Getting a B.S. in Physics was a big mistake aparently.

[ljackson]

I have a B.S. in physics from a reputable school with a good GPA, numerous publications in highly reputable journals and I am still not able to get a job anywhere. Hell, I can't even get an interview because very very few jobs want someone with a degree in physics. They want an engineering discipline or computer science discipline. Both of which I'm very well versed in from my research experience and highly capable.

Yet, I've been told at least 20 times this year that a Physics degree is not what they are looking for.

I was planning on getting my M.S. right away, but I really need a job to pay for piling up bills and am thus only able to go part-time.

My advice, or rather statement, is do not try to get a job with just a B.S. in physics.

My problem was believing my advisors and online sources that engineering/comp sci disciplines would be intersted in a physics degree.

/Edit: I am so depressed lol

 

[Woozie]

I've always gotten the exact opposite response from people. I've always been told that once I get my B.S. in physics, I will NOT be able to get a job. When I graduate, I won't really be expecting to find a job in the field because of this. I plan on going directly to graduate school after getting my B.S.

 

[ljackson]

I've always gotten the exact opposite response from people. I've always been told that once I get my B.S. in physics, I will NOT be able to get a job. When I graduate, I won't really be expecting to find a job in the field because of this. I plan on going directly to graduate school after getting my B.S.

Google "Physics Jobs" and all that comes up his websites talking about how so many places love people with just a B.S. in physics (i.e engineering, comp sci, financial sector, etc...

I can't decide wheter or not to keep looking for a job, getting my M.S., or getting a B.S. in EE

 

[fizziks]

It doesn't work for everyone. Some are lucky to land a job with a BS /BA in physics, some aren't. I ended up working a part-time entry-level IT job while I work on a computer engineering Masters degree.

The thing is, the IT job is entry level and a 4 year degree wasn't necessary required.. I think I got the job because of me being over-qualified with a highly technical degree. (At least that what the interviewer seem to implied)

 

[Locrian]

Someone will come along soon to point out all the jobs you can get with a physics BS. Unfortunately, most of them will not be jobs where you work as a physicist or anything of the sort; they'll just relate broadly to the field. Still, they may give you some ideas on where to try.

Beware that a masters may not solve your problem. It does widen your possibilities greatly, but most masters jobs still require experience. Be prepared to intern and get some on the job training. Be prepared to move.

Of course, it doesn't have to be this way. The physics BS could be made much more hire able without too much effort. As I've posted here before though, when last it was suggested at this Uni that the physics BS be made more employalbe the reaction from the faculty was swift, angry and overwhelming. I really think highly of some of the professors involved, but for that period of time all I could see them as were a bunch of pampered, tenured fools sneering at the idea of helping their students get real jobs.

 

[ljackson]

It doesn't work for everyone. Some are lucky to land a job with a BS /BA in physics, some aren't. I ended up working a part-time entry-level IT job while I work on a computer engineering Masters degree.

The thing is, the IT job is entry level and a 4 year degree wasn't necessary required.. I think I got the job because of me being over-qualified with a highly technical degree. (At least that what the interviewer seem to implied)

i've actually had a few IT interviews but am told I am either over qualified or under qualified. While in school I did 3 years or programming and helpdesk work.

 

[Poop-Loops]

Maybe your resume is crap? I've been told that people don't even know what a physicist knows, so that's why they don't care for them. Have you stated upfront what you know, or what?

 

[ljackson]

Maybe your resume is crap? I've been told that people don't even know what a physicist knows, so that's why they don't care for them. Have you stated upfront what you know, or what?

I was thinking that so I had took my resume to my advisors, faculty at my school, and the career department at my school.

They all said I had an excellent resume...

I have 2 different resumes I send out depending on situation. One is highly focused and one is broad.

 

[Poop-Loops]

Wow.

Where do you live? Maybe your area is just like that?

Honestly this is a bit disenheartening... I mean, I was going to go for at least a MS anyway, but still...

 

[ljackson]

Wow.

Where do you live? Maybe your area is just like that?

