Having trouble landing a decent job, I am 4 years post bachelors, environmental science. I can not seem to land a job above minimum wage. My last position (horticultural assistant) found myself taking on a good amount of projects that were being left unfulfilled, due to coworker politics (a few co worker’s wanted to see the supervisor fall short of expectations) in addition I had difficulty with my manager( sexual harassment) I rejected their advances, and I was laid off in December

likesmart
Posting as :
works at
You are currently posting as works at
Highlighted IconHIGHLIGHTED

You should see a career counselor. Work with someone who can review your resume and help you get interviews - I don’t know if that’s your undergraduate career services or a recruiter at this point..: I’d reach out to both. Also know that the advances by your manager were inappropriate and illegal and are not reflective of you. Also, don’t let yourself get wrapped up in workplace politics in the future — you say they didn’t do their part because they wanted to see the manager fail… they could have also wanted you to fail. Some people are just petty and mean. Also realize that getting laid off is not the end of the world - I got let go from my first job as a lawyer (financial crisis) and I was so upset because I couldn’t let myself believe that it has nothing to do with me as a person, even though I understood it. I would be open to all opportunities and see what comes your way. You really have no idea what you want to do, even if you think you have an idea. Be open minded when an opportunity comes up. I had a hard time finding another job after I got let go as a first year associate… the market was saturated with so many lawyers at the time and there was little hiring being done… I ended up taking an internship role (that was paid) to at least have something on my resume, which then turned into a full time job and I’ve been there ever since. It is also not in the exact area I was aiming for at the time.

likehelpful

Maybe try networking with alumni from your school? I hate it when a school doesn’t have post graduate career services! They should be trying to help recent graduates too! It’s probably because they are focusing on current students because those are stats they are measuring.

I saw someone posted on applying for EY entry level - I think all the big 4 accounting firms need associates badly. It could be a stepping stone and I think there will be a lot of “green” or “clean” consulting that will be done with ESG.

like

Maybe I’m wrong and others can tell me but maybe it’s time to look outside of your degree. There’s so many great companies hiring right now and it’s almost worth giving a shot at something new.

Also if you haven’t already.. update LinkedIn and set yourself as you are looking at opportunities i whatever areas you’d want to work in.

like

I wouldn’t go back for more environmental based masters then unless you fully know it’ll be beneficial. I would go for mba or something like that so you can get more into other career paths.

like
Recent IconRecent

I honestly don’t know where to go at this point… Im really tired of terrible work environments and I honestly don’t know where to start… I mean is this just a normal part of life… i have friends who make 3 times my yearly pay, it doesn’t seem like I’m not a hard worker or any less educated.

like

Just to understand, I assume that these friends attended the same school and program as yourself?

I would suggest you setup time with your friends and ask them for advice, maybe in a referral to their company?

like

It’s so annoying to me that jobs that actually matter (environmental sciences seem to fit the bill) are so hard to break into and the pay is crap while so many “professional services” positions like consulting (hi 👋) you can literally fall into and make so much more money.

My friend has a masters in an environmental field from a school that is well known and connected for that industry and the struggle for her to find a job over the course of almost a year was heart breaking. She’s in a job she likes now, but makes well under half of what I do with just a bachelors.

I don’t have any great answers since I’ve not been in your shoes, but I think she had pretty good luck looking for positions on Idealist (might lean more nonprofit, which obviously doesn’t pay well). Also do recommend reaching out to your school, contacting old professors, or searching for other alumni who are in the same industry to try and make those connections.

likefunny

Thank you for understanding. That is the truth, jobs that people whole heartedly believe matter and try their hardest to help sustain our society. Those committed to understanding and trying to reverse the detriment anthropologic sourced degradation are very hard to get into, (might sound crazy)but i think large corporations maybe bought them all out to limit their influence on profitable industry.

like

Start by deciding what role and salary you would work for and having your cv reviewed.

like

Thank you for the input, that is a start!

