I learned that my degree won't arrive in the mail until July

[Eclair_de_XII]

I graduate on the eleventh of May, and I am told that I won't be able to receive my college degree until sometime in July. I'm wondering now what I'm supposed to do during that time period. Should I get an extra job to fill the time and save up to move somewhere? Should I try out for that RIPS research internship in California or Singapore? It does involve math, statistics, data, and computing. I'm not exactly the best in math, and I am weak in programming, so I'm wondering if it's even worth it to bother applying. Not to mention the fact that I have so few professors I know personally, who can vouch for my ability to do well for this internship...

 

[Päällikkö]

Did you mean to post this in some other thread? Do whatever you like and explain the situation to grad school at your new university or your new employer or whatever the case may be. I don't think anyone cares so much they'd want to see the piece of paper upfront as long as you can eventually produce it.

 

[CWatters]

+1

No employer (in 40 years and two countries) has ever asked me to actually produce my certificate.

Depending on your degree subject and predicted grades some employers will even offer you a job before you graduate let alone have the certificate.

 

[Dale]

No employer (in 40 years and two countries) has ever asked me to actually produce my certificate.

My employer did ask for a copy of the certificate, but after something like 6 months at the company. They hired me before graduation so the copy was required just to show that I hadn’t left something incomplete at the end.

 

[Vanadium 50]

If you get that rare employer who wants to see something official, you can always send them a transcript.

 

[ZapperZ]

I graduate on the eleventh of May, and I am told that I won't be able to receive my college degree until sometime in July. I'm wondering now what I'm supposed to do during that time period. Should I get an extra job to fill the time and save up to move somewhere? Should I try out for that RIPS research internship in California or Singapore? It does involve math, statistics, data, and computing. I'm not exactly the best in math, and I am weak in programming, so I'm wondering if it's even worth it to bother applying. Not to mention the fact that I have so few professors I know personally, who can vouch for my ability to do well for this internship...

Have you been asked to produce your paper diploma in your job search?

Zz.

 

[StatGuy2000]

To the OP:

I'm frankly confused by your post here. Are you asking us whether to even bother applying for the internship? Or whether to look for a job? What exactly did you have in mind after your graduation -- did you plan on going to graduate school? I'm not sure what you are exactly asking of us.

If your specific concern is whether employers will need to see your official degree (that you will be receiving in July), the answer is in general no. The only thing employers care about (if they actually care about your educational background) is whether you actually completed your university degree. In which case, as @Vanadium 50 suggested in post #5, your transcripts should be more than enough to satisfy that requirement.

 

[symbolipoint]

Regarding the offering and acceptance of jobs (employment), college and university transcripts were necessary; never any "degree" certificate paper.

 

[mpresic3]

My experience was my initial hiring did require, and human resources did copy, the diploma for my masters degree. I remember because it was funny. The University had a very large diploma and they had to fold it in half and copy it twice. Some others of my friends reminded me of this. When I went home to look at the diploma, I noted that it was unusually large. By contrast, after my doctorate, when I showed my diploma to my brother, his first words were< Why is it so small. That University did put out unusually small diplomas. Because I graduated in early December, with Christmas holidays, I had the diplomas well in hand long before I needed them.

Bringing this back to the main point., I think the human resources and hiring at your organization will most likely accept a final transcript, or most likely, your institution will supply a letter or note that you graduated in good standing, (assuming you paid all your library and parking fines, etc, and completed all your academic and residence requirements).

 

[russ_watters]

I graduate on the eleventh of May, and I am told that I won't be able to receive my college degree until sometime in July. I'm wondering now what I'm supposed to do during that time period.

Please clarify if you mean you will have fulfilled all of the requirements and officially graduate in May but just won't receive the physical degree until July. If that's the case, it doesn't matter at all. The physical degree is just a decoration you hang on your wall. It has no other value.