Honestly this is a bit disenheartening... I mean, I was going to go for at least a MS anyway, but still...

I live in SE US and there isn't much around. But I've talked to so many places around the country.

 

[fizziks]

I live in SE US and there isn't much around. But I've talked to so many places around the country.

It's good to not limit yourself to just one area. I'm still searching for all types of positions around the U.S. I really hate the SE. The only way I'm staying in the SE is if someone offers me a 100k/yr secured job.

The heat down here is just unbearable. Today was close to the low 90s because of the high humidity.

 

[unit_circle]

This thread comes up here all the time. People seem to think that a degree somehow entitles you to start at a decent job right away. Nothing is futher from the truth. It's not about WHAT you know, it's about WHO you know.

An example is my brother. He only has a high school diploma, but he's been playing with computers since he could talk. He started working at small IT companies part time when he was fifteen, and now he's an IT systems analyst who supervises people with college degrees.

It all comes down to how you sell yourself.

 

[bravernix]

How about field service engineer or maybe even sales engineer jobs? I have always thought that if I do not go to graduate school, I would possibly pursue this type of career. It seems that either would involve a lot of travel as well, which I think might be interesting. Many of the job postings I have seen for this job include physics or at least 'technical degree' in the description of requirements. Does anyone here know someone that does this kind of work?

 

[Laura1013]

It's good to not limit yourself to just one area. I'm still searching for all types of positions around the U.S. I really hate the SE. The only way I'm staying in the SE is if someone offers me a 100k/yr secured job.

The heat down here is just unbearable. Today was close to the low 90s because of the high humidity.

I love the SE US! I'm never moving back up north. I wish it was low 90s where I am now. Want to trade places (I'm in the northern part of the SE)?

The SE has a good number of technical cities where there are TONS of opportunities for physicists. I live in one such city where physicists are highly in demand and are very well paid (city average is well above national average).

I think unit_circle's point is very valid.

 

[ljackson]

This thread comes up here all the time. People seem to think that a degree somehow entitles you to start at a decent job right away. Nothing is futher from the truth. It's not about WHAT you know, it's about WHO you know.

An example is my brother. He only has a high school diploma, but he's been playing with computers since he could talk. He started working at small IT companies part time when he was fifteen, and now he's an IT systems analyst who supervises people with college degrees.

It all comes down to how you sell yourself.

I don't feel entitled to start a decent job right away. I feel entitled to start a job that doesn't include flipping hamburgers...

 

[user101]

Have you had internships at companies before? I know defense contractors like BAE and Lockheed hire physics students. If you don't have any industry experience, what good is that? Have you done an REU?

 

[mathwonk]

teaching? some of us would love it if you were teaching at our kids schools. private schools can offer contact with bright kids, chance to innovate curricula, ...

 

[bravernix]

teaching? some of us would love it if you were teaching at our kids schools. private schools can offer contact with bright kids, chance to innovate curricula, ...

This is not a bad option but, in my state at least, you have to have a certification which takes at least a year or two of courses plus student teaching. He would have to go back to school for that.

 

[rbj]

I have a B.S. in physics from a reputable school with a good GPA, numerous publications in highly reputable journals

"numerous publications in highly reputable journals"? what journals are these? if they are highly reputable, how'd you get published so many times in them? getting published in "reputable journals" is no mean feat, even for academics, let alone for the glut of people with 4 year degrees.

i'm not trying to pick on you, ljackson. I'm just trying to understand a sort of paradox where profs seeking tenure are climbing over each other to get published in the esteemed journal of their discipline (and having to wait many months to a couple years to actually get into print) and some whiz kid undergrad is somehow scooting in front of them and get published numerous times.

if you actually are getting published in respected academic journals multiple times because of the quality of the work you have done while an undergrad and recent grad, then you should consider grad school and an academic career.

 

[vincebs]

Does anyone know if high schools hire foreigners with foreign teaching credentials as permanent staff? i.e. sponsor them for "Green Card"s?

I would think that if there really was a shortage of physics teachers then they'd have no problem doing that.

