Graduating At 25: Accounting Major.

Career Opportunities & Internships
1

<p>Hello All,</p>

<p>I am new to the board(clearly evident by my low number of posts), but I figured I may as well register and post an inquiry that's been on my mind for quite a while.</p>

<p>I'm an Undergrad at U.I.C here in Chicago(Accounting Major), also working full time as a Machinist. I commute a total of 260 miles a day from school-work, and have been taking between 10-12 credit hours per semester for the past few terms, while occasionally working 12hr shifts. (I work that much to pay for school) I'm happy to be student-loan free, and if all stays on track I should graduate with no debt, and a few dollars in the bank. I'm currently 21 years old with a 3.7GPA, so I have the energy to handle all the tasks, but I know in a few years I'll need to settle down a bit.</p>

<p>Well, Enough of the Introduction, On to my Concern:</p>

<p>With me having to pay for classes myself(at a rate which I could/can afford), I won't complete my degree until I'm just shy of 25 years old. All of my previous-and current-work experience is considered "blue-collar", and while it is indeed work experience, I fear that it won't hold any weight when looking for a job in my prospective field. </p>

<p>How would an interview go if they looked on my resume and saw I was a welder for 3 years, and then became a machinist? "I" know that I did all those things because I needed a way to pay for college, but I'm afraid that all they will think is "Oh, this guy took 7 years to get his degree while working odd jobs along the way". </p>

<p>I'm not a star-eyed Undergrad with aspirations of making 100k before I'm 30, or an I.B making millions before I'm 40, or anything like that, I'm a regular individual hoping to start my career in the field, after working my way through college. Yes, a CPA, CFA, or even CFO title next to my name would be fantastic, but I don't expect to get there in 5 years(with all the reading I've done, it seems more along the lines of 10-15, which is fine with me.)</p>

<p>Now to be fair, I'm not looking for a pat on the back, or an "Oh, it'll be okay" comment. Just some input on what you all have seen to be the case with people graduating at such an age, with similar situations and work experience.</p>

2

<p>If you market yourself well and show the drive, determination, and passion you have for this career change you should be fine. You just need to make it clear why it took awhile to graduate and show how driven you are.</p>

3

<p>To start with, 25 is not “old” for a new graduate. There are plenty of people in a similar situation – students who took time off before starting college (many of whom went into the military to get educational benefits), students who changed majors too many times and needed more than 4 or 5 years to earn their degree, and students like yourself who went to school part-time and therefore took longer to graduate. Your age is just not a big deal. If anything, it can be considered a plus, because you offer “maturity.”</p>

<p>You can easily play up your background as a real asset to future employers. Don’t apologize for it; be proud of it and “own” it! It can help you stand out from the pool of applicants applying for the same job. Your background clearly shows that you value your education and were willing to do whatever it took to pay for your college degree. It also shows that you are hard-working and don’t shy away from putting in extra hours. Do not characterize being a welder or a machinist as “odd jobs”; they both require a great deal of skill and responsibility. There are many employers that would consider your years of work experience to be far more valuable than the 3-month summer internship of some young kid. Remember that you learn a lot more on the job than just technical skills; you learn how to take direction, work with others, complete assignments, etc. You will be way ahead of many freshly-minted graduates in those areas.</p>

<p>Just get some self-confidence and you’ll do fine.</p>