky. He may want to reconsider. Every job has a sales component. You may not be selling a good or service to a customer but you have to sell your ideas and skills to people inside and outside of your company. You have to learn how at some point.

A couple of things,

SV, I think you are getting some pushback from the forum because you are reaching out and asking question that many of us would agree needs to be asked by your son and not by a parent. It comes across as lacking maturity and not showing initiative two important job skills -- also two big traits of people who cannot find a job.

That may not be the case with your son. That is the way it comes across on an internet forum, even though that may not have been your intent. It reads as if he cannot even ask for advice, how can he perform on a job.

With that out of the way, your son needs a plan and a strategy. At this point, write it out. Follow through after applying for jobs and take notes. Your initial plan and strategy may not be perfect. That is fine. It will serve as a baseline and provide insight on what to change - and more importantly, why you should make a change.

He should know what organizations he wants to work for and why. I ask the question in interviews why you want to work for this organization and specifically this department. I am baffled by how many people have not even Googled up any information. They give a generic response that says I just want a job; it is a huge turnoff.

Be careful in finding a job versus a career. In your early 20's you can overcome just about anything mistakes unemployment bad girlfriends.. So take your time and be intentional, so you can establish a strong foundation and build from there.

It is not necessarily that big of a deal your son has not found a job. The speed in which someone else got a job is irrelevant to your son's situation. So is the fact he is in California. The Aggie Network is global. If your son had asked the question I would image the responses would have had a more pleasant tone. Aggies genuinely want to help each other and will stick their necks out for another Aggie Except when they cannot ask themselves and mom or dad has to come in and do it for them.

Lastly, contact Paul Pausky. He handles career services for former students. He can help your son with planning, strategy, and developing tactics. Also ask him with help using CareerShift and how to more efficiently use the Aggie Network and LinkedIn.

Here is his contact info -- Paul Pausky -- Associate Director, Former Student Career Services -- ppausky78@aggienetwork.com