Graduated last year and can't find work. Wasted all those years in school....

I graduated last year with a ba in social work and I still can't find work in that area. I was employed for 6 months and was laid off on Monday. The job had nothing to do with social work but it paid the bills. It seems like everyone wants to hire someone with a master degree and it makes me feel that i'm just not good enough. I feel I had picked the wrong career path and should have become a medical asst or something. There are always jobs in the medical field. I wasted all those years in college and still can't find work. I have this student loan and it reminds me that I could have wasted all those years in college to become a social worker to help other people but I can't even help myself right now. In my heart I want to be a social worker to help people but what I want in my heart doesn't pay the bills.

I think social work is similar to psychology in that both require master's degrees for most jobs. Have you thought about getting your masters?

Right before I had graduated I applied for my masters and I didn't get accepted and it really scared me and bruised my ego. The longer I go without being in school and not working just breaks down my confidence. I was so proud myself when I graduated and I have nothing to show for it but a fat student loan.

I did not get accepted the first time I applied for graduate school either. Then when I was accepted I decided not to go because my son was so young. There is no one direction that you can go with social work. That is a plus I think in that social workers have options and yes, more options with a masters degree but be proud of what you have accomplished. Perhaps losing your recent job will turn out to be an opportunity for you to find a job in your field. Will you be collecting unemployment until you find another job?

It used to be traditional that Masters Programs required two years of working experience, prior acceptance. Even if that concept isn't communicated today, it's often a major consideration in reviewing applicants.

If you are sure Sociology is what you want to do for a living...suggest thinking outside of the box. Depending upon your primary area of interest, consider volunteer work...that might be relevent and allow for independant study. You might even write an article for some form of publication freelance, or some type of blog.

Communicating to young people over the 1990's the "New Economy" "Education as return on investment." Is unfortunate, and hasn't benefitted society at all. A degree has never been a guarantee of work, much less work in the field that was studied for. i.e. A lot of Psychology students end up doing Human Resources, or waiting tables.

The purpose of higher education had and should always be considered one of self-development. If you're truly interested in a topic, that should NOT stop your interest and drive in exploring. Irregardless of whatever else you choose to do for a living. You'll find that some of the most famous inventors and scientist, where hobbiest and natural observers vs. actually being employed in the specific field.

I miss the fantasy land that was the 1990's. The next thirty years present major challenges for humanity, we're hitting peak energy, food, metals, devastating oceanic fisheries to non-recoverable levels. With a couple of billion more people on the way. Global capitalism simply isn't a sustainable model, it's not designed to hit those "ceilings" so a long unwinding...process. And an eventual return to a world population of 1 billion, technical innovation will help. But fossil fuels are simply irreplacable.

Just in those concepts, I'll bet there's a lot of potental for sociological study...observing the shift from global to local for agriculture, commerce, trade and many other things.