Graduating with a BA in physics, options?

[fizziks]

I'm graduating in a week with a BA in physics and a 2.51 GPA (WOOT!11) Yeah, well I didn't do so well in chemistry and some other general courses which caused me to switch majors several times. It looks like I'll be denied every job that asks for my GPA.

Well, anyways, I feel I don't have much options at the moment. I barely have any major/study-related work experience besides part time jobs I took to help pay my bills in college. I've had all these people and advisers telling me the flexibility of a physics degree... well, my degree isn't so "flexible", as I went on a 2 month job hunt on the internet and through connections and came up empty handed.

It feels I should of switched to an engineering degree as those seem to be so high in demand. Can anyone recommend me specific what companies hire people like me? Do those companies even exist?

Also, can anyone recommend some options/steps to take? I have a feeling I'll be unemployed for the next few months and will soon have to go on welfare or just live off my parents... which is the last thing I want to do.

 

[cristo]

I think you're being a bit too negative. There's no reason that you'd be unemployed, only through choice. You have a degree, after all, and there are plenty of jobs out there that do not require degrees.

As for your specifics, I'm not from the US, so can't comment on that.

 

[symbolipoint]

I'm graduating in a week with a BA in physics and a 2.51 GPA (WOOT!11) Yeah, well I didn't do so well in chemistry and some other general courses which caused me to switch majors several times. It looks like I'll be denied every job that asks for my GPA.

Well, anyways, I feel I don't have much options at the moment. I barely have any major/study-related work experience besides part time jobs I took to help pay my bills in college. I've had all these people and advisers telling me the flexibility of a physics degree... well, my degree isn't so "flexible", as I went on a 2 month job hunt on the internet and through connections and came up empty handed.

It feels I should of switched to an engineering degree as those seem to be so high in demand. Can anyone recommend me specific what companies hire people like me? Do those companies even exist?

Also, can anyone recommend some options/steps to take? I have a feeling I'll be unemployed for the next few months and will soon have to go on welfare or just live off my parents... which is the last thing I want to do.

CAN YOU WRITE COMPUTER PROGRAMS?
CAN YOU TUTOR MATHEMATICS OR PHYSICS OR OTHER SCIENCE?
Are you physically fit enough to work in a warehouse which often does not require much experience? Finding a job may be tough but reaching some kind of employment should definitely be possible.

 

[dotman]

It feels I should of switched to an engineering degree as those seem to be so high in demand. Can anyone recommend me specific what companies hire people like me? Do those companies even exist?

There's no question that engineering degrees are in demand. You can, however, become an engineer if you'd like.

What kind of companies hire people like you? I have no idea. I don't know anything about you, except for your GPA. And neither does your future employer. What do you want to do?

There are literally thousands of companies out there looking for good, smart people they can train. They don't expect you to know it all coming out of school-- your Physics degree shows them that you have strong analytic abilities, are hard-working, smart, and able to handle a challenge. If that's how you explain it to them, that is. They expect to need to train you for the specific field you go into. You're not going to start at the top.

So, what do you want to do?

 

[MrJB]

I'm in a similar boat. I had a sub 3 gpa and graduated with a BS in physics. And I've been working in a warehouse for a while now. It shouldn't be too hard to find some kind of job to pay the bills. But as to finding a longer term job that uses your degree, I'm not sure.

 

[b_arlt]

Been There

Don't fret too much. I was in your shoes 9 years ago. The job market was very similar then that it is today. I had a dual degree in Physics & Math.

I considered jobs in statistics, engineering, teaching, ... practically anywhere that I thought I could apply my knowledge. Everywhere I looked, hirers wanted more specialization: more experience. This seemed like the chicken and egg paradox. I couldn't get more experience without the job. I couldn't get the job without the experience.

I would recommend looking in technology. Be prepared to go into an entry-level position (e.g. Technical Support) and work your way up. Try to start with a small company: < 150 employees.

I eventually found my career in technology (I'm currently a DBA), although it was not a simple path.



I do have a couple of pointers before you begin:

1) Be confident - You have a degree in Physics. This is VERY GOOD. Physics is a difficult field of study. Solving freshman problems in Physics is more difficult than most of the work that I have found in business (and I gravitate to very technically challenging work).

Know this. You have already worked harder and solved harder problems than most people you will meet in business EVER will. You have what business leaders refer to as "hard skills". Most (90%+) of the people you will meet are incapable of doing this technical work. It is an undiscussed secret which everyone in business knows. Carry this knowledge with you, but never forget to be compassionate and supportive of those around you.

2) Be a good person - It is more important "who" you know than "what" you know. It is a cliche, but it is absolutely true.

Don't interpret this as you have no chance because you know no one. Instead remember that the most important actions and choices that you take will be with respect to the relationships you build.