 

[ljackson]

"numerous publications in highly reputable journals"? what journals are these? if they are highly reputable, how'd you get published so many times in them? getting published in "reputable journals" is no mean feat, even for academics, let alone for the glut of people with 4 year degrees.

i'm not trying to pick on you, ljackson. I'm just trying to understand a sort of paradox where profs seeking tenure are climbing over each other to get published in the esteemed journal of their discipline (and having to wait many months to a couple years to actually get into print) and some whiz kid undergrad is somehow scooting in front of them and get published numerous times.

if you actually are getting published in respected academic journals multiple times because of the quality of the work you have done while an undergrad and recent grad, then you should consider grad school and an academic career.

American Journal of Physics (twice)
Journal of Modern Optics (twice)
Nature (under review, no reason it should not be accepted)

 

[ljackson]

Have you had internships at companies before? I know defense contractors like BAE and Lockheed hire physics students. If you don't have any industry experience, what good is that? Have you done an REU?

I have vast amount of research and programming experience in optics and electrical engineering

 

[Euclid]

I have vast amount of research and programming experience in optics and electrical engineering

This is depressing. You can't find a job? I give up...

 

[ice109]

nature nature physics? and first name on the paper or one of the following names? and what school? you're either exaggerating or have no social skills

 

[RasslinGod]

My teacher told me:

Im not sure if he's right, but with a physics bachelors, you really can't do much. He even said the same thing for a masters. He said if u get a PhD, employment will be much diff. situation, in terms of getting science jobs.

 

[bravernix]

nature nature physics? and first name on the paper or one of the following names? and what school? you're either exaggerating or have no social skills

I wouldn't be so sure about that really. There are some amazing schools where students are taking QFT by their junior year. I guess if you are that far ahead of the game there is no reason why you couldn't have multiple publications, especially if you are doing computational/theoretical work.

 

[ljackson]

nature nature physics? and first name on the paper or one of the following names? and what school? you're either exaggerating or have no social skills

To graduate from my school you must have a thesis, defend your thesis and get your work published to graduate for undergrad...

I am first on 2, and second on 2.

Not sure what "nature nature physics" means...

As far as social skills; I have very good social skills. The problem arises from not be able to really talk to anybody who actually does the hiring. You see, most places go through HR firms like Think Energy, Aerotek, etc... My problem is that I impress the hell out of the recruiters and they love me. I have been assured a job so many times by them. The problem is once they submit me to the actual company needs the person(which they don't disclose or give me access to), they see physics instead of Engineering or Comp Sci and I am automatically disqualified before I even get an inverview with the actual company.

Dont get me wrong, it is not as though I am some sort of prodigy/genius. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to get in on some really exciting research that wasn't that difficult, yet still really meaningful/important. I know plenty of people in the Academia world, it just doesn't transfer well over to the "real" world.

 

[user101]

Don't go to companies like Aerotek or TE. Have you tried attending job fairs?

Also what might help is to list some relevant EE courses in your resume, so it's out there in front of their face.

 

[ljackson]

Don't go to companies like Aerotek or TE. Have you tried attending job fairs?

Also what might help is to list some relevant EE courses in your resume, so it's out there in front of their face.

The job fairs in my area, both put on by my old university and local ones, are just pathetic.

90% are either sales, pyramid scams, or nursing jobs

 

[Shackleford]

Hey, guys, I'm working on a BS in physics. I live in the Houston area, so how should my post-baccalaureate job look be? - considering that Houston is the energy capital of the world, NASA is right down the street, and so forth. At the moment, I'd like to get a part-time job after my BS and work on a non-thesis MS. If I'm fortunate enough to make it that far, I don't see why I wouldn't attempt a doctorate.

 

[fizziks]

To graduate from my school you must have a thesis, defend your thesis and get your work published to graduate for undergrad...

I am first on 2, and second on 2.

Not sure what "nature nature physics" means...

