Career

Does Location of University Matter in Getting a Job?

How important is the location of a college with respect to finding jobs after graduation for foreign students in the U.S.A.?

Here are 3 comments from readers on the same topic.

Comment 1:

People say you have to apply online to get jobs in the electrical field, but if you study in Texas or California, it’s a lot easier. Studying in a good university with a job guarantee in the same field is of equal importance.
Tell us where to draw the line in choosing a university based on its location. To what extent can we compromise on the university?

Comment 2:

Is Clemson, being a University town, good for studying EE (it has a great course) while we have to apply for jobs online?

Comment 3:

SDSU has a good course and is located in San Diego where getting an EE job is not difficult. But the course is relatively not as good as in Clemson.

Question for Readers

  1. Have you asked some current students at Clemson University and SDSU about how students find jobs after graduation? How many universities have you heard that has companies coming in for campus placement?I assume, you should have already applied for SDSU and Clemson. But did you find other universities, too? If you had, what was their response?
  2. I guess your assumption of finding a job is the same as how companies do campus placement in colleges in India?

University Location vs Job Opportunity

Universities typically hold career fairs, but seldom campus placements, which is the practice in India.

Campus interviews in India are much different from career fairs in the U.S.

In campus placements, companies visit a campus on a particular day and conduct job interviews. A single company might end-up hiring around 100 students, depending on the case.

I’m sure they do that method at MBA schools. But as far engineering field is concerned, I haven’t met anyone who landed a job via campus placements here in the U.S.

Around 99% of students apply for jobs online, and they are those who are looking for permanent positions. Some who don’t put in efforts to search for good jobs join consultants.

With a permanent full time position, you get to work in same company as long as you stay with that company. With consultants, you will have small projects here and there so you have to move around many times.

Unless you have studied in top notch schools, chances are that 100%, you will apply for jobs online. But applying online itself won’t instantly get the job for you.

There are so many job search techniques that you must learn to use to help you find a job.

If you will keep on visiting this blog, I will post some 10 job search techniques, explain which one works better, how to write a resumé that will get you hired, salary negotiation tips, and much more.

So to answer the main question for this post, location doesn’t make much difference in finding a job, but for sure the friends and people around you in the university can certainly affect your job search techniques.

If you study in a university with students or friends who are not interested in putting efforts to find a job on their own, they will join consultancy companies. And you’re likely to do the same.

And I personally don’t like working through consultants. They take 30-40% of what a company pays you. So deduct their fees, so what’s left of it will be your salarys. They might also do resumé fraud by adding additional experience just to get you hired.

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24 Comments

  1. hey guys i need ur help. i need to know the reputations of following universities. if possible, please tell me the after course job opportunity scenario and part time job scenario. i m willing to pursue MS in MIS.

    1. Iowa State Univeristy

    2. Syracuse

    3. University of Arizona.

    4. University of Maryland College Park

    5. University of Florida

    please reply asap. please help me out.

    regards

  2. Dear All
    I have got admission in :
    Univ. of texas arlington
    Michigan technological university
    Cleveland state university
    waiting to hear from:
    northern illinois univ
    wichita state university
    university of oklahoma norman
    Texas a&m university kingsville…
    MS in Mechanical engg.
    Please help me in choosing best univ among i listed above. My preferences are university reputation, job opportunities, safety.
    thx.

  3. Hi,

    I've got admit for MS Engineering Management from NORTH EASTER UNIVERSITY, BOSTON, NJIT,NEW JERSEY & GEORGE MASON,VIRGINIA.

    Plz advice where should i go ? Plz discuss the pros & cons of these 3.

    Thanks & Regards

    Shiben

  4. I have got admission fro the following schools

    1.University of Mississippi, MS in Civil Engineering

    2.Missouri University of Science and Technology, MS in Civil Engineering

    3.New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, MS in Environmental Engineering.

    I am yet to hear from Illinois Institute of Technology (MS in Civil Engineering).

    Right now, my mind is between NMT and IIT (if finally admitted).My sister lives in Chicago.Can anyone help with information about these schools?e.g reputation of the schools and program,part time jobs availability on campus,location,financial aid etc.NMT said the department postponed decision on assistantship.They said I would be contacted when a decision is made.

    Any information will be highly appreciated.Thank you.

  5. @swetha….

    san jose …santaclara…..
    this is silicon valley babe…
    the best place 4 computer engineerg (EE) and CS people…..

  6. hi,

    i’m joining Texas A&M univ. kingsville in fall 08.

    so tell me wht r the chances of getting better jobs after MS

  7. hi, i have got admit from NJIT for MS in Computer Engineering, can u please tell me about the job scenario in n around new jersey regarding my specialization.

  8. I have got I20's from Electrical Department of Villanova University and also from SUNY Stony Brook.

    Villanova is in Philadelphia,one of the largest cities. From the seniors discussion i came to know that there are Job fairs which could get a job in a very good company belonging to EE domain. Even there are lot of on campus jobs for funding.

    Coming to Stony Brook, it has more reputation than Villanova and more over its located in New York State. But i'm not sure about the job scene in EE department here.

    So, any one… please help me to decide which University to opt, regarding Job opportunities with in these two universities.

  9. i ve got admit from Oklahoma State University for MS Industrail Engg. How is the (1)University Reputation overall in terms of academic excellence 2) Job scene at Oklahoma After completion of MS ?

  10. @Pratik,

    John Hopkins is prestigious school, but it will be expensive.

    I have visited IU and its good school for MS in CS, good chances for you to get Aid, but its located some 50 miles from Indianapolis, so, its University Town. Other then University, there will be nothing around the campus. But, its good place to study. Other 2 schools, I don't have much information. Check with current students. they should give your more information.

  11. I have received admits from the following:-

    1> Johns Hopkins University – MS in Security Informatics

    2> Washington University St. Louis – MS in Computer Science

    3> Indiana University Bloomington – MS in Comp. Science

    4> Lehigh University – MS in Comp. Science

    Can anyone give me some idea about the job scenario around the above four locations?

    1. HI! i am replying to an old post of yours!!
      Anyway,i am a student aspiring to go to the US for my masters in CS in fall 2011. i noticed from your comment that you got an admit from Indiana University-Bloomington. I am very interested in IU, its my dream school.Can i know your GRE score,TOEFL score and other credentials such that i may know if i have a fair chance of attending that school.. Also which university did you join?? How is it?

      Waiting for your reply…. Thank You

  12. hi i am interested to do masters in project management,but i dont find any oncampus classes please suggest me which universities to look for this course .please reply me back soon.

  13. @ Sara:

    Denver is nice place to study, live and work. University of Colorado is good university. I'm not sure where you are from, but it will be very cold in Winter.

  14. @Vippi.

    I would be in better position to answer your question if you can give me more details about your profile, if you got admit in all the above schools and department applied.

  15. Which is the best universty in terms of part time jobs?

    Northeatern university

    Univ of kentucky

    Univ of texas arlington

    California state uni ,Long beach

    California state uni ,Fresno

    Univ of san francisco

    NJIT

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