You are right. No employer is looking at your resume and getting excited at your education or GPA. Frankly they don't care (except insofar that you have potential). They are much more interested in your character. This is what is going to make them get excited.

3) Your character - THIS is the silver bullet. This is what will push you over the chasm you are about to jump.

When I was looking for my first job, every time I had talked to a recruiter I wanted to emphasize my ability. At that point, all I was concerned about was impressing people with my intellect, my abilities, or my potential. I believed that this was what was going to get me hired. I was wrong.

I got my first job (in technology) because I mentioned something to a recruiter that seemed insignificant to me at the time. I said, "I like to tutor. I like to teach. I guess I like to help people."

That simple, unintentional comment launched my career. This wasn't because this is the right answer for everyone. This was because this was true for me. This is part of who I am. This is part of my character.

People you meet in business will not judge you by your analytical or technical skills as much as they will judge you by your character. It would benefit you in your search to discover this secret about yourself.

This is digging into a place in you that most people don't consider until they are much older. To dig here, I recommend this. Find a quiet place and sit and think. What makes you who you are?

Don't look for _special_. Look for _meaningful_. Look for what you look for in friends. Consider the things that you do with others that you really like.

Don't limit this to things that seem applicable to the jobs that you are considering. Instead look for things that are part of you. Look for things that are important to you that may or may not be important to your future employer. If you take a bias toward achieving a goal (e.g. a new job), people can tell. They won't trust you.

Don't just look for things you find entertaining. Instead look for things that you do with others. Look for things that you do that focus on your relationships. Business is about relationships.

This digging is much more elusive than the straight-forward problems we find in Physics, Mathematics, or technology. You can't start at the beginning and go to the end. You have to search who you are. For me, at least, this was very difficult.



I wish you the best of luck (though I know that you don't need it). You have the ability. You just need to find who you are.

 

[proton]

I'm graduating in a week with a BA in physics and a 2.51 GPA (WOOT!11) Yeah, well I didn't do so well in chemistry and some other general courses which caused me to switch majors several times. It looks like I'll be denied every job that asks for my GPA.

Well, anyways, I feel I don't have much options at the moment. I barely have any major/study-related work experience besides part time jobs I took to help pay my bills in college. I've had all these people and advisers telling me the flexibility of a physics degree... well, my degree isn't so "flexible", as I went on a 2 month job hunt on the internet and through connections and came up empty handed.

It feels I should of switched to an engineering degree as those seem to be so high in demand. Can anyone recommend me specific what companies hire people like me? Do those companies even exist?

Also, can anyone recommend some options/steps to take? I have a feeling I'll be unemployed for the next few months and will soon have to go on welfare or just live off my parents... which is the last thing I want to do.

my brother graduated with about a 2.80 gpa with a chemical engineering degree job from uc berkeley last may and STILL hasnt found a job. Only 1 company even accepted him, but they rejected him within a few days. he's applied to maybe a 1000 different companies by now, to companies throughout the world.

so a 2.51 gpa in physics, should be even worse. Of course, maybe his interview skills, not his gpa is the problem

 

[fizziks]

I'm in a similar boat. I had a sub 3 gpa and graduated with a BS in physics. And I've been working in a warehouse for a while now. It shouldn't be too hard to find some kind of job to pay the bills. But as to finding a longer term job that uses your degree, I'm not sure.

The problems isn't finding a job, but finding a DECENT job. The problem is I'm repeating my parent's road/fate. I grew up with poverty in the U.S. with both my parents making less than $33k a year COMBINED atm.

I'm going back home in a couple weeks. I've already spent 5 years in college with their support only to come back home for more of their support instead of getting a life of my own.

I considered jobs in statistics, engineering, teaching, ... practically anywhere that I thought I could apply my knowledge. Everywhere I looked, hirers wanted more specialization: more experience. This seemed like the chicken and egg paradox. I couldn't get more experience without the job. I couldn't get the job without the experience.

I would recommend looking in technology. Be prepared to go into an entry-level position (e.g. Technical Support) and work your way up. Try to start with a small company: < 150 employees.

Quoted for the truth... Practically all of the jobs I've applied/looked at is hiring for entry-level technical positions. But what boggles me is that they require +1 years of experience. I've always thought entry-level was for people with no experience but just have the overall knowledge in the field... I guess I'm wrong.

 

[TMFKAN64]

"Entry level" usually means less than 3 years experience.

 

[dotman]

Quoted for the truth... Practically all of the jobs I've applied/looked at is hiring for entry-level technical positions. But what boggles me is that they require +1 years of experience. I've always thought entry-level was for people with no experience but just have the overall knowledge in the field... I guess I'm wrong.

