How do I make myself a better job candidate?

[physx777]

Hello physics forums. I've been reading old threads for hours but would love to get input on my specific situation. I graduated from a state school in May 2023 with a BA in physics and a 3.3 GPA. I was a good student until college, where I suffered from debilitating mental health issues and was essentially agoraphobic and majorly depressed. Remote learning exacerbated these issues and I honestly am surprised I was even able to complete a degree.

I intended to get a BS, but needed to graduate ASAP because I was so unhappy at school. That being said, I have no experience in research, limited lab experience, and I can't code. I've addressed my mental health issues and have been working full time in retail and living with my parents while I look for a job. I've had a couple interviews for lab jobs, systems engineering, and some non-STEM office positions but these have been few and far between and have gone nowhere.

I'm interested in getting experience to make myself a more appealing job candidate but I really have no idea what kind of a job I want and my indecision is paralyzing me. I don't want to commit to something if it won't be helpful in getting a job, but at the same time the months keep passing and I'm getting nowhere with my applications.

I would love to work in STEM, but I really did not prepare for my career at all and don't feel like I am being intentional or informed enough in my job search. I would also gladly do an internship, paid or otherwise, at this point but it doesn't seem like anyone will offer one to a non-student. What can I do to get some skills or experience and what kind of roles/fields should I be looking at?

 

[gmax137]

have been working full time in retail

This is the most important thing, it is much easier to get a job if you're working. As long as whoever is your immediate boss can say, "He/she shows up on time and puts in their best" you are miles ahead of the average.

I have no experience in research, limited lab experience, and I can't code.

How about stuff like excel ? are you good at spreadsheets? This is something that is used in many many places, and being good at it can help you. I know you're looking for "STEMmy" work, but maybe anything involving "numbers" will show your skills. I have friends who have taken jobs with accountants, tax preparers, "wealth management" consultants, etc. -- having an organized mindset, and being good with spreadsheets let these friends really get ahead in these kinds of businesses.

 

[physx777]

I've used excel a good bit for school but am not a wiz by any means. I feel pretty good about my ability to get up to speed quickly, though. I've been interested by and applied for some insurance underwriting positions and some jobs in the mortgage industry. I don't think I do the best job communicating to these kinds of employers what I bring to the table. Do you think I'd have enough on my resume (degree and retail experience) to land one of these jobs if the presentation were better?

 

[Dale]

I see two quickly addressable areas that could help.

One would be interviewing skills. Given your own self-assessment, it is likely that you struggle with interviewing. This is something that you can get better at with practice. You should not try to just wing this. You should get some focused help either from a mentor that you know personally who has been a hiring manager in the past, or from a job-skills coach. Have them role-play several different interviewing scenarios (friendly, indifferent, antagonistic, STEM, non-STEM, etc.) and give you feedback and suggestions for improvement.

The other would be volume. You should set a daily goal for the number of applications and it should be a challenging goal that takes a few hours each day. Also, apply for some jobs that you are clearly qualified for but not interested in. The uninteresting jobs may turn out to be interesting, and if not then they are a low-stakes way to practice your interviewing. It is no downside for you except for a bit of time.

 

[CrysPhys]

I would also gladly do an internship, paid or otherwise, at this point but it doesn't seem like anyone will offer one to a non-student. What can I do to get some skills or experience and what kind of roles/fields should I be looking at?

<<Emphasis added>> If you've got the time and are willing to work without pay, you could consider volunteer work to acquire skills and experience. Since demand typically outstrips supply, there's a low threshold for entry.

As one example, many lab technician jobs require people who are handy with tools. You can learn pertinent skills through Habitat for Humanity, e.g. As another example, depending on where you live, there are organizations for volunteer tutors. You can gain experience in teaching.

Such activities also present great opportunities for networking, not only via the managers in the organizations, but also via other volunteers that you meet (and don't overlook serendipity: the guy swinging a hammer next to you might not be a physicist, but his wife might be).

 

[StatGuy2000]

That being said, I have no experience in research, limited lab experience, and I can't code.

To the OP:

You state that you can't code. What are your overall computer skills? I ask because there are many online resources available (e.g. Coursera, EdX, etc.) to teach yourself coding skills during your non-work hours while you are working full time in retail.

Pick a language to start with ,e.g. Python. Start taking a course. Set up a GitHub account so that you can post your code. If you start small, and you demonstrate a willingness to learn, that should open up some opportunities for data analysis/coding opportunities. These opportunities are very competitive at the moment, but given sufficient time they may still be available for you.

 

[edfriedmanis65]

Can you go to the school where you graduated (or a local high school or community college) and volunteer to tutor math or physics? My daughter got her dream job by mentoring a woman who struggled with their field of study (map technology). My daughter did well by doing good.

At the same time, flood the market with resumes you tailor for each place you apply to. My first job (after getting a PhD in low-temperature physics) was in a laser lab because I convinced the manager that I could solve technical problems outside of my degree focus. That led to a rewarding 50-year career in aerospace optics. This was at a time when there were no jobs for new PhDs in pure research. Good luck.

 

[Hornbein]

Hello physics forums. I've been reading old threads for hours but would love to get input on my specific situation. I graduated from a state school in May 2023 with a BA in physics and a 3.3 GPA. I was a good student until college, where I suffered from debilitating mental health issues and was essentially agoraphobic and majorly depressed. Remote learning exacerbated these issues and I honestly am surprised I was even able to complete a degree.

I intended to get a BS, but needed to graduate ASAP because I was so unhappy at school. That being said, I have no experience in research, limited lab experience, and I can't code. I've addressed my mental health issues and have been working full time in retail and living with my parents while I look for a job. I've had a couple interviews for lab jobs, systems engineering, and some non-STEM office positions but these have been few and far between and have gone nowhere.

I'm interested in getting experience to make myself a more appealing job candidate but I really have no idea what kind of a job I want and my indecision is paralyzing me. I don't want to commit to something if it won't be helpful in getting a job, but at the same time the months keep passing and I'm getting nowhere with my applications.

I would love to work in STEM, but I really did not prepare for my career at all and don't feel like I am being intentional or informed enough in my job search. I would also gladly do an internship, paid or otherwise, at this point but it doesn't seem like anyone will offer one to a non-student. What can I do to get some skills or experience and what kind of roles/fields should I be looking at?

The best thing to do is take a specific job and study up on it. Know the names of the company's main competitors. Know a little bit about the basics of the field. Hardly anyone does this so it gives you an advantage. You could take it even further than that. If that doesn't work out, pick another job and try it again.

If you have friends who've gotten jobs in places you are interested in get them to recommend you.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Follow-through.

 

[TomRonakLCC]

Stuff like Python or even just getting better at Excel is super handy—lots of jobs out there need those skills, and they can open doors to things like data analysis or entry-level gigs in engineering-type roles.

 

[bryantcl]

As someone who was unemployed trying to get a job over the past year (I've since found work) let me give you some advice on that front.

1. Go on as many interviews as you can. The more interviews you go on, the easier they will become. The easier they become (for you) the better you can present yourself.

2. With each interview, go in with a list of questions to ask your interviewers. Remember, while they are providing the job, you want to the job to be a good fit for you.

3. After each interview, do a self-debrief. Write down how you think it went, what you did well, where you think you could have done better, etc.

4. If you can swing it financially, have your resume/CV reviewed by a professional. This is something I cannot stress enough. There have been times when I've reviewed resumes I have rejected candidates because their resume/CV was poorly formatted, spelling mistakes, gotten technical jargon wrong, etc. If you cannot swing this financially, if you have a decent network of professionals ask them to review it and offer feedback.

Hope this helps,
Chris