If you mean that you will walk in May, but have another course or two to take and won't officially graduate until July, then you will just need to communicate that to people as you are applying (you should be starting to apply for jobs before you graduate).

 

[Eclair_de_XII]

It's comforting to know that the diploma isn't as important as I thought it would be in job applications that would require it; just an official transcript.

Have you been asked to produce your paper diploma in your job search?

I have actually yet to start job searching. I graduate May the eleventh of next year, and I'm wondering if it's too soon to start applying for work right now.

I'm frankly confused by your post here. Are you asking us whether to even bother applying for the internship? Or whether to look for a job? What exactly did you have in mind after your graduation -- did you plan on going to graduate school? I'm not sure what you are exactly asking of us.

Frankly, I was too tired to figure out what the purpose was of typing this post out. In any case, I don't know if I want to apply for the internship since I'm a B student at worst, and have little experience with programming languages. I was just wondering what I would do to earn money in the interim while wait for my degree to arrive in the mail to eventually show to future employers who list that degree as a job requirement. And I have no intents right now of attending graduate school. I am just looking for work.

Please clarify if you mean you will have fulfilled all of the requirements and officially graduate in May but just won't receive the physical degree until July.

Yes, I will have completed all my coursework as of mid-May.

--

Incidentally, I have asked for advice regarding post-graduation careers on another forum but have yet to hear from the very active community... This is the post I wrote:

"Right now, I'm majoring in mathematics, and I'm looking towards a career in either data science or in the actuarial field. I'm leaning towards the former, but right now, my programming skills with R aren't very competent at all, so I fear that I won't be able to pursue a job in data science straightaway. Additionally, I haven't done any actuary exams yet; I was hoping to try to study for one after graduation and see if taking these tests are something that I am able to handle.

So I basically am set on finding general work with my math degree, until I either become competent enough to work with statistical programming, or until I know that I can take those tests after graduation. I also want to seek work outside of my state, so I want tips on how to go about doing that, as well. I've heard tell that employers are more likely to accept applicants who already live in the surrounding area, rather than one who will have to take a plane ride there, one who may not like the new environment, and one who might leave as soon as he realizes that he doesn't like the living situation he has placed himself in.

I also cannot drive yet, which will be even more detrimental towards my odds of being hired. I am taking the driving test this coming December the seventeenth, though, so I'm hoping that goes well. I also would need to start apartment-searching, but I figure I can figure that out after having landed some job. Anyway, I'm self-studying programming right now, and hope to become competent by the time I graduate college.

But right now, I want to know what job-searching everyone recommends. Additionally, I need help fixing my resume because I lost the original draft that got me my current job, and had to redo it from scratch."

 

[ZapperZ]

Then your original question is moot, because you are asking about a non-existent problem.

Zz.

 

[StatGuy2000]

To the OP:

If you are thinking of going the actuarial route, then I would recommend that you start looking into taking at least the first actuarial exams soon (if I'm not mistaken, the first 1 or 2 exams cover calculus and linear algebra along with probability and statistics). Typically, for entry-level actuarial jobs employers usually assume the applicant has taken a couple of actuarial exams (@Locrian, am I correct about this?)

If you're thinking of going down the data science route, in addition to self-studying programming, are you able to fit in any computer science courses in your schedule (since you're set to graduate in May)? Also, I would suggest creating some personal programming projects and making those available via open-source platforms/repositories like GitHub.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Choppy]

I have actually yet to start job searching. I graduate May the eleventh of next year, and I'm wondering if it's too soon to start applying for work right now.

Start now.

Worst case scenario is that you're not in the running for a few positions early on because your graduate date is too far off. Best case scenario, you line something awesome up for the first day you're available. Job hunting is a process that often involves a learning curve. It's rare for people to get the first thing that they apply for, so it's important to start early.

Most employers that list a degree as a requirement for the job are willing to entertain candidates that are nearly finished that degree.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

Employers who needed proof always accepted transcripts, preferably sent directly from the degree granting institution.