Atlanta is known as a ‘Black Mecca.’ Jobs data tell a different story.

[Mirin4rmfar]

If shyt hits the fan, I am open to leaving but it has been good to me so far. With that said, a lot of my time is spent improving my technical skills and knowledge, even if it's not related to current gig. I graduated at 22, took me a year to find a job, started working for this company and started witnessing massive layoffs. Ever since then, I realized, I can't rely on one one company. On thhe weekends, I am always improving my skillsets and credentials. I don't enjoy it, it's just a bit of a habit for me to now. I have no choice but to keep grinding and learning.

Also I have to compete with folks from tech which I didn't go to so my resume gotta be tip top shape.

 

[newworldafro]

When you go to college, you not just paying tuition, you also paying to be in a network that will reap tangible rewards, beyond just social in the years and decades ahead.

People use that rhetoric when referring to frats/soro.."you paying for friends"... but actually if you paying to go to school, then essentially you paying to be part of a social network along with obtaining an education...of course you have to do the groundwork in forging relationships....my fellow introverts

 

[panopticon]

no one looks at a "top 100" business school as mattering...especially not at the graduate level. like i added to my post, if you're not going to a top 20 (30 if being generous) graduate business program, your degree "doesn't matter" . outside of the top 30 you should be getting an mba/graduate degree on someone else's dime, and you shouldn't expect it to be some "door opener" in the general job market. it's a nice to have, but MBA's and JD's are a dime a dozen, that's why it really matters where you went to school for those degrees to be worth the investment.

Straight facts, dap + rep

We have a real problem in our community with getting this information out there though. Most peoples' families aren't up on the realities of how this all works - they assume that it's still 1980 or whatever and an MBA or a JD from anywhere means a whole lot.

That's why I can't dump on folks who find themselves in this trap. When your family, friends, guidance counselors, pastor, etc. are all praising you for pursuing a graduate degree, it's real tough to move the other way.

For a lot of these folks, their best move is to get into any sort of government gig and take advantage of PSLF. At least they'll have a predictable income stream / career track and their loans will go to 0 after 10 years. A lot of them aren't the entrepreneurial type - just getting back to 0 net worth (after eliminating all that student loan debt) pencils out a whole lot better than most other approaches.

 

[GodinDaFlesh]

The South sucks. There have been studies showing upscale mobility is the lowest in the South. The less dense a city is, the harder it is find opportunities if you lose your current job and move up. Not to mention living with rednecks.

 

[analog]

The really scary thing is that first person. Masters in finance from a top 100 business school (University of Georgia's Terry College of Business) in Atlanta and has to flip burgers is just crazy.

Hope somebody responded to this nonsense. No, he does not have to flip burgers.

All manner of opportunities globally to settle for flipping burgers.

 

[GoAggieGo.]

Straight facts, dap + rep

We have a real problem in our community with getting this information out there though. Most peoples' families aren't up on the realities of how this all works - they assume that it's still 1980 or whatever and an MBA or a JD from anywhere means a whole lot.

That's why I can't dump on folks who find themselves in this trap. When your family, friends, guidance counselors, pastor, etc. are all praising you for pursuing a graduate degree, it's real tough to move the other way.

For a lot of these folks, their best move is to get into any sort of government gig and take advantage of PSLF. At least they'll have a predictable income stream / career track and their loans will go to 0 after 10 years. A lot of them aren't the entrepreneurial type - just getting back to 0 net worth (after eliminating all that student loan debt) pencils out a whole lot better than most other approaches.

Yep.

Man, my pop is old school when it comes to education, and is still in the mindset that, you go to college and get a degree. It doesn’t matter what the degree is in, you just get that degree. He also didn’t believe in going to community colleges, as he felt it was a waste of time. So, he pushed both my brother, sister, and I to go straight to a 4 year university.

If I could do it over again, I would’ve went to a juco first. Got my core classes out the way, and then finished up at a university. Better yet, I would’ve took scholarships more seriously, because I had the grades to get multiple scholarships in high school. I just never went through the process of applying. I could’ve saved so much money.