I know this sounds harsh but… majoring in environmental science was a huge mistake. What was your plan with how to make money with that? College is meant to be the way to get a better job and if your major doesn’t directly help with that, then it’s not a good major. You might have to go back to school and pick something else.

like

If it's so valued, then why are they struggling to find a job that pays above minimum wage? Just follow the facts

Go back and get a law degree, with your environmental science degree you could crush it in just dealing with environmental permitting / assessments. A friends dad did this for years and said it was almost criminal how much money they can make.

like

I’m not sure how you’re presenting your background in interviews, but do not mention anything about office politics or sexual harassment at past companies. Fair or not, both will be viewed as red flags. They’ll wonder if you were a troublemaker and would make waves their, you come off as negative, and they’re question your judgement for thinking they were a good idea to bring up. say you really enjoyed the company but want a job with more responsibility that allows you to put your education to use. You could also add that you were laid off at the start of covid

likesmart

This is hard to answer. There are plenty of positions out there that need filling.
I would break down your life experiences+your interests and life priorities for you to identify the roles you need to target.

Having a degree gives you the basic advantage of not being rejected by some companies that are particular for hiring degreed professionals. Unless you are applying to be a doctor or lawyer, your major doesn't matter much. If you are tactful and a hustler, then your degree won't matter either. No degree doesn't limit you to sales either.

Bottom line it's up to your strategy that will get you your job.

like

Thank you for the response, that gives me hope. It is so hard to overcome going into debt(continuing education), so you can work to get out of debt in 50 years…

I will keep this in mind as I look for my a job that will lead to a meaningful career.

Hi OP. Please take a look at some job openings at EY on Linkedin. If you are interested, there are many open remote roles within our Learning Enablement practice. Your skills can be transferable.

likehelpful

You can check out a career in commercial real estate assessment / appraisal. These companies often need someone with your background and you can earn quite well.

like

What region are you in? My dad is an arborist and got laid off recently and is having a horrible time finding a new job in his new location.

like

Have you tried your local health dept? Engineering surveyor offices? Ask around. Dont be afraid to ask even if turned down if they know of anyone else that might be hiring

like

Thank you for the input! I will consider both of your recommendations moving forward.

Other than go back to school and get a better paying degree/career, you should consider looking into other fields in the corporate world. There are lots of jobs that I bet you can get an entry level position making 50K+. HR, marketing, etc stuffs that don’t require a degree in the field. Good luck and don’t lose hope!!!!

like

I can connect you with a friend who works in environment science. DM me for details. She might be able to guide better but i can give advice too. Been recently through job search.

like

Expand your horizons for the jobs you will take. I was an undergrad in Environmental Science too. If you want to do policy look into government or parlay this into sustainability.

like

Would you be interested in B4? Certain niche groups within accounting firms recruit staff with science or engineering background. For example, the team works on R&D tax credits needs help understanding and documenting research activities clients perform. Your skill sets can potentially be a good fit for industries like life sciences and energy, etc. DM me if interested.

like

Feel free to DM if interested, I can share more info and answer questions. Positions for typically for full time though.

There’s some smaller niche consulting firms that work on the environment/natural sciences space - a mutual friend of mine works here but might be worth a deep dive into Google to see if there are similar firms in your area or have remote roles?
https://www.linkedin.com/company/meridian-institute/

Also, I potentially think tanks or firms that would be interested in your background. If you were featured as a contributor in a research paper or you have final projects you are proud of, I’d absolutely have some kind of portfolio on your Linkedin or attached to your resume to speak to your writing and analytical background from college to hopefully leverage an interview.

like

I got an environmental engineering degree, figured a career in sustainability wouldn't be hard to create. couldn't find a job.
Ignored the fallacy of sunk costs and figured maybe a graduate degree in environmental sciences would help - did not. Luckily I worked jobs and went to cheap schools so graduated with barely any debt.

