Oh what do you do with a BS in geology?

[TelegramSam]

So I've got this degree thingy now and I can't even find a minimum-wage job.

*grumps*

[Redwolf]

So I've got this degree thingy now and I can't even find a minimum-wage job.

*grumps*

My husband's bachelor's degree is in Geology. It really is useless without a graduate degree, unfortunately.

Fortunately for us, my hubby minored in computer programming, and is terrific at it (and happened to graduate before all the jobs were schlepped overseas).

Redwolf

[emmline]

I was going to say, in answer to the question in the thread title:
Apply to grad school. Or for random jobs which are largely unrelated to your major.

[Jack]

I sympathise. My major is Religion. I plan to work in something I get paid very little doing but which I feel called to do and enjoy. If I wanted a high-paying job my major would be nursing or business or computer science...one of my friends is an Art major. We both plan to be relatively poor unless we go to grad school.

[TelegramSam]

I've applied to the university of tennessee at my mother's behest, but I haven't heard back from them, and frankly I'm not holding my breath. I graduated with a 3.4 but apparently with grade inflation and whatnot, that's actually a pretty mediocre GPA, or so I've been told.

Honestly even if I do get in, I don't anticipate getting out. Grad school would eat me alive, most likely.

[Whistlin'Dixie]

some of us at my university got into professional grad programs, but for those who weren't headed in that direction, the head of our Biology department lined up a few job opportunities for field biologists. These were entry level positions, but at least something was offered to the few who made it to graduation. I would think that would be part of the Department Head's job......

That was in Savannah.
Did your department in Athens not give you a few leads?

M

[Joseph E. Smith]

Apply to large (big) oil companies.

[Walden]

If oil prices stay up, will Oklahoma's economy recover?

[Tyghress]

CONGRATULATIONS SAM!

My thoughts were also along the 'grad school' lines, and it isn't a bad idea. Grad school isn't like undergrad at all.

But there are many companies out there looking for people who have a background in an environmentally related field. You have surveying skills, lab skills, mapping, math, computer....look towards DEP jobs, water testing, land use management.

Apply to museums for educational positions, parks and recreation departments (all right, so budgets ARE tight...it doesn't hurt to apply), and possibly look to take a few more courses and teach (high school, grade school).

But aside from all that...I think its cool that Chiff and Fipple saw you all the way through college!

Tyg

[avanutria]

Congrats Sam! And hang in there, it took me 7 months after graduating to get a job, but it did happen!

[Innocent Bystander]

Well Done Sam! Getting a degree is something to be proud of.
The way they say it here (Yurp) is:
regardless of what your degree subject is, simply having a degree proves that you have a certain amount of intelligence, and a certain amount of application. So... apply that intelligence and application into choosing what you want to do next.
Round here, the careers people seem to provide general options of
a) Teaching
b) Computers
c) what ever the hell you want to do
d) get out of my office.
It's not a wise thing to let others choose for you. I hope you will be happy and successful whatever you choose.

[Tyler]

You might be able to get a job as a high school teacher for a while, until you find something that pays better.

Geology is a rough field to get a job in, man. Best o' luck to ya!
A buddy of mine has a geology degree, and went back to school to pursue an English degree after almost a year of not being able to score a job (but he was to proud to "lower" his standards and teach HS or something. )

I have another friend who just graduated this year with a bachelors degree in philosophy. I like to give him a hard time about not being able to find a job; I like to tell him his degree qualifies him to think deep thoughts about being unemployed!

[fel bautista]

Douglas, over in the UP forum, has a BS in geology. He works for one of the water districts here in Southern California.

I keep telling people at work (engineering) that I want an MFA in dance so I can interpret the physical space of my cube.

[missy]

yep - environmental companies all have geologists (or hydro-geologists) on the payroll. You might want to look at general contractors and even some state agencies - most building now-a-days has to have some type of pre-planning for ground types, bedrock levels, etc.

[chas]

Congrats, Sam. I was thinking along the same lines as Missy. There are actually an amazing number of fields that require some knowledge of some area of geology. I was thinking of construction -- before any digging, all sorts of analyses need to be done to make sure the structure will be on sound and stable footing, to make sure there won't be too much pressure on the foundation from one direction, etc. Oil/coal/mining companies are probably the largest employers.

And as others have pointed out, if you're not really attached to geology as a profession, you've picked up some valuable skills by studying it and just by going through college.