 

[AAKing23]

Keep refusing to learn a trade.


I'm eating

I was gonna go into one of these fields if the IT thing didn't work out.

Everyone pursuing those same soft degrees accruing all that debt for something that ain't even guaranteed to work out

 

[Originalman]

When you go to college, you not just paying tuition, you also paying to be in a network that will reap tangible rewards, beyond just social in the years and decades ahead.

People use that rhetoric when referring to frats/soro.."you paying for friends"... but actually if you paying to go to school, then essentially you paying to be part of a social network along with obtaining an education...of course you have to do the groundwork in forging relationships....my fellow introverts

Truth

 

[panopticon]

Yep.

Man, my pop is old school when it comes to education, and is still in the mindset that, you go to college and get a degree. It doesn’t matter what the degree is in, you just get that degree. He also didn’t believe in going to community colleges, as he felt it was a waste of time. So, he pushed both my brother, sister, and I to go straight to a 4 year university.

If I could do it over again, I would’ve went to a juco first. Got my core classes out the way, and then finished up at a university. Better yet, I would’ve took scholarships more seriously, because I had the grades to get multiple scholarships in high school. I just never went through the process of applying. I could’ve saved so much money.

Yeah man, these misconceptions about the way things work today are just too damn common.

TBH its just heartbreaking. Too many young brehs and brehettes end up deep in non-dischargable debt with worthless degrees because of it.

 

[GodinDaFlesh]

Atlanta is a black Mecca you just have to have your shyt together before you moved I was from STL and moved to Atlanta but I am a professional and had to grind in STL to get my skills up.

Coming to ATL with no plan is foolish and I’m glad
nikkas get turned away because that’s why poverty sky rockets Look at Riverdale.

You need to have something to bring to Atlanta skills or connections nikkas just trying to take

The finance dude had a good job in Atlanta, but he lost it. That's the problem, finding a good job after you've lost one is tougher in Atlanta.

 

[Cadillac]

The South sucks. There have been studies showing upscale mobility is the lowest in the South. The less dense a city is, the harder it is find opportunities if you lose your current job and move up. Not to mention living with rednecks.

Showing how you feel

 

[MoneyTron]

Not going to lie, it took me 6 months to find my current job after the last one.

My company is based out of New Jersey so I travel and work remotely. shyt is tough out there.

On the other hand, a ton of people move here with absolutely no plan and get fukked. You hear it over and over again.

 

[SouljaVoy]

All you nikkas who came to Atlanta and were unsuccessful is because you don't understand what Atlanta is about.... Atlanta is the land of Black Hollywood and Black Professionals (Lawyers,doctors, etc) and Black Business owners. If you come in here looking for a Masa to hire you, then of course it's going to be difficult, especially for competitive jobs.


If you need a job they are out there...It may not be the one you want, but there are some call centers and server jobs that will keep you living good till then.

Atlanta is a ever growing city, hands down the most poppin city in the south besides Miami, with a young educated population.. corporations/developers/planners know this and come to the city and add jobs.

 

[GoAggieGo.]

Yeah man, these misconceptions about the way things work today are just too damn common.

TBH its just heartbreaking. Too many young brehs and brehettes end up deep in non-dischargable debt with worthless degrees because of it.

Yep.

Luckily, I went into a STEM field and due to my pay, have been able to pay off the majority of my loans. My brother got a degree in a field where it’s hard to find a job, so my pop, me, and little bro are having to attack his.

I will say that’s one of the things i appreciate about my daddy. He pushed us to get degrees at all cost, and he’s been more than helpful in when it comes to tackling the debt. Has told my bro and I after each of us graduated that we always have a place to stay and he’ll go broke getting us set.

 

[Sunalmighty]

The finance dude had a good job in Atlanta, but he lost it. That's the problem, finding a good job after you've lost one is tougher in Atlanta.

How did he lose his gig? He was saying something about settling for a job in logistics if shyt don't work out