Hello all,
I’m in a tough situation right now. I have the chance at a Co-Op at a multinational company that is very successful, but I only have one semester left of college.
I’m supposed to graduate from Clemson University this December with a BS in Management with an emphasis on Supply Chain Management. I have a 3.76 GPA. I graduated from high school it 2010, so technically I’m a 5 year senior.
I have already had a 10 month Co-Op at the largest exporter of Autombibles in the United States, doing supply chain work. I also had an internship this summer as a Suppy Chain Anaylst at a small local company.
Seeing that I have a year of experience in internships, should I push back my graduation even more with this Co-Op? It’s for a company that I have really wanted to work for. I would work this semester, go back to school in January and my remaining classes, and then finish my Co-Op the summer of 2016 and graduate in Auguast.
This will put me at 6 years for an undergraduate degree. I have payed off 13K in student loans already from my previous internships. I still have 30K to pay off. I could possibly pay off another 10K if I took the Co-Op and live with my parents.
I love being to pay off debt. But all my friends have already graduated. Do you think it’s a bad investment of time to take another Co-Op? Should I just graduate? I’m worried about finding a good job, even with the experience I have, which is why I applied to this Co-Op to begin with.
Also, doing this internship will open the door for future employment with this company in their Leadership Development Program.
Though I’m sure I’m already qualified now, it will better my chances.
If you really want to work there, I say do it. Who cares what your friends are doing? Do what’s best for you. And in this case, if you would love to work there in the future, it’s imperative that you take it. Company’s love to offer jobs to capable co-ops who have shown interest and dedication.
I understand the want to get out of school already, but I think it’s better to choose something like the co-op which could be potentially life-changing if it enabled you to work for your dream company.
Also, being a business major I understand this job market is highly competitive. Now I do have experience with some great companies, and a strong resume, but I don’t feel like it’s enough. I see a lot of people graduating in my major (not with the emphasis in supply chain, just “general management”) getting jobs that don’t require degrees. Or they are interning after they have a degree to catch up.
I know I want to work in supply chain/logistics, and most of the full time job postings require 2 years of experience at a minimum. I don’t wanna be stuck in a job after graduating that doesn’t require a degree. That is my biggest fear.
Which might be the reason that I actually want to pursue this Co-Op. I mean, the company is great, and I would love to work for them one day. But do you think my experience is sufficient? I really want to graduate because I’ve been in school forever.
I would say that you should graduate because that part of your life will be done and settled.
Ask the company to hold the job; if they really want you, they will wait and probably provide a higher salary with that degree to pay off those loans.
What happens if they want you to work longer than a semester? You would face more delays in getting that degree out of the way. Bite the bullet, finish school and get it over with.
If the company will let you co-op after you graduate, then that is an option. But I would not let this company get away. It sounds like it could be the one you really want to work for long-term. Honestly, in a couple of years time, no one will remember when their classmates graduated from college. Most colleges let you associate yourself with the graduating class that makes most sense for you, so you can still do reunions with your classmates.
This isn’t high school, and you aren’t going to miss the senior prom. Make a decision based on your future career.
IMO it’s also better to have a summer graduation than a winter graduation in terms of searching for a job.
If the co-op helps your career goals, then why not go for it? One semester difference in graduation date is unlikely to matter in the long run. If you do well in the co-op, you may have an inside track for a post-graduation job at that company.
I’m in the minority thinking that you should graduate.
Why?
My college roommate was in a similar situation.
Helen Crump and I were both on the same track for graduation.
Helen received a very good internship opportunity, in January of our graduation year. She took it telling me she would go back in the fall to finish school. I just wanted OUT, so I trudged through and finished.
Well, the company really liked Helen and encouraged her to stay on through the summer and for the remainder of the year. Well, Helen ended up becoming engaged to Andy Taylor, and she didn’t tell Andy that she hadnt finish her Degree because she didn’t want to delay their wedding in Mayberry.
Andy believed that Helen was now “working”. At one point, Andy was laid off from his job at the potato chip manufacturer, so he asked Helen to she use her degree to get a better paying job. She told him she didn’t have a degree and now she couldn’t go back to finish school because some thesis and degree requirements had changed, including significant tuition hikes. Then she was laid off.
Long story short and 3 kids later, every time Helen sees me, she tells me how much she regrets not finishing.
I’m not saying that will happen to you, but things do come up.
@“aunt bea”
That’s terrible situation for anyone to be put in. However, that’s one case- you can’t really apply to to everyone who would be in the same situation.
I believe he should take the opportunity, provided this is his only chance. I would not elongate my stay in school just for the ‘fun’ of it, but if the company is only offering the co-op now, he should take the opportunity.
Otherwise, ask if they will hold it until after graduation. If they will, then finish school first, then go ahead with the company.
^^^ @NotYetEngineer, completely agree with your last sentence.
If they hold it until after graduation, it should not be a co-op job; it should be a normal post-graduation job.
However, the employer may prefer to have the co-op student before graduation in an explicitly temporary job, so that both the employer and employee can “try out” each other with no questions when the employee leaves to go back to school.