Taught myself Tech - landed my first job - kept building skills like GIS, CAD, economic modeling to not be a one trick environmental pony - grew in my career - hated the compensation for the amount of work I did and skills I was building.

Being an immigrant on a visa couldn't land any EPA or other gov jobs - so I decided - i was done with sustainability & env and bought my self an old server on Craigslist, a bunch of books, taught myself new skills in tech & SI , networked like hell and got into consulting - haven't looked back.

Lessons for you - embrace the suck. Environmental careers DO NOT pay well. Build adjacent skills like Econ, env law, sustainability strategy, lots of free / cheap training available online. DO NOT get a graduate degree in ENV. Apply to government jobs (DEQ, EPA, FEMA) if you are an American citizen. Watch YouTube vids on building you LinkedIn brand - network - find friends of friends, find alums, ask to meet (call, video) see if they'll refer you.

like

As a chemist major, I would recommend looking for quality control jobs in food or pharmaceutical companies, they start around ~50k and most employers are only looking for a “science” background. Quality control tops out around 65-70 but you could go into Quality Assurance after that or Research which both offer a lot more $. Best of luck

like

Interesting post. I know someone in pharmaceutical QA. What do their career options look like in your opinion?

smart

Related Posts

Hi Everyone,

Currently,Is there any opening in the Big4's ?

Can anyone refer me in any of the Big4's.

I am looking for a Job change and ready to join with in a month.

like

Is it really that difficult to get hired for a federal job? I was interviewed for a GS12 job but never heard back, they still didn’t hire anyone and I didn’t get a rejection. I applied for another GS07 job, was accepted, I took it, but I believe I can do better. I have a master’s and have extra graduate research experience. I am still applying to new jobs but I was told it is impossible to move up the grade level now. Everyone is telling me to stick with the government. What are your thoughts?

likehelpfulupliftingsmart

What if Elon Musk replaces Rajesh Gopinathan as the CEO of TCS?
All the useless managers will be fired?

funny

Hi everyone!
Can you tell me how much you make and with how many YOE?

I know I'm being severely underpaid, I just want to know the range I SHOULD be making so I can bring it up with my employer so the eventual person in this position after me doesn't have to be in the same boat.

For reference: I make about $30k and I'm a (remote) graphic designer with 4 YOE and I do all the design work plus social media management for the company and outside clients. I also have multiple certifications. 🙃

likehelpful

Hello, Looking for Senior Consultant/ Lead advisory role. Having 6+ experience in Information security. Certification in CISA, CISM and AWS CCP

like

I was recently laid off and I am actively search for a new role. I am mainly targeting ScrumMaster, Product Analyst, and Business Analyst jobs, but I am open to others.

Must be located in Austin, Texas or fully remote.

EXP
5 Mo- Business Analyst 3
1.5 Y- Venture Capital Associate
1.5 Y- Strategic Planning Analyst

Certifications
ScrumMaster
Specialist Accounting and Finance
Specialist Business Intelligence

Contact
737-707-5156
ajaspercannon@gmail(dot)com
www.linkedin(dot)com/in/jcstrategy

like

Any remote openings for Data Science domain?

like

Any idea, what will be the second round interview for azure data engineer in EY gds?

like

trying to make a move into FDD...any insight into how i should prepare, know, gain skills etc. for interview and networking!

like

L'Oréal Hello Fishes! Looking for a contact or referral in the below firms. Kindly help me in my job quest. Mastercard, Unilever , Visa , Google , Stripe, Paypal , Nike, Adidas, Apple, Netflix Amazon, Walmart, Ogilvy, Fractal, Meesho, Kearney, L'Oréal , Mindtree, Udaan, Thoughtworks, Swiggy Any help here will be appreciated. Thanks!

like

Anyone else feel like as you move up, you have to work even harder to justify your value to your company as you grow “out of the weeds”? Especially with the fear of layoffs looming over everyone’s heads.

likehelpful
like

Hi all,
I am tech guy with almost 3yr exp, but I want to switch to a Management role. Going for an MBA is not possible for me. I was wondering about the possibility to switch to a management role within the next 2 years without an MBA. Company/Brand is not a bar for me.
Can somebody please suggest how to do this?

like

Partners, have you ever been recruited by a client and turn it down? If so, were there any repercussions? I am one year from partner and being recruited by a client...looking like they will move quickly on an offer after initial interviews and I’m worried that if I turn it down it’ll be tough to sell back to that client.

likehelpful

LTI is Hiring for below Cloud /DevOps - BU Positions !!