As far as social skills; I have very good social skills. The problem arises from not be able to really talk to anybody who actually does the hiring. You see, most places go through HR firms like Think Energy, Aerotek, etc... My problem is that I impress the hell out of the recruiters and they love me. I have been assured a job so many times by them. The problem is once they submit me to the actual company needs the person(which they don't disclose or give me access to), they see physics instead of Engineering or Comp Sci and I am automatically disqualified before I even get an inverview with the actual company.

Dont get me wrong, it is not as though I am some sort of prodigy/genius. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to get in on some really exciting research that wasn't that difficult, yet still really meaningful/important. I know plenty of people in the Academia world, it just doesn't transfer well over to the "real" world.

I see what you mean. Narrow minded and ignorant employers see "BS/MS in Physics" and automatically assume the worst and don't even give the applicant the chance to be interviewed. I can understand the useless degree thing, but not actually seeing or hearing from the applicant personally, they could be missing out on a potentially great employee.

My school's physics curriculum included a physics electronics (includes overview of digital and analog circuits/theory) and 2 physics circuits lab. These aren't EE courses but are exactly the same as EE courses. They're just listed as a physics elective/required course. Every school's physics curriculum is different. You have to list the relevant courses on the resume as all employers are clueless on how your school prepares physics students for a degree (unless that employer graduated from the same school in the past 5 years).

 

[HungryChemist]

I can add one here. I have a friend who is a recent graduate with physics major. He has military experience, been a tutor at Kaplan, and what's most amazing is that he graduated flawless 4.0. I assure you, this guy had wonderful social skill. With much of my despair, I was told that he was denied from jobs he applied twice already. He's still looking while working at the postoffice as a part time. This may or may not reflect the general aspect of the job market for physics major. I don't know what is wrong here really. I know for a fact this friend of mine is capable of almost any job. His intellect and hardworking characters been proved many times among all of us. Our school is a tough one and has generally good reputation. Also, the area I live in is highly populated with engineering firms. It just doesn't make sense to me.

However, few of my other friends got a job as a research assistant at the university lab. But seriously, that is not the kind of job they were once told they could get by the time they finish Physics b.s.

I just hope that I only know of few bad cases here. But I think we all should be very much alert about the what OP has to say here. Professors and department doesn't care about what you will be doing after you graduate as much as you would care for yourself. They will tell you what you want to hear. And I'm sure there are people with physics bs degree who found jobs and they can tell you all about it. But most such people I met are not current graduates. We all should watch and observe from recent graduates.

 

[lisab]

Hi ljackson -

Your story is familiar to me, only I'm about 15 years down the road. I got my first job through a temp agency. I was a lab tech, did well there and was hired eventually. I've advanced my career over the years.

For a long time I had a bit of regret that I had chosen physics -- I had believed that I would be able to walk into a great job straight out of college with a BS from a very well-respected university. But, I'm happy now with my choices.

Look into a temp agency, especially the ones that specialize in scientific fields.

Good luck!

 

[lisab]

I
Professors and department doesn't care about what you will be doing after you graduate as much as you would care for yourself.

I totally agree, HungryChemist - I got NO help from my physics department. As far as I could tell, the profs had no industry contacts at all. The career placement department was far better at placing English majors! Very disappointing!

 

[ZapperZ]

It is extremely difficult to work in physics with only a physics undergraduate degree. And this really doesn't matter where you graduated from. When I was writing my essay on being a physicist, I tried to impress upon two important things:

1. Making sure an undergraduate equip him/herself with "marketable skills", and

2. Being aware of the type of non-physics opportunities that might be possible after graduation.

There are several physics programs, mainly in less well-known schools, that are now slowly realizing this and tailoring their undergraduate programs so that their graduates can get a decent chance of getting a job. This includes making the physics degree program more interdisciplinary, such as physics and journalism, physics and law, etc. One can already see where such mix can be very beneficial and the kind of job opportunities that can open up.

Someone who plans on only pursuing a B.Sc in physics needs to make a more careful preparation while in school and needs to think about "employability" way ahead of someone who intends on going on to graduate school. That would be the best advice that I can give.

Zz.