Yeah, all jobs are like that. Ignore the 1 year requirement and apply anyway-- they put that because they want to ward off people without a degree, and figure putting a year requirement will be another hurdle that will keep these people away. One year of experience is an awful small amount.

Entry level is for people who have no experience and no knowledge, but a desire to learn. Show them this, and you'll get the job.

The first job is the hardest one to get.

 

[dimensionless]

I went to five different job boards and updated my resume on a weekly basis. Preferably at 6:30 AM on Monday. Although I had loaded up my resume with a lot of extra stuff on it, I started landing interviews without sending off any applications. In my experience, applying to jobs was an ineffective way to get interviews.

I also have reason to believe that the post-office-mail thank-you-for-the-interview letter is much more effective than the email thank-you-for-the-interview letter. On the other hand I didn't write too many post-office-mail thank-you-for-the-interview letters.

 

[animalcroc]

my brother graduated with about a 2.80 gpa with a chemical engineering degree job from uc berkeley last may and STILL hasnt found a job. Only 1 company even accepted him, but they rejected him within a few days. he's applied to maybe a 1000 different companies by now, to companies throughout the world.

so a 2.51 gpa in physics, should be even worse. Of course, maybe his interview skills, not his gpa is the problem

Why did they dump your brother?

 

[animalcroc]

I'm graduating in a week with a BA in physics and a 2.51 GPA (WOOT!11) Yeah, well I didn't do so well in chemistry and some other general courses which caused me to switch majors several times. It looks like I'll be denied every job that asks for my GPA.

Well, anyways, I feel I don't have much options at the moment. I barely have any major/study-related work experience besides part time jobs I took to help pay my bills in college. I've had all these people and advisers telling me the flexibility of a physics degree... well, my degree isn't so "flexible", as I went on a 2 month job hunt on the internet and through connections and came up empty handed.

It feels I should of switched to an engineering degree as those seem to be so high in demand. Can anyone recommend me specific what companies hire people like me? Do those companies even exist?

Also, can anyone recommend some options/steps to take? I have a feeling I'll be unemployed for the next few months and will soon have to go on welfare or just live off my parents... which is the last thing I want to do.

The physics department at UCSD said the same crap about physics degrees being versatile and valuable. What a bunch of bull****. Those people are dying to attract students to their shrinking department. This happens everywhere. Faculty are always eager to attract students to ensure there are people to teach and hence a demand for professors. I initially wanted to study physics but was skeptical of the job outlook so I did engineering science (currently).
Have you thought about being a teacher? I believe science and math teachers are relatively in demand.

 

[symbolipoint]

The physics department at UCSD said the same crap about physics degrees being versatile and valuable. What a bunch of bull****. Those people are dying to attract students to their shrinking department. This happens everywhere. Faculty are always eager to attract students to ensure there are people to teach and hence a demand for professors. I initially wanted to study physics but was skeptical of the job outlook so I did engineering science (currently).
Have you thought about being a teacher? I believe science and math teachers are relatively in demand.

A physics degree does not deserve a degraded characterization. Two decades ago, someone with a physics degree might often find work as an engineer. The clever/smart people would take in a few other courses than just physics courses, such as maybe a couple or so engineering courses, and maybe a programming course or something from one or two other sciences. Physics students would best become experts at learning. Those graduates could still become secondary school science teachers if they prefer to steer their development that way, too; whether two decades ago or today.

 

[animalcroc]

A physics degree does not deserve a degraded characterization. Two decades ago, someone with a physics degree might often find work as an engineer. The clever/smart people would take in a few other courses than just physics courses, such as maybe a couple or so engineering courses, and maybe a programming course or something from one or two other sciences. Physics students would best become experts at learning. Those graduates could still become secondary school science teachers if they prefer to steer their development that way, too; whether two decades ago or today.

If the "clever/smart" people took nonphysics courses to supplement their degree then I see no point in having getting the degree in the first place. Following your logic, the "clever/smart" people should have been even smarter and switched to engineering.

 

[RasslinGod]

i think physics is indeed risky. i talked to a lot of companies from school career fairs. if ur not an engineer, then ur prolly not gonan get a job in industry. One astrophysics major (who luckily landed a research project in school on opitical engineering) said don't expect to get a job w/ physics. Which is what common sense dictates.

Anyone here love physics enough to go get a graduate degree and become a university teacher??

 

[symbolipoint]

animalcroc :

Quote:
Originally Posted by symbolipoint
A physics degree does not deserve a degraded characterization. Two decades ago, someone with a physics degree might often find work as an engineer. The clever/smart people would take in a few other courses than just physics courses, such as maybe a couple or so engineering courses, and maybe a programming course or something from one or two other sciences. Physics students would best become experts at learning. Those graduates could still become secondary school science teachers if they prefer to steer their development that way, too; whether two decades ago or today.

from animalcroc:

If the "clever/smart" people took nonphysics courses to supplement their degree then I see no point in having getting the degree in the first place. Following your logic, the "clever/smart" people should have been even smarter and switched to engineering.

