Had a 6 month GIS internship at the State Data Center....helped get me Geographer job at the USGS which laid me off in June due to budget cuts and have not had any planning offers.
Very frustrated.
It seems the best advice if I am reading correctly is to do another internship, look in small distant markets, and municipal sites.
Graduated in May, 2012 and applied to many, many job posting and internships with no luck. I had to in the end apply for AmeriCorps and got lucky by getting into the program as a Community Facilitator. Right now my contract which means that my job hunt has intensified. I know several of my classmates who graduated from the same years just 2 to 3 of them out 19 got jobs as planners from the moment they graduated, while the rest of us have resorted to do pro-bono or find jobs that are not remotely related to the planning.
That's a really good question, unless you are privileged enough to have tons of money or financial support from your parents, it's virtually impossible. I was unemployed for 6 months and worked for free full-time as an intern for three of those six months. I managed to pay rent from some savings I had for a few months, but after that I had to suck up my pride and move in with family for a while until I found a job. I was lucky enough to have family to move in with, but being in my thirties and living on my own since graduating High School, saying "it was really hard" is an understatement. Coming from someone like me, who didn't have the financial freedom to "not work and still pay rent," I had two options: move in with family or try to get a job outside of the planning field to stay afloat. With my experience even finding an unrelated job was very difficult.Originally posted by Vancity
Graduated in May 2012, and since then I've had three temporary / contract positions. Finally landed a permanent job working for a transit agency. Don't think I would've gotten the job had I not interned there while still in school. So in all, it took me about a year and 3 months to find a permanent, full-time planning job, though I filled the gap with contract positions.
Today I hit 200 applications. I have had eight interviews over the past three weeks, and three of the perspective employers have sent rejection letters. One of the jobs that I won't hear back from until next week or the week after, had eighteen candidates, including some that were being flown in from way out of state. I'm trying real hard to not get down in the dumps, but since I've been forced to move back in with the parents, I keep getting subtle hints to take anything.
I got two offers right out of school. One in ND, and the other in WY. I took the WY job and I am having a ball. Oil and gas have supercharged the economies out here. There is a lot of development going on so I'm up to my eyeballs in development review. To be honest, most of my fellow MURP grads that haven't found work are only looking in big cities and happenin' towns. I say screw that. A couple years goes by the in the blink of an eye--get in wherever you can, bust your ass so your employer loves you, get your AICP, and you'll be primed to move into an awesome position before you know it. The city of Minot just posted an Assistant Planner job...if you are too good for a planning job like that then you might just be too good for a planning job period. No offense, but an ounce of humility is worth 100lbs of planning employment.
Exactly. The jobs are out there, but they may not be in an attractive location, may not pay much, and may not be very well advertised. A city like Minot is not the worst place to go. There are at least parks, shops, restaurants, etc. You could easily find yourself in smaller, more remote locations. The point is that you would have a job and in a couple years you could move on with some experience under your belt.
By the way, I have a great deal of experience with Minot. If anyone does go after that job, send me a PM.
Anyone want to adopt a dog?
I love your attitude! Way to go!
The content contrarian
That's a crap load of applications. Are you even tailoring these per what is requested in a job flyer or just reduce, reuse and recycling the same old resume..
When someone yells "stop", I ask myself if I should collaborate and listen...
What a fantastic attitude and it is what most of us more experienced planners have been trying to tell newly minted planners. When I graduated in December 2007, my ideal goal was staying in Minnesota and working in the Twin Cities, but even with a crap load of intership experience there were just no jobs in Minnesota so I had to expand my search. I sent out applications from coast-to-coast and landed several interviews in less glamorous places like Fargo, ND, Coeur d'Alene, ID, Escanaba, MI before being hired in suburban Indianapolis. I stayed for 2 years in a very small department and cut my teeth on pretty extensive development review and ordinance writing. All of that knowledge was a great resume builder and helped me land other jobs. I have a feeling that if I would have ended up in some big office I would have been pigeon-holed into one type of development review and wouldn't have a lot of the tools I have in my toolbox now.