Interested plz DM with job codes and email id to apply

**Immediate to 30 days joiners will be preferred**

Post Photo
like

What would be the expected comp range for PE operations role if you have 5+ years of consulting experience and an MBA?

like

Does it look bad in my resume to resign after less than a year at a job? writing here the time I’ve spent at each company since graduating college:
- 2 years at company 1 (resigned to move back to home country)
- 2 years at company 2 (resigned and moved back to the US)
- went back to company 1 (it had grown exponentially after 2 years so came back at higher position) (resigned after 1 year to join a startup at director level)
- 6 months at startup and I want to quit with nothing lined up

like

Hi Fishes,
How many days Persistent takes to share interview feedback?

like

More Posts

Friend lives in Moscow, Russia and friends with a Sr manager of multiple rolex ADs in the city. Apart from the usual DJs, literally the only thing they apparently have in the entire city is a single Submariner gold TT. Crazy. And here I was thinking that I can outfox the waitlists

likefunny

Is the Austin side of Chicago really that unsafe ?

like

Are you guys as busy as you were pre-COVID? I'm at a no name and have had two transportation clients not want to sell anymore after the massive hit in March and April

like

When your analyst pings you with a text at 2am about the model they're working on: "Done!"

like

Is there a possibility of layoffs in Barclays India?

like

Hi folks,
I am working as a Business Analyst with 3.5 YOE and in total 4.9 YOE. I am getting 6.7CTC which felt totally low. If I switch then how much I can expect as a market standard currently. Thanks

like

For those of you with young children and a 2000 billable requirement, could you share what your typical daily schedule is like? Also do you have time to fit in exercise?

like

Midlevel and seniors, how do you review juniors’ work without redoing them? Any tips on giving instructions or spotting mistakes?

like

Any any insight on Greenberg Traurig?

like

Any edutech test for the folks on bench in LTI? Any idea on what is that all about?
#new joiner#experienced#bench#ltimindree

like

Are my admissions chances at Ross hurt if I can’t attend the team exercise on campus?

Are any top consulting firms hiring for experienced analysts currently? I know ACN and some others are cyclical for resources 2-3 years out of college, but I’m looking to make a move sooner than fall

like

Hey fishes,
Are certifications important for hikes while switching companies?

like

Hi,
Have query related to Adobe Analytics.

I am checking reports on workspace.

I have evar1 and evar2 on most of the events. (Allocation- most recent (last) and expiration - visit)

I have event1, event2, event3 all have evar1 and evar2.

But on workspace while seeing reports for event1 I see evar values of other events too.

like

Why are some people willing to do anything / obsessed about getting the green card in the U.S.?

When I asked them, they usually say they like American lifestyle. I love lifestyle in France, but I was in France, I was OK if I can't stay. Just trying to understand here so that I can have more empathy.

like

What will be the procedure after accepting offer letter in CGI? Is it virtual onboarding and when will we receive link? I see to report office on joining day in offer.. CGI

How hard is it to go in house from a real estate practice?

like

Can anyone give insight into interviewing at Uber? Specifically in their Internal Audit or FRM group? Uber

like

Additional Posts in Confession

Staying downtown Columbus Hilton for my wife’s job conference and we have to use valet parking since I need to use my car to go to work every day. $40 a day, how much do I tip and is it when I drop my car off and when they bring it to me in the morning?

like

Why are some people willing to do anything / obsessed about getting the green card in the U.S.?