Those clever people were PHYSICS graduates, and THEY BECAME ENGINEERS. I did not merely give you MY logic; I gave you THEIR logic. Those bachelor's degree students earned Physics degrees, not engineering degrees. They made their choices on certain desired engineering elective courses.

 

[Locrian]

A physics degree does not deserve a degraded characterization.

Maybe not, but you don't give any good reason that his characterization isn't valid. I agree with you completely that if one simply adds and subtracts from the physics curriculum one can improve their job prospects hugely. They just shouldn't have to.

I had an interesting experience with just this debate. About a year ago a colloquium speaker argued just this to our department - that physics curriculum, especially undergraduate curriculum, should include key courses that would improve their employability in the private sector. I thought it was well presented and well argued. The response wasn't apathetic - it wasn't even negative. It was openly hostile.

There are exceptions, but as a general rule the typical US physics degree isn't half what it could be. I'm not convinced the Europeans are much better off.

 

[akatz]

see this is what I am a bit worried about as I am a senior preparing to go to college.
My intention is to major in physics and (at least try to) go to grad school perhaps followed by research and a Ph.D (very very vague hopes)
I have had this persistent worry that I won't really be able to apply my physics degree to a career aside from teaching.
yes, i have already read the entire so you want to be a physicist thread.
Basically, I am just worried that a physics degree won't give me very many opportunites
:\

EDIT:
In response to RasslinGod, I do.

 

[RasslinGod]

lol i guess we physics lovers can face it...we're prolly not gonan be gainfully employed or we can just TEACH.

My Professor did say that with a PhD, you can get hired in industry because they're looking for creative thinkers, doign things engineers can't do. However, that's not giving me much hope. He said MAs don't really have much oppertunity at all.

Anyone else thinking of just getting a bachelors in engineering instead?

To the topic creator: maybe you can try non-science jobs like marketing?? i donno

I've always thot of Physics like a degree in history or english, not really applicable to anyhting outside of academia. But man physics is AWESOME.

i mean there are some skilsl from a physics major that might be useful:
-programming (but i prolly won't want to get a job just programming alone)
- [you fill in the blank]

 

[fizziks]

see this is what I am a bit worried about as I am a senior preparing to go to college.
My intention is to major in physics and (at least try to) go to grad school perhaps followed by research and a Ph.D (very very vague hopes)
I have had this persistent worry that I won't really be able to apply my physics degree to a career aside from teaching.
yes, i have already read the entire so you want to be a physicist thread.
Basically, I am just worried that a physics degree won't give me very many opportunites
:\

EDIT:
In response to RasslinGod, I do.

Well, I have a bit of advice for you, based on the stuff that's going on in this thread and the stuff I'm getting from real life and fellow physics friends.

1.) A pure BS/BA in physics will definitely not get you anywhere without specialized experience in a more applicable area. Trust me, this is what I am facing at the moment. If you want to land a job with a bachelor's in physics, take some engineering courses along the way. Get an internship.

2.) If you "feel" that a physics degree isn't worthwhile (career-wise), go towards engineering and take physics courses to satisfy your physics lust.

The way I'm seeing it now is the physics degree is a proof that you can be very technical, but that really offers nothing to an employer unless you have that "specialized experience/ability".

 

[arunma]

i think physics is indeed risky. i talked to a lot of companies from school career fairs. if ur not an engineer, then ur prolly not gonan get a job in industry. One astrophysics major (who luckily landed a research project in school on opitical engineering) said don't expect to get a job w/ physics. Which is what common sense dictates.

Anyone here love physics enough to go get a graduate degree and become a university teacher??

Well, there's me. I just finished my first semester of graduate school, and I'm working on my PhD in astrophysics. What you said is quite correct: if you aren't an engineer, or if you don't at least have several engineering courses under your belt, you aren't going to get a job. The semester before I graduated, I started applying for jobs even before I applied to graduate school. Only one company gave me an interview. It was Target Corporation, and I really didn't want to work for Target for the rest of my life.

Well, I have a bit of advice for you, based on the stuff that's going on in this thread and the stuff I'm getting from real life and fellow physics friends.

1.) A pure BS/BA in physics will definitely not get you anywhere without specialized experience in a more applicable area. Trust me, this is what I am facing at the moment. If you want to land a job with a bachelor's in physics, take some engineering courses along the way. Get an internship.

2.) If you "feel" that a physics degree isn't worthwhile (career-wise), go towards engineering and take physics courses to satisfy your physics lust.