In the planning world, experience is what matters and what gets you hired. Unless you are working for some international firm, no one is going to care what planning school you went to, they want to see your experience and what you have to show for it. Even during the downturn, whenever I was looking for a change in pace or location I have been very fortunate to score multiple interviews. I truly believe it is because I have a wide variety of experience that can be tailored for many positions.
A job in Minot is still a job and better than crashing on your parent's couch.
This is a London, UK example. I luckily have two friends already in planning. I graduated from my master's course in September 2013 and after badgering them for a long time I eventually got a job with one of them in a new company one of them had joined whilst I was doing my course. I interned there for a day a week until I had finished my dissertation and I started full time after that. This gave me the basics to start a career in planning as I had no experience previously. I was working in advertising and it wasn't what I was looking for after graduating but I took the first thing that came because experience is vital. After that I applied for a new job and the experience allowed me to get a job in a much broader area of planning.
I'll be honest, I applied formally for loads of positions initially and got nowhere because of my lack of experience. If you know anyone in the field, even if it isn't what you're looking for, take it. Once I got my foot through the door (luckily I'll admit) I was able to compete with others in the market.
What about people who know somebody that knows somebody?... I always wonder how to approach such situations. One of my very close friends has a family friend who is a senior planner for my city.. My friend keeps prodding me to meet this planner, but I can't help but feel its an awkward and unnatural thing to meet a complete stranger and essentially attempt to use them to try to secure a job...
My current employer (non-planning related) has also offered his municipal connections to me in the future, but again I am somewhat conflicted, though it is less difficult when it is through an employer than a friend, I suppose.
The rules of networking elude me.
Haha, I am like the Socially Awkward Penguin when it comes to networking and I feel really uncomfortable doing it. In the past I have used a professional networking site like LinkedIn to relieve some of that uncomfortableness. When I was trying to land a job with the City of Austin, my old supervisor knew a senior planner with the City, I contacted her through LinkedIn and sent her a message letting her know that I got her information through my old supervisor and she was very helpful. Even though I didn't end up working for the City of Austin she is now a good resource in case I am ever looking for a job in Central Texas. Technology helps make things a bit less awkward and allows the person you are trying to network with do it on their terms.What about people who know somebody that knows somebody?
My current employer (non-planning related) has also offered his municipal connections to me in the future, but again I am somewhat conflicted, though it is less difficult when it is through an employer than a friend, I suppose.
The rules of networking elude me.
Don't be shy, meet the planner. Either ask your friend to set up an introduction, or ask for the contact information and send that person a polite message. H/She will feel more satisfaction in their career by offering advice to newbies. Planners want to talk to youWhat about people who know somebody that knows somebody?
My current employer (non-planning related) has also offered his municipal connections to me in the future, but again I am somewhat conflicted, though it is less difficult when it is through an employer than a friend, I suppose.
The rules of networking elude me.
Networking becomes natural only through practice and repetition (the same goes for most professional skills). I would 100% recommend you jump on any chance to meet and speak with actual professional planners. It doesn't mean you're meeting for the sole purpose of asking for a job; rather you're trying to better understand the professional aspects of your career while still in an academic setting. Honestly, brand new professional planners don't know anything (it's not meant to be an insult, it's just a reality everyone eventually has to face). On paper you will look like a ton of identical candidates; networking and meeting professional planners face to face will be your best bet at standing out among the myriad of job hunters you are competing with.
Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.
I individually draft my cover letters with only general position formatting and some of the basic language remaining the same, things like my address line, where I went to school, and where I previously worked. I modify the resume as needed, but generally it keeps the same info. I can only really change about 1/4 of the document, and my experience isn't really changing all that much from job to job. Most of the positions are using NEOGOV or similar processing software, so the application document is generally static, with modifications to the submitted cover letter and resume as warranted. I've given up on mailed and faxed application documents due to cost. I dread the PDF still screen hard format applications, that just gets ridiculous.
Applying for work has been a full-time endeavor since June.