When I asked them, they usually say they like American lifestyle. I love lifestyle in France, but I was in France, I was OK if I can't stay. Just trying to understand here so that I can have more empathy.

like

I cut my own hair

likeuplifting

Beer is now cheaper than gas. Drink more, drive less 🤧

likefunnysmarthelpful

So my GF went to the gynecologist yesterday and they told her she was infertile, there go my chances of having one more baby. I also don't want to leave her because of that I believe that would be a dick move of me. What should I do?

likefunny

I have desk whiskey in my home office that I use for most days that end in “y”.

likefunny

Grinder is so much more convenient for hookups. Anything similar for straight men?

likehelpful

If I hear the words “alignment” or “sync” one more time I am going to tar and feather myself.

likefunny

Currently sitting in my sweatpants with a full groutfit. Rediscovered a pair of blue sweatpants that I left at my parent’s place during the holidays and brought that back. Have a similarly colored soft blue hoodie that I wear with it. Now I alternate between my groutfit and bloutfit biweekly to synchronize with my laundry schedule. I go outside wearing it too. Should I be proud or concerned???

likefunny

Does anyone else get super emotional when ending a trip? I’ve been working remote in a place for quite some time and leave soon. I find myself constantly on the brink of tears. What is wrong with me lol

like

I am finally going to see a therapist for my depression and suicidal thoughts. Alot of bad things happened to me the past 2 years and I just can't handle it anymore. Just wanted to get it off my chest.

likeupliftinghelpful

My career goal isn’t to make it to MBB or a unicorn or FAANG. It’s to feel fulfilled and challenged as I progress. I can’t be the only one that isn’t title or company chasing.

like

What work/life event (if any) made you arrive to the conclusion “this is just a job”? How old were you? At what point in your career / How many years of tenure?
How did your attitude towards work and work-life balance change?
Have you ever revisited or regretted your conclusion? Why/why not?

like

I was so focused on my career pre pandemic and had a plan to really start dating the summer I turned 27 but then the pandemic happened 😅

likefunny

Post a pic of your food and I’ll rate 1-10. Friday food party begins here 🍜

like

Mom went back to home country and I’ve been moping around holding back tears all day! Tell me it’s gonna be ok, I miss my mom 😭😭

likeuplifting

I've been almost 3 years in my previous company and never have I ever tasted any raise from them. I got transferred to different accounts and LOB it was so exhausting and finally when I decided to leave and send my resignation my Supervisor be like "you know you should be thankful of your job" To be honest the job was very stressful and supervisor at some point is somehow toxic but thankful I get to take my leave.

like

I think I may have made a huge mistake today. My skip level director sent out an email about something and asked us for feedback. I sent back a note and provided some. One of the things I said was that our job satisfaction might be improved if we could do more of X kind of work instead of Y kind of work that we do so much of in our group. The next thing I know, I get a ping from his EA to set up time for me to chat with him and my director tomorrow. I am getting in trouble tomorrow, right?

likefunny

Everyone who I want to like me or to hangout with doesn’t respond to my texts or tells me they are too busy. This weekend I reached out to 12 people to see if they wanted to grab coffee or a drink or go for a walk. The number of people who just didn’t respond astounded me. I ended up eating dinner in bed by myself and getting brunch on my own.

The only people who reach out to me, I don’t want to hangout with. I don’t have the same interests as them and have to try really hard… cont below

like

New to Fishbowl?

Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
  • Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
  • Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
  • Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.

Already a user?
Login here

Share

Embed this post

Copy and paste embed code on your site

Preview

Download the
Fishbowl app

See what’s happening in your industry
from the palm of your hand.

A phone with Fishbowl app

Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile

Download app

Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Already have an account? Log in

Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use(New) and Privacy Policy(New)
Messaging rates may apply

Already have an account? Log in

For account settings, visit Fishbowl on Desktop Browser or

General

Legal