The way I'm seeing it now is the physics degree is a proof that you can be very technical, but that really offers nothing to an employer unless you have that "specialized experience/ability".

I'd more or less concur with this advise to an outgoing high school senior. And I say this as someone who did a "pure" BS in physics. Oh sure, I took a diversity of classes, including biology, math (enough math to get a math degree also), and even organic chemistry. But I didn't take programming or engineering. I think this is why I wasn't very marketable. I would suggest either majoring in engineering and taking a few physics courses as fizziks said, or attend a school that has an "engineering physics" degree. Or you could just double major in physics and engineering.

My only caution is that some people have a sort of insatiable physics lust. Heck, after spending a semester in grad school and seeing how real science is done, I don't even really want to be a scientist. But I'm definitely going to complete my PhD, for no other reason than because I really want to know how all of this physics stuff works. Do you want to be stupid like me and spend nine years of your life satisfying your desire to learn more about physics? I'm not saying that "no" is the correct answer. All I'm saying is that if you're going into physics, do it because you like it, not because it pays well (because it doesnt).

Now Fizziks, about your problem, I have a suggestion. Have you considered graduate school? You could just go for your Master's, at which point you'd be significantly more employable. Is it possible for you to delay graduation and spend an extra year in school? You really should get that GPA up. By the time you start getting near 2.80, there are grad schools out there that will take you. And chances are you'll do much better once you get in. I just finished up this semester with a 3.47, which is better than I ever had in undergrad (I graduated with a 3.1). Secondly, you might try taking the GRE. If you score very high, then you'll have an even better chance. I have a friend who is just finishing undergrad, and last I heard he was at ~2.7. But he somehow got 740 on the physics GRE (that's really, really good). If you can pull that off, then you should be OK.

Anyway, that's just one possibility. There are plenty of other ones...I think.

 

[fizziks]

Now Fizziks, about your problem, I have a suggestion. Have you considered graduate school? You could just go for your Master's, at which point you'd be significantly more employable. Is it possible for you to delay graduation and spend an extra year in school? You really should get that GPA up. By the time you start getting near 2.80, there are grad schools out there that will take you. And chances are you'll do much better once you get in. I just finished up this semester with a 3.47, which is better than I ever had in undergrad (I graduated with a 3.1). Secondly, you might try taking the GRE. If you score very high, then you'll have an even better chance. I have a friend who is just finishing undergrad, and last I heard he was at ~2.7. But he somehow got 740 on the physics GRE (that's really, really good). If you can pull that off, then you should be OK.

Anyway, that's just one possibility. There are plenty of other ones...I think.

I have taken way too much classes in college now. I'm 15 credits over the maximum amount of credit hours my college will allow and I had to persuade them to let me continue... otherwise, I had to drop out which was not an option for me. I wished I could of taken more classes to help my GPA and future work.

I got accepted to a graduate school already. I got into a Masters of Information Security program down back at home. It's not a well known school and it excels at distance learning. All my classes are online (in fact ALL of the graduate classes are online). I got rejected from every grad school except for my "safe school", which is this one.

The point is, I've spent +5 years trying to get my undergraduate degree. I barely passed and I don't think I would survive a day in graduate school. Sure, I went to a very difficult school that's in the top 10 and now I will be attending a school in the bottom tier (4th tier ranking according to US news).

So, should I take the risk and get loans for graduate school? If I fail, I'll have loans to repay and be back to where I am now. But, if I pass and get some internships/work experience in the IT security industry... big bucks might be coming my way.EDIT: And I just got my degree this week and grad school starts on the 7th of Jan. Even getting my degree, I was really depressed on my lack of finding work and didn't really celebrate or congrats myself. I would really like to enter the middle class workforce than go on for 2 more years of schooling.

 

[Integral]

Just as a side note, I graduated with a BS in physics in 1977, I have been out of work for a total of 8 months since graduation. Most of my work has been engineering related. I know of several "engineers" with a BS in physics. Getting a job is a matter of selling yourself, not so much the degree. Some places actually VALUE the skills that are acquired working to a Physics degree.

 

[RasslinGod]

Very interesting conversation here!

Im actually planning as a backup to minor in EE. I actually love it, not doign it for money. It came outa my second physics class on E&M, and i soon loved circuits! Sometimes i question wheter i like physics or EE more.

Arunma, I am curious as to why you said you might not want to be a scientist now? WHat about it turns you off?

 

[arunma]

Arunma, I am curious as to why you said you might not want to be a scientist now? WHat about it turns you off?

