I have a similar question but I didn't want to make a new thread. I just completed my bachleor's degree, I had commencement 2 days ago. I've been seding out applications and so far I only have one bite. I've met with them once and have a follow up interview in a week. This interview is where we are going to discuss things like salary and benefits. If they don't offer me what I want do you think I should pass on the job or just take it because of the economy?
I have a telecommunications degree and the place I've been interviewing with is a Public Relations firm.
This is going to be a little long...sorry about that. This is my experience and you asked for the advice so deal with it :chuckles:
Like others have said, I'm not sure what your situation is but it sounds like you don't have the feeling that you have to take this job. That said, if you don't have anything else lined up I say go for it.
I'm a (sort of) recent college grad...I graduated from Kent in 2008 with a degree in Economics and I did not have a job upon graduation. I did go on some interviews and even had a second interview in Chicago that I didn't end up getting. A few weeks before graduation one of the student organizations I was in brought in a financial advising firm for a presentation, I liked what they had to say and sent in my resume. I heard back from them right after graduation and didn't have anything else lined up so I went on a couple interviews and got hired in - started in August. It was a disaster for me - just a terrible fit. I left just 9 weeks later but I learned a lot in my time there including how to work in an office, how to get used to the work routine and most importantly, I learned what I did not want to do. This is nothing against anyone who sells things for a living...I just really sucked at it and really didn't like it. But that experience helped me to figure out what I liked and what I wanted to do in my career going forward. I spent the next few weeks searching for jobs - I sent resume's out on Monster, Career Builder and I google searched jobs and submitted my resume directly to company websites. I also made sure I checked the Kent State online career board every day right when I woke up so could submit my resume as soon as possible to any new job opening that interested me. That's what led to my current job (I'm a product analyst for an auto insurance company) and I love it. I was hired about a month after I quit financial advising and started about a month after that (Jan 2009). I didn't negotiate salary but I was happy with their offer. Since then I've gained a ton of professional experience, improved my technical skill set immensely, been promoted and have had the opportunity to do some traveling for work.
Long story short - don't talk yourself out of taking a job because you're afraid to fail - especially a first job...I'm not saying that's the case with you but I'm just saying you never know. Things really do usually work out for the best. And had I never had taken the financial advising job, I probably wouldn't have been looking on the career board that day and I would not be where I am today.
A couple other pieces of random job searching/interviewing advice:
-Interview them as much or more than they interview you. What I mean is you need to make sure this job is a good fit for you just like it's their job to make sure you are a good fit for them.
-Be confident if you get a second interview because that typically means they believe you are technically qualified for that position and they are just trying to see if you are personally a good fit.
-At a job fair when I was still in college, I was talking to the rep from Nat City or Huntington (some bank but I don't remember which one) and he gave me some advice that if you find a job you really like posted somewhere, call that company's HR dept and ask them about the position. Ask them to give you a little more detail on the job description as I'm sure you've noticed they are usually pretty vague and if you're lucky, they may even put you through to the hiring manager. It won't guarantee you a job or even an interview, but he said it improves your odds of getting an interview by about 30 to 40%.
-Contact your school's career placement department, check their career boards and keep in touch with the department you graduated from as they usually post career opportunities as well.
-Don't be afraid to take an internship for the summer if you can find one. That will give you great experience and a really good foot in the door at a company.
Oh and for anyone looking for jobs in NE Ohio, here is a pretty good online posting that usually has jobs listed about a week before they make it to Monster/Career Builder/etc.
http://www.careerboard.com/
Good luck man.