Physics BS in Physics and absolutely no luck getting an entry level job

[Chuckinmaine]

Go to a post office and track down the federal register pf jobs (or do it on line). Check out radiation control technician (Health physics technician). When I entered the program (1985) it took a year's training plus a year's probationary status to become an "A" qualified RCT (RadCon Tech as they are called in DoD). It's an interesting and well paid job, but it is not for everyone. Every four months a percentage of randomly selected RCTs are sent to a no-notice written exam or mock-up that takes from two to four hours to complete. Fail and you loose your qualifications. Fail more than once and you can be dropped from the program. The job is radiation control, health physics,and radioactive material handling where masses of regulation meet real world maintenance of nuclear systems in real time. Of the 16 people in my training group, 8 graduated from training and only five were left after a year. Some got transfers to other jobs in DoD or the shipyards, others were dropped. Work locations include anywhere the navy repairs nuclear powered ships. You will also need to pass a full background check to get a security clearance, so if you do drugs don't bother to apply.
Good Luck.

 

[VoloD]

I have seen physics graduates choose to become K-12 teachers. I have seen physics graduates who actually work in oil and gas industry. There are a strong number of physics graduates who leave off to pursue careers in medicine or law. Some people even have the heart to pursue that elusive PhD and find applied employment outside of academia (which happens more often than people think). It really depends on what you make of it.