Mostly it was seeing the sort of effort that one needs to invest to be a research professor. Getting your PhD is only the beginning. After you leave graduate school, you need to do a postdoc for a few years before becoming an assistant professor. Most people will tell you that the average physics postdoc is three years, but one of my advisor's colleagues spent eight years before he got his professorship (and he still isn't tenured yet!). And then there's the arduous process of getting tenure. Basically, at the end of five years they either grant you tenure or kick you out. Finally, there's the amount of effort that you need to put into your career. I see professors who work twelve hour days and even come in on weekends. Mind you, there's nothing wrong with this if you like what you do. Personally I think I'd enjoy doing research, but not so much that I'd want to come in on weekends just to do it.

As I said before, this hasn't deterred me from getting my PhD. There are plenty of non-research jobs available for people with PhDs in physics. Heck, most of them probably pay better (not that this is my motivation at all). And as I said before, I think that getting my PhD is the only thing that's going to cure my desire to learn as much physics as I possibly can. I say this to point out that you can go to graduate school even if you don't want to be a researcher. But at the end of the day, I do have priorities that supercede science, and this isn't entirely compatible with being a physics researcher. At least not from what I've observed.

 

[Dissonance in E]

what about an applied physics major? those should be in some demand... no?

 

[daveb]

It also depends what a person means by a "decent job". If they're talking 60k a year, that's a long shot with no experience and only a bachelor's. However, the company I work for would gladly hire physics majors for between 30k and 40k a year from what I hear.

For what it's worth, my degree was double math/physics (graduated 2003 from UCLA, 3.5 gpa) and I got the job within 2 months of graduating. I had no experience in this field, but I did have work experience having nothing to do with what I do now. Now that I am finishing my master's in nuclear engineering, and once I get certified as a health physicist, I anticipate earning close to 100k a year within a couple of years.

 

[JeffN]

IMO it's almost always a better idea for high school students to go into engineering (vs physics). It's usually easier to switch into physics from engineering, especially at schools that are heavily departmentalized (ie they have a faculty of science and a faculty of engineering)

There's also nothing wrong with going into a program to make money. A university education is ultimately an investment after all.

Also, as a bright high school student, it is easy to say that one has a "passion for physics" or a "love for pure mathematics" after reading stuff online and maybe a science book or three, but in the end it is impossible to tell after taking physics and math classes at the high school level, so I say that the practical route is probably the better one..

 

[fizziks]

It also depends what a person means by a "decent job". If they're talking 60k a year, that's a long shot with no experience and only a bachelor's. However, the company I work for would gladly hire physics majors for between 30k and 40k a year from what I hear.

For what it's worth, my degree was double math/physics (graduated 2003 from UCLA, 3.5 gpa) and I got the job within 2 months of graduating. I had no experience in this field, but I did have work experience having nothing to do with what I do now. Now that I am finishing my master's in nuclear engineering, and once I get certified as a health physicist, I anticipate earning close to 100k a year within a couple of years.

I consider 30k-40k decent coming from a family that makes 30k a year combined.

If I had the chance, I would switch to EE since I did rather well in electrodynamics and physics/electronic circuits. But I still lack the education in logic design/digital design/etc. to even partially qualify for an EE job.

 

[RasslinGod]

Lol physics department websites need to have a boldface warning stating that you can't get a job.

Anyone regret majoring in physics?? I am still earlyin my career and still taking lower division math and physics ,so i still might change.

 

[Asphodel]

Anyone regret majoring in physics?

Nope. I'm doing this for my own enjoyment. I could already be making 30k a year fairly easily, and I'm picking up enough stuff on the side (double major, electives) that I don't have to care what the physics job market is like when I graduate. Physics majors all think they're so smart, okay, so plan ahead instead of whining about your career prospects. Make your own damn road if you don't like the one you're on already.

/rant

 

[cristo]

Lol physics department websites need to have a boldface warning stating that you can't get a job.

But then so should every other department, as all departments graduate people who then don't find a job. I agree with what Integral said: it depends upon your personality and ability to sell yourself. Of course, if you graduate and then expect someone to come running up to you offering you a job, then you'll be in for a rude awakening, but if you apply for jobs, and tailor your applications to make the most of the skills you have acquired, then there should be no reason for having no job.

In fact, of all the people I know who graduated with physics/maths/engineering degrees, it's the chemical engineer that had the hardest time finding a job.

 

[Mororvia]

Anyone regret majoring in physics?? I am still earlyin my career and still taking lower division math and physics ,so i still might change.

I don't regret it. But I also knew about the job prospects before I was done. I actually started my undergraduate career as an engineering major. The engineering college had GPA standards that I didn't meet by my junior year so I had to change majors. I figured physics was the next best thing. Now I have a Masters degree in physics and will be starting a career not directly related to physics.

As for changing your major, I can't really add more than what has already been said. I don't think one should change just because of job prospects. Sure, you probably won't get a physics related job with just a BS (and maybe not MS either), but if its something you enjoy go for it. If you find an area of engineering to be of interest to you then by all means go ahead.

Try to take advantage of summer research programs. That could also be a good way to gain some skills and probably get paid to do so too! Good luck in whatever decision you make.

Good luck to fizziks too. Job hunting is never fun hehe.

 

[ice109]

so what kind of engineering class should a physics major be taking if they want to be more marketable?

 

[Asphodel]

so what kind of engineering class should a physics major be taking if they want to be more marketable?

There's no single answer to that, it depends on your goals and in the end comes down to you marketing yourself. A popular option seems to be taking some solid state physics courses and tossing some EE into the mix. There aren't really any wrong choices, either, but generally you want to become as skilled in the area you want to work in as possible.

 

[fizziks]

Applied to 9 jobs today. Personally wrote each cover letter and resume for each one. It's a pain, since I don't want to have a general resume. I'm nice enough to cater each resume and cover letter to each company/government sector I apply.

 

[Mororvia]

so what kind of engineering class should a physics major be taking if they want to be more marketable?

Basically any course where you would learn SKILLS. This means programming, electronics, CAD, experimental skills like making thin films, etc.

 

[RasslinGod]

But remember if ur not a engineering major, but are competing against some engineering majors, u should be pretty good and better than the engineering major. It's a tough battle, but winnable.

 

[arunma]

Anyone regret majoring in physics?? I am still earlyin my career and still taking lower division math and physics ,so i still might change.

Hmm...that's an interesting question. There are days when I wish that I had majored in theology, and others when I wish I had done pre-med (actually I still haven't closed the door on either option). But if I'd done that I wouldn't have come any closer to satisfying that pesky physics lust we talked about earlier. If I could go back to high school and somehow prevent myself from ever looking at physics and developing the curiosity in the first place, I'd probably do it. But I was already hooked on physics by freshman year. So in some perverse sense, I'm happy being a physics grad student.

Sounds pretty messed up, huh?

 

[Cyrus]

Note* You will not like my response, but I can't lie to your face.

I would seek another degree in engineering. Your GPA is woeful at best. Below a B average shows me you had no interest in what you studied, or you did not take it seriously. As a grad school or an employer, I would not hire you. If I were in your shoes, I would never expect to get any job in physics unless you know some people in very high positions at a company. Working in engineering deals with products or services that can cost people their lives and companies millions of dollars. They are not going to hire the very worst to do this kind of work for them.

So, go back, study hard, get a 4.0 in engineering, and get a job. All my friends have jobs before they graduated at engineering companies making anywhere from 55-80k starting salary as undergrads. You will probably be able to transfer your lower credits, which means you only have to take around 30 credits ~2 years to get an engineering degree. Not that long considering your other options, welfare. If you have no money, you can try the military also. -The alternatives are not so nice, are they? I honestly hope you don't have student loans.

 

[arunma]

Note* You will not like my response, but I can't lie to your face.

I would seek another degree in engineering. Your GPA is woeful at best. Below a B average shows me you had no interest in what you studied, or you did not take it seriously. As a grad school or an employer, I would not hire you. If I were in your shoes, I would never expect to get any job in physics unless you know some people in very high positions at a company. Working in engineering deals with products or services that can cost people their lives and companies millions of dollars. They are not going to hire the very worst to do this kind of work for them.

So, go back, study hard, get a 4.0 in engineering, and get a job. All my friends have jobs before they graduated at engineering companies making anywhere from 55-80k starting salary as undergrads. You will probably be able to transfer your lower credits, which means you only have to take around 30 credits ~2 years to get an engineering degree. Not that long considering your other options, welfare. If you have no money, you can try the military also. -The alternatives are not so nice, are they? I honestly hope you don't have student loans.

Honest...but sadly true. Most companies require a minimum GPA of 3.0 before they'll consider you. At least that was the case with the companies I applied to. GPA tends to matter only for your first job (from what I've heard), so I suppose that if you could get your foot in the door at an engineering firm, your GPA might not follow you for the rest of your life. But anyway, Cyrus is right.

 

[Cyrus]

I wish I were wrong. He seems like a nice enough guy.

 

[RasslinGod]

I know the feeling Arunma. it's not weird at all. PHYSICS IS JUST WAY TOO AWESOME (for the lack of a better phrase). B4 i decided to do physics, i actually finished ALL of the pre-med reqs. I took the 2nd semester of physics for med skool, and i loved it, and now i am starting a whole new major.

Oh well, we might not be so well employed or rich, but we know how the universe works. Lol maybe we can apply for welfare or unemployment benefits while we search for jobs.
I understand ur feelings fizzicks. I too come from poverty, an immigrant family. We did apply for welfare starting out here. Would be funny if i got a college education to end up just liek my parents lol.

