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We graduated 2:1 from Bath 2 years ago and haven't gotten a single job offer since...

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Reply 40
Original post by llacerta
I agree to a certain extent, but rather than capping numbers, I think potential psychology students should be made very aware of what they're getting themselves into. If they completely understand the situation, the fact that so many people study the subject and that so few get jobs in the area, and then decide to do the course anyway, at least they're taking an educated risk. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case for many people who end up with a psychology degree.


I agree with this completely. I wish I had been told 'only x% of graduates become psychologists, whereas x% work unrelated jobs or are unemployed' Just give the facts to people straight. When I was 18, I (stupidly) assumed that if I worked hard enough and for a 1 or 2:1 I could become a psychologist or at least get a good job. My parents thought the same because back in their day a degree had more value.
Nobody on here can tell you anything you don't already know.
It's hard to get any job without relevant experience, I signed up to all the agencies after I graduated in July but didn't hear from anything in the sectors I expressed interest, basically finance. I've had a job as an accounts assistant for a little over a month so thought I'd change my CV on these sites. I did that Friday, and have had 3 calls and an e-mail today. All these high street agencies look at is your last/ current job title, if you don't have the one they want you wont get a sniff. It now seems the second tick needed is a car :|
Reply 42
Original post by fuzznbass
There should be limits on this , the Uni's are making lots money out of them but not many will really get jobs. On the flip side I've heard History isn't good for jobs either but I'm not sure if lots of people study that.


I know people working at top city law firms and in finance who did history. :smile:
Original post by JobHelp
I agree with this completely. I wish I had been told 'only x% of graduates become psychologists, whereas x% work unrelated jobs or are unemployed' Just give the facts to people straight. When I was 18, I (stupidly) assumed that if I worked hard enough and for a 1 or 2:1 I could become a psychologist or at least get a good job. My parents thought the same because back in their day a degree had more value.

lol don't be stupid; it's your responsibility to properly research your chosen degree's graduate options and statistics. University is not the time to be spoon fed - that was GCSEs.

If you honestly didn't have any idea what you were getting into, you should have spent more time browsing TSR and being self reliant.

Use your initiative.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 44
Original post by JobHelp
My friends and I graduated from Bath in 2010 in Psychology. Most of us have 2:1s, some have 2:2s


There's your problem. Ever thought of postgrad study? ever thought of actively pursuing further study in your chosen field, seeing as your undergrad clearly doesn't make the cut? Ever thought of embellishing your CV with some work in a voluntary capacity, in a related field?

Psychology is a really competitive market anyway, especially seeing as - apparently - alot of the decent jobs are few and far between... if you don't stand out, which lets be honest, a 2:1 and 2:2 dont, then you haven't got much of a chance of getting a job that you want.
Original post by ForKicks
I know people working at top city law firms and in finance who did history. :smile:


And I know some who don't have jobs, did those ones at top law firms graduate in the last few years ? or did they go to public schools ? I'm not saying everyone that does it ain't going to get a job ; some will. There are some subjects where you have to be really good/experienced etc to get a job.
Reply 46
Original post by ForKicks
I know people working at top city law firms and in finance who did history. :smile:


I know people working in FO at Investment Banks who did Football Studies at Bedfordshire.
Reply 47
Original post by fuzznbass
And I know some who don't have jobs, did those ones at top law firms graduate in the last few years ? or did they go to public schools ? I'm not saying everyone that does it ain't going to get a job ; some will. There are some subjects where you have to be really good/experienced etc to get a job.


Graduated last year and not public school or have experience. I guess there is a strong element of luck and specific skill in these kind of things though. I also know historians who are now doing low level admin work.
Original post by ForKicks
I know people working at top city law firms and in finance who did history. :smile:


I know people who didn't even go to universities and are the richest men on the planet.
Reply 49
Original post by anatolia3
why don't you get any further training in psychology? have you tried graduate schemes that ask for any type of degree?


First thing we tried were the graduate schemes. I did an unpaid internship for 3 months & volunteer work. Then I had to try and get any paid job when I had exhausted my savings.

My CV is 'strong' - I was told this at the job fair by the CV experts. I have racked up months and months of volunteer experience and have some excellent references. Unfortunately so have many many other psych graduates. We're all working for free to put on our CVs and hoping it will pay off one day.
Reply 50
Original post by ForKicks
I know people working at top city law firms and in finance who did history. :smile:


This is a bit like "Bill Gates dropped out of uni and now he's a billionaire".

Sure, those people exist, but they either got internships in law/finance/business-related fields very early or are amazingly well connected (or both).
Reply 51
My mate got a 2:1. He was doing pharmacy. He still hasn't got a job.....
Reply 52
Original post by llacerta
What other experience do you have outside of your degree? I know you've said you've got volunteer experience, but have you had any other jobs before? Any other work experience at all throughout your degree, even a part-time retail job or something like that?


Yes. I have worked in retail, cleaning, dishwashing, floor sweeping, serving (waitressing events). These were all small jobs to fill in the gaps whilst I tried to find something better.
Reply 53
Original post by Y__
This is a bit like "Bill Gates dropped out of uni and now he's a billionaire".

Sure, those people exist, but they either got internships in law/finance/business-related fields very early or are amazingly well connected (or both).


Well no, because these are personal examples relevant to today. I said they didn't have work experience or even connections. They probably just happened to go through the right motions. But yes, they are not commonplace.
Original post by ForKicks
Graduated last year and not public school or have experience. I guess there is a strong element of luck and specific skill in these kind of things though. I also know historians who are now doing low level admin work.


Yeah, any work will come in handy at some point, I remember one guy trying to get on a dig as a helper and that was supposed to be hard to get on to.
Original post by MattPatt
There's your problem. Ever thought of postgrad study? ever thought of actively pursuing further study in your chosen field, seeing as your undergrad clearly doesn't make the cut? Ever thought of embellishing your CV with some work in a voluntary capacity, in a related field?

Psychology is a really competitive market anyway, especially seeing as - apparently - alot of the decent jobs are few and far between... if you don't stand out, which lets be honest, a 2:1 and 2:2 dont, then you haven't got much of a chance of getting a job that you want.


I'm pretty sure OP said she already has subject relevant voluntary experience and I wouldn't blame her for not wanting to spend even more money on education when it's likely she could be in the same predicament. It's all good advice but these days it's just not as simple as all of that.
Reply 56
Original post by wanderlust.xx
I know people who didn't even go to universities and are the richest men on the planet.


Where there's a will :smile:
Reply 57
You did Psychology, what did you expect. Maybe try applying for HR graduate jobs.
If you want a career related to psych you will have to go to graduate school.

If you want any entry level job then it comes down to waiting for the offer from the first company that comes knocking.
Original post by nish81
I know very few people in natural science (inc. engineering), economics/business, and [Bold]law courses,
who've had trouble finding jobs. There's definitely a correlation, if not causation, between the two

W00t!

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