Definitely take advantage of the introduction. Approach it not to ask for a job, but to 1) ask them to review your resume sent ahead of the meeting; 2) ask them what are the current hot topics in their city and in the region; 3) ask them how you could improve yourself to be more attractive to employers; 4) ask them if they are aware of any opportunities that may be opening up in the near future.What about people who know somebody that knows somebody?
My current employer (non-planning related) has also offered his municipal connections to me in the future, but again I am somewhat conflicted, though it is less difficult when it is through an employer than a friend, I suppose.
The rules of networking elude me.
Anyone want to adopt a dog?
I'm sorry, but I found this to be very offensive. As I have previously posted on this thread that I have had to move back in with my parents, and have rejected one interview request, I can't help but think this was directed towards myself, or other planners who are unemployed. The p4 job with which I declined to interview, payed under $10 an hour and was in the D.C. housing market. I previously worked as planner in a nearby jurisdiction and saw the hazard of taking a risky and extremely underpaid position. Twenty-six other people thought well enough to apply for that p4, with the jurisdiction interviewing seven people who were made aware of the salary. Not having certain positions isn't inherently about pride, there are economic and social realities that we have to deal with. I would love the Minot job, but I can't assume that my application will be chosen just because the jurisdiction is in the heartland. There is going to be competition. I don't appreciate being thought of as some kind of slacker because of my current situation, and I doubt others in similar situations enjoy your sentiment.A job in Minot is still a job and better than crashing on your parent's couch.
I apologize that you took my post personally, I wasn't meaning it towards you or anyone in particular. No one here is saying you should take a $10/hour job. You have to be able to find a job that will provide a roof over your head. I was only saying that you shouldn't be afraid to look elsewhere geographically, I know for some people that is more difficult because of financial or family reasons. If you are able to be more flexible with the locations you are applying, you will have more luck as the competition will be less in certain less exciting markets. Unfortunately the DC area is a very competitive market. I know it is tough out there and I would never call someone who has submitted 200 applications a slacker, and my apologies if you thought I was calling you or anyone else out.
On one level I really appreciate this post, and I thank you for the apology.
On another, I see a real dark humor. A confirmation of Paul Knox's "Relos," as applied by planners for planners. Scary stuff if you think about it.
Its just the natural order of competition.
So many starting planners want to work in an exciting urban environment, doing the kind of sexy infill/redevelopment/mixed-use/TOD/etc. projects they learned about in school. The reality is there are few jobs in those places, and anyway, as a starting planner they are more likely to spend their time staffing the front desk and processing sign permits rather than doing any of the fun planning work. Still, too many job-searching graduates do not cast their net wide enough. Believe me, we 'old' planners understand that it is not easy to think of living in a town of 5000, an hour or more from any urban area. We were faced with the same prospect, whether five, ten, fifteen or more years ago. But we can look back and see that the decision to pursue and take the job was what launched our career, and two or three years in those circumstances may not have been ideal, but they passed, and they let us move on to other opportunities that better suited our interest as planners and for a place to live. Also, a few people found that they actually enjoyed the remote, rural lifestyle. Kudos for jwhitty for understanding this, but we spend a lot of time trying to explain it to each new poster in this or similar threads.
Anyone want to adopt a dog?
I landed my first planning job more than a year after earning my masters degree. It was very dispiriting to graduate and realize my chances of finding a job were slim. I wondered if I had made a mistake, accumulating debt for a degree I would never use.
Although my graduate program led to many valuable connections, it was in a state with especially limited opportunities in the field. I moved "home" to live with my significant other, who supported me financially while I worked odd jobs, volunteered at organizations in my community, and took on unpaid internships.
Eventually I found myself in the right place at the right time, with an odd job leading to a temporary position and then to a full time job. It wasn't simple luck. I was casting myself all over the place, so that if there was any luck to be had, I would have a chance at catching it.
I didn't attend a top tier graduate program and I don't think I am good at professional networking. But fighting to land a job was my life's focus for over a year, and I was determined to succeed. And I was very fortunate to have the support of my partner. I don't know how I would have done it on my own.
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