 

[Defennder]

So, go back, study hard, get a 4.0 in engineering, and get a job.

Are you kidding? Are you implying you can't get hired as an engineer unless you have 4.0 GPA (assuming 5 pt GPA)? You know, Cyrus I hope you mean well, but your "advice" tantamounts to telling someone who has dropped out of high school to go back and top his class before he can get into college. I know of people personally who, in their 2nd year failed about 4 out of 5 classes and yet were still hired as research engineers. I don't know their GPA, but it can't be that every single one of them got 4.0 or above.

 

[Cyrus]

I mean 4.0 on 4.0 scale, and I was not kidding. Getting below a 2.0 means you got a C or less in almost all your classes. What I said was go back and get another degree and get all A's. Its possible.

 

[gravenewworld]

I'm graduating in a week with a BA in physics and a 2.51 GPA (WOOT!11) Yeah, well I didn't do so well in chemistry and some other general courses which caused me to switch majors several times. It looks like I'll be denied every job that asks for my GPA.

Well, anyways, I feel I don't have much options at the moment. I barely have any major/study-related work experience besides part time jobs I took to help pay my bills in college. I've had all these people and advisers telling me the flexibility of a physics degree... well, my degree isn't so "flexible", as I went on a 2 month job hunt on the internet and through connections and came up empty handed.

It feels I should of switched to an engineering degree as those seem to be so high in demand. Can anyone recommend me specific what companies hire people like me? Do those companies even exist?

Also, can anyone recommend some options/steps to take? I have a feeling I'll be unemployed for the next few months and will soon have to go on welfare or just live off my parents... which is the last thing I want to do.

That's one of your problems right there. Too many people expect to find jobs by only applying and looking over the internet. One of my friends just moved out to San Diego and search for several weeks on the internet for a job and couldn't find any. Finally he just resorted to calling up companies directly through the phone book and asked for jobs. He eventually landed a pretty sweet engineering gig by using that method.
Also consider some non-STEM jobs. Take some finance or economics courses to broaden your horizon. You could easily attend grad school in econ or finance with a physics degree and just a few econ or finance classes under your belt because in those fields they love to take people who have excellent analytical skills in grad school regardless if they have an undergrad degree in finance or econ. Finding a job in those fields is also much easier. Also, even with an undergrad degree in physics and a few business/econ classes you would could easily apply for financial positions. MANY MANY financial companies out there have job positions that they want filled by people majoring in math, engineering, or physics.

 

[Locrian]

To follow up on what gravenewworld just wrote,

Let's list the TOP THREE WORST WAYS TO FIND A JOB:

Number Three: Going to job fairs

Congrats, the only people who are there are HR reps (your worst enemy in the job hunt) from companies that weren't able to find employees other ways. Look closer and you'll see a third of the jobs are government and a third are sales. At least you get some face time. . . along with two hundred other people.

Number Two: Sending out resumes

Once again, you'll be stymied by that evil of evils, the HR department. Guess what, all that time you spent writing the perfect cover letter and formatting your resume goes straight into the trash - as will your cover letter and resume after essential information is scanned or typed into the computer system. No one who matters will ever see what you wrote, and you are now data in a system. Best of luck!

Number One: Sending out resumes. . . on the internet

Wow, everything that sucks about sending out paper resumes, except now you're buried even farther in the (mis)information highway, the companies are even less interested in what you wrote, and you've made yourself a target for scammers to boot. Enjoy!

If these were the methods you used to look for a job and you failed, don't feel bad. Lots of other people make the same tremendous mistake. Now you get to go check out no less than three different books from your library on how to actually get a job, read them, and try try again.

 

[fizziks]

Not ALL companies do the above when you apply online. I did get some personal response from several companies stating I didn't meet the requirements or the position was just filled.

The majority of my responses were the lack of experience I had. I also noted that I looked for jobs through networking or connections.

 

[animalcroc]

That's one of your problems right there. Too many people expect to find jobs by only applying and looking over the internet. One of my friends just moved out to San Diego and search for several weeks on the internet for a job and couldn't find any. Finally he just resorted to calling up companies directly through the phone book and asked for jobs. He eventually landed a pretty sweet engineering gig by using that method.



Also consider some non-STEM jobs. Take some finance or economics courses to broaden your horizon. You could easily attend grad school in econ or finance with a physics degree and just a few econ or finance classes under your belt because in those fields they love to take people who have excellent analytical skills in grad school regardless if they have an undergrad degree in finance or econ. Finding a job in those fields is also much easier. Also, even with an undergrad degree in physics and a few business/econ classes you would could easily apply for financial positions. MANY MANY financial companies out there have job positions that they want filled by people majoring in math, engineering, or physics.

Those people are better off getting economics